A bird's-eye view of Leeds, Sheffield, and Yorkshire
X
News
New Leeds exhibit will showcase four decades of film and video
The exhibit will explore how we can strengthen bonds and connections between people, in times when communities have found themselves increasingly fractured and isolated
Four decades of artist’s film and video will be showcased in a thought-provoking new exhibition at Leeds Art Gallery this Autumn.
Opening on Saturday, September 25, Radical Reel is a group exhibition and season of screenings and events celebrating 40 years of moving images from its renowned collection.
Drawing connections between cinema, performance, television and the internet, Radical Reel reflects the revolutionary development of this art form as it has undergone rapid technological and social change.
The displays on the ground floor galleries feature a group of celebrated artists whose work explores a range of social themes and urban issues from community, identity, inequality and the environment.
Kickstarting a series of monthly screenings in the White Gallery, Rosalind Nashashibi’s Hreash House 2004 is an intimate portrayal of an extended family in Nazareth, Israel.
Shot over 24-hours during a period of political and social turmoil, the camera’s focus on the mundane aspects of the family’s everyday life invites us into their world of enclosure and confinement, prompting us to consider the ways we interact with our environment as well as with each other.
Elsewhere in the Lyons Gallery, the earliest video is displayed alongside more recent acquisitions.
The gallery was the first UK public gallery to acquire Suzanne Lacy’s work and her pioneering video Whisper, The Waves, The Wind (1983-84) was the first moving image work to enter its collection.
Calling attention to participation, memory and ageism, it documents a performance involving 154 women over the age of 65 who were invited to talk simply and honestly about their lives.
Acquired through the joint initiative of the Valeria Napoleone XX Contemporary Art Society to support the acquisition of significant works by female artists, Martine Syms’ two-channel video A Pilot for a Show About Nowhere 2015 juxtaposes found footage from the internet, film and television to investigate the relationship between media, identity and representation.
Blending YouTube clips of old and current television shows, it draws attention to the consumption of images that erase or make invisible black bodies, voices and narratives.
Radical Reel culminates with Harold Offeh’s Reading the Realness (2020 - ongoing), the gallery’s most recent acquisition made possible by the Contemporary Art Society’s Rapid Response Fund.
Featuring members of Leeds Art Gallery’s Youth Collective and its forum for older communities Meet and Make, Reading the Realness re-enacts panel discussions from popular television and radio chat shows to explore contemporary media debates and how we can better understand ourselves and each other.
Seen together, these works explore how we can strengthen bonds and connections between people, in times when communities have found themselves increasingly fractured and isolated.
This is a timely opportunity to think about the status of film and video in our current climate of online streaming and escalating screen time and a reminder that there is a type of art that was made to be seen on screens all along, albeit one that relies on scale, space and physical experience.
Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s executive member for economy, culture and education, said: “Leeds has a rich and fascinating history in the fields of both film and artistic ingenuity and it’s exciting to see Leeds Art Gallery displaying some of its world class collection from across the decades in this new exhibition.
“It’s always wonderful to see the gallery finding new and innovative ways to engage and inspire visitors and being part of showcasing the city’s incredibly diverse and exciting cultural offering.”
Radical Reel opens on Saturday 25 September 2021 and continues until January 2 2022.
News
A huge football fan zone with space for up to 1,000 fans has opened in Leeds
Trinity Leeds is transforming Trinity Kitchen into the ultimate space to watch all the World Cup 2026 action together.
Looking for somewhere to cheer on England in the 2026 World Cup? Don’t fret, we’ve got you covered.
Foodie hotspot Trinity Kitchen has been completely transformed into the ultimate fan zone with space for up to 1,000 cheering fans.
And they’ve made sure that nobody misses out on the action.
There are three super-sized 5x3m screens dotted around the space, so wherever you go you won’t miss out on a goal.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
There’s also a brand-new bar courtesy of local favourites Northern Monk named the ‘Northern Monk Trinity Tap’.
The tap will feature two, seven-metre bars with a whopping 20 beer taps to keep you refreshed and hydrated during the tournament, because cheering the lads on really can be thirsty work.
If you don’t fancy a beer there’s also cocktails, wine and soft drinks on offer as well - so nobody has to miss out.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Feeling peckish? Of course there’s 11 street food vendors serving match day meals and snacks to keep you fuelled through the games.
Choose from Caribbean jerk chicken from Jerk Junction, Indian street food from Rolawala and loads more.
Entry is completely free but if you’re after a reserved seat on a table, tickets cost just £10.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Josie Towning, Food and Beverage Manager at Trinity Leeds, said: “Trinity Kitchen will operate as normal during the day, transforming into a football fan zone in the evening.
“It will be one of the biggest World Cup venues in Leeds with three huge screens showing the games live and more dotted around Trinity Kitchen. There will be live roaming brass bands and DJs turning every England fixture into a true celebration.
“Fans can turn up and grab a space for free and we will also be offering table bookings for England games for those who want to guarantee the best spots to watch the drama unfold.
“Our line-up of street food vendors will serve bold flavours from around the world, while the all-new Northern Monk Trinity Tap will pour award-winning craft beers across 20 taps, making Trinity Kitchen the ultimate place to eat, drink and experience every unforgettable World Cup moment."
It’s all kicking off on Wednesday 17 June for England v Croatia. So rally your mates together, get your England shirts on and grab your tickets here.
Featured image - The Hoot Leeds
News
Dishoom announces official opening date for new Leeds restaurant
Clementine Hall
It's the moment we've all been waiting for, Dishoom is coming to Leeds.
The whispers of Dishoom's arrival in Leeds city centre have been going on for a while now, but over the past few weeks it has started to feel very real.
Taking over the beautiful old Flannel's site on the coveted Vicar Lane, signs started to pop up for Dishoom and work was cracking on fast.
Well now, we have an opening date - and we don't have long to wait.
Dishoom Leeds will open on Monday 3 August, with guests being able to enjoy 50% off food during an initial soft-opening period, ahead of the official opening on Friday 14 August.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
As with every Dishoom café, the Leeds restaurant begins with a story. This one takes inspiration from the extraordinary true events surrounding the explosion of the SS Fort Stikine in Bombay Dock in April 1944, a wartime disaster that sent gold bars flying across the city.
Legend has it that some of the missing gold was never recovered. Some was discovered embedded in walls and rooftops across Bombay. Other pieces quietly disappeared into the hands of lucky citizens, melted into bangles or hidden away in drawers.
Dishoom Leeds reimagines the fortune made from the gold bars and guests will discover subtle references to the glamorous mid-century details through the interiors and artwork, giving playful nods to Bombay’s golden age.
With all day dining available, guests can dine on the beloved breakfast right through to late evening feasting, with the café will serve a lovingly curated menu of Bombay comfort food inspired by the city’s cafés, grills, street stalls and family kitchens.
Shamil Thakrar, co-founder, also known as Head Babu, at Dishoom, said: “Leeds is a city with tremendous warmth, creativity and character, full of people who know the value of gathering together over good food and drinks. Bringing Dishoom here has long been a dream for us.”
"The story behind this café is rooted in one of Bombay’s most extraordinary moments – the day gold bars fell from the sky after the explosion of Fort Stikine in 1944. Amidst the tragedy and chaos, there were also tales of unexpected fortune, human resilience and hopeful reinvention. We were captivated by this, and we cannot wait to welcome Leeds into the café that pays homage to the heritage of Bombay.”
Georgina Pellant -
24th September 2021 
