Bucks &amp; Oxon

The end of January finish line is in sight. Don&#8217;t waste another minute hibernating, enjoy the calm after the storms and find something cool to do this weekend across Bucks and Oxon.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/01/ava-gralus-landsale-exhibition-.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-154873" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/01/ava-gralus-landsale-exhibition-.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/01/ava-gralus-landsale-exhibition--800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/01/ava-gralus-landsale-exhibition--400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/01/ava-gralus-landsale-exhibition--787x525.jpg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Ava Grauls</figcaption></figure>



Just opened at Oxford&#8217;s Old Fire Station is <a href="https://oldfirestation.org.uk/exhibitions/landsale-2-0/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Landsale 2.0</a>, an exploration of the subjectivity and inherent violence of maps. Created by South African/Belgian artist Ava Grauls, her paintings delve into the relationship between South Africa and Britain. It&#8217;s on 11 Jan – 10 Feb and is FREE.



Make an arty day of it in town and catch&nbsp;Modern Art Oxford&#8216;s&nbsp;retrospective of the artist, activist, writer and eco-feminist,&nbsp;Monica Sjöö&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href="https://modernartoxford.org.uk/whats-on/monica-sjoo">The Great Cosmic Mother</a>. The exhibition features pieces from Sjöö’s 40-year career including many large scale paintings which explore the relationship between art, spirituality and politics (until&nbsp;Sun 25 Feb). Also at MAO is&nbsp;<a href="https://modernartoxford.org.uk/whats-on/children-heard-and-seen-hand-in-hand">Children Heard and Seen: Hand&nbsp;in Hand</a>, where the kids have taken the reins in this colourful collaboration between young creatives and the super-talented Oxford-based artist, Mills Brown, (until&nbsp;Sun 25 Feb).&nbsp;



North Bucks based? MK Gallery’s&nbsp;<a href="https://mkgallery.org/event/beyond-the-page/">Beyond the Page</a>&nbsp;closes this weekend so catch it now – an artistic journey back to the 1600s, it investigates how South Asian miniature painting influenced contemporary artists in everything from sculptures, installations and film. Ends on&nbsp;Sun 28 Jan.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="600" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/01/Untitled-design-2024-01-22T124943.367.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-155414" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/01/Untitled-design-2024-01-22T124943.367.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/01/Untitled-design-2024-01-22T124943.367-800x480.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/01/Untitled-design-2024-01-22T124943.367-400x240.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Does Betamax, Walkman, Smash Hits, the Thompson Twins or the Argos catalogue mean anything to you? Then it&#8217;s time to hit up the nostalgia fest that is <a href="https://www.discoverbucksmuseum.org/whats-on/i-grew-up-80s/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">I Grew Up 80s</a> at Discover Bucks Museum. Until 16 Mar, tickets from £5.90 for adults, free for kids.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="833" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/01/Untitled-design-2024-01-22T130012.417-833x1000.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-155420" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/01/Untitled-design-2024-01-22T130012.417-833x1000.jpg 833w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/01/Untitled-design-2024-01-22T130012.417-667x800.jpg 667w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/01/Untitled-design-2024-01-22T130012.417-333x400.jpg 333w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/01/Untitled-design-2024-01-22T130012.417.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 833px) 100vw, 833px" /></figure>



After something a little more profound? Then get yourself along to <a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/catherine-malabou-stop-thief-anarchism-and-philosophy-with-ian-james-tickets-776378076727?aff=erelexpmlt" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Blackwell&#8217;s</a> in Oxford&#8217;s Broad Street this Sat 27 Jan, to see French philosopher Catherine Malabou in conversation with Professor Ian James following the publication of her new book, Stop, Thief! Anarchism and Philosophy. Expect references to the work of Hegel, Freud, and Derrida and a deep dive into the relationship between philosophy, neuroscience, and psychoanalysis.



If you wanted to make 2024 the year you unleash your creative alter ego, here&#8217;s your chance: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092679855913" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Evesham Life Drawing</a> has a few spaces left on its tutored drawing workshop this Sun 28 Jan at Ecgwins Club in Evesham. It&#8217;s 12-5pm and includes a light lunch, refreshments and tuition from two professional artists.



If you&#8217;d rather paint flowers than nudes, check out Denny Webb&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dennywebb.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">watercolour class</a> this weekend in Ipsden near Wallingford. The Sat class is full but there&#8217;s still places on the snowdrop painting class on Sun 28 Jan, 10am – 1pm. Costs £55



If you haven&#8217;t got there yet, head on over to&nbsp;Aylesbury Waterside Theatre this weekend where Henry VIII’s sassy wives (heads still on) return with Tony award-winning&nbsp;<a href="https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/six/aylesbury-waterside-theatre/">Six</a>&nbsp;(Tue 23 Jan&nbsp;–&nbsp;Sun 28 Jan). Meanwhile, staying on the regal theme, the Royal Opera House is being screened live to <a href="https://mkgallery.org/event/roh-rusalka/">MK Gallery</a>&nbsp;this Sun 28 Jan and it&#8217;s the turn of Dvorák’s supernatural fairy-tale&nbsp;Rusalka.&nbsp; 



Getting that little bit closer to the action, the latest of Oxford&#8217;s&nbsp;Sheldonian Theatre&nbsp;live events see&nbsp;Leonard Elschenbroich performing&nbsp;<a href="https://oxfordphil.com/event/elgar-cello-concerto/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elgar Cello Concerto</a>&nbsp;on Sat 27 Jan, meanwhile a stone&#8217;s throw across the city at <a href="https://www.universitychurch.ox.ac.uk/events/oxford-sinfonia-concert-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University Church</a> on the same night, Oxford Sinfonia gathers to perform music by Beethoven, Mozart and Brahms, with Jeneba Kanneh-Mason on piano. From 7.30pm.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/01/Untitled-design-2024-01-18T171625.799.jpg" alt="Stowe National Trust snowdrops on bank" class="wp-image-155297" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/01/Untitled-design-2024-01-18T171625.799.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/01/Untitled-design-2024-01-18T171625.799-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/01/Untitled-design-2024-01-18T171625.799-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/01/Untitled-design-2024-01-18T171625.799-525x525.jpg 525w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/01/Untitled-design-2024-01-18T171625.799-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Stowe&#8217;s wildlife and habitats are front and centre in an exhibition of photography by resident snapper, David Humphries, on display until 18 Feb. Once you&#8217;ve seen the photos you can head out into the real thing and enjoy Stowe&#8217;s sensational snowdrop displays. If that sounds dreamy check out our guide to the best <a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/things-to-do/snowdrops-walks-buckinghamshire-oxfordshire/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">snowdrop peeping spots around Oxon and Bucks</a>.



The Theatre at Chipping Norton has one of its Pick a Price events coming up this Sat 27 Jan – award winning political comedian Mark Thomas starring in <a href="https://www.chippingnortontheatre.com/whats-on" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">England &amp; Son</a>. The one-man play was written for him by Ed Edwards and explores capitalism, empire and stolen youth through the life of an ordinary boy. Pay £5-£25.



Time to finally give the cold water experience a go? You&#8217;re out of excuses because <a href="https://www.byfirelight.co.uk/events" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Firelight</a> has a few spaces in its Sauna, Cold Immersion and Vinyasa Yoga event this Sun 28 Jan 10am-midday at Lopemede Farm in Long Crendon. It&#8217;s £33 for the pleasure and it&#8217;s guided, so hopefully someone will hold your hand right the way up until you plunge into that icy dip. Good luck!

Boredom busters! 14 Things to do this weekend in Bucks & Oxon

You may also like