Happy Pride Month! To celebrate, here’s some films about love, a Charles Jeffrey exhibition, and some rather large veg in a field…

Past lives intertwined
Loosely based on Henry James’ 1903 novella The Beast in The Jungle, in which a man is paralysed by his neurotic conviction that something awful is about to happen to him – French auteur Bertrand Bonello transforms this internal strife into a sprawling tale of two individuals reincarnated across past, present and future for his latest cinematic offering. Starring Léa Seydoux and George MacKay, The Beast takes the audience on a catastrophic journey through Belle Époque Paris in 1910, contemporary LA, and a soulless technology ruled 2044. Before heading to the cinema, check out our interview with Bonello here.

The Beast is out in cinemas now.

Hey, Loverboy
As one of Somerset House Studios’ original residents, Charles Jeffrey’s ten-year retrospective opening at the London institution is a homecoming of sorts. Celebrating a decade of club culture on the catwalk, the Glaswegian designer has become heralded for his Blitz Kid approach to fashion – transforming DIY into captivating couture. The exhibition itself will be a typically theatrical experience, taking visitors behind the scenes of building a fashion brand from scratch while unpicking the artistry at the heart of Jeffrey’s Loverboy brand.

The Lore of Loverboy runs at Somerset House until 1st September, more info here. 

Countryfile IRL
The most important weekend in South London’s cultural calendar is upon us. Just as it has done since 1974, the Lambeth Country Show will bring some incredibly weird and wonderful countryside pursuits to Brockwell Park. We’re talking vegetable-shaping contests (Tina Turnip was a highlight last year), sheep-shearing and the thrilling Fox Wall of Death bikers.

Lambeth Country Show will run at Brockwell Park on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th of June. Plus, it’s free. 

Ryan Huggins at a. SQUIRE
The gay sauna has always been a place of mystery and joy for those who frequent their foggy hallways and cosy steam rooms. In a series of paintings currently on show at Bloomsbury’s a. SQUIRE gallery, the Düsseldorf-based artist Ryan Huggins explores one of these saunas through somber blue tones, reminiscent of Edward Hopper’s nighttime palette. Huggins’ sauna of choice is Pluto in Essen, a so-called mega-sauna that encompasses several floors that here acts as the setting for his frieze-like compositions.

PLUTO by Ryan Huggins is on display at a. SQUIRE until July 13th

Love on screen
As Pride Month begins, the Barbican is celebrating with a month-long film programme dedicated to Queer 80s cinema. A seminal decade in the representation of the LGBTQI+ community on the big screen, the 80s saw Queer filmmakers produce more unapologetic depictions of Queer love as the world around them fell into turmoil.

Opening this weekend with a screening of Beyond Gravity, across the month you can also see Pedro Almodóvar’s Law of Desire starring Antonio Banderas, a series of Brazilian short films from the early 80s exploring queer lives in the last years of the military dictatorship, and a series of talks from actors and directors. Presenting films from all six continents showing LGBTQI+ lives on the edge of extraordinary change, the Barbican aims to leave no stone of representation unturned.

Check out The Barbican’s programme here. 

Brainstorms
Set to Pink Floyd’s seminal 1973 concept album The Dark Side of the Moon, a new sensory experience at Frameless London visualises brain activity in response to music. Translating those chills, butterflies and euphoric sensations you get when fully captivated by a piece of music to vivid sky formations across 360 digital screens, sweeping cloudscapes and mystical auroras turn great sonics into great visuals. You can even have your own brain responses captured and projected – here’s your opportunity to see what’s happening inside that strange head of yours.

Buy tickets here.

Contact Zone
A brand new artist agency, PieceUnique has arrived on London’s ever-growing art scene dedicated to supporting African art. To celebrate the launch, an inaugural exhibition titled Contact Zone will take place at Cromwell Place this weekend, bringing together the works of multidisciplinary artists Elfreda Fakoya, Oluwole Olofemi and Bayo Akande.

Contact Zone will run at Cromwell Place until June 9th, more info here. 

Turkish delight
Following the success of Kemal Demirasal’s Notting Hill outpost The Counter, the acclaimed chef has opened the doors to a second location in Soho this month. Focusing on the best of Turkish cuisine, the original restaurant showcased the food of Anatolia, while Demirasal’s new spot highlights flavours from the Aegean, inspired by the coastal city of Izmir. Classics such as the chocolate babaganoush and adana kebab are menu mainstays but a series of new dishes include whipped tarama and fish roe, cheese saganaki with pistachio and honey and grilled octopus with mashed fava.

The Counter is located at 15 Kingly Street, W1B 5PS, more info here. 

Summer Omakase
Best known for its fusion of small plates and delectable cocktails, Japanese eatery Apothacery has launched a brand new menu for summer. Focusing on the Japanese tradition of Omakase, the menu offers a curated selection that includes sea bass umeboshi maki rolls, truffle miso cauliflower with house pickles and robata grilled Wagyu bavette with smoked aubergine.

Apothecary East is located at 36 Charlotte Road, EC2A 3PG, more info here.