Out of office: the Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the week
As we approach Frieze, our editors have been trawling the capital's galleries. Elsewhere: a 'Wineglass' marathon, a must-see film, and a visit to a science museum
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Running for the hills
Anna Fixsen, US editor
This Sunday, I drove four hours outside of New York City to run the Guthrie Wineglass Marathon in the quaint town of Corning in the Finger Lakes region of New York state. No, there was not wine served along the 26.2-mile route (for that, you’ll have to head to France); the race gets its name for its coveted glass medals, an homage to the town’s status as a glass-making capital of the US (if you go, be sure to check out the Corning Museum of Glass designed by architect Thomas Phifer). While the weather wasn’t as cooperative as I would have liked (the temps peaked at a sweaty 26°C) the course was fast, the scenery epic and the crowd support inspiring. I cruised my way to a PR (marathon speak for ‘personal record’) and promptly made a beeline for – you guessed it – a glass of Finger Lakes Riesling.
A powerful debut
Sofia de la Cruz, travel editor
I’d been anticipating Harris Dickinson’s directorial debut, Urchin, and finally had the chance to watch it last night. The film offers a raw, intimate portrayal of a young rough sleeper in east London, struggling to rebuild his life while battling a tendency toward self-destructive behaviour. It’s a deeply empathetic exploration of cycles, faith, and the complex journey of sobriety. Rather than romanticising hardship, Urchin presents a brutally honest narrative. Dickinson’s profound understanding of social realism shines through every frame.
A mechanical wonderland
Ellie Stathaki, architecture & environment director
A visit to the new Power Hall in Manchester on Monday reminded me how much I love science museums. ‘I like a noisy gallery,’ the museum director, Sally MacDonald, told me – and you know what? I think I do too. There are large locomotives, some older, some newer, and the world’s first passenger station is on site. There’s also a whole new eco-friendly heating system, with its pipes and equipment on full display for all to see and celebrate (thank you for the tour, Iain Shaw!). Big machines, refined architecture by the lovely Carmody Groarke, and an upcoming new public space will no doubt be well received by locals and visitors alike.
A Frieze countdown
Hannah Silver, art, culture, watches & jewellery editor
London is gearing up for Frieze which means exhibitions are opening everywhere. I’ve been lucky to see some brilliant artists’ works this week, from Joy Gregory at the Whitechapel Gallery to Marina Abramovich at Saatchi Yates, Nicolas Party at Hauser & Wirth and Lee Miller at Tate Britain. I particularly loved Wayne Thiebaud’s gorgeously painted American pies at the Courtauld – don’t miss it!
A reflective publication
Em—Dash
Gabriel Annouka, senior designer
I had the pleasure of attending the launch of Are You Comfortable Yet? at ArtHub, New Cross, where Em—Dash – a South London publishing studio founded by Saundra Liemantoro and Aarushi Matiyan – presented their latest publication. The creative duo worked alongside artist Anahita Harding, translating her durational performances (of the same name) into print without losing their sense of tension or scale. Blueprints, signage, and architectural fragments sit alongside drawings of bodies and text, making the book feel less like documentation and more like an encounter, while prompting reflection on who public spaces are built for and how bodies move through them.
A recalibrating album
Jamilah Rose-Roberts, social media editor
I wasn’t able to make it down to CKTRL’s recent concert at London’s ICA, as I was tied to my desk with both work and personal commitments, but his new album has been on repeat in my headphones since its release. Spirit is music that settles in the body, recalibrates the breath, and restores focus. Each track feels composed to be absorbed as much as heard – a current of sound that restores balance from within.
Bradley Miller, known artistically as CKTRL, announced his debut album Spirit a few months ago. With its arrival, he released ‘Rush’, a single that draws together the emotional threads woven throughout the record. Spirit is his first full-length work since 2022’s Yield, and it carries the sensation of something refined over time – another project distilled through patience, sharpened by reflection, and charged with clarity. Guided by bell hooks’ words, ‘Healing is an act of communion’, Spirit turns toward connection as its foundation.
I first encountered CKTRL years ago in a dimly lit Shoreditch House set. In the famous 'Library', a modest crowd gathered – yet the performance was spellbinding. He drew silence into the space and made it resound. That intimacy remains in Spirit; it is a record that expands slowly, allowing each phrase to unfold with patience.
Listening to it is a delicious experience: strings that rise and dissolve, melodies sculpted with precision, arrangements that hold weight and openness in equal measure. It is music for communion – with oneself, with others, with the possibility of healing.
Spirit is available now – listen on Spotify or Apple Music.
