Category Archives: Vauxhall

Keith Cunningham at Newport St. Gallery

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The latest offering over at the Newport Street Gallery is the work of little known and exceptionally gifted artist Keith Cunningham, who mysteriously gave up painting just a few years after he started. Cunningham was on the periphery of the London Group of artists who among their number included Frank Auerbach and Leon Kosoff and the Group were intrigued by Cunningham’s powerful, if not at times gruesome and sinister, subject matter. 

At least there’s no queue for the toilet

Cunningham was certainly a man with something to say, but not very interested who heard him, as many of these 70 works accumulated in his studio as opposed to being seen. He used a very dark and tightly controlled palette of colours with think coats of impasto, giving the works that are not under glass a 3D element, with the added drama of huge brushstrokes. In this manner he captures commuters, rabbits, and even squid. 

At the moment there is an epic retrospective of Francis Bacon’s work at the Royal Academy (north of the river if you dare) and in way Cunningham’s depictions of blood crazed dogs, skulls, and angst is an interesting counterpoint to the great man’s work. It’s possibly not a coincidence that they’re being staged at the same time. 

As you move through the well organised exhibit Cunningham’s  work begins to tilt more towards abstraction and huge blocks of colour. The painting below is a still life. However, it rather reminded us of Phil from the accounts team when he fell over outside the Tommyfield pub after downing eight pints of cider at our Christmas party. 

‘Keith Cunningham, the Cloud of Witness’ is on now until 21 August at Newport Street Gallery and is totally free. 

Expiring at Gasworks

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If you follow art historical debates as fervently as our snooty ‘Culture’ department here at the Runoff does, then you’ll be aware that there are big debates afoot about the repatriation of objects that have been, lets say, ‘liberated’ from other cultures. Examples are the Elgin Marbles and Benin sculptures at the British Museum. The current exhibit at the Gasworks Gallery in Vauxhall takes a different approach to this question by asking museums to assess their relationship with life and death….Stick with us…..

The show is called ‘out of an instance of expiration comes a perennial showing’ and is by LA based artist Gala Porras-Kim. In addition to raising questions about the use of capital letters, the artist raises questions about the conservation of human remains and if sacred objects meant for the afterlife are devoid of meaning if extracted from a tomb and put on display, and to get her point across there’s even a giant sarcophagus in the main room. Next to the works are letters to museums asking about their curatorial practice and in one curious note she asks a curator if a mummy had been consulted before he was put on display.

As you walk through the works in the small space, the content of what is being asked becomes more apparent. How do we understand and respect items associated with death and how do institutions respect and deal with items in their collections which are still living (eg in an afterlife)? And if you prefer your art exhibits to involve mould spores and the contents of vacuum cleaner bags then this exhibit doesn’t disappoint. I mean this is Gasworks, after all. 

As you know, we love free stuff and on Tuesday, 8 March at 7pm Gasworks will have a free talk about Pharaonic music and how the ancient Egyptians made instruments.  Admittedly when we first saw this we thought it said Pharrell, but at least there’s still music involved. 

Out of an instance of expiration comes a perennial showing is on now until 27 March and, like all good stuff, free. Look at website for opening hours. 

The Ten Best Restaurants in Greater Kennington #4

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(+ One Sunday Roast)

THE CORIANDER

Greater Kenningtontonians are almost as opinionated about their curry as their Sunday roast, but we find that the best hands down to be The Coriander in Vauxhall. We are aware that such a bold assertion is controversial and might make you want to hurl tarka dahl our way but since you don’t actually know who we are that’s not gonna happen.

Coriander specialises in North Indian, Bengali and Nepalese cuisine. The garlic naan is just right – not too thick and herbs going through it. For side dishes, the  baingon motor (aubergine) is  a standout treat, and their other starters cover all the bases of North Indian food. For the mains, our favourites are the chicken tikka naga (above) with hints of cloves, cumin and loads of heat.  All the good curry house standards are also in evidence, and we particularly like the handi laze, which is spicy chicken with chillies and fragrant cardamon, given some zing with added lemon. And as with most Indians, there are a range of veg options. There are also a huge range of rice options, and we prefer the good old fashioned pilau.

Honourable mention in for Indian food goes to proper old school curry joint Gandhis in Kennington Cross which just missed our list. As you can see by celebrity strewn pictures in the window, if it’s good enough for Richard and Judy, Neil and Christine Hamilton, and some lady who’s a dead ringer for Hyacinth Bucket then it has to be good enough for us mere mortals and deserves second Indian place.

The Ten Best Restaurants in Greater Kennington #6

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(+ One Sunday Roast)

Daebak…..Home of KFC

Since it opened a few years ago Daebak in Vauxhall has been delivering consistent and hearty Korean fare in a very cool street Seoul setting. Word has now spread and it’s more popular than ever. Of note there are a number of Korean patrons, probably enticed by their Korean down home treats such as kimchi pancakes and…wait for it….. potato chips with cream cheese powder, best consumed with the Korean beer ‘Hite’. The review below is from a couple of years ago but we’ve been many times since to explore its great and deliciously unconventional fare.

A few days ago we popped our sweaty selves to Vauxhall to revisit a delightful Korean friend called ‘Daebak’.  It is a small, delightful restaurant not to be confused with the not so charming ‘Jihwaja’ across the road. Well, unless your idea of charming involves hen do’s, stale kimchee and blaring K-Pop. And if it does then this website might not be for you…..

For our meal the three of us ordered soy garlic Korean Fried Chicken (or KFC, a speciality, above), spicy bibimbap,  Katsu curry, crispy tofu, and gyoza. Let me tell you, reader, we were rolling out of there by the end of it. We could have easily dropped one of the main courses as they were huge. We highly recommend the various kinds of fried chicken on order (crunchy, subtle) and the Bibimbap is delicious and comes with two veg. options. I would also experiment with a starter like octopus balls. Great food, and pretty kind on the pocket. If you are going on a weekend it might be a good idea to book, as last time we couldn’t get in we had to go across the street and it wasn’t pretty.

Daebak is at 316-318 Kennington Lane

Pros – It has wide open doors overlooking Vauxhall

Cons – It has wide open doors overlooking Vauxhall

Back Dog Sunday Roast

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Ahead of our profound and moving, yet highly subjective,  ‘Top Ten Best Restaurants in Greater Kennington’ (plus one Sunday roast) countdown, we recently enjoyed a Sunday roast at local stalwart the Black Dog in Vauxhall and were here to tell you about it. 

Aside from the roast, what the Dog is particularly good at are the starters and bar snacks. With a Spanish/European tilt, what looked good to us were the padron peppers, squid with wasabi mayo, and their signature Scotch eggs. For roast one, your scribe had the sirloin steak roast with a curious spinach and cream mash. The steak was very lean and thinly sliced, with generous vegetables and a not-very-Sunday-roast-but-still-delicious curious creamed spinach mixture. Sides of horseradish and apple sauce were also a treat.

  • Pork
  • Steak

Our Ombudsman Phil had the pork belly roast, which was a thick slice of rolled pork belly topped off with some crackling. The meat was well cooked, with delicious but not overwhelming fat. Yorkshire pudding pulled off the great feat of being soft yet crispy – a triumph. Good veggies alongside, not over cooked. Paul is a gravy man and gave it a big tick. There is also a good selection of Casque Marque accredited ales and beers. And a good value at £17. 

The look at the Dog is one of a fun antiques shop mixed with assorted kitchen tables.  The crowd is an interesting mix of middle class white people under the age of 35. If this describes yourself, then congratulations and you’ll fit right in. if, like us, that does not describe yourself then you’ll still feel at home as the atmosphere is very inviting. But please be warned, that the toilet marked ‘U’ is ‘urinals’ and does NOT stand for ‘unisex’. God knows we’re  not making that mistake again. 

Getting Classy in Vauxhall

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As amazing as it is, only a few weeks ago none of us had heard of Wordle, Duolingo or, god help us all, Partygate. Now they seem to be dominating our lives at the expense of getting out and going things. If you fancy building those brain cells in a different way, we suggest the upcoming ‘Classical Vauxhall’ series of concerts at St. Mark’s Church in Oval. The press release boldly describes it as ‘a four day festival of live music and song, featuring top artists and four centuries of composers’. By that last comment let’s hope it doesn’t entail digging people out of the ground.

Classical Vauxhall returns on 10 – 13 February and is live after a year of streaming. We had friends who went in 2020 and they described it as both amazing and great fun.  Festival Director and the brains behind it Fiachra Garvey is joined by artists Elizabeth Llewellyn, Kangmin Kim, and Leonard Elschenbroich with pianist Alexei Grynyuk. We actually have no idea who any of these people are – But– we have seen some of their work on YouTube and it’s remarkable. Elizabeth Llewellyn and her great voice are here..

The concept behind these five concerts is to put on shows that are varied, lively, and accessible to people who (like us) are not habitues of the Royal Opera House. Each night is set to a theme, from Love and Loss to Brahams and feature a range of artists doing short pieces. We are particularly fascinated by ‘The Royal Opera House is Burning, Late Night Drag’ on 13 February which bills itself as a ‘classical drag opera like no other’ with works from Les Mis and Wicked.  

Tickets are £22.15 so not exactly cheap, but a great way to support local culture and artists who have probably not had much work for the past two years. And imagine the one-upmanship you can have with your friends who sat at home watching a TV show about Katie Price doing her house up. 

Wreath Making Fun!

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We think that festive wreaths are an unheralded part of the Christmas season. Not only do they look good on your door, but they can also double as a festive tiara or indeed a massive bracelet. And if you’re anything like us, they’re also a hell of a lot easier than putting up a tree that your cat knocks over after a few days. Our crack team of KR investigators have sourced three very local organisations where you can make your own wreath while also helping the community.  

The good folk over at Vauxhall City Farm are once again having a wreath making workshop and they run every Saturday until 11 December.  Whether you prefer a loose and unstructured wreath or a disciplined floral door halo, the sessions last for 2 ½ hours and offer one to one tutelage by staff and maybe even a nosey donkey.  The workshops are pretty dear at £40 but please remember that the money generated goes into supporting the farm and their work with school kids and animals. 

Our pals over at Roots and Shoots in Kennington are hosting their annual wreath making workshop on 3 and 4 December at 1pm and 4pm. Of course Roots and Shoots know a thing or two about plants, so expect guidance that will empower you to make your own wreaths in years to come. It is £50, but the cost enticingly includes ‘minced pies and mulled wine galore’, so imagine all the creative fun you can have after knocking back five or six.  As with the City Farm, all proceeds go to supporting their work in the community and apprentice schemes for vulnerable youth.  

Finally. On Friday, 29 November The Fentiman Arms in Vauxhall/Oval will be hosting their own wreath making workshop with a masterclass from our own Mary from Windmill Flowers who will supply all the mistletoe and ribbons you need. This is coming in at £45 but hopefully this will include some free treats.  The Fentiman holds a special place in the hearts of Runoff staff as it used to be the venue of our staff Christmas parties until senior management decided to downscale to a venue that we are not allowed to mention for legal reasons.  *shuffles papers and leaves the room*. 

Voyages at Newport St. Gallery

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The spanking new exhibition at Newport Street Gallery in Vauxhall is called ‘Voyages’ and is the first major show outside the US of the work of New York photorealist Richard Estes. For those of you not in the know, photorealism is the ability to precisely depict a photographed scene by paint. Now you might be saying to yourself ‘then why bother – just because you know how do so something doesn’t mean you should do it’. So a bit like yodeling or skipping. But draw closer and the 45 paintings made over 35 years become abstract and aren’t really photographic at all. 

His best work is on the ground floor and NYC is in the spotlight. Estes makes use out or glass, angles, light, refractions and the constant repetition of this urban field. He also examines people examining other things, such landmarks, cameras and their phones. All of these come together to create something that seems photographically familiar to us but when you get closer to the canvas becomes more like wedges of colour that have been thrown together. 

Upstairs are more traditional landscapes that capture the small, intimate moments of the artist’s adventures. The paintings tend to become less personal and less real when they aren’t populated by human activity but are nevertheless interesting. Touching down in Copenhagen, approaching Antarctica by sea, and exploring the landscapes of New Zealand, Nepal,  and Tanzania all seem even more exotic given that they have been off limits for the past 18 months and you don’t have to take a lateral flow test to see them. 

Richard Estes ‘Voyages’ is open now until 12 December. As ever, Newport Street Gallery is totally free and open Wednesday to Sunday. 


Runoff Rides the Tube

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The first major addition to the Tube network in the 21st century opened today and, unless you actually live underground yourself, you’re aware that it cuts a great swathe right through Greater Kennington. Today we took a journey on the new billion pound ride (financed by property developers) with our focus on Nine Elms station in Vauxhall.  At the moment trains are running every 10 minutes. 

We started our journey on the recently reopened Kennington southbound platform now servicing Battersea, which is rather strange as Battersea is west, but that’s the tube for you. Nine Elms Station is next to the Sainbury’s in Wandsworth and is an exercise in functional steel precision with wide platforms, speedy escalators, a large reception hall and overhang in case it is raining. One of our team timed it, and if you are laden with your Sainsbury shop you are only exposed to the elements for 15 seconds in the case of inclement weather. There is no ticket window but plenty of self serve machines. 

If you dare to travel outside of Greater Kennington the line terminates at Battersea Power Station Station (yes, you’ve read that right) which we also visited. It is a grander affair, and architecturally it resembles a giant recumbent cathedral, featuring a gold painted geometric skylight as you exit. Rather dramatic and fitting with the ostentatious buildings behind it. 

Cabinet, Beaconsfield and a Spot of Tea

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For a number of years we’ve been trying to ascertain the function of that strange building that popped up at the back of Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens a few years ago. Resembling a posh persons’ house meets North Korean torture centre, it’s actually mostly dedicated to the very intriguing Cabinet Gallery. The current show somehow manages to make a connection between a horse drawn carriage and Oprah so it might be a bit of a stretch for some, but this place is definitely something for that pocket diary that we’ve been telling you get for years now. Check out the website for what’s on. 


As we were up in the lovely upper Vauxhall neck of the woods anyway, we checked out the critically acclaimed but rarely open Beaconsfield Galley. It’s open this Saturday (12th) and the next (19th) showing one large immersive work by Korean/Uk artist JinHan Lee called ‘Extended Realities’. The concept is an exploration of themes of virtual versus material art and how (or if) they complement one another. Very thought provoking and out questions the limits of how much we can take in without actually seeing it.


All that culture was proving exhausting to our lockdown addled  brains, so we popped into the wistfully eccentric Tea House Theatre for some tea and sandwiches. The sandwiches needed a bit of work (and if you’re reading this Tea House we’re wagging a coronation chicken stained finger at you) but the list of teas were endless and the cakes abundant. Check out their eclectic website for things that are going on there such as themed suppers, talks and kids stuff. When we visited they were even offering a course in….wait for it….picking locks! Another for that pocket diary that you’re on the very cusp of purchasing with your newly socially activated fingertips.