It is the highest sculpture in the United Kingdom but it is also an attraction that thrills visitor’s of all ages. It is the ArcelorMittal Orbit, the spectacular tunnel slide designed by artists Anish Kapoor and Carsten Höller for the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Surrounded by a flame-red trellis, a 114.5 metre spiral tower offers breathtaking views of London from two terraces suspended 76 and 80 metres off the ground respectively. For the brave-at-heart, the real adventure starts here - flying down the highest and longest slide in the world at 24 kilometres an hour! But the surprises aren’t finished yet - through concave lens placed on the panoramic platform, you can look at the world upside-down while the descent of the spiral staircase offers some unexpected sonic experiences. Whoever wants to learn more about this curious work of art will find all the information right there in a specially dedicated area. Created for the London Olympic Games in 2012, the ArcelorMittal Orbit is a behemoth made from recycled steel and inspired by the double helix of DNA, held together by 600 hundred star knots and thirty-five-thousand bolts. Synonymous with innovative design and playful invention, it has transformed the landscape of East London, showing the numerous faces of a versatile and resistant material - from the red trellises to the polished-steel mirrors, from the spiral staircases to the Corten steel that forms the upper canopy.
Marie Antoinette: The Queen of Style Who Never Goes Out of Fashion
Featuring more than 250 works, from personal jewels and court dress to creations by Dior, Chanel and Vivienne Westwood, the show traces Marie Antoinette’s lasting impact on fashion, the decorative arts and visual culture.
At the Royal Academy, A Story of South Asian Art explores Mrinalini Mukherjee’s work and her creative circle, including her mentors and colleagues. Through her textile sculptures and site-specific connections, the exhibition redefines contemporary sculpture with roots in South Asian Modernism.
At the Royal Academy, The Histories presents the most comprehensive European survey of Kerry James Marshall’s work. Over seventy pieces place Black figures at the center of the artistic narrative, redefining Western painting’s traditional canons with bold, poetic force.
The exhibition retraces the encounter between the Hawaiian Kingdom and Great Britain through journeys, symbols, and memories. Feather cloaks, sacred sculptures, and contemporary works come together to restore the voice of a people who crossed both the Pacific and history.