There is something profoundly edifying about fire. You can enjoy the heat, vivacity and pure energy of this element both on and off the canvas at the Dulwich Picture Gallery as they host the first major international show of the well-loved Norwegian modern artist Nikolai Astrup. Home landscapes were endlessly fascinating to the expressionist artist, and he brought them to life in vivid depth using robust colours that bring you right into the scene. Traditions and folklore were also central to his work. Favourite scenes were the billowing bonfires of Midsummer Eve – ceremonies that marked the seasonal shift to solar-powered summer. To open the show, it is these fires that will be conjured off the canvases and into the grounds of the gallery by fire sculpture specialists Walk the Plank. For two nights you can expect a Fire Garden of copper flowers, sculptural trees and specially commissioned new designs that respond to the paintings. Enjoy the dancing flames.
