To Look Forward To In 2016

It's really difficult to live in London without feeling at the very centre of the cultural universe. I know that New York suffers from a similar sense of superiority and yet, when I think of London, I really do think that everything happens here all the time, a feeling that is compounded by the good fortune of living in Chelsea which, itself, is regarded as the pinnacle of London living. I couldn't wait to leave behind 2015 because, even though I rightly claim that my own year starts on 1st September, my birthday, there's no escaping that it is January which heralds a new, big number on calendars, diaries and computers everywhere. 2016. Gosh, 16 years since the millennium, I cannot quite believe it. When the London Olympics were announced in the distant 2005, 2012 seemed such a far, far, far away year and look at us now... The past twelve months have been full of disappointment for me, from every which angle. I sincerely hope that 2016 won't be any way near as hard-nosed as its predecessor. I am very much looking forward to Monet to Matisse, which will be the first super-exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts this year and is due to open imminently. I also cannot wait for a celebration of Vogue's 100 years, which will open in February at The National Portrait Gallery. There's also Delacroix coming up at The National Gallery as well as Georgia O'Keffee at Tate Modern. The V&A will also... Read more →