The spirit of rebellion lives on in the anarchic figurative and abstract oil on canvas works of Philip Diggle. In his own words ‘art that is political, erotic, abstract, exposed and does something other than sit and entertain in a museum. I am for an art that embroils itself with every day and comes out on top’.
Philip Diggle: Bringing It All Back Home
9-22 February 2024
Exhibition times:
Wed – Fri: 13.00 – 17.00
Saturday: 11.00 – 16.00
Sunday 11.00 – 17.00
Bringing It All Back Home references Bob Dylan and the voice of poetry, protest and politics that
characterised a period of artistic blossoming in New York and elsewhere in the 1960’s, including Diggle’s
own home town of Manchester where he was involved in the punk scene of the 1970’s and 1980’s.
The spirit of rebellion lives on in this anarchic show of figurative and abstract work. Diggle is, in his own
words, “…for an art that is political, erotic, abstract, exposed – and does something other than sit and entertain
…in a museum. I am for an art that embroils itself with everyday and comes out on top”.
Diggle references Sartre, Baudelaire and Wittgenstein: “…climbing Wittgenstein’s metaphorical ladder
of knowledge…I needed to jump from the it’s last rung – without a net or anything like argument – so
that the world could be correctly understood – painted and given some form of impression of penetrating
the essence of things.”
He cites the recent Soutine/Kossoff show at Hastings Contemporary as one which excited him. Many of his
own oil paintings have heavily encrusted and worked-on surfaces, “enlivened by a constant play of
oppositions, each an abstract drama of visual events, a material metaphor for the invisible dynamics of the
world it reflects” (Mel Gooding, art critic). Jackson Pollock is also a key influence, especially the large
New York canvases. Pollock’s phrase “I am nature” resonates in this show.
Philip Diggle has lived in Highgate for over 30 years and this is his 8th show at Highgate Gallery. He is a
regular contributor to the Royal Academy annual exhibition and has also exhibited in Berlin, Paris,
Barcelona and New York. His work is held in collections at Chase Manhattan Bank and the Rockefeller
Center in New York, at Caius College Cambridge and in many boardrooms and private collections.
There will be works on paper for sale as well as canvases.
Jean Daniel Broussé (JD), the only son of a fourth-generation French baker, will not be following in his ancestors’ footsteps. Having studied Medieval History, Modern Literature and Circus Arts, JD steps away from baking bread, patisserie and cakes.
After four generations, the family bakery is sold. After four generations, the boulangerie story ends here.
(le)Pain is about breadmaking, identity, physical heroics and growing up queer in a boulangerie in the south of France. It incorporates circus, dance, storytelling, Béarnaise folklore video, karaoke and laughter.
Running time: 60 mins, no interval
Partners: Warwick Arts Centre, Shoreditch Town Hall
Funders: Arts Council England Lottery Funded, Jerwood Circus Residencies
Suitable for ages 14+
The spirit of rebellion lives on in the anarchic figurative and abstract oil on canvas works of Philip Diggle. In his own words ‘art that is political, erotic, abstract, exposed and does something other than sit and entertain in a museum. I am for an art that embroils itself with every day and comes out on top’.
Philip Diggle: Bringing It All Back Home
9-22 February 2024
Exhibition times:
Wed – Fri: 13.00 – 17.00
Saturday: 11.00 – 16.00
Sunday 11.00 – 17.00
Bringing It All Back Home references Bob Dylan and the voice of poetry, protest and politics that
characterised a period of artistic blossoming in New York and elsewhere in the 1960’s, including Diggle’s
own home town of Manchester where he was involved in the punk scene of the 1970’s and 1980’s.
The spirit of rebellion lives on in this anarchic show of figurative and abstract work. Diggle is, in his own
words, “…for an art that is political, erotic, abstract, exposed – and does something other than sit and entertain
…in a museum. I am for an art that embroils itself with everyday and comes out on top”.
Diggle references Sartre, Baudelaire and Wittgenstein: “…climbing Wittgenstein’s metaphorical ladder
of knowledge…I needed to jump from the it’s last rung – without a net or anything like argument – so
that the world could be correctly understood – painted and given some form of impression of penetrating
the essence of things.”
He cites the recent Soutine/Kossoff show at Hastings Contemporary as one which excited him. Many of his
own oil paintings have heavily encrusted and worked-on surfaces, “enlivened by a constant play of
oppositions, each an abstract drama of visual events, a material metaphor for the invisible dynamics of the
world it reflects” (Mel Gooding, art critic). Jackson Pollock is also a key influence, especially the large
New York canvases. Pollock’s phrase “I am nature” resonates in this show.
Philip Diggle has lived in Highgate for over 30 years and this is his 8th show at Highgate Gallery. He is a
regular contributor to the Royal Academy annual exhibition and has also exhibited in Berlin, Paris,
Barcelona and New York. His work is held in collections at Chase Manhattan Bank and the Rockefeller
Center in New York, at Caius College Cambridge and in many boardrooms and private collections.
There will be works on paper for sale as well as canvases.
Internationally acclaimed circus and dance performers, Nikki Rummer and JD Broussé, use hand-to-hand circus skills to tell the tale of an impossible choice: How can we be honest with ourselves without hurting those we love? Knot is a finely crafted theatrical journey through the struggles of commitment.
Knot is a modern affair told with delicate sensitivity through breath-taking acrobatics and heart wrenching dance.
Knot is co-commissioned and supported by Jacksons Lane, Déda, Jerwood Choreographic Research Project II, The National Centre for Circus Arts, Arts Council England and Warwick Arts Centre.
Come and join our Musical Theatre Choir! A fun, low pressured choir focusing on songs from musicals, and older pop songs. We rehearse on Thursday evenings, 8-9.30pm at Jackson’s Lane, opposite Highgate tube station.
Throughout the year, we will cover repertoire from Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, to Les Mis, to Sondheim, to West Side Story, to Wicked, and everything in between. Older pop songs will include songs by the Carpenters, the Beatles, and many more.
Any standard welcome, and no need to read music as the songs will be taught line by line. The choir is run by Rachel Dussek, a singer, singing teacher, and choir leader who trained in classical singing and then in musical theatre at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. Please get in touch by email or phone to book a taster session.
racheldussek@aol.com
£45 for a 5 week half term, working out as £9 per session. Dates for the full 10 week term are 11th Jan – 21st March (no session on Feb 15th due to half term).
Join us on a journey filled with airplanes, juggling, an inflatable swimming pool and a wild train ride that will take you beyond the stage!
A circus performance that explores the importance of playfulness, creativity and imagination. Shenanigans is an ode to the inner child.
Running time: 50 minutes
Suitable for ages 3+
Supported by the Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland
Come and join our Musical Theatre Choir! A fun, low pressured choir focusing on songs from musicals, and older pop songs. We rehearse on Thursday evenings, 8-9.30pm at Jackson’s Lane, opposite Highgate tube station.
Throughout the year, we will cover repertoire from Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, to Les Mis, to Sondheim, to West Side Story, to Wicked, and everything in between. Older pop songs will include songs by the Carpenters, the Beatles, and many more.
Any standard welcome, and no need to read music as the songs will be taught line by line. The choir is run by Rachel Dussek, a singer, singing teacher, and choir leader who trained in classical singing and then in musical theatre at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. Please get in touch by email or phone to book a taster session.
racheldussek@aol.com
£45 for a 5 week half term, working out as £9 per session. Dates for the full 10 week term are 11th Jan – 21st March (no session on Feb 15th due to half term).
Do you know what happens when female acrobats hit middle age? still hungry don’t know either, but they’re trying to figure it out.
Part circus show, part training session, part trip-down-memory lane, Show Pony takes a hard look at life onstage and the gut-wrenching moment when the stage no longer wants you.
Packed with love, laughter and lunacy, Show Pony is a joyful scream that challenges sexism and ageism, on and off stage.
Supported by Fonds Darstellende Künste with funds from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media within the program NEUSTART KULTUR
Come and join our Musical Theatre Choir! A fun, low pressured choir focusing on songs from musicals, and older pop songs. We rehearse on Thursday evenings, 8-9.30pm at Jackson’s Lane, opposite Highgate tube station.
Throughout the year, we will cover repertoire from Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, to Les Mis, to Sondheim, to West Side Story, to Wicked, and everything in between. Older pop songs will include songs by the Carpenters, the Beatles, and many more.
Any standard welcome, and no need to read music as the songs will be taught line by line. The choir is run by Rachel Dussek, a singer, singing teacher, and choir leader who trained in classical singing and then in musical theatre at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. Please get in touch by email or phone to book a taster session.
racheldussek@aol.com
£45 for a 5 week half term, working out as £9 per session. Dates for the full 10 week term are 11th Jan – 21st March (no session on Feb 15th due to half term).
Heckel’s Horse is the alias used by local artist Edgeworth Johnstone for a series of works based on collaborative paintings he made over the last ten years with Medway artist Billy Childish, 18 years his senior. Hence, Johnstone acting alone is Heckel’s Horse Jr. These beguiling works have their roots in primitive and symbolist art using colour and the language of dreams to great effect.
Open: Wednesday and Thursday: 13.00 – 17.00
Heckel’s Horse is the alias used by local artist Edgeworth Johnstone for a series of works based on collaborative paintings he made over the last ten years with Medway artist Billy Childish, 18 years his senior. Hence, Johnstone acting alone is Heckel’s Horse Jr. These beguiling works have their roots in primitive and symbolist art using colour and the language of dreams to great effect.
Open: Wednesday and Thursday: 13.00 – 17.00
Will Lily conquer her fears?
Will she conquer her fright?
Will she conquer the ghouls in the dead of the night?
A thrilling, funny, and heart-warming story about an awesome girl called Lily who faces her fears and saves the day.
From the creators of One Duck Down (“A perfect show for kids” ★★★★★ Families Edinburgh) with music by Cat Gisby (Elle & the Pocket Belles), this adaptation of Arthur McBain’s book is full of spooks, songs, silliness, and most of all – monsters!
Faceplant Theatre is a family theatre company whose debut production One Duck Down won the Family Show of the Year 2018 award at that year’s VAULT Festival. It has since toured to venues including the Lyric Hammersmith, Pleasance Courtyard, New Wimbledon Theatre, Aylesbury Waterside, Greenwich Theatre, Turbine Theatre, GLive, Wardrobe Theatre, Canada Water Theatre, Streatham Space Project, and many more including schools and community venues.
Heckel’s Horse is the alias used by local artist Edgeworth Johnstone for a series of works based on collaborative paintings he made over the last ten years with Medway artist Billy Childish, 18 years his senior. Hence, Johnstone acting alone is Heckel’s Horse Jr. These beguiling works have their roots in primitive and symbolist art using colour and the language of dreams to great effect.
Open: Wednesday and Thursday: 13.00 – 17.00
Heckel’s Horse is the alias used by local artist Edgeworth Johnstone for a series of works based on collaborative paintings he made over the last ten years with Medway artist Billy Childish, 18 years his senior. Hence, Johnstone acting alone is Heckel’s Horse Jr. These beguiling works have their roots in primitive and symbolist art using colour and the language of dreams to great effect.
Open: Wednesday and Thursday: 13.00 – 17.00
Heckel’s Horse is the alias used by local artist Edgeworth Johnstone for a series of works based on collaborative paintings he made over the last ten years with Medway artist Billy Childish, 18 years his senior. Hence, Johnstone acting alone is Heckel’s Horse Jr. These beguiling works have their roots in primitive and symbolist art using colour and the language of dreams to great effect.
Open: Wednesday and Thursday: 13.00 – 17.00
Inspired by the Cosmos Archeology project at EPFL, Space Junk tells the story of a space suit pushed out into space on an ephemeral orbit of the earth with a radio transmitter, known as SuitSat. A friendship is formed between a life-sized puppeteered space suit and a human, embodied by a dance and aerial artist.
With over 100 million pieces of space junk orbiting the planet, Space Junk is a tale of love, loss, new frontiers, the destructive power of human carelessness and our constructive capacity for hope and compassion.
Please be aware that this a work in progress performance.
In partnership with Jacksons Lane, Norwich Theatre and Exeter Phoenix.
Come and join our Musical Theatre Choir! A fun, low pressured choir focusing on songs from musicals, and older pop songs. We rehearse on Thursday evenings, 8-9.30pm at Jackson’s Lane, opposite Highgate tube station.
Throughout the year, we will cover repertoire from Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, to Les Mis, to Sondheim, to West Side Story, to Wicked, and everything in between. Older pop songs will include songs by the Carpenters, the Beatles, and many more.
Any standard welcome, and no need to read music as the songs will be taught line by line. The choir is run by Rachel Dussek, a singer, singing teacher, and choir leader who trained in classical singing and then in musical theatre at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. Please get in touch by email or phone to book a taster session.
racheldussek@aol.com
£45 for a 5 week half term, working out as £9 per session. Dates for the full 10 week term are 11th Jan – 21st March (no session on Feb 15th due to half term).
Heckel’s Horse is the alias used by local artist Edgeworth Johnstone for a series of works based on collaborative paintings he made over the last ten years with Medway artist Billy Childish, 18 years his senior. Hence, Johnstone acting alone is Heckel’s Horse Jr. These beguiling works have their roots in primitive and symbolist art using colour and the language of dreams to great effect.
Open: Wednesday and Thursday: 13.00 – 17.00
A night of fresh alternative comedy and circus theatre.
Bristol-based emerging artists bring two new experimental shows with a surreal twist on spectacle with comedy at its core:
Transcendental
Using trapeze and a comical amount of existentialism, Transcendental is a fever dream journey through the absurdity of being alive. A satirical deep dive into grotesque aspects of the human experience.
Hiding in Plain Sight
Using physical comedy and object manipulation to explore surveillance culture, Hiding in Plain Sight tackles juggling our virtual identities and our authentic selves.
Suitable for ages 12+
Heckel’s Horse is the alias used by local artist Edgeworth Johnstone for a series of works based on collaborative paintings he made over the last ten years with Medway artist Billy Childish, 18 years his senior. Hence, Johnstone acting alone is Heckel’s Horse Jr. These beguiling works have their roots in primitive and symbolist art using colour and the language of dreams to great effect.
Open: Wednesday and Thursday: 13.00 – 17.00
Brainfools is back at Jacksons Lane with a series of three scratch nights, where circus artists showcase works-in-progress to curious and adventurous audiences.
These nights provide a rare opportunity for performers to test new material, receive live feedback, and refine their pieces based on audience reactions. It’s a dynamic exchange between artists and spectators, fostering a collaborative and interactive atmosphere. Each themed night will feature six performers, unveiling a diverse range of talent and ideas.
Heckel’s Horse is the alias used by local artist Edgeworth Johnstone for a series of works based on collaborative paintings he made over the last ten years with Medway artist Billy Childish, 18 years his senior. Hence, Johnstone acting alone is Heckel’s Horse Jr. These beguiling works have their roots in primitive and symbolist art using colour and the language of dreams to great effect.
Open: Wednesday and Thursday: 13.00 – 17.00
Heckel’s Horse is the alias used by local artist Edgeworth Johnstone for a series of works based on collaborative paintings he made over the last ten years with Medway artist Billy Childish, 18 years his senior. Hence, Johnstone acting alone is Heckel’s Horse Jr. These beguiling works have their roots in primitive and symbolist art using colour and the language of dreams to great effect.
Open: Wednesday and Thursday: 13.00 – 17.00
Heckel’s Horse is the alias used by local artist Edgeworth Johnstone for a series of works based on collaborative paintings he made over the last ten years with Medway artist Billy Childish, 18 years his senior. Hence, Johnstone acting alone is Heckel’s Horse Jr. These beguiling works have their roots in primitive and symbolist art using colour and the language of dreams to great effect.
Open: Wednesday and Thursday: 13.00 – 17.00
Come and join our Musical Theatre Choir! A fun, low pressured choir focusing on songs from musicals, and older pop songs. We rehearse on Thursday evenings, 8-9.30pm at Jackson’s Lane, opposite Highgate tube station.
Throughout the year, we will cover repertoire from Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, to Les Mis, to Sondheim, to West Side Story, to Wicked, and everything in between. Older pop songs will include songs by the Carpenters, the Beatles, and many more.
Any standard welcome, and no need to read music as the songs will be taught line by line. The choir is run by Rachel Dussek, a singer, singing teacher, and choir leader who trained in classical singing and then in musical theatre at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. Please get in touch by email or phone to book a taster session.
racheldussek@aol.com
£45 for a 5 week half term, working out as £9 per session. Dates for the full 10 week term are 11th Jan – 21st March (no session on Feb 15th due to half term).
Morgan & West are back with a massive magic show for kids (and their childish grown-ups), full of their trademark wit, whimsy, and wall-to-wall silliness.
Expect gawps, gasps, and guffaws in this relentlessly funny and fantastical magic filled extravaganza, guaranteed to delight those aged 5 and 105, and indeed everyone in between.
Suitable for ages 5+
Turk(ish) is an autobiographical piece using a combination of live music, contemporary circus and storytelling to discuss personal struggles of identity and Western beauty standards.
Meet two best friends.
They love to play together.
One day, one of them says “I can’t today”.
Then a hole in the ground starts to appear.
Not Today is a vibrant, daring and heartwarming circus theatre show about unlikely friendship.
This performance will be the first work-in-progress sharing of Not Today. Any feedback will be greatly appreciated as it’ll inform the future creation and development of the show.
Suitable for ages 4-8
The President of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Anthony Connolly along with two fellow members, Toby Wiggins and Andrew James, will be curating a unique exhibition that goes to the heart of their reasons for making their work. Sixty new and unseen paintings, drawings and sculptures will form a dynamic dialogue that explores overlapping themes including personal memories, history, landscape, religion and a shared belief in the need for authenticity of spirit to be at the heart of the creative process.
Gallery times: Wednesdays to Fridays 13:00-17:00,
Saturdays 11:00-16:00, Sundays 11:00-17:00,
Mondays & Tuesdays Closed
Private View: Friday 12 April 2024 18:00-20:30
The President of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Anthony Connolly along with two fellow members, Toby Wiggins and Andrew James, will be curating a unique exhibition that goes to the heart of their reasons for making their work. Sixty new and unseen paintings, drawings and sculptures will form a dynamic dialogue that explores overlapping themes including personal memories, history, landscape, religion and a shared belief in the need for authenticity of spirit to be at the heart of the creative process.
Gallery times: Wednesdays to Fridays 13:00-17:00,
Saturdays 11:00-16:00, Sundays 11:00-17:00,
Mondays & Tuesdays Closed
Private View: Friday 12 April 2024 18:00-20:30
20 Years Later Still Here! is an autobiographical show about two women’s wild joyride working in circus. Told with warmth, humour, and dizzying acrobatics, this show invites the audience to share the highs and lows of a life in show business. From the glitz and glamour to the countless hours of practice, the blood, the sweat and the tears.
The President of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Anthony Connolly along with two fellow members, Toby Wiggins and Andrew James, will be curating a unique exhibition that goes to the heart of their reasons for making their work. Sixty new and unseen paintings, drawings and sculptures will form a dynamic dialogue that explores overlapping themes including personal memories, history, landscape, religion and a shared belief in the need for authenticity of spirit to be at the heart of the creative process.
Gallery times: Wednesdays to Fridays 13:00-17:00,
Saturdays 11:00-16:00, Sundays 11:00-17:00,
Mondays & Tuesdays Closed
Private View: Friday 12 April 2024 18:00-20:30
The President of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Anthony Connolly along with two fellow members, Toby Wiggins and Andrew James, will be curating a unique exhibition that goes to the heart of their reasons for making their work. Sixty new and unseen paintings, drawings and sculptures will form a dynamic dialogue that explores overlapping themes including personal memories, history, landscape, religion and a shared belief in the need for authenticity of spirit to be at the heart of the creative process.
Gallery times: Wednesdays to Fridays 13:00-17:00,
Saturdays 11:00-16:00, Sundays 11:00-17:00,
Mondays & Tuesdays Closed
Private View: Friday 12 April 2024 18:00-20:30
The President of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Anthony Connolly along with two fellow members, Toby Wiggins and Andrew James, will be curating a unique exhibition that goes to the heart of their reasons for making their work. Sixty new and unseen paintings, drawings and sculptures will form a dynamic dialogue that explores overlapping themes including personal memories, history, landscape, religion and a shared belief in the need for authenticity of spirit to be at the heart of the creative process.
Gallery times: Wednesdays to Fridays 13:00-17:00,
Saturdays 11:00-16:00, Sundays 11:00-17:00,
Mondays & Tuesdays Closed
Private View: Friday 12 April 2024 18:00-20:30
The President of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Anthony Connolly along with two fellow members, Toby Wiggins and Andrew James, will be curating a unique exhibition that goes to the heart of their reasons for making their work. Sixty new and unseen paintings, drawings and sculptures will form a dynamic dialogue that explores overlapping themes including personal memories, history, landscape, religion and a shared belief in the need for authenticity of spirit to be at the heart of the creative process.
Gallery times: Wednesdays to Fridays 13:00-17:00,
Saturdays 11:00-16:00, Sundays 11:00-17:00,
Mondays & Tuesdays Closed
Private View: Friday 12 April 2024 18:00-20:30
The President of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Anthony Connolly along with two fellow members, Toby Wiggins and Andrew James, will be curating a unique exhibition that goes to the heart of their reasons for making their work. Sixty new and unseen paintings, drawings and sculptures will form a dynamic dialogue that explores overlapping themes including personal memories, history, landscape, religion and a shared belief in the need for authenticity of spirit to be at the heart of the creative process.
Gallery times: Wednesdays to Fridays 13:00-17:00,
Saturdays 11:00-16:00, Sundays 11:00-17:00,
Mondays & Tuesdays Closed
Private View: Friday 12 April 2024 18:00-20:30
The President of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Anthony Connolly along with two fellow members, Toby Wiggins and Andrew James, will be curating a unique exhibition that goes to the heart of their reasons for making their work. Sixty new and unseen paintings, drawings and sculptures will form a dynamic dialogue that explores overlapping themes including personal memories, history, landscape, religion and a shared belief in the need for authenticity of spirit to be at the heart of the creative process.
Gallery times: Wednesdays to Fridays 13:00-17:00,
Saturdays 11:00-16:00, Sundays 11:00-17:00,
Mondays & Tuesdays Closed
Private View: Friday 12 April 2024 18:00-20:30
The President of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Anthony Connolly along with two fellow members, Toby Wiggins and Andrew James, will be curating a unique exhibition that goes to the heart of their reasons for making their work. Sixty new and unseen paintings, drawings and sculptures will form a dynamic dialogue that explores overlapping themes including personal memories, history, landscape, religion and a shared belief in the need for authenticity of spirit to be at the heart of the creative process.
Gallery times: Wednesdays to Fridays 13:00-17:00,
Saturdays 11:00-16:00, Sundays 11:00-17:00,
Mondays & Tuesdays Closed
Private View: Friday 12 April 2024 18:00-20:30
The President of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, Anthony Connolly along with two fellow members, Toby Wiggins and Andrew James, will be curating a unique exhibition that goes to the heart of their reasons for making their work. Sixty new and unseen paintings, drawings and sculptures will form a dynamic dialogue that explores overlapping themes including personal memories, history, landscape, religion and a shared belief in the need for authenticity of spirit to be at the heart of the creative process.
Gallery times: Wednesdays to Fridays 13:00-17:00,
Saturdays 11:00-16:00, Sundays 11:00-17:00,
Mondays & Tuesdays Closed
Private View: Friday 12 April 2024 18:00-20:30
Bodenpress: A Walk With Laurie
Laurie Lee’s vivid description of people and space is the inspiration for the sixth literary themed exhibition from Bodenpress. Twelve artists interpret Lee’s written word through diverse printmaking techniques, both traditional and modern. The artists will be available throughout the show to discuss their work and promote the practice of printmaking to a wider audience.
Highgate Gallery opening times:
Wednesday – Fridays: 13.00- 17.00
Saturday: 11.00 – 16.00
Sunday: 11.00 – 17.00