MAGNUS WESTWELL
COMPOSER, CHOREOGRAPHER & PERFORMANCE ARTIST
THE MANDRAKE PROUDLY PRESENTS THE PERFORMANCE-BASED ARTIST MAGNUS WESTWELL FOR ITS FIRST ARTIST RESIDENCY OF 2024
Save The Date
Monday, 8th to Sunday, 14th April, 2024
The Mandrake Hotel is delighted to introduce Magnus Westwell, a Scottish Artist, Director and Multi-instrumentalist, recognised as an experimental composer and choreographer, as its latest Artist in Residence. From 8th April to 14th April, Westwell will transform the hotel's Masha Hari Theatre into his personal laboratory for sound and movement.
Throughout the week, Westwell will compose and record new music in response to improvised movement by dancers Oscar Li (8th - 11th April) and Oceane Robin (12th - 14th April), meticulously recording and documenting every detail of the compelling operation.
Visitors can expect immersive long-form ambient soundscapes tailored to The Mandrake's unique spaces, from 'The Portal' entrance to the glass-fronted lift, reflecting The Mandrake through Westwell's sonic lens. Archival artworks, photography and video footage will offer insights into Magnus' theater and performance work, showcased at venues like Sadler's Wells, FOLD, Cafe OTO, and the London Short Film Festival.
Collaborating with guest dancers and artists, Westwell will also work on a mass-choreography film project slated for Autumn 2024 release, alongside his debut LP. The Mandrake will host special programming from 10th April onwards, featuring open studio sessions, lectures and guided tours with Westwell and his collaborators, curated by Creative Director Maguelone Marcenac.
Marcenac praises Westwell's work for its alignment with the hotel's avant-garde ethos, encapsulating contemporary society's essence through radical aesthetics and ethereal soundscapes.
Don't miss Westwell's residency from 8th April to 14th April 2024. Should visitors desire a guided tour of the residency and the hotel, followed by a cocktail, Kate Fensterstock, the Founder of Artscope, will be delighted to give them a tour.
OPEN STUDIO TO MEET THE ARTIST
Wednesday, 10th April: 6 - 7 pm
Sunday, 14th April: 12 - 2 pm
For more information and to book in for the open studio sessions or tour, please contact rsvp@themandrake.com.
After a successful inaugural project during Frieze Week last year, The Mandrake’s Creative Director Maguelone Marcenac and Artscope’s Founder Kate Fensterstock have once again joined forces to host open studio sessions, lectures, discussions, guided tours and Q&As with Magnus and his collaborators. The Mandrake continues to develop its identity as a hub for these immersive experiences, which reinforce the significance and impact of great art, and how The Mandrake is key to accessing such resources on site, in London and throughout the world.
"After our initial successful collaboration in creating a custom piece for our Anniversary party in 2022, I invited Magnus Westell back to The Mandrake to join our Artist Residency program. Their work aligns perfectly with the avant-garde DNA of the hotel. Through radical aesthetics, pure shapes, and convulsive movements, set against an ethereal ambient soundscape, Magnus encapsulates the essence of our contemporary society. They perfectly portray the spirit of a young generation, who despite experiencing such distressing times, still shows a resilient confidence in beauty and delicacy, while embracing brutal industrial aesthetics.”
- Maguelone Marcenac, The Mandrake’s Creative Director,
Magnus Westwell
Magnus Westwell, a Scottish artist, director, and multi-instrumentalist, explores experimental composition, choreography, and performance, capturing both euphoria and desolation. His work delves into ineffable emotional states, transcending fragility, intimacy, and catharsis through movement and sound. As a Sadler’s Wells Young Associate alum, Westwell's works have graced esteemed venues and festivals across Europe and the UK. In 2023, he co-founded Bright Storm Group, a project-based dance company. In 2024, Westwell releases his debut LP and develops new creations during residencies with Britten Pears Arts and The Mandrake, supported by PRS Foundation.
The Mandrake's Artist in Residence
Curated and managed by Maguelone Marcenac @scanadully
Assisted by Andressa Claas @andressaclaas