This is London Magazine June Edition 2026 - Flipbook - Page 22
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Like the Italian painter
BAR RIOJA FESTIVAL RETURNS TO
Caravaggio, he uses the LONDON
contrast between light
Following the success of its debut
and dark to great effect.
event in 2025, the Bar Rioja Festival is
Zurbarán, at 29, had
set to return this summer with an
found a way to paint
expanded celebration of the wines, food
powerful spiritual
and culture of Spain’s renowned Rioja
experiences in a very
region. Taking place on Saturday 4 July
real and emotionally
from 13:30 to 18:30, the festival will
direct way. The
once again be hosted in the picturesque
commissions rolled in.
Victorian courtyard shared by Bar Rioja
Meanwhile Zurbarán’s
and Camino, offering a vibrant setting in
still
lifes
are
among
the heart of London.
Francisco de Zurbarán Still Life with Lemons Oranges
some of the most
This year’s event will showcase
and a Rose 1633 The Norton Simon Foundation
beautiful
ever
painted.
16
carefully selected Rioja wines,
© The Norton Simon Foundation
Photo: Neil Muir
You can almost smell the highlighting the diversity and innovation
citrusy lemons and sweet that define the region today. Guests will
ZURBARAN AT THE NATIONAL
orange blossom – picked from trees he
have the opportunity to explore a range
GALLERY
would have walked under in Seville.
of styles, from lively sparkling wines and
One of the great artists of 17thThrough the detail he included in his crisp whites to elegant rosés and
century Spain and a peer of Murillo and paintings, Zurbarán made them not only characterful reds.
Velázquez, Francisco de Zurbarán
beautiful – but relatable. His father was
Beyond the tasting experience,
(1598–1664) stands out for his drama,
a merchant. Fabrics and thread were
visitors can meet the winemakers and
mystery and vision. From the rind of a
among the goods he traded and so
producers behind the wines, gaining
lemon to the timeless gaze of a saint, he Zurbarán may have developed an interest valuable insight into Rioja’s rich
finds an intensity in the ordinary. Strong in these materials from a young age.
winemaking heritage. A selection of
light and deep shadow bring real faces,
For further details and to book tickets, Spanish food will also be available,
soft fabrics, fresh fruit and flowers to
www.nationalgallery.org.uk/exhibitions/z including jamón Ibérico and freshly
life. His paintings unite stillness, focus
urbaran
prepared paella.
and faith.
An exhibition at the National Gallery
(until 23 August) brings together works
from major galleries across Europe and
the US that span Zurbarán’s career, from
his first religious commissions to
paintings made for private devotion.
Zurbarán became the painter for the
many religious orders in the booming
city of Seville. If you were one of the
hundreds of monks in the city, you
would probably have seen his paintings,
but they weren’t all on public display.
The painting that set him on the path to
success was ‘The Crucifixion’ (1627), on
loan here from the Art Institute Chicago.
In its original setting in a dark chapel, lit
As excitement builds around a summer of football, New Balance has unveiled a new
by candlelight and viewed through a
metal grille in the shadows, it looked so mural in the heart of Shoreditch, spotlighting two of England’s most exciting football
talents and New Balance ambassadors, Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze. Created to
real that many people thought it was a
mark the occasion, the large-scale artwork celebrates the pair’s influence on the
sculpture.
game and the impact they continue to have on fans and football culture. On display
As with many of the works that
until 5 July, the mural invites fans and visitors to East London to experience a
followed, there are no fancy objects or
distracting backgrounds in this painting. celebration of football, culture and community.
T H I S I S L O N D O N M A G A Z I N E • T H I S I S L O N D O N O N L I N E • w w w. t i l . c o m • @ t h i s i s l o n d o n m a g
