Arts & Collections: Volume 1 2022

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LUXURY

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INVESTMENT

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TRAVEL 02/02/2022 10:40

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Contents

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FEATURES

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THE MOST FAMOUS CAT IN THE WORLD

As fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld’s property comes up for auction, we asked what formed his unique tastes and world view

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COLLECTING WITH A CONSCIENCE

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FURNITURE WITH IKRAM

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A GOOD YEAR FOR WHISKY

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THE ART OF ESTATE PLANNING

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PRIVATE AND PERSONAL

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BACK TO THE FUTURE

How curator Charlie Siddick aims to restore the balance between young artists and the gallery system

How a bespoke brand with a base in London but its heart in Istanbul is bringing artisan workmanship to furniture

The whisky trade has just set some amazing auction records which seem to defy the effects of the pandemic

Sotheby’s Private Sales department is the place where unique pieces can be bought out of the spotlight of the auction room

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FABERGE AND THE ART OF DESIGN

The exhibition Faberge: Romance to Revolution at the Victoria and Albert Museum captures the luxury house’s art and history

THE CULTURE OF TEA

Is it possible to embrace cultural traditions without appropriation?

Japanese entrepreneur Yureeka Yasuda explains her approach

Planning the legacy of your art collection can be complex. The experts from Witherworldwide explain the essential issues

The London Art Fair returns to open the exhibition season in 2022 – what can we expect to see highlighted?

IMAGES © DREAMSTIME, AHU FURNITURE/SINAN CIRAK, V&A, SOTHEBY’S

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IMAGES © PURSLANE/JOANA GALEGO, SOTHEBY’S, IWPOTY/ANNA TARABRINA

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HEADS IN THE SKY

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GETTING HITCHED IN STYLE

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HILL OF DREAMS

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MERGING CULTURES

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WHEELS TO WINGS

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NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT

Private flying is becoming more desirable, practical and affordable, with an exciting range of new aircraft

The Fifth International Wedding Photographer of the Year competition had some amazing winners

How a long-term project to restore a farmhouse turned into an award-winning design housing a unique collection of African art

Artist Antonio Signorini tells Arts & Collections how his latest exhibition reflects the Oblong Gallery’s cross-cultural mission

Has the long-held dream of a flying car been realised with AirCar?

How the pandemic has hit the luxury watch industry, and how online sales and the second-hand market have stepped in

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Contents

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FEATURES

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REGULARS

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A PALATIAL LEGACY

Lancer Square on Kensington High Street, London, sets a new residential standard for the area. But how does it draw on its historical roots?

IT FIGURES

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EDITORIAL

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HAPPENINGS

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AUCTION HIGHLIGHTS

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BOOK REVIEWS

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WHERE TO SPEND IT

GOLD FEVER

Is gold still the reliable investment it used to be, despite the fluctuations of other markets? It helps if you understand the history of this most precious of metals

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THE PRESIDENTS’ BARREL

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HIDDEN GEM OF RESTAURANTS

Results from the recent Hospices de Beaune charity wine auction smashed records – and it was all in a good cause

Fine dining can be found in any capital in the world, but Restaurant Klein JAN brings gourmet food to the wild setting of the Kalahari

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This issue’s most exciting events and objects summed up in handy facts and figures

Art Basel Miami Beach might have been held in extraordinary circumstances, but it showed that the art market still has plenty of life in it

All the events, exhibitions and shows worth seeing, from Anish Kapoor to Andy Warhol and Birmingham to Los Angeles

Our eclectic roundup of the most amazing items to come up for auction this season, from a Costa Rican jaguar vessel to a rare item of movie memorabilia

From picture palaces to pinups, and female photographers to lockdown diaries, our roundup of the most worthy volumes to pile on your bookshelf or coffee table

Our roundup of must-have luxury items, from power suits to electric motorbikes, and a fun trampoline to a wall-shaking amplifier

IMAGES © SQUIRE & PARTNERS, TSWALU KALAHARI / ADRIAAN LOUW, BULGARI, TASCHEN, DIX NOONAN WEBB

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Publisher & CEO Kevin J. Harrington Editor Chris Jenkins Design Friyan Mehta Staff Writer Manny Berhanu Features Writers Richard Benson, Andrew Mayfair, John Renwick, Patricia Savage Production Director Joanna Harrington Production Assistant Delicia Tasinda Digital Manager Chi Uzomah Office Coordinator Shyla Thompson EDITORIAL OFFICE Arts & Collections 143 Caledonian Road London N1 0SL United Kingdom Telephone: 020 7870 9090 editorial@damsonmedia.com www.damsonmedia.com CHICAGO OFFICE Arts & Collections 29 East Madison Suite 809 Chicago, IL 60602 USA

Arts & Collections partners with over 120 of the world’s finest luxury and boutique hotels to provide the highest quality coverage of global art and cultural events, auctions of interest and developments in the global art market. This blend of interesting and informative editorial is most appealing to guests at these premier hotels, who have a great interest in fine art and collectables.

Arts & Collections’ dedicated website, www.artsandcollections.com, features all the exclusive previews, reviews and expert commentary pieces that appear in the pages of Arts & Collections as well as news of auctions by Sotheby’s and other top auction houses, plus exhibitions and popular cultural events, keeping visitors fully informed, as well as providing a comprehensive resource area for collectors and connoisseurs.

Arts & Collections magazine is published quarterly. For further details regarding contributions and distribution email editorial@ damsonmedia.com. arts &

COLLECTIONS www.artsandcollections.com

THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS MAGAZINE SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED OFFICIAL OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER OR EDITOR. THE PUBLISHER RESERVES THE RIGHT TO ACCEPT OR REJECT ALL EDITORIAL OR ADVERTISING MATTER. THE PUBLISHER ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR UNSOLICITED MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS OR ARTWORK. IMAGES ARE SENT AT THE OWNERS’ RISK AND THE PUBLISHER TAKES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR LOSS.

© 2022 DAMSON MEDIA ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART OF ANY TEXT, PHOTOGRAPH OR ILLUSTRATION WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE PUBLISHER IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. PRINTED IN THE UK.

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TRAVEL

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Cover image: Karl Lagerfeld and Choupette, courtesy Choupette’s Diary/Instagram. See feature, p16.

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…the number of galleries exhibiting at the London Art Fair in January 2022

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… the number of Faberge eggs being shown in the V&A’s exhibition Faberge: Romance to Revolution

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… the number of wedding photographers who submitted entries to this year’s International Wedding Photographer of the Year contest

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2,700

…the range in nautical miles of the Cessna Citation Latitude, the best-selling midsize business jet

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…the number of times the Hospices de Beaune charity wine auction has been held

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1,000

…the number of lots from Karl Lagerfeld’s collections being auctioned by Sotheby’s

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IMAGES © CHOUPETTE’S DIARY/INSTAGRAM, LONDON ART FAIR/SARAH PICKERING, IWPOTY/LUCY SPARTALIS, V&A, CESSNA, SOTHEBY’S

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Editorial

BACK TO THE BEACH Art Basel in Miami Beach remains among the world’s glitziest events - but a mood of uncertainty prevailed

IMAGES © ERIC FIRESTONE GALLERIES

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eld at the start of December, Art Basel Miami Beach, normally a glittering if not to say riotous affair, had an air of uncertainty. Yes, the art world has made a comeback after the pandemic, and the luxury goods market is recovering, but there’s still some hesitancy, as the Omicron variation of the COVID-19 virus starts to spread and questions are again asked about international travel.

In Art Basel Miami Beach, leading galleries from five continents planned to show significant works by masters of modern and contemporary art, as well as the new generation of emerging stars. The list went from A to Z – literally, from Acquavella’s celebration of its centenary to Zwirner’s show of the works of Francis Alys, Katherine Bernhardt, Noah Davis, Wolfgang Tillmans and others.

But a slow start to visiting and buying wasn’t helped by a timed entry system which took some of the spontaneity out of proceedings, or by American President Joe Biden’s announcement of new travel restrictions and safety precautions.

IMPRESSIVE But if one aspect of the Fair was unaffected, it was the quality of the work on show – if anything, the pandemic seems to have given artists fresh impetus. The Art Newspaper quoted Molly Taylor of New York’s Kasmin Gallery as saying: www.artsandcollections.com

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“Everyone is in agreement that the quality of work at the fair is particularly impressive this year. A lot of artists spent the majority of 2020 in relative solitude, in their studios, ruminating on a swiftly changing world. The nuance and conceptual rigour of the work by our contemporary artists reflects that.”

Kasmin reported good sales by the end of the fair’s first VIP day, including a large-scale James Rosenquist charcoal work on paper from 1985, Mute Transformations, priced at $300,000. Elsewhere, Pace Gallery sold paintings by Beatriz Milhazes and Jeff Koons for $1.3m and $1m respectively, and launched an NFT platform, Pace Verso, with the sale of Glenn Kaino’s Invisible Man NFT for $50,000.

If there was some hesitancy in the air, at least travel restrictions had eased to the extent that Europeans were able to attend, something which had been in doubt, and certainly galleries themselves had a welcome chance to interact, in some cases sharing spaces.

The overall conclusion from Art Basel Miami Beach seems to be that the world has to learn to live with the pandemic – it isn’t going away, but then neither is the art market.  Chris Jenkins ARTS & COLLECTIONS 9

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COLLECTIONS // EVENTS

Happenings Arts & Collections has selected a mix of the most unmissable artistic, cultural and entertainment events coming our way in 2022 – lockdowns permitting

MATERIAL WORLD Museum Burj Al Arab Jumeirah has unveiled a new pop-up exhibition space in collaboration with international contemporary art gallery, Galleria Continua. Located in the first-floor lobby beneath the hotel’s awe-inspiring atrium, the dedicated area will first showcase previously unseen works by British Indian artist, Sir Anish Kapoor CBE. Guests can discover seven pieces from different series and research on light, colour and materiality that he has conducted over the years, engaging the audience in a visual and sensorial experience.  galleriacontinua.com/reservation-dubai

Left: Anish Kapoor works at the Museum Burj Al Arab Jumeirah

THE BIG KAHUNAS

Below: Image from inaugural Hawai‘i Contemporary Art Summit 2021

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IMAGES © GALERIA CONTINUA/ANISH KAPOOR, HAWAI’I CONTEMPORARY ART SUMMIT

Hawai‘i Triennial 2022 (HT22) will be framed around the fluid concept of Pacific Century E Ho‘omau no Moananuiakea, interweaving themes of history, place, and identity within the context of Hawai‘i’s unique location at the confluence of Asia-Pacific and Oceania.

HT22’s 43 artists and collectives feature over 60 participants including internationally renowned cultural figures exhibiting alongside multiple generations of Hawai‘i-based artists, as well as others making their U.S. institutional debut.

Events run from Feb 18th-May 8th, 2022.  https://hawaiicontemporary.org

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EVENTS // COLLECTIONS

WHAT WAS SHE THINKING? Barbara Kruger: Thinking of You. I Mean Me. I Mean You. is a major exhibition devoted to the work of Barbara Kruger, one of the most significant and visible artists of our time. Spanning four decades, this exhibition is the largest and most comprehensive presentation of Kruger’s work in 20 years; it spans her single-channel videos from the 1980s to digital productions of the last two decades, and includes large-scale vinyl room wraps, multichannel video installations, and audio soundscapes. Kruger grapples with the accelerated ways pictures and words instantaneously flow through media. Her most recent video works are an exhibition highlight. Barbara Kruger: Thinking of You. I Mean Me. I Mean You. runs at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art from March 20th–July 17th, 2022.  www.lacma.org

Left: Barbara Kruger, Thinking of You. I Mean Me. I Mean You, book cover, 2020, courtesy Delmonico Books/Los Angeles County Museum of Art

IMAGES © BARBARA KRUGER/DELMONICO BOOKS/LACMA, BAI BACHITTAR SINGH JI/WITHOUTSHAPEWITHOUTFORM, ANDY WARHOL FOUNDATION FOR THE VISUAL ARTS/ARS

SIKH AND YOU SHALL FIND Journey of the Mind, a touring art exhibition, invites visitors to go beyond cultural and religious boundaries and to learn about the teachings of the Sikh faith. First appearing in Birmingham in November and December, the exhibition moves on to Glasgow (Kelvingrove) from 6th-23rd October 2022, Bristol (Arnolfini), from 1st-11th November 2022, and to Nottingham and London (dates TBC). Conceived by arts organisation and arts space Without Shape Without Form, and supported by Arts Council England, Journey of the Mind combines Sikh heritage with new forms of storytelling to share a message of inclusivity, kindness and equality. Featuring figurative drawings and digitally created paintings by world-renowned Sikh artist Kanwar Singh, and text panels and short films by British animator Christian Wood, the exhibition is supported by readings, workshops and talks, all free of charge.  www.withoutshapewithoutform.com

Below: Andy Warhol, The Last Supper, 1986, screenprint and collage, courtesy The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts/ARS

Right: Bhai Bachittar Singh Ji, Defying All Odds

HE’S NOT THE MESSIAH Andy Warhol: Revelation runs until June 19th, 2022 at the Morris A. and Meyer Schapiro Wing and Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Gallery, 5th Floor of the Brooklyn Museum. Although Andy Warhol is one of the most celebrated and recognizable artists of the twentieth century, his Byzantine Catholic upbringing, and its profound impact on his life and work, remains a lesser known facet of his career. Andy Warhol: Revelation explores the artist’s lifelong relationship with his faith that frequently appeared in his artworks. From iconic portraits of celebrities to appropriated Renaissance masterpieces, Warhol played with styles and symbolism from Catholic art history, carefully reframing them within the context of Pop art and culture.  www.brooklynmuseum.org

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COLLECTIONS // AUCTIONS

Auction

HIGHLIGHTS We bring you the most unusual, historical, attractive and eye-catching items from the world’s leading auction houses

BY RICHARD BENSON

POT LUCK This Costa Rican jaguar effigy vessel, circa AD 1000-1500 from the Guanacaste/Nicoya tradition, was from the collection of Dr. Joseph D. Lichtenberg, and acquired by the Galeria Los Arcos, San Juan, Puerto Rico in 1979. The fierce feline head projects from the globular vessel, with muscular forelegs and supported on tall tripod legs containing rattles. The jaguar was considered the sun-devouring deity, and the small silhouette jaguars embellishing the body are considered the stars revealed by the night sky. The vessel sold for US$4,032 in Sotheby’s Art of Africa, Oceania and the Americas sale.  12 ARTS & COLLECTIONS

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AUCTIONS // COLLECTIONS

SNAPPED UP The 39th Leitz Photographica Auction recently concluded and a rare 1957 Leica MP Black Paint edition camera went for the highest value by far, commanding a final price of €1,200,000. This Leica MP is one of only 412 ever produced, making it one of the rarest Leica models of all time. The Leitz Photographic auction says that this version was acquired mainly by professional photographers and that many of the most famous Magnum photographers of the time used it. 

BOW MASTER Sir Jacob Epstein’s fine portrait bust of violinist Yehudi Menuhin, in bronze on a stone base measuring a total of 46cm in height, sold at Sotheby’s Modern British Art auction for £8,820 on an estimate of £4,000-6,000. Conceived in 1943, this cast was obtained by the family of the seller in the 1960s, and was described as in good condition with some rubbing and unevenness to the patina and some verdigris. Bonham’s sold another casting of this bust in 2016 for £16,250. 

BOTTLE OF CHEER

IMAGES: © SOTHEBY’S, LEITZ PHOTOGRAPHICA, BONHAM’S, EMERIL LAGASSE FOUNDATION

A six-litre bottle of The Setting Wines’ Glass Slipper Vineyard Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 fetched $1m during the Carnivale du Vin auction and gala dinner held at the Emeril Lagasse Foundation’s annual fundraising weekend this month.

The sale makes the 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon one of the most expensive wines ever sold at auction.

‘We are humbled to be able to offer $1 million to the Emeril Lagasse Foundation and its efforts to support youth,’ said Don Steiner, who bought the six-litre Napa Cabernet at the Carnivale du Vin 2021.

The Setting Wines was founded in 2014 by winemaker Jesse Katz alongside friends Jeff Cova and Noah McMahon. 

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PRETTY BOYS This delightful Cartier yellow diamond and onyx lovebirds brooch, circa 1960, sold for £21,080 against an estimate of £5,000-7,000 at Dix Noonan Webb’s November auction of Jewellery, Watches and Objects of Vertu at their Mayfair saleroom. Other Cartier pieces sold included a diamond and sapphire owl brooch, circa 1950, realising £9,920, and a stunning 1940s aquamarine line bracelet for £52,080, on an estimate of £12,000-15,000. The sale included several other Cartier pieces which achieved high prices, illustrating the strong market for Cartier’s period jewellery. 

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER Two of Marie Antionette’s diamond bracelets that she sent away in a wooden chest for safekeeping before she was guillotined during the French Revolution, have sold at Christie’s auction in Geneva for 7.46m Swiss francs (£7.04m). The sum was several times higher than the pre-sale estimate, amid a growing interest in items of jewellery and clothing belonging to the former French queen.

The Austrian-born aristocrat arrived in France aged 14 to marry the future King Louis XVI, and had the diamond bracelets custom made in 1776, two years after she became queen. Each bracelet is composed of three strings of diamonds and a large barrette clasp, totalling 112 diamonds, including “old cut” stones and silver and gold.

Marie Antoinette is known to have wrapped the jewels herself and sent them in a wooden box to a former Austrian ambassador who was in Brussels, with a letter instructing him to keep them in a safe place.

They were passed on to her daughter, Madame Royale, and then the Duchess of Parma. 

POLE POSITION RM Sotheby’s Guikas Collection sale, unquestionably one of the most anticipated European sales of recent years, saw all 87 lots including cars, parts and memorabilia, finding new homes at a total sales figure of €39,532,700. Taking place in the magnificent surroundings of the Circuit Paul Ricard, at Le Castellet, France, the event offered an entirely unique auction experience, with many of the 77 cars on offer being demonstrated on track. A beautiful 1955 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Competizione, chassis no. 0385 GT, proved to be the top seller of the day at €6,192,500. 

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AUCTIONS // COLLECTIONS

OUR SERIES HIGHLIGHTS A SINGLE ITEM OF ARTISTRY OR CRAFTSMANSHIP THAT IS BOTH RARE AND EXQUISITE

THE OPENER OF THE WAY Christie’s sold an extraordinary artifact from one of the most iconic unmade movie projects, Alejandro Jodorowsky’s planned filmic adaptation of Frank Herbert’s influential 1965 science fiction novel Dune.

Jodorowsky’s planned movie gathered some of the most talented artists of his time, including Chris Foss, Hans Rudy Giger and Moebius (Jean Giraud), and to do justice to Dune’s worlds and characters, he envisioned a 10-15 hour movie starring Salvador Dali, Mick Jagger and Orson Welles, with music by Pink Floyd. The movie was never made, as Jodorowsky couldn’t raise the necessary backing, but the ‘pitch book’ presented to studios became an object of legend, with its illustrations having a profound impact on the design of other scifi movies including Star Wars and Alien.

This copy of Jodorowsky’s Dune book, one of ten thought to survive from an original 20, sold for €2.66m on an estimate of €350,000. It later emerged that the buyers, crypto group Spice DAO, planned to sell the book as an NFT and destroy the original - a plan undermined by the fact that the content of the book is already available online, and that buying a copy doesn’t bestow copyright on the owner. 

Treasures

N IMAGES: © DIX NOONAN WEBB, CHRISTIE’S/ALEXANDRO JODOROWSKY/MICHEL SEYDOUX/CHRIS FOSS, FM SOTHEBY’S,

apoleon Bonaparte’s rule as emperor of France, beginning in 1804, ushered in not only a revolution in politics, but also in fashion.

Bonaparte and his wife Josephine used what we would nowadays call ‘bling’ to convey their position; lavish accoutrements and generous use of precious metals and stones were the order of the day. Josephine established a fashion for Neoclassical style and long, high-waisted dresses.

Now two of her tiaras have come up for sale at Sotheby’s. These pieces, in their original leather boxes as created in around 1808, have been in a private collection in the UK for around 150 years.

The two tiaras, both studded with gems and carvings of classical figures, together with accompanying jewellery were expected to sell for up to £500,000, but together reached £576,000 ($763,000) on December 7th at Sotheby’s in London. “I handle thousands of pieces of jewellery every month, but these tiaras made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck when I first held them,” said Kristian Spofforth, head of Sotheby’s London jewel department. He added: “The carved stones are extraordinary and the way they are mounted into the tiaras shows incredible craftsmanship for the early 1800s.”

Although exquisite works of art and decoration, the tiaras also have a story of history and politics to tell. When Bonaparte assumed control of France, he aimed to legitimise his power by comparing his reign to that of the classical dictators of Greece and Rome. He included cameos of Alexander the Great, Nero and other rulers on his coronation crown, and Josephine followed suit, linking her clothes and accessories to ideas taken from the ancient world. The two tiaras are each part of a parure, or jewellery set, one a gold diadem with 25 engraved carnelians depicting the heads of classical characters and blue enamel decorations, the one pictured above featuring cameos depicting Zeus, Medusa, Dionysus, Pan and Gaia .

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THE MOST FAMOUS CAT in the World

Fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld was a controversial figure for over 50 years.

Now his collections are coming up for sale at Sotheby’s – but what do they tell us about ‘Der Kaiser’?

BY CHRIS JENKINS

K

arl Lagerfeld was one of the first fashion designers to present himself as a work of art; tirelessly working on his own image as well as the clothes he designed. In a career which lasted more than half a century, crowned by his reign as creative director of Chanel, he was also creative director of Italian fur and leather goods house Fendi, as well as of his own lines.

His later image – black suits, white shirts with high, starched collars, white hair, black sunglasses and fingerless gloves – became his trademark, and a subject of caricature. He was equally famous for acid quips and controversial statements on everything from women to fur – some of which betrayed a sense of humour he steadfastly denied.

When he announced that he had fallen in love with a red point Birman cat, Choupette, and that he would gladly have married her were it legal, it was just another act in a life-long series of theatrical statements.

APPRENTICE As a central figure in the development of brand culture and the international luxury goods market, Lagerfeld, born in Hamburg in 1933, made an impact like no other, except perhaps Coco Chanel herself.

A keen student of art, In 1955, after living in Paris for two years, Lagerfeld won a coat design competition sponsored by 16 ARTS & COLLECTIONS

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Luxury bags make your life more pleasant, make you dream, give you confidence, and show your neighbours you’re doing well - Karl Lagerfeld

logo a style pattern for the house.

His own Karl Lagerfeld brand, started in 1984, became a byword for what Vogue labelled “intellectual sexiness”.

He courted controversy, being accused on diverse occasions of being fatphobic, islamophobic, racist and sexist; he was quoted as saying “Sweatpants are a sign of defeat”, and “Trendy is the last stage before tacky”, and claimed to have “No human feelings”. He also said “I hate intellectual conversation with intellectuals, because I only care about my opinion.”

CARICATURIST the International Wool Secretariat, and befriended Yves Saint Laurent, who won the dress category. Lagerfeld was hired by Pierre Balmain, working as his assistant, and later apprentice, for three years, and in 1958, he became artistic director for Jean Patou. In 1964, he went to Rome to study art history and work for Tiziani, but was soon designing freelance for a multitude of brands, including Charles Jourdan, Chloé, Krizia, and Valentino.

In 1967, Lagerfeld was hired by Fendi to modernize their fur line, using groundbreaking designs and introducing the use of mole, rabbit, and squirrel pelts. He remained with Fendi until his death in 2019, but found international fame with Chanel from 1982 to 2000. He revived what had been regarded as a nearly dead brand after the death of its founder Coco Chanel ten years previously, and made its ‘CC’

But despite his sometimes skewed world view, and an uncompromising approach which earned him the nickname ‘Kaiser Karl’, he inspired devotion in his models – supermodel Claudia Schiffer said “Karl was my magic dust. He transformed me from a shy German girl into a supermodel. He taught me about fashion, style and survival in the fashion business. I will be eternally grateful to him. He is the only person who could make black and white colourful. What Andy Warhol was to art, he was to fashion.”

A photographer, film director, residential designer, book collector and caricaturist, Lagerfeld had many homes, including an apartment in the Rue de l’Université in Paris, decorated in the Art Deco style (1970s); the 18th-century Chateau de Penhoët in Brittany, decorated in the Rococo style (1970s to 2000); an apartment in Monte Carlo decorated until www.artsandcollections.com

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Clockwise from above: Rolls Royce Phantom, 2018; Karl Lagerfeld fan; Le Corbusier Escargot lamp; Georges Lepape, Femme au manteau jaune; John Baldessari, Karl Lagerfeld, screenprint, 2015

IMAGES © SOTHEBY’S

Opposite page, clockwise from top left: Konstantin Grcic pair of chests, Man Machine collection, 2014; Nicolas Tempé bust representing Karl Lagerfeld, 2015; Achille et Pier Giacomo Castiglion Vinyl player, circa 1960; Figurine Tokidoki x Karl Lagerfeld Mr. Black & White

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AUCTIONS // COLLECTIONS

2000 in Memphis style (from the early 1980s); the Villa Jako in Blankenese in Hamburg, decorated in the Art Deco style (mid-1990s to 2000); and many more.

From 2007, Lagerfeld owned an 1820s house in Paris in Quai Voltaire decorated in modern and Art Deco style.

Now Sotheby’s is paying tribute to this design genius with the sale of over 1,000 lots from his residences in France and Monaco, presenting an anthology of his personal taste but also of his life and career. Divided between Monaco, Paris and Cologne, the sales are made in Lagerfeld’s image, telling the story of the couturier, the collector, the decorator and the photographer.

An insatiable collector, Karl Lagerfeld created bold interiors throughout his life.

He opted for the colourful and playful Italian design of the Memphis group whose humour he had fallen in love with in the 1980s, then turned to the French decorative arts of the 18th century, which he considered an ideal of elegance and refinement. In the early 1970’s, he was equally passionate about Art Deco, which he described as the roots of “this modernity that I am tirelessly searching for”.

ICONIC For the last twenty years of his life, he turned to contemporary design by figures such as Mark Newson, Martin Szekely and Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, with whom he created a new futuristic interior.

His last residence in Louveciennes was unexpectedly decorated in a style relating to Germany in the 1920s, with furniture designed by Bruno Paul and posters from early 20th century German advertising.

The Sotheby’s sales also include www.artsandcollections.com

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Sunglasses are like eye shadow: they make everything look younger and pretty - Karl Lagerfeld

numerous lots featuring the image of Karl Lagerfeld himself - from his portrait by Takashi Murakami to Tokidoki dolls - as well as the designer’s personal items, including bowls adorned with the picture of his cat Choupette, a Jeff Koons Balloon Venus, three Rolls Royce cars, the iconic leather mittens that he wore constantly for the last 20 years, and a selection of clothing

by Dior, Saint Laurent, KL, Comme des Garçons and Martin Margiela.

The first parts of the sale in November and December 2021 in Paris and Monaco realised €9.6m and €2.3m, while the second parts in Paris brought in €4.3m and €1.8m. Highlights included the 2017 Rolls-Royce Phantom drophead, which went for €375,500, a C17th painting by Charles Alphonse Dufresnoy, Armida Abandoned by Rinaldo which realised €119,700, and a statue of Choupette, for €20,160. Choupette, who Lagerfeld called “The most famous cat in the world”, would be proud…  KARL - Karl Lagerfeld's Estate Part III Auction in Cologne in March 2022 https://www.sothebys.com/en/series/karllagerfelds-estate ARTS & COLLECTIONS 19

01/02/2022 15:59

ARTS // GALLERIES

COLLECTING WITH A CONSCIENCE Young artists might receive only a small percentage of a gallery’s revenue from their work. Charlie Siddick, founder of Purslane, aims to change all that

IMAGES © ONLYWATCH/HUBLOT, LOUIS VUITTON

BY JOHN RENWICK

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GALLERIES // ARTS

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collectors to get inspired and excited by art. Purslane aims to raise £50,000 for charitable causes in 2022.

FORTUITOUS Arts & Collections asked Charlie Siddick (seen left with artist Lily Macrae) how she hopes to change the art market, and how young artists can work with Purslane.

“Purslane is a fortuitous result of lockdown”, Charlie told us – “I was unable to continue my previous work as a model and suddenly had a huge amount of time to reassess my future. I was spending a lot of time looking at art online, buying art directly from artists and missing the presence of gallery and museum spaces.

“This spaciousness combined with the emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement, a cause close to my heart, being of mixed heritage, gave me the impetus to organise a large scale online fundraiser for The Stephen Lawrence Trust comprising of the work of many of my favourite emerging artists.

“It was far more successful than I expected and I really enjoyed connecting with the artists and hearing how lockdown

was effecting their practices. It made me feel as if there was something to the concept of creating a platform for young talent that also has a philanthropic/ fundraising element at the core of its ethos.”

So, could something good have come out of the pandemic, which caused so much disruption in the art world? “I think the pandemic was a particularly disruptive period for the art world, even the most established of galleries had to make a strong foray into the online arena. It really opened up opportunities and connections for artists and collectors. That power of connectivity won’t diminish I don’t think, but like everyone else, when art spaces reopened, it felt so wonderful to be experiencing art in real life again. I’m trying to strike the right balance between online and physical presence with Purslane.”

MONUMENTAL A recent Purslane exhibition curated by Charlie, All That Remains at 14 Cavendish Square, London celebrated the 700th anniversary of Dante Alighieri through

IMAGES © PURSLANE/CHARLIE SIDDICK/LILYMACRAE

harlie Siddick graduated from the Courtauld with a BA in Art History in 2016, and had a long career as a fashion model, which gave her the opportunity to travel the world and mix with creatives. The coronavirus lockdown gave her the chance to put to use the contacts she developed, and to do something about the lack of financial equality for many young artists.

Charlie was shocked to discover that the most an artist receives when selling work through a gallery is 50%, often as little as 20%. This distribution may have little effect on the livelihood of wellestablished artists, but it can be crippling for young, emerging artists, damaging their creative process and feelings of selfworth, not to mention making it hard for them to make a living out of art.

Purslane was founded out of a desire to change the way in which the art market functions. An online platform centred around promoting young artistic talent while raising funds for different philanthropic causes, Purslane aims to provide an accessible, simple and beautiful space for new and existing

www.artsandcollections.com

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ARTS // GALLERIES

So how does Charlie go about picking artists to work with? “The process is really dictated by my personal taste” she tells us. “In the beginning I was slightly concerned that this wasn’t broad enough or didn’t follow current art trends. But as time has gone on I think this has become a means of differentiating Purslane from other platforms.

“I’m very attracted to mythology, storytelling, notions of intimacy/ connection, spirit and the feminine.

Themes that are perhaps lacking in contemporary culture, and the work really seems to resonate with our collectors on a deep level. Also, I really gravitate to artworks where the hand of the artists is present, where technical ability comes to the forefront.”

Joana Galego, A verb for a sigh, 2021, mixed media on paper

the work of Scottish artist Lily Macrae.

Ten percent of all sales from the artist’s inaugural exhibition were donated to Women’s Aid. The highlight of the show depicts Dante’s Divine Comedy, combining different aspects of the story into one monumental painting. Smaller pieces in the exhibition also re-imagine each section of the story - Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso in purely abstracted colour.

Lily Macrae paints using a subtractive method, applying the paint and then wiping most of it away. The process encourages an almost archaeological approach, where the artist searches 22 ARTS & COLLECTIONS

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through each layer of paint, revealing forms that lie waiting, beneath the surface. Method and memory are at the core of Macrae’s practice as she attempts to immortalise something unforgotten through her artworks.

Charlie Siddick said about the exhibition: “It has been such a pleasure to work with Lily and bring to life All That Remains, a truly remarkable body of work, being shown in such a fitting and spectacular location. I’d been following Lily’s career for a while and was always drawn in by her use of Art Historical and cinematic references, reimagined in a completely unique visual language.”

In supporting young artists, Purslane also works to help charities such as Mermaids and Refuge, looking to respond to current events as they unfold, or supporting communities that have been continually overlooked or subjected to some form of subjugation or abuse. So should more galleries and art institutions take more responsibility regarding societal issues?

“Yes. There is a huge amount of money circulating through the art market and only an elite few seem to benefit” says Charlie. “More of that should be donated to social causes or reinvested into cultivating more supportive creative environments for young artists.

“On a more general level, I think all consumer sectors should be less profit orientated and more concerned about their social impact and ethical standpoints. A lot of consumer market studies show that millennials tend to spend their money with businesses that have strong, clear ethics. It’s called ‘compassionate consumption’, - I hope this is the future of spending trends.”

Running Purslane has certainly been a learning process for Charlie, who says she has discovered “a deep well of energy within all of us lying dormant until channelled towards a cause or direction that is truly meaningful to the individual.

During busy periods I wonder how I keep afloat, but I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. It’s so rewarding.”

IMAGES © PURSLANE/JOANA GALEGO

SUPPORT

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GALLERIES // ARTS

Ming Ying, Untitled III, 2021, oil on cotton

IMAGES © PURSLANE/MING YING

CHALLENGE It’s also true that admin and organisation remain a challenge whether running a physical or a virtual gallery: “I tend to battle against a never-ending to-do list, the list always triumphs, but every morning I wake up and give it my best shot! Also, it’s only been since I’ve moved into the physical art realm that I really realised the value of face-to-face relationships with collectors.“ And it’s these collectors that Charlie would encourage to look towards the work of young artists: “There’s a never-ending world of young artistic talent awaiting to be explored” she says. “It’s an affordable entry-point for investing in art but the value of a young artist’s work can skyrocket very quickly. When you invest in work by an emerging artist you’re also investing in the longevity of their creative career more generally, allowing them to continue www.artsandcollections.com

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dedicating themselves to their practice.”

So Charlie certainly welcomes the return of the physical art scene, and has plenty to recommend: “I was blown away by the Paula Rego exhibition at the Tate.

The Doron Langberg show at Victoria Miro was a timely, vibrant exploration of queer intimacy and has stayed with me for some time. My favourite gallery is definitely Cob in Camden (www.cobgallery.com), their programme is so rich and dynamic, with a strong focus on emerging artists, my fabulous friend Charlotte Edey is in their current group show Psychic Anemone, and it shouldn’t be missed.”

As for Purslane, the future holds one more virtual show in 2021. From 4th December 2021-31st January 2022, Colette LaVette’s Ex Nihilo is viewable online. Harnessing natural and nontoxic materials, the artist’s work revolves around our relationship with nature and

the environment. The series of figurative paintings created by using sustainable and cruelty-free materials is rich with dream-like qualities and Renaissance iconography.

Twenty percent of the proceeds of the show are donated to the Children’s Society.

Purslane also has more physical shows planned after Thesmophoria at Soho Revue and All That Remains at 14 Cavendish Square. Next up is another exhibition planned with Soho Revue in May 2022. “I’ve really loved working with founder, India James”, says Charlie: “It’s been one of the most stress-free collaborations I’ve been involved in and our tastes and ethical outlooks naturally coalesce. Nothing else planned as of yet, but we will continue to pop up in interesting, inspiring spaces…!  www.purslane.co.uk ARTS & COLLECTIONS 23

02/02/2022 12:29

COLLECTIONS // FURNITURE

Furniture with

IKRAM

Bespoke furniture brand Ahu has its base in London, but its heart is in Istanbul where its artisans produce pieces combining graphic art with innovative design

BY PAT SAVAGE

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igh-end and bespoke furniture design brand Ahu launched its inaugural collection at London Design Festival 2021. Based in both London and Istanbul, Ahu produces custom and limited edition collectible designs that are both functional and sculptural. Each piece is hand-made in Istanbul by master craftsmen in specialised, small ateliers using the highest quality materials and finishes.

But the story starts in London, where longtime friends and Central Saint Martins alumni Eda Akaltun and Mevce Çıracı founded the company with the intention of producing pieces which combine works of graphic art with innovative product and furniture design, inspired and informed by the art, craft, history and mysticism of the diverse cultures that have inhabited Asia Minor, and by ikram, the Turkish tradition of offering guests boundless hospitality.

Eda studied graphic design at Central Saint Martins in London, and worked across editorial, design, publishing and advertising for a variety of high profile clients including the BAFTAs, The New Yorker, Herman Miller, and Krug Champagne.

Since 2016, she has been transforming her work for 3D environments, consulting on interior projects and designing unique custom made pieces for clients based on her illustrative designs.

for brands including Kenzo, Artemide, Moroso and VitrA Bathrooms.

In 2013, she moved back to Istanbul and co-founded Fields Architecture and Industrial Design firm. She works across multiple scales including residential and commercial interiors, packaging, lighting and furniture design.

Ahu’s debut Meyhane collection is inspired by the image of the ‘evil eye’, or

nazar in Turkish, with each piece adorned by a marbling design, taken from the 15th Century technique of ebru which originated in Turkey, Persia and India.

Each work of art is created by co-founder Eda Akaltun who uses a combination of hand-made ebru marbling Mevce Çıracı in Ahu’s wood workshop, photographed by Sinan Çırak

EVIL EYE Mevce studied product design at Central Saint Martins in London, and worked at Ross Lovegrove Studio carrying out projects ranging from cosmetic packaging to lighting and furniture design 24 ARTS & COLLECTIONS

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www.artsandcollections.com

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FURNITURE // COLLECTIONS

technique with digital post-production to breathe a contemporary aesthetic into the crafted pieces.

At the London Design Festival, Ahu exhibited the Nazar mahogany and lacquer cabinet which is one of the initial designs in the collection. The sister pieces, titled Third Eye and Waves will be made to order.

Each design has a limited edition of 8 + 2 Artist’s Proofs, and an individual, engraved metal plaque displays the edition number of each piece.

IMAGES © AHU/LUKE WALKER

DISCERNING The cabinet has been created to highlight rare whiskies and spirits for the discerning collector. Separate sections and pieces of the cabinet are formed by different masters and then assembled into one piece, conveying the diverse knowledge and techniques of each artisan. The solid mahogany body of the cabinet is machined from digital data and hand finished by a master carpenter, who then treats it with henna to achieve its unique velvety touch.

The artwork is applied on the panels using a unique digital printing technology, and then hand-lacquered to achieve its glass-like high gloss quality.

Istanbul has a rich history of craftsmanship, and each Ahu piece is crafted in third-generation artisan wood workshops scattered around the city. The founders work within a language of craftsmanship that is not only relevant to the place of Ahu’s origin, but also respectful of the longevity of the pieces. Mixing traditional woodworking techniques, luxurious durable materials and modern finishes, Ahu makes timeless pieces that can become modern heirlooms.

Co-founder Mevce Çıracı told Arts & Collections: ‘We blend traditional craftsmanship with state-of-the-art design and fabrication technologies, and value the use of raw materials and non-toxic surface finishes. The design of the cabinet complements the fluent nature of the graphic artwork, and allows it to be perceived as threedimensional. The organic forms of the eye paintings determine the outlines of certain elements such as the handles and legs, transforming them into sculptural elements.’ www.artsandcollections.com

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Above Eda Akaltun with Ahu’s Nazar Meyhane cabinet. Photographed by Luke Walker Below Ahu’s Nazar Meyhane cabinet.

Photographed by Luke Walker ARTS & COLLECTIONS 25

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COLLECTIONS // FURNITURE

Far left Ahu’s marbling process, photographed by Luke Walker Left Pieces under construction in Ahu’s Istanbul workshop, photographed by Sinan Çırak Below Ahu’s Nazar Meyhane cabinet, photographed by Luke Walker

VERNACULAR

26 ARTS & COLLECTIONS

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IMAGES © AHU / LUKE WALKER / SINAN ÇIRAK

And co-founder Eda Akaltun said, ‘Superstition is deeply entrenched in our culture. The vernacular tradition in Turkey, Greece and throughout Asia Minor of the ‘evil eye’ bead as a protective talisman, stretches back centuries and pervades everyday life. It is central to people’s lives, and a symbol that holds immense power and meaning. They are ubiquitous, but have also become disposable and perhaps lost some of their deeper meaning. We wanted to take something which has been commoditised and elevate it into something unique and personal, reimagined in a contemporary way.”

In the current range, the Meyhane cabinets, in an edition of 8 + 2 AP, cost £32,000/€35,000, while the Keyf minibar (Edition of 25 + 2 AP) is €16,500. The Ka’ve 01 table is €18,850 in an edition of 12 + 4 AP, and the Ka’ve 02 table is €4,750 in an edition of 12 + 4 AP. Prices do not include VAT. Ahu’s unique creations are available to order. They are currently exhibiting at SoShiro in the Townhaus Collective; London W1 - a breath-takingly beautiful immersive retail and culinary experience where each covetable item in the five-storey Georgian house will be for sale. The event runs from 15th November to 23rd December.  @ahu.studio www.ahustudio.com https://soshiro.co www.artsandcollections.com

02/02/2022 12:38

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44 Whisky Auction.indd 1

thewhiskyexchange.com 02/02/2022 11:05

WHISKY // COLLECTIONS

A FINE YEAR FOR WHISKY

It’s always a good year for whisky, whether you are buying it to drink, or as an investment in a cask or a bottle. But 2021 looks like it may have broken all previous records

BY CHRIS JENKINS

IMAGES © SOTHEBY’S

I

t’s often said that whisky is a better investment than any other collectable, or even precious metals, and it’s not difficult to find figures to prove it – the Knight Frank Luxury Investment Index shows that the value of investments into classic cars, for example, rose in value by 194 percent over the last ten years, fine art by 141 percent and gold by 175 percent. But in the same period, whisky investments rose by 564 www.artsandcollections.com

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Above A four-bottle set of Glenfiddich from the 1950s (1955, 1957, 1958 and 1959) achieved £1,037,500, a new auction record for Glenfiddich.

percent. Both oil, at 15.9 percent, and the FTSE 100 at 14.9 percent, also trail behind whisky. It seems that the golden drop is golden indeed.

But would whisky investment, whether in casks or bottles, be affected by the pandemic over the last couple of years?

Seemingly not – in the first half of 2021, Rare Whisky 101 predicted that the rare whisky market in the UK would rise by nearly 30 ARTS & COLLECTIONS 29

02/02/2022 14:24

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WHISKY // COLLECTIONS

percent in value, surpassing all previous records.

RW101 reported that the first six months of 2021 saw nearly 85,000 bottles of single malt Scotch sold on the secondary market, with a value of more than £36 million (US$49.6m).

The analysts expected the market to reach 172,500 bottles, a rise of 19.88 percent on the record set in 2019. By value, the market was predicted to be worth £75m (US$104m), up by 29.97 percent on 2019’s record of £57,707,707 (US$79.5m).

IMAGES © SOTHEBY’S

VALUE Certainly, RW101 reported that the pandemic did have an impact, with a slight decrease in the number of recorded bottles of single malt sold at auction, down by 3.37 percent to 139,044 (compared with 2019’s figure of 143,895). Value dropped too, by 7.47 percent to £53,395,201 (US$73.6m) compared with 2019’s £57.7m.

But RW101 noted that the market witnessed a V-shaped recovery after the first UK lockdown was lifted, with November and December 2020 setting new records in terms of volume, with more than 16,000 bottles of single malt sold at auction in the UK for the first time in each month, and May 2021 recording 16,858 bottles sold. By the end of June 2021, average prices had rebounded from £390.81 to a new record of £426.58 (US$588).

There was more evidence of recovery in December 2021 when more than £3 million ($4 million) was raised for charity at The Distillers One of One inaugural auction, which saw 42 exceptional whiskies and experiences go under the hammer.

The sale, which took place at Barnbougle Castle near Edinburgh on 3rd December, was organised by the Distillers’ Charity, the philanthropic arm of the Worshipful Company of Distillers, in collaboration with Sotheby’s.

Participants from 24 countries took part in the auction, bidding in person during a lunch in the castle’s Banqueting Hall as well as via the telephone and online. In total, £3.1 million ($4.1 million) was raised during the sale - two and a half times the pre-sale low estimate.

More than £2 million will be granted to charity partners selected by the Youth Action Fund, which was created by the Distillers’ Charity to improve the life chances www.artsandcollections.com

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of 16 to 25-year-olds in Scotland and empower them to make positive change in their communities.

The charitable sale was the first of three that will be held as part of a six-year partnership between the Distillers’ Charity and Sotheby’s.

SPECTACULAR Jonathan Driver, immediate past master of the Worshipful Company of Distillers, said: “We are truly overwhelmed by the amount that has been raised and are so grateful to all of the sponsors, brands and bidders who got involved, donated spectacular lots and showed us incredible support, for making this happen. To know that over £2.5 million will now be distributed to help young people across Scotland through our charity partners is really special.

“The success of our first auction is so exciting and we are thrilled that we can continue to support more people for at least the next six years, thanks to our ongoing partnership with Sotheby’s.

“This whole event wouldn’t have been

Above This Bowmore 1970 51-year-old in an onyx decanter sold for £400,000 on an estimate of £100,000-£180,000

possible had companies of all sizes from across the Scotch whisky industry not come together in this amazing collective endeavour.

It showcases just how extraordinary the people who work in the world of Scotch whisky are, and we are privileged to have been the catalyst for this landmark sale. We want to extend a huge thanks to everyone involved.”

Jonny Fowle, Sotheby’s spirits specialist, said: “Working with the Worshipful Company of Distillers to present the biggest charity auction project in the history of Scotch whisky has been one of the most rewarding projects of my career.

“This was a truly unique collection of whiskies, for which we can thank the creativity and generosity of the distilleries who willingly came on board. Equally generous were the collectors who participated, driving the overall total beyond expectations. Record prices were achieved for Bowmore, Balvenie, ARTS & COLLECTIONS 31

02/02/2022 14:24

COLLECTIONS // WHISKY

EXPERIENCE The second most valuable lot of the sale was the Talisker 1978 Cask of Distinction, which went to a private collector for a 32 ARTS & COLLECTIONS

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record price of £625,000 / $831,780 (est. £350,000-500,000). This 43-year-old cask of still-maturing Talisker single malt Scotch whisky was offered with a cask-end that has been turned into an original work of art by acclaimed Scottish painter Callum Innes.

Several once-in-a-lifetime whisky experiences were included in the auction, including the Gordon & MacPhail One of One Selection Experience from the 1940s or 1950s. The immersive Speyside experience, with the opportunity for the lucky bidder to work alongside the team to create their own whisky, sold for £87,500 / $116,450 (est. £80,000-160,000).

As well as the support of donors, The Distillers One of One auction also had the involvement of five sponsors that made the event possible: Blyth & Blyth, engineering design consultants; Simpson’s Malt, makers of high-quality malt; Glencairn Crystal Studio, inventors of the industry’s favourite glass, The Glencairn Glass; J.C. Ribeiro, makers of high-quality cork stoppers; and McLaren Packaging, designers and

Above Talisker’s Cask of Distinction 1978 with artwork by Callum Innes sold for £625,000 on an estimate of £350,000-£500,000

manufacturers of premium packaging.

As we write, the whisky market is looking forward to the second half of one whisky lover’s ‘Perfect Collection’, going under the hammer from Whisky Auctioneer. In what is expected to be a historic sale, more than 1,900 bottles of rare, coveted and expensive single malts, many from long-lost Scottish distilleries, will feature in the online event from 12th-22nd February.

It is the second half of the collection of American philanthropist Richard Gooding, who dedicated more than two decades to seeking out some of the finest and rarest expressions from Scotland’s distilleries and amassed a collection of nearly 4,000 bottles.

One of the highlights at February’s auction will be The Macallan 1926 Fine and Rare 60 Years Old, thought to be the world’s most expensive bottle of whisky. Time will tell whether it lives up to its reputation. 

IMAGES © SOTHEBY’S

Glenfiddich, Ladyburn and Talisker.”

Jamie Ritchie, worldwide head of Sotheby’s Wine, said: “Our global wine and spirits team were delighted to partner with the Worshipful Company of Distillers and their philanthropic arm, the Distillers’ Charity, to create a new series of charity auctions that showcase the best of the Scotch whisky industry and provide important funds to benefit disadvantaged young people in Scotland.”

Leading the sale was a four-bottle set of Glenfiddich from the 1950s (1955, 1957, 1958 and 1959). A 30-minute bidding battle broke out between eight collectors, driving the final sale price to £1,037,500 / $1,380,760 (est. £220,000-350,000). Provided by William Grant & Sons, this ultra-rare collector’s piece established a new auction record for Glenfiddich.

www.artsandcollections.com

02/02/2022 14:24

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02/02/2022 16:11

COLLECTIONS // SOTHEBY’S

PRIVATE AND PERSONAL

Sotheby’s Private Sales works discreetly and seamlessly with buyers and sellers of worldclass works of art throughout the year, independent of the auction calendar

W

hether you are seeking a specific artwork for your growing collection or wish to sell, Sotheby’s global team of sale directors is ready to source, sell, advise and research on your behalf. The world-famous auction house also conduct private sales in a range of categories including fine art, jewellery, watches, books, wine, automobiles and more, across all price points. Unlike auction prices which are subject to demand, in private sales prices are fixed, clear and always mutually agreed upon between both parties.

Find out more about Sotheby’s private sales and the items currently on offer here: https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy-sell/ private-sales

WAYNE THIEBAUD Untitled (Landscape), 1958 Oil on linen, 7 by 7 in.

Acquired by the present owner from the Allan Stone Gallery, New York, this work (right) is in a less familiar style than Thibaud’s famous ‘pop art’ cakes and pies, though it does share their use of heavy pigment and well-defined shadows.

Thiebaud is usually associated with the pop art movement because of his interest in objects of mass culture, although his early works, executed during the fifties and sixties, slightly predate the works of the classic pop artists. This work may be a chance to acquire a Thibaud at less than his auction record of $19.1m for Four Pinball Machines (1962).

LUIS DE MORALES, “EL DIVINO” Ecce Homo, c. 1540 Oil on walnut panel 34 ARTS & COLLECTIONS

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Inscribed by a later hand on the reverse “Divino.Morales/fecit”, this piece (opposite, top left) has been in a private collection in Seville since at least the mid-19th Century, from where it was acquired by the present owner circa 2000. Most of Morales’ work was of religious subjects, including many representations of the Madonna and Child and the Passion. Influenced by Raphael Sanzio and the Lombard school of Leonardo da Vinci, especially in his early work, he was called by his contemporaries “The Divine Morales” because of his skill and the shocking realism of his paintings, and

because of the spirituality transmitted by all his work. The Prado Museum in Madrid holds around 22 paintings by Morales.

JOHN BALDESSARI Stonehenge (With Two Persons) Blue, 2005 Mixografía® print in in colours Signed in pencil, dated and numbered 29/60 (from a total edition including six artist’s proofs), on handmade paper, printed and published by Mixografia, Los Angeles, and framed, the sheet (opposite, bottom) measures around 29 by 32 inches. A similar www.artsandcollections.com

02/02/2022 14:09

SOTHEBY’S // COLLECTIONS

print realised $489,000 in 2018. Californian Baldessari, who died in 2020, was initially a painter, and began to incorporate texts and photography into his canvases in the mid-1960s. In 1970, he began working in printmaking, film, video, installation, sculpture and photography, creating thousands of works combining the narrative potential of images and language.

CHRIS LEVINE Kate Moss, She’s Light (Dots), 2015 Inkjet print with fluorescent silkscreened element.

AP1 from an edition of 10 +2APs, measuring 34x27 inches, this print (left) is signed with the artist’s blind stamp. Chris Levine’s multidisciplinary practice spans photography, performance, installation, fashion, music, and design, focusing on light and the shifting possibilities of perception.

The U.K.-based artist is perhaps best known for his portraits of Queen Elizabeth, especially Lightness of Being (2004), which captures the monarch with her eyes closed.

His work has sold for six-figure prices on the secondary market.

ITALIAN WORK Table Lamp, c. 1970 Brass and enamel Acquired in Barcelona in 2014, this modern style Italian-made bras and enamel lamp (far left) measures 17.52 inches in height.

Though overall in good condition consistent with age and use, the fabric of the shade seems to have been replaced at a later stage, and has small tears consistent with the chosen finish. The brass presents with some various oxidation marks, and some elements near the bulb at the top of the lamp seem to have darkened with heat.

VAN CLEEF & ARPELS

IMAGES © SOTHEBY’S

La Centenaire wristwatch, c.2006 White gold with diamond-set bezel Priced at US$55,000, this white gold automatic women’s 36mm wristwatch (above right) has a diamond-set bezel mother-of-pearl and enamel rotating disc depicting the four seasons, with an 18k white gold and diamond-set Van Cleef & Arples buckle and satin band. The watch is in excellent condition with light signs of surface use. The PA49 automatic 36-jewel movement is working and the seasons disc rotates through the back-wind.  www.artsandcollections.com

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02/02/2022 14:10

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Serve coffee the way it’s done at the castle.

Even at the most lavish dinner parties and events, coffee and its various accoutrements seem like somewhat of an afterthought. The focus is usually on the wine and the tablescape, since coffee is coffee. Or is it?

Once upon a time, the partaking in coffee was a special and refined ritual.

A coffee maker with a royal lineage

Tale is told of an elegant eight course dinner, where Franz Joseph, emperor of Austria, and his now legendary 1850 Royal Banquet, served coffee with something new and very exquisite. The nobles marvelled as physics took hold and fire, steam, pressure, vacuum and gravity brewed the best coffee known in the new world.

Modern society has lost the ability to make even the smallest of experiences a luxury.

Tradition, for the most part, has been lost. This beckons just one question for those infatuated with old-world charm: can we get it back?

Enter the Royal Coffee Maker by Royal Paris, a 24-karat gold syphon brewer.

An objet d’art in its own right, it’s a beautiful replica of the coffee maker used by the emperor.

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Jewelry-class finishes

Each Royal Paris coffee machine is made of the world’s finest materials.

The age-old lost wax method, also called cire perdue is employed to create the delicate gargoyle spigot with chasing dolphins, the counterweight and center-post- all meticulously chiselled into miniature pieces of art.

Our team of specialised artisans applies the same standard of craftsmanship that is used in fine jewelry.

Our artisans make Royal Paris the most indulgent coffee maker in the world; a true “Objet d’art “ It’s a technical masterpiece. Each creation is made as a bespoke piece in limited edition and is custom-made to your requirements.

Family crests or initials can also be engraved for additional heritage appeal.

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Custom Baccarat glasswork

The glasswork is custom-made, numbered and hand-painted at the Baccarat factory in Nancy, France. Freehand cutting and goldleaf painting add to the ornate detailing on the glass. Each bespoke glasswork depicts the lavish yet modern aesthetic signature of Baccarat’s ingenious craftmanship.

Semi-precious stone base

The coffee machine is firmly mounted on a semi-precious stone base made of your selection of malachite, lapis lazuli or black obsidian is custom-polished and produced in Germany.

24K gold-plating

The plating is done at a renowned gold plater in Paris, Atelier Rouge-Pullon, which has been awarded the “Symbol of Excellence of French Craftsmanship.” Here, the company’s team of experienced goldsmiths, silverers, gilders, and polishers use the electro-plating technique to plate the coffee machines with 10 macron pure 24K gold or pristine silver.

An engineering marvel

Royal Paris takes great care to guarantee that each coffee machine functions perfectly to create a sublime cup of coffee with every use.

Since the boiling water passes through the overflow pipe, it has the chance to cool down a few degrees before mixing with the coffee. As a result, the machine can extract the oils and rich flavours from the coffee beans without creating a burned or scorched taste.

Once all the water has moved from the canister into the Baccarat glass vase, the burner shuts off automatically. This automatic process results in a safe and mesmerising coffee brewing experience that is a beautiful piece of engineering in action.

It’s a rare piece of “functional art.” Every minute process is an exact science, carefully engineered to create the perfect cup of coffee.

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Don’t let after-dinner be an after-thought, make it a masterpiece.

The most treasured thing about the Royal Coffee Maker isn’t that you can recreate the ambience of the 1800s European courts, nor the pleasant sound of when the kettle siphons the perfectly brewed coffee, nor that this one-of-a-kind objet d’art adds a striking Neoclassical element to the dining experience. It may very well be the potent alchemy that the Royal Coffee Maker taps into - elevating the art of the post-meal to its true worth.

The Royal Paris Coffee Maker comes in four different options: Versailles, the most ornate; Avant-garde, a contemporary style, Classic and Modern.

A very limited edition.

With only 5 to 8 of these exquisite, numbered pieces hand-crafted each month, there are only a handful of customers that will be able to purchase this Royal Paris coffee maker.

This unique dining experience is a romantic, entertaining way to amuse guests and create exotic and alcoholic coffees.

The dazzling elegance of serving coffee made “the Royal Way” conjures up images of formal banquets of foreign embassies, of extravagant ballroom dances in castles in distant lands, of the Orient Express, the Great Gatsby.

This is an opportunity to create an atmosphere of elegance and distinction.

For more information visit: www.royalparis.coffee info@royalcoffeemaker.com Tel: 1 517 775 4647

03/02/2022 12:57

COLLECTIONS // JEWELLERY

FABERGÉ AND THE Art of Design The exhibition Fabergé: Romance to Revolution at the Victoria and Albert Museum captures the luxury house’s art, but also its tumultuous history

BY ANDREW MAYFAIR

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traditionally gem-based designs. Rather than being designed to be worn, Fabergé work was meant to be displayed, with objets deluxe and objets de fantaisie such as the Imperial Easter Eggs becoming regarded as pinnacles of the goldsmiths’ art.

Having seen the House’s work at the Pan-Russian Exhibition in Moscow in 1882, Tzar Alexander III ordered it to be displayed in the Hermitage as examples of superb contemporary Russian craftsmanship, and in 1885 the Emperor commissioned the company to make an Easter Egg for his Empress, and Fabergé was bestowed with the coveted title, ‘goldsmith by special appointment to the Imperial Crown’.

PRIZED The Russian Revolution saw the Fabergé family fleeing to Germany and France, and while the Russian Revolution and the war irrevocably changed the social order in Russia and Europe, the taste for Fabergé survived, especially in London, where the firm’s works continued to be prized.

From the 1920s, dealers and auction houses in London acquired confiscated Fabergé objects sold by Soviet Russia.

In the 1930s, the art dealers Wartski purchased several Imperial Eggs, which it sold to Fabergé’s London clients and to new generations of collectors in Europe and the United States. Lately, motivated by patriotic repatriation, Russians have become significant collectors of Fabergé’s

IMAGE © V&A

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he house of Fabergé, and particularly the jewelled eggs it made as Easter gifts for the doomed Russian royal family, have become bywords for art, design and luxury. Now an exhibition at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum is giving the Western world a rare chance to see a huge collection of Fabergé work in one place, and set in its historical context.

Peter Carl Fabergé took over his father’s “very ordinary” jewellery business in 1882, and together with his brother Agathon transformed it into an international phenomenon. Fabergé developed the concept of the designled “artist-jeweller”, reviving the almost lost art of enamelling to add colour to

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JEWELLERY // COLLECTIONS

RIght, above Copy of the Imperial Regalia, Fabergé. Master Julius Rappoport, Master August Wilhelm Holmstrom, 1900 © The State Hermitage Museum, 2021 Right, below The Alexander Palace Egg, Fabergé.

Chief Workmaster Henrik Wigstrom, 1908 © The Moscow Kremlin Museums

work, and though over the years the house name was subject to copyright battles, since 2007, Fabergé Limited regained its names and titles, and (now in the hands of mining company Gemfields), is back in business creating jewellery, timepieces, and even the odd Imperial Egg. At the V&A exhibition, showcasing over 200 objects across three main sections, the first section highlights the important patronage of the Romanov family. A miniature of the Imperial Regalia, lent by the Hermitage Museum, made for the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle will capture Carl Fabergé’s role as official goldsmith to the Imperial family.

The dazzling beauty of Fabergé’s work is shown by a sparkling aquamarine and diamond tiara – a token of love from Frederick Francis IV, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin to his bride Princess Alexandra of Hanover and Cumberland on their wedding day. The only known example of a solid gold tea service crafted by Fabergé is also on display, one of the most magnificent items to emerge from the firm’s Moscow branch.

IMAGES © MOSCOW KREMLINE MUSEUMS, STATE HERMITAGE MUSEUM

OBJETS Yet we’re told that the very best of the objets were reserved for the London market, where Fabergé opened a shop in New Bond Street in 1903. A ‘family tree’ display shows the long list of European eminences who patronized the store, and historical accounts show how Fabergé adapted to historical developments – during the First World War, ‘austerity’ piece used materials such as copper, brass and obsidian rather than the indemand precious metals.

Fabergé carefully tailored his works to his British clientele. He created hardstone portraits of the farm animals King Edward and Queen Alexandra bred at Sandringham, their favourite country www.artsandcollections.com

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COLLECTIONS // JEWELLERY

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JEWELLERY // COLLECTIONS

estate, and objects enamelled in The King’s horse-racing colours. Highlight objects include a commission from The King of his faithful wire-haired fox terrier Caesar, a silver model portrait of Persimmon, his most loved and successful racehorse, and one of the firm’s rarest creations – a figurine of a veteran English soldier.

Fabergé became the most exclusive and fashionable place to buy gifts. The King’s mistress, Mrs George Keppel, gifted The King an elegant art-nouveau cigarette case with a snake laid in diamonds biting its tail – a symbol of unbroken and everlasting love. Snuffboxes decorated with topographical views, buildings and monuments were also popular. A nephrite cigar box, set with a sepia enamelled view of the Houses of Parliament, was bought by Grand Duke Michael of Russia on 5th November 1908 and given to King Edward VII. Other highlights include a sumptuous rock crystal vase that was presented to King George V and Queen Mary on the day of their coronation.

IMAGES © WARTSKI

REDISCOVERED Yet it is the final room in the exhibition which will no doubt draw the most attention, with 15 of the fabled Fabergé eggs. This is the largest collection on public display for over 25 years. The collection includes several that have never before been shown in the UK including the largest Imperial Egg – the Moscow Kremlin Egg – inspired by the architecture of the Dormition Cathedral, on loan from the Moscow Kremlin Museums.

The Alexander Palace Egg, featuring watercolour portraits of the children of Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra – and containing a surprise model of the palace inside – also takes centre stage alongside the Tercentenary Egg, created to celebrate 300 years of the Romanov dynasty, only a few years before the dynasty crumbled.

Other eggs that feature include the recently rediscovered Third Imperial Egg of 1887, found by a scrap dealer in 2011 – one of the ‘missing’ eggs created by Fabergé that was lost for many years. The Peacock Egg of 1907-8, shown on public display for the first time in over a decade, containing a surprise of an enamelled www.artsandcollections.com

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gold peacock automaton and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna’s Basket of Flowers Egg, lent by Her Majesty The Queen from the Royal Collection is also on display.

Kieran McCarthy and Hanne Faurby, Curators of Fabergé in London: Romance to Revolution, said: “The story of Carl Fabergé, the legendary Russian Imperial goldsmith, is one of supreme luxury and unsurpassed craftsmanship. Celebrating Fabergé’s extraordinary achievements, this exhibition focuses on the over-looked importance of his London branch, the only one outside of Russia.

“It attracted a global clientele of Royalty, aristocrats, business titans and socialites. Through Fabergé’s creations the exhibition explores timeless stories of love, friendship and unashamed social climbing.

It takes the visitor on a journey of sublime artistry and patronage towards

Above Imperial presentation box by Fabergé, nephrite, coloured gold, diamonds, ivory. Chief Workmaster Henrik Wigstrom, St. Petersburg, 1904. Private collection, images courtesy of Wartski, London Opposite Basket of flowers egg, by Fabergé.

Silver, parcel-gilt, gold, guilloché enamel, diamonds, 1901 Royal Collection Trust © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2021

the revolution that tragically closed Fabergé - but sends visitors away on a high, by honouring Fabergé’s greatest legacy, with a dazzling final display of his iconic Easter Eggs.”  Fabergé in London: Romance to Revolution runs from 20th November 2021- 8th May 2022 at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London. Tickets are available at vam.ac.uk ARTS & COLLECTIONS 41

02/02/2022 14:43

COLLECTIONS // TEA

The Culture of

TEA

Is it possible to embrace cultural traditions without appropriation?

Japanese entrepreneur Yureeka Yasuda explains her approach

BY RICHARD BENSON

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Yureeka questions the Westernised approach to business, and addresses the cultural appropriation debate by discussing the problem of buying Japanese goods like matcha from companies whose origins are outside Asia.

SUSTAINABLE “When it comes to culturally significant products, everyone should be mindful of who they’re buying from,” she says.

“Products like matcha, a green tea powder that’s been part of Japanese culture for over 800 years, are being sold from brands that clearly aren’t Japanese or Asian-owned.

Many corporations use leaves that are mass produced with no regard for sustainability or quality. I think it’s important that consumers make educated choices - as they do with their wine, coffee, or cosmetics.”

She continues, “Green tea is the source of livelihood for many local communities

IMAGES © SAYURI TEA

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n a world full of wonderful cultural differences, having the opportunity to celebrate and share them is something many of us take for granted. For culturally rich Asian countries like Japan and China, global reach on platforms like TikTok and Instagram has meant many cultural and traditional practices have become viral – recently, healing practice gua sha or jade rolling for instance, along with kimono style clothing and matcha green tea.

The danger is that Western corporation will fill these demands without any nod to traditional artisans, specialists, or the cultural significance of the original item.

Tokyo-born, US-raised Yureeka Yasuda has a job description that reads like a lifestyle wish list: serial entrepreneur, art advisor, brand ambassador, cultural curator, internationally published writer, founder of Japanese lifestyle brand SAYURI, and the UK’s first female tea sensei. Yureeka’s first love is and always has been the world of art. Her father first planted the seed with his success as a prominent art collector and dealer. Yureeka’s upbringing was filled with art, spending her childhood holidays with famous artists, learning how to really experience and appreciate the world of art and artists alike.

She carried this appreciation with her into her adulthood and in 2017, established Tokyo Art Office (TAO), an art advisory and liaison firm sharing expert knowledge with a new generation of art collectors. As founder and CEO, she hopes to foster cross-cultural appreciation of art between Japan and East Asia to Western Europe and beyond. Her fresh approach and intuitive taste saw TAO open an additional office in London in 2018.

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02/02/2022 14:31

TEA // COLLECTIONS

Above Yureeka Yasuda: “Tea is a way of life encouraging mindfulness”

but if it all about profits without respect to heritage, then companies are selling a product without authenticity. It can be damaging and very misleading, while small businesses that offer quality and respect for tradition get overshadowed.”

Yureeka points to the fact that matcha has been modernised to suit Western palettes, and while she is happy with this accessibility and enjoys a matcha latte herself, she wants to increase understanding of the different grades, flavour profiles, sustainable growing methods - and ensure there is a nod to the artisans and traditions from which matcha was born.

She explains, “If people have no prior knowledge of matcha, by the time the supplier has adapted it in say café-style drinks, respect to tradition has been lost.”

As discussed on the website at https:// sayuritea.com, matcha was used for www.artsandcollections.com

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centuries by Zen monks to calm the mind, energise the body, refresh the spirit, and achieve enlightenment. Fast forward to today, and matcha is a popular tea drunk across the world, recognised for its richness in antioxidants and benefits to health.

One serving contains about a third of the caffeine in coffee but provides a sustainable, jitters-free energy lift thanks to its calming, slow-release properties. When prepared in the traditional way, Yureeka likens it to a mindful ritual. “You disconnect and focus on the present moment and it’s this almost meditative methodology that I would love to pass on to consumers in the West,” she says.

HERITAGE “The tea ceremony is counted as one of the three classical Japanese arts alongside calligraphy and flower arrangement,” she

explains. “Tea is a way of life encouraging mindfulness and appreciating the way things are. It’s the opposite of praising decadence - a bowl of matcha allows self-improvement with every sip. This is the story that should be conveyed, the beauty of drinking matcha lies in seeing it like an art form.”

Yureeka is a certified tea sommelier and has great respect for her Japanese heritage and culture and urges companies who take on board Japanese products to retain their authenticity. “Our traditions in the East should be respected and embraced not diluted in any way. It’s also important that wherever possible, people spend wisely by buying unique products like matcha from the place of source. Quality matcha is labour intensive. Not only will they be giving valuable support to keep tradition alive, they will also be benefitting the very communities whose lives depend on it.”  ARTS & COLLECTIONS 43

02/02/2022 14:31

The art of legal advice Buying, selling and viewing art is one of life’s great pleasures. But it is also a sophisticated business that requires the very best legal advice. We work with international galleries and museums and many of the most successful people and cultural institutions in the world.

Whether you are deal making, tax planning or fighting to protect your investment, we have the right lawyers around the world to help.

We champion our clients’ interests, locally and globally, from offices across the Europe, US and Asia-Pacific.

Withersworldwide.com | +44 20 7597 6364

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16/12/2021 12:47

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16/12/2021 12:47

COLLECTIONS // LEGAL

The Art of ESTATE PLANNING Planning the legacy of your art collection can be complex. The experts from Witherworldwide explain the essential issues

BY CLAIRE HARRIS, PARTNER, PRIVATE CLIENT AND TAX

IMAGES © DREAMSTIME

ED CUBITT, ASSOCIATE, PRIVATE CLIENT AND TAX

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www.artsandcollections.com

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LEGAL // COLLECTIONS

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gift of artwork is a special kind of legacy. Whether it be a single cherished piece or a vast prized collection, a gift of artwork is not merely about a donor leaving an object of value to a chosen beneficiary – it is also about the passing on, protection and stewardship of our collective cultural heritage. As such, it is important that owners of art take the time to plan carefully for how their collections will pass on their death.

Artworks are often the source of bitter disputes. Such disputes may arise from legal questions as fundamental as whether the piece is actually what it purports to be or who the true owner is. Resolving these questions to the extent possible during one’s lifetime (albeit they may be unresolvable) can help head off some key issues on death. But legal disputes are not the only kind of friction caused by art. Readers will be intimately familiar with the special emotional resonance of art and our aptitude for developing a deep sentimental attachment to particular pieces.

A poor estate plan can ride roughshod over those emotions and leave beneficiaries disappointed and even resentful.

How do we guard against this? An important first step is to discuss with your beneficiaries whether there is anything in particular in your collection to which they attach particular sentimental value. While the choice is yours to do as you wish with your estate once you are gone, knowing what your beneficiaries’ hopes are may help you organise your estate plan in a way that limits disharmony on your passing.

PROVISION You should consider making special provision for your artwork in your will. A starting point is to consider whether your collection is of such a size and complexity that it merits additional executors with the skills and technical expertise to manage it.

Such executors would act separately from those appointed to deal with the rest of your estate.

If you identify certain pieces which you would like to leave to particular beneficiaries, then you might leave those pieces to them under your will by way of a specific legacy.

An alternative to this, with the advantages of both privacy and flexibility, would be to leave your collection to be held on trust following your death. You would explain to your trustees through your letter of wishes exactly www.artsandcollections.com

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how you would like the artwork to be divided up. There would be no additional inheritance tax consequences to using a trust in this way so long as the art was distributed out to the beneficiaries within two years of your death.

This would give the trustees the flexibility to divide up the collection in a way that is in accordance with your objectives and appropriate at the time, bearing in mind the potential for significant fluctuations in the value of different pieces.

Procedures for ‘divvying up’ a collection between a number of beneficiaries vary.

You might direct your trustees to allow the beneficiaries to take turns in picking a piece, perhaps in age order or by drawing lots.

Again, it is worth taking the time to consider this mechanism to avoid any perception of unfairness.

The tax issues arising from the ownership and passing on of art can be complex.

While death will currently wipe out any latent chargeable gains on the value of your art which have built up during your lifetime, it will in general trigger an inheritance tax charge at a rate of 40 percent on gifts to beneficiaries other than your spouse or charities. Clearly you would want to avoid a piece of art needing to be sold just to meet this inheritance tax charge.

LIABILITIES One option to bear in mind is taking advantage of the ‘acceptance in lieu’ procedure. Our museums and galleries teem with important artworks transferred to

the state in lieu of payment of tax liabilities on death.

If your artwork represents such a proportion of your estate that it will inevitably bear some of the inheritance tax burden, you may want to consider whether there are any pieces which you would rather stayed in your beneficiaries’ ownership at the expense of others. Tax pitfalls for the unwary abound, such as the oft-ignored pre-owned asset tax and gift with reservation of benefit rules, and legal advice should be sought if any lifetime transfers are planned.

Some of your artwork might be capable of being considered heritage property. If it is, your trustees or beneficiaries may be entitled to defer inheritance tax by giving certain undertakings to HMRC, including a promise to secure reasonable access to the relevant artworks by the public.

Particular care should be taken if your artwork benefitted from this treatment in the past, as there may be historic tax liabilities at rates much higher than 40 percent which become payable if certain conditions are not met on your death.

GIFTING If your beneficiaries are not interested in art, or for some reason do not want to receive it, you might consider gifting the art directly to a museum or gallery instead, or look to establish during your lifetime or on death your own private museum or exhibition to hold the collection.

For owners of art located in more than one jurisdiction, tax and succession problems multiply and can become very complex. Advice should be taken on any cross-border estate planning in order to ensure the value of your estate is protected and your wishes achieved.

Withers have been trusted advisors to successful people and business with complex legal needs for 125 years. We champion our clients’ interests, locally and globally, from offices across the US, Europe and Asia-Pacific. We are proud to help many of our clients use their success to make the world a better place.  To read more about Withers estate planning expertise, please go to www. withersworldwide.com/your-will-yourlegacy, or contact one of the team at enquiries.uk@withersworldwide.com or call +44 20 7597 6364 ARTS & COLLECTIONS 47

02/02/2022 14:35

ARTS // EXHIBITION

BACK TO THE FUTURE

The much-delayed London Art Fair returns in April 2022 – what can we expect to see highlighted at this eclectic selection of the best of the galleries?

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fter a year of online-only activity due to the coronavirus pandemic, and a postponement from a planned January date, the London Art Fair returns for 2022 with its usual eclectic line-up of art from the best galleries in the UK and beyond.

Director Sarah Monk told Arts & Collections: “I am very much looking forward to the return of the physical experience of London Art Fair, which will be back in 2022 to provide the opportunity for creative exchange and collaboration. The Fair connects the

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best galleries from around the world with collectors, building new relationships and exploring fresh territory in the arts with renewed curiosity. Our thoughtful selection of galleries will serve seasoned dealers as well as aspiring enthusiasts looking to take their first steps in the art market.

“We will present the most exceptional modern and contemporary art all under one roof, which will include critically-acclaimed curated sections Art Projects, Photo50, and Platform, an inspiring programme of talks,

as well as the annual Museum Partnership featuring a unique display of highlights from the New Hall Art Collection.”

London Art Fair will now take place from 20th-24th April at the Islington Business Design Centre.

The event will offer both seasoned and aspiring collectors a diverse presentation of modern and contemporary art, alongside curated displays, and a lively programme of talks, panel discussions and artists’ insights.

This year will see the participation of

IMAGES © LAF

BY RICHARD BENSON

www.artsandcollections.com

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EXHIBITION // ARTS

over 100 galleries from around the world, including Austria, America, Portugal, Sweden, and Australia, with new exhibitors Gillian Jason Gallery, Mothflower and David Kovats; alongside returning names such as Richard Green, James Hyman and Purdy Hicks.

The Fair will feature work by some of the world’s most renowned artists working across a variety of media, including Henry Moore, David Hockney, Bridget Riley and Paula Rego.

London Art Fair’s specialism in modern art continues to be strongly represented through the participation of some of the UK’s leading galleries in the field.

Thomas Spencer Fine Art will be presenting a selection of Modern British works on paper, including a previously unseen work by John Nash RA and a large 1970s gouache by Mary Fedden.

Gilden’s Fine Art Gallery will showcase a selection of works by American and European Modern Masters, including etchings by Joan Miró and linocut prints by Pablo Picasso.

CURATED For this year’s annual themed section, guest curator Candida Stevens has chosen Music and its Part in Contemporary Art, working with 10 galleries whose artists have created new work exploring the intersection of visual art and music, and the ways in which contemporary art can incorporate aspects of movement and rhythm.

London Art Fair has partnered with the New Hall Art Collection for its annual Museum Partnership. The New Hall Art Collection is a permanent collection of modern and contemporary art by women at Murray Edwards College, University of Cambridge.

The exhibition Myth-Making and SelfFashioning: Women Artists from the New Hall Art Collection presents over 20 artists including Maggi Hambling, Rose Wylie and

Miriam Schapiro from the largest collection of art by women in Europe.

Photo50 is the Fair’s critical forum for examining distinctive elements of current photographic practice. For 2022, Photo50 will be curated by Rodrigo Orrantia presenting works by British and UK-based artists responding to the idea of an island, looking at practices expanding the possibilities of photography. No Place is An Island will feature the work of fourteen artists, some of which are new works created especially for the Fair.  LONDON ART FAIR - 20-24th April 2022 Business Design Centre, 52 Upper Street, Islington, London N1 0QH Full ticket types and prices at: www.londonartfair.co.uk/tickets

GALLERIES Waterhouse & Dodd’s display is focused on the work of David Bomberg and his students, such as Dennis Creffield and Dorothy Mead.

New contemporary art on show at the Fair includes the multidisciplinary work of Jordi Alcaraz, courtesy of Alzueta Gallery, a reflection on volume, artistic language and time.

Elsewhere, Elizabeth Xi Bauer will share works by three emerging artists, Theodore Ereira-Guyer, Abraham Kritzman, and Catalin Marius Petrisor Heresanu in a range of techniques consisting of printmaking, painting and sculpture, and Arusha Gallery will present new pieces by Charlotte Keates, Jen Wink Hays and Connie Harrison.

For those interested in textiles and sculpture Thompson’s Gallery will present new and unseen works specifically created for the Fair, including work by Athena Anastasiou who uses bright acrylic wool to extend her painted image from the boundaries of the canvas.

Another new and unseen work will be on display at Candida Stevens Gallery by contemporary textile/fibre artist Alice Kettle, titled Poppy. Meanwhile, James Hyman Gallery will be showing a rare and unique hand woven tapestry by RB Kitaj. www.artsandcollections.com

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Vanessa Jackson RA, Terpsichoral, 2021, Courtesy of Candida Stevens Gallery ARTS & COLLECTIONS 49

03/02/2022 14:59

Advertorial

Things you need to know before buying a private jet

By Olga Tcacenco Director, Head of Aviation Advisory at Kendris

Buying a jet is different from purchasing a car, real estate or any other type of assets. You are entering a very specific, highly complex and regulated area. Thus, educating yourself and seeking guidance is essential to make it a pleasant experience rather than a stressful and disappointing one.

Where do I start?

As future aircraft owner, you would need to start identifying the type of aircraft that suits your needs. You will have to consider why do you need or want a jet, your future destinations, number of cabin seats you would like to have, how many hours your aircraft will fly annually as well as the budget for both purchase of the aircraft and its operation. You also need to consider whether to buy a brand-new aircraft or a used one. Typically, the market price depreciation is about 5 to 10% per year, so a 5 to 10-year-old aircraft costs about 40-50% of the price of a new one, which could be a great value. On the other hand, maintenance costs of a used aircraft could be higher, and you will miss on manufacturer’s warranties and other benefits of a brand-new jet.

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What is the process of buying an aircraft?

Depending on the aircraft, the sale and purchase process might take 2-3 months in case of the used aircraft and from 3 to 12 months for a brand-new aircraft, which will be build, customised and delivered according to your wishes. The acquisition process is rather complex, and you will need to engage a team of specialists, such as aviation lawyers, technical advisors, escrow agents, etc. The matters to consider include, among others, regulation, tax, insurance, risk management, potential finance as well as aircraft management and operation.

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How do I structure the ownership of my new jet?

Before signing the Aircraft Purchase Agreement, it is important to ensure that you have a correct ownership structure in place. To mitigate your personal liability and for number of other reasons, it is advisable to establish a company providing for limited liability, which will purchase and own the aircraft. Several matters should be considered at this stage, including your fiscal residence, the aircraft’s future base, flight destinations and frequency, aircraft registration, etc.

Who will operate my jet?

Operation of the aircraft is usually delegated to professional operators or management companies.

According to the regulations, the operator is responsible for entire operation, including safety. Choosing the right operator is essential, as this will determine your entire flight experience, the operational cost efficiency and may even impact the re-value of your aircraft. It may allow condition the availability of aircraft financing.

How do I ensure that my jet retains its maximum value?

To keep the value of your jet at its highest, you will need to ensure systematic technical oversight, quality aircraft and engine maintenance programs, regulatory upgrades, appropriate hangarage and tight monitoring of the aircraft operation.

The KENDRISfly team of aviation, tax and legal experts can support you on each stage of the process, including selection and sourcing of the aircraft, sale-purchase transaction management, setting up the appropriate ownership structure, selection and supervision of the operator and value retention of your aircraft. Our unique one-stop shop approach will allow you to enjoy your private jet with peace of mind.

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kendris.com kendrisfly.com 02/12/2021 12:22

COLLECTIONS // AVIATION

HEADS IN THE SKY

Private flying is becoming more desirable, practical and affordable, with an exciting range of new aircraft. We test fly some of the most spectacular

BY CHRIS JENKINS

CIRRUS AIRCRAFT G2+ VISION JET Boasting improved engine performance for expanded mission capabilities, the latest version of the Vision Jet (top left) comes in new colourways and features inflight WiFi, so you never need be out of touch.

A single-engine jet ideal for business and personal travel, it has the largest cabin in its class, featuring premium leather, bolstered seats, noise reduction and an immersive experience made possible by the panoramic windows unique to the Vision Jet. It seats up to five adults and two children, and is the only aircraft in its class equipped with not only a Safe Return Emergency Autoland system in case the pilot is incapacitated, but also the first FAA-certified whole airframe parachute safety system included as standard equipment. www.cirrusaircraft.com

CESSNA CITATION LATITUDE With a Range of 2,700 nm, you can fly nonstop from Los Angeles to New York or Geneva to Dubai in the Citation Latitude, 52 ARTS & COLLECTIONS

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(bottom left), the best-selling midsize business jet for the last three years.

A low cabin altitude pressurisation keeps you feeling refreshed, while the class-leading baggage compartment is spacious enough to accommodate your luggage wherever you’re going, whether for business or pleasure. Equipped with NextGen-capable, touch-screen GARMIN G5000 avionics, the Citation Latitude aircraft offers a large cockpit ensuring everyone in the air is at maximum comfort and productivity, with a wide, flat-floor with a 6-foot stand-up cabin. https://cessna.txtav.com

PILATUS PC-24 The active PC-24 fleet has grown to more than 120 aircraft operating in a wide range of roles including corporate transport, charter, fractional and air ambulance. The PC-24 (top right) differs from all other business jets in that it incorporates a standard large cargo door, has a cabin which can quickly be reconfigured between seats and cargo, and is designed to operate from very short, even unpaved runways – so it can access around 20,000 runways around the world, twice as many as jets that need paved runways.

It combines the cabin of a midsize jet with the economy of a light jet and the utility of a turboprop. https://pilatus-aircraft.com

1,178 nm and cruising speed of 406 knots, it is one of the fastest jets in its category, yet has similar operating costs to a turboprop. https://executive.embraer.com

HONDAJET 2600 CONCEPT This concept for the next generation of Hondajets (bottom right) will feature the same carbon fibre composite fuselage and over-the-wing engine configuration, but an increased range of 2,625 nm (3,020 miles, enough to fly across the United States), cruising speed of 450 knots, 40 percent more fuel efficiency than a mid-size jet, and 20 percent fewer emissions than a typical light jet. Specifications include seating for up to 11 occupants, a spacious cabin with greatly reduced vibration, a tall cabin height and three types of modular and customizable cabin configurations. 

EMBRAER PHENOM 100EV With an impressively spacious cabin, two distinct temperature zones for superior pilot and passenger comfort and 11 custom interior themes tailored to your taste, the Phenom 100EV (centre left) allows you to travel the world in unsurpassed comfort and style. A fully enclosed rear lavatory with windows − exclusive in its class − offers total privacy, while articulating club seating, exceptional stowage space and flexible interior configurations offer ample amenities to suit your mission. With a nonstop range of

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rivate flying has become a great deal more desirable since the worldwide pandemic applied all sorts of health restrictions to international travel. For safety and convenience, not to mention a much enhanced selection of direct flight destinations, a private flight in an executive jet has become the way to go.

There are several ways to buy into this jetset lifestyle – by purchasing your own aircraft, a share in one (‘fractional ownership’), leasing, or membership of a charter ‘club’. Whichever you choose, the selection of aircraft available offers more comfort, convenience, safety and flexibility that ever before. We look at some of the most glamorous yet practical ways to earn your private flying wings.

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AVIATION // COLLECTIONS

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ARTS // PHOTOGRAPHY

GETTING HITCHED IN STYLE The Fifth International Wedding Photographer of the Year competition had some amazing winners, proving that wedding photos don’t have to be embarrassing

BY PAT SAVAGE

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2021 International Wedding Photographer of the Year.

Fabio’s cleverly composed, lighthearted image was entered into the Black & White Category, delivering just the right balance of creativity and storytelling for the international panel of judges.

As winner, Fabio will receive prizes including an EOS R5 camera and an

imagePROGRAF PRO-300 from major award partner Canon Australia valued at US$5,8001, and a share in US$3,000 cash & products from other leading brand sponsors Atkins Lab, Pic-Time, Pixellu, Narrative Select, Raw Digital Lab and Holdfast Gear.  To see all the winning entries, visit the website at www.iwpoty.com.

IMAGES © IWPOTY AND THE PHOTOGRAPHERS

he 5th International Wedding Photographer of the Year, with major sponsor Canon Australia, announced its winners in November.

Overall winner was Fabio Mirulla from Italy, whose entry seen below out-ranked more than 1,500 images submitted across nine categories, by 415 wedding photographers from 58 countries, to earn the title of the

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Above Andrew & Bec of Willow & Wolf, ‘elopement photographers’ - “They got engaged on this very mountain peak and wanted to revisit this special place on their wedding day one year later to recite their private vows.”

Opposite Fabio Mirulla - “I’m a storyteller of the wedding day, a privileged witness of a couple’s joy.”

Far Left Dylan Kovacevic of Corinna & Dylan: “Photography has changed the way we see the world, and introduced us to some seriously high quality humans.”

Near Left Anna Tarabrina - “The most important thing in the shooting is the atmosphere and details. All this can be captured in the picture only if you hear a person, understand what will be close to them.”

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ARTS // PHOTOGRAPHY

Above Sonal Dalmia, Clicks Unlimited - “Her pictures interlace emotions and celebration, presenting you an everlasting souvenir.”

Far Left Gaelle Meheut of Groovy Banana - “What an amazing crew, spending some amazing holidays and celebrating Anna & Kyle’s love in a wonderful way!”

IMAGES ©IWPOTY AND THE PHOTOGRAPHERS

Near Left Mic Panic - “My pictures are your stories told through my eyes and my camera.”

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Near Right Natallia Mikalaichyk, Iceland - “We photograph elopements and weddings in Iceland, Austria, Italy, France, and of course we are always open to travel to other places!”

Far Right Ky Luu, Adelaide - “There’s a quote I love, ‘A moment of captured beauty, he who is truly wise will never permit such moments to escape’.

Below Fabio Mirulla, Tuscany - “I guess curiosity (but not being nosy!) leads me to looking for new points of view, that’s maybe why I really love meeting people from all over the world and sharing their stories even just for one day.”

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02/02/2022 14:56

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COLLECTIONS // ARCHITECTURE

HILL OF DREAMS

When his art collection outgrew his house, this collector built an award-winning extension

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ouse on the Hill by Alison Brooks Architects, a strikingly contemporary extension to a Georgian farmhouse in Gloucestershire, has been named RIBA House of the Year 2021.

To complement its arresting new wing, the 18th century stone farmhouse, which sits at one of the highest points in Gloucestershire in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, has also been meticulously restored. Together the farmhouse and extension create an 60 ARTS & COLLECTIONS

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extraordinary new home for the owners and their art collection. The three-storey farmhouse has been converted into one vast gallery space that seamlessly integrates with the contemporary extension.

Client David Clifford tells Arts & Collections: “We’d had a weekend place down here for many years and had built up a circle of friends at least as large as the group we had in London. When we decided to move, we bought the best house we could find from a rather limited

choice. While the house sits on a great site it was pretty expensive and was clearly in need of a major makeover to suit our taste and functional needs.

“Our big success was in persuading Alison Brooks to take us on as clients.

Alison has great integrity and loyalty and whilst her practice has grown pretty much out of all recognition since we met in 2007, Alison is still very much involved in any way in which the overall building has evolved over nearly fourteen years.

“There was never a masterplan. What

IMAGES © ALISON BRROKS ARCHITECTS, PHOTOS: PAUL RIDDLE

BY CHRIS JENKINS

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ARCHITECTURE // COLLECTIONS

has happened here to the building, the hard and soft landscaping and now to the environmental and ecological project has been an organic process where each new phase has been a development from the former. I don’t think that is a particularly unusual style of progress.”

Utilising the vernacular building material, rough sandstone, for the new building was done using a technique that gives it the appearance of drystone walls. Larger than the original house, the new two-storey wing is set back, partially embedded into the hillside, with its dark tones and cladding pattern inspired by the nearby Forest of Dean.

COLLECTION Remarkable for its design, the house is also notable for the art collection it contains.

David Clifford’s reasons for choosing African and some Indian art were, he says, “hard to articulate” – “an understanding of the profound impact it had on 20th Century European art only came later so I can’t give that as a primary motive. There was never a financial drive. As one learns

more it becomes a self-propelling force.

“Sadly perhaps I have no stories of visiting small villages in remote parts of Gabon and bartering for a fine Fang mask…we have relied on expert advisors.

The most influential has been Monika Wengraf. Her father had sold African pieces to leading artists in the UK such as Henry Moore and Jacob Epstein.”

Speaking of the commissioning process, David says: “It’s a magical thing to see complicated geometry take shape in front of you. Alison Brooks taught us that modern houses are designed from the inside out, and this house is designed around our lives and our art collection, with clever moments like the central stair doubling up as a display wall for smaller pieces in the collection. If you have a house with a predetermined layout, you have to fit your functional needs into the given spaces. If you have a house that was designed to match your functional needs, then each space provides its own excellence and it becomes almost impossible to have a favourite part.”  www.alisonbrooksarchitects.com

Opposite page Alison Brooks’ House on the Hill, RIBA House of the Year 2021 Top The new wing forms an arresting home for the art collection Above David Clifford’s collection includes African and some Indian objects Left The Indian bull sculpture serves a practical as well as an artistic purpose

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ARTS // GALLERIES

MERGING CULTURES

Artist Antonio Signorini tells Arts & Collections how his latest exhibition reflects the Oblong Gallery’s cross-cultural mission

IMAGES © ONLYWATCH/HUBLOT, LOUIS VUITTON

BY JOHN RENWICK

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interpretation that connects today’s man to his past.

As his research expanded into Europe and Mesopotamia, he developed the series known as The Warriors, inspired by the Paleolithic prehistoric period. The first warrior is inspired by drawings from the caves of the Saharan Libya, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and some regions within Algeria; the other warriors developed one after the other as a memory of the author’s personal past, like an ancient tale that he has through art took shape becoming the voice of all humanity.

Complementing The Warriors is another sculptural series, The Dancers, capturing motion and challenging the forces of gravity.

BALANCE

importance of balance. Each horse stands in an impossible equilibrium, supported only by almost non-existent support points.

The engineering problems using bronze in this way were matched by the complexity of producing a patina representing the burning of fire, an effect achieved through a very long and difficult process using open flame and acids.

Antonio Signorini’s first solo exhibition in Dubai, Movement, opens at Oblong Contemporary Gallery on 9th February, 2022. “Art is the universal language that brings all people together,” Signorini tells Arts & Collections. But how else would he describe his exhibition?

“This is the first time I’ve exhibited my Warriors and Dancers sculptures together, though I always imagined it happening”, Signorini tells us. “Life is movement. The

If in The Warriors and The Dancers, Signorini focuses on the power and strength of our ancestors, in the collection The Flying Horses, he honours the

Opposite Oblong Contemporary in Dubai Below Antonio Signorini, The Warriors

IMAGES © OBLONG CONTEMPORARY, ANTONIO SIGNORINI

ith headquarters in Forte Dei Marmi and Dubai, Oblong Contemporary is an Italian contemporary art gallery which gives a platform to artists from all over the world, with the mission of bridging a crosscultural exchange between Italy and the Middle East.

With its strong links to the mediaeval town of Pietrasanta, known as the “City of Artists”, Oblong’s vision is to represent a place of cultural dialogue, giving a platform to artists from the region as well as hosting a strong programme of workshops, educational initiatives between Dubai and Italy.

Oblong’s latest exhibition features the works of Italian artist Antonio Signorini, who began an in-depth study of primitive art in 2003. His studies of archaeological sites with particular interest in Libyan, Saudi and Iraqi caves informed his work to recreate in sculptural form the drawings represented inside these caves, giving a modern

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archaeology influence Signorini’s artistic practice? “My main inspiration comes from ancient art” he says. “When I was in Gibraltar to see the beautiful underwater cave art I happened to read a newspaper article about Saruq Al Hadid, the archaeological site in Dubai. The professor I was with in Marbella told me about Dubai as well. I came to the United Arab Emirates just to quickly see the site, but I ended up staying. For a year, I was only with the people studying the artefacts, the desert sights, the mountains of Ras Al Khaimah.

Now I am a UAE resident.”

INSPIRATION Signorini’s work, though, is still mainly produced in his studio in Florence, Italy. “My favourite place to work is in my foundry in Florence. It’s around 50 square metres of chaos. There are 20 workers there smacking and pulling the bronze down and I’m not bothered at all by the noise or the mess or all the things on the floor!”

Creative inspiration, though, continues to come from a range of sources. “I’m not romantic in the sense that I don’t need to be on my own in the middle of the desert waiting for the inspiration come. Ideas come to me by doing.

“As a kid, I would stand on our apartment balcony in Italy, and look across at the mountains and ask my mom why I could see snow on them even in summer.

Eventually, I learned that the snow was actually marble. For practical reasons, I chose a career in the business of fashion, and the whole time I kept this vital part of me a secret and I never stopped thinking about becoming an artist for a single day in my life.” 

Earth turns at a constant speed of 1,670 km/h. Nothing, not even a statue, is static.

Those figures don’t stop. They are not fighting, but journeying onwards to face down issues that lie in wait just ahead.

“I’m also introducing some different, new Flying Horses, in my ongoing series.

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The ceramic paint I chose is also used for aircrafts and supercars. It absorbs into the pores of the bronze and seals them. The sculptures are not only a perfect white, but they are beautifully smooth to touch.”

So what is the artist’s relationship with Dubai and how did the region and its

OBLONG CONTEMPORARY GALLERY FORTE DEI MARMI Via G. Carducci 45 and 14/C Forte dei Marmi, 55042 (LU), Italy +39 0584 300290

IMAGES © OBLONG CONTEMPORARY GALLERY

Top Antonio Signorini Bottom Antonio Signorini’s installation at Oblong Contemporary in Forte dei Marmi

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COLLECTIONS // CARS

Wheels to

WINGS

The ‘flying car’ has been a dream for decades, but could it be nearing practicality?

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he idea of a flying car – a vehicle that could run on roads then sprout wings and take to the air – has been a staple of science fiction since the 1950s. Whether we think of the rickety contraption of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the sleek spinners of Blade Runner, or the flying DeLorean of Back to the Future, there’s something compelling about the idea of a vehicle that can take you door-to-door across air and ground.

Experiments over the years have ranged from the promising to the perilous, but with advances in materials, power plants and flying technology, it looks like the flying car may become practical very soon.

There are fearsome technical and organisational problems to be overcome in the design of a flying car. Some approaches have basically taken an aeroplane and stuck wheels on it; others take a car and somehow bolt on wings. Some dispense with the wings in favour of drone-style helicopter blades. In any case, there are always problems concerning fuel capacity, 66 ARTS & COLLECTIONS

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lift-to-weight ratios, and the mechanics of converting from one mode to another.

Another issue, of course, is whether it is safe to put flying cars in the hands of the general public. The most plane-like of designs will need drivers/pilots to have extensive flying training – though some proposed designs avoid this necessity by coming in under a certain weight or speed, which seems like a recipe for disaster. In any case, the first generation of flying cars will cost the equivalent of road-going supercars, so they will certainly be limited to being the playthings of the wealthy.

PERFORMANCE The day of the flying car may be getting closer, though, with the award of a Civil Aviation Authority Certificate of Airworthiness to the AirCar, though admittedly by the Slovak Transport Authority.

AirCar is a dual-mode car-aircraft vehicle which has completed 70 hours of rigorous flight testing compatible with European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) standards,

with over 200 takeoffs and landings.

The challenging flight tests included the full range of flight and performance manoeuvres and demonstrated what the designers call “an astonishing static and dynamic stability in the aircraft mode the takeoff and landing procedures were achieved even without the pilot’s need to touch the flight controls”, they say.

Eight highly skilled specialists worked for 100,000 man-hours to convert designs into first a prototype with a 15KW electric engine, then a two-seat dual-mode prototype weighing 1,000kg, powered by a 1.6L BMW engine, which achieved the crucial certification milestone.

“AirCar certification opens the door for mass production of very efficient flying cars.

It is official and the final confirmation of our ability to change mid-distance travel forever,” said Professor Stefan Klein, the inventor, leader of the development team and the test pilot. “Fifty years ago, the car was the epitome of freedom,” says Anton Zajac, the project co-founder. “AirCar expands

IMAGES © KLEIN VISION

BY RICHARD BENSON

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CARS // COLLECTIONS

those frontiers, by taking us into the next dimension; where road meets sky.”

“Professor Stefan Klein is the world leader in the development of user-friendly Flying Cars. His latest (fifth) version is the pinnacle achievement in the new category of flying cars!” said Dr. Branko Sarh, Boeing Co. Senior Technical Fellow. “The automated transition from road vehicle into an air vehicle and vice versa, deploying/retracting wings and tail is not only the result of pioneering enthusiasm, innovative spirit and courage; it is an outcome of excellent engineering and professional knowledge.”

“The Transportation Authority carefully monitored all stages of unique AirCar development from its start in 2017.

Transportation safety is our highest priority.

AirCar combines top innovations with safety measures in line with EASA standards. It defines a new category of a sports car and a reliable aircraft. Its certification was both a challenging and fascinating task,” said René Molnár, the director of the Civil Aviation Division, Transport Authority of Slovakia.

Below AirCar “takes us into the next dimension, where road meets sky” Above The transition from air to ground involves retracting the AirCar’s wings and tail

INNOVATION Developer Klein Vision has already completed tests of a new powerful, lightweight, and efficient ADEPT Airmotive aviation engine, and finalized drawings and technical calculations for an upcoming monocoque model (with the chassis integral with the body). With a new variable pitch propeller, this is expected to reach speeds over 300km/h and range of 1,000km.

“ADEPT Airmotive is proud to have our ecologically compliant engines selected to power this exciting and innovative project,” said Richard Schulz – Founder, ADEPT Airmotive. “Klein Vision’s AirCar is an engineering marvel, and we look forward to our long-term cooperation”, added Raymond Bakker, the ADEPT Technical Director. The new production model is expected to be certified next year.

If you want to own an AirCar, start saving up between $550,000 to $1.1 million, depending on final specification. Meanwhile to see it in action, check out the video footage at www.klein-vision.com.  www.artsandcollections.com

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Owning the Luxury Timepiece Space At a time when rare watches are more coveted than ever, investors and collectors can get a step-up in the competition with the right support.

Wristwatches, the ultimate mark of class and style, haven’t lost their appeal despite competition from digital movements and the pandemic. In fact, the opposite is true. The luxury watch market exploded in 2021 and today, more people than ever identify as timepiece enthusiasts or collectors.

“The Great Rolex Shortage” also applies to other iconic brands, and we’re seeing waiting lists for Rolex, Patek Phillipe and other major names that are twice as long as ever before.

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In addition to bringing custom jewellery to the men and women of London, Trilogy Jewellers leads the high-end watch space.

Poring over every detail and providing accurate assessments of each piece we uncover, our expertise is in the world’s finest watches, including Richard Mille, Audemars Piguet, Rolex and Cartier, amongst others.

Last year, we brought this knowledge to The London Watch Show for the first time, where we were met with impressive levels of interest from current and future watch investors.

The sheer demand tells us that this year will be even bigger, so in 2022, Trilogy is scheduled to make a talk on watch investment, to steer serious collectors on the right path.

For those who’d rather not wait until March, our YouTube channel is regularly updated with insights into the watch market alongside reviews of some of the most in-demand pieces.

As more competition enters the luxury watch market from all angles, securing a rare piece that stands the test of time is best not left to chance.

26/01/2022 16:00

WATCHES // COLLECTIONS

NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT With the London Watch Show in the offing, what is it about the watch business that keeps on ticking despite the ups and downs of the luxury market?

BY CHRIS JENKINS

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t’s no secret that the luxury market has suffered in the pandemic – the enforced closure of factories and the retail outlets which are so much a part of the face-to-face relationship with customers made a dent in sales, and led to the delay of many major product launches.

But with the London Watch Show in the offing, there are plenty of signs that the luxury watch market is still doing well. From 18th-20th March 2022, over 100 players from all of the distribution chain, traditional and online retailers, including those of the CPO (Certified Pre-Owned) business, will gather at Grosvenor House, Park Lane to show their wares - and the show will also feature an extended ecosystem with jewellery, other brands, and developers of new distribution solutions, marketing and points of sale. Big names attending will include Trilogy Jewellers Ltd, Charles Fish Watches, Elite Workshop, Atlas Watches, The Watch Roll Company, Aston FX, Chrono Hunter and many more.

So are the hard times truly over for the luxury watch market? Certainly it’s an ill wind that blows no good, and the beneficiary of much of the industry disruption during the pandemic seems to have been the secondhand luxury watch market, which is thriving like never before.

While new models were hard to find (and in some cases didn’t even come to market), enthusiasts and collectors turned their attention to classic models, sometimes resurrected after years sitting in drawers as their potential as collectables was realised.

Left Rolex Reference 16520 ‘Patrizzi Dial Zenith’ Daytona 1991

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COLLECTIONS // WATCHES

CHERISHED In part it was the increase in value of these cherished piece which drove the market.

The Boston Consulting Group says that the global market for second-hand luxury items, primarily watches and jewellery, is worth €21 billion today and growing at eight percent per year, faster than the primary market. Watches as a category are estimated to account for 75 percent of the total value, making them worth €15.75 billion per year.

“In fact, the right approach can complement the sales of new goods, reinforce the brand’s value, and give companies access to a critical group of future consumers that luxury brands and retailers should cultivate,” Boston’s report titled The Secondhand Opportunity in Hard Luxury suggests.

The demand for luxury watches boomed during the Covid-19 pandemic while the big four luxury watch brands - Rolex, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Richard Mille – kept their production runs limited.

The result was an online boom in the buying, selling and ‘flipping’ of pre-owned watches, and a number of start-ups competing to 70 ARTS & COLLECTIONS

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become the dominant online marketplace.

“Secondhand luxury sales are expanding for many reasons, among them an increase in online sales, changing consumer preferences, and rising concern about the sustainability of luxury goods, particularly among younger consumers. These trends were already well underway before the covid-19 outbreak hit, but the pandemic — and the economic slowdown it created — has accelerated them,” says the BCG report.

But some industry insiders are sounding a note of caution. Toby Bateman, CEO of popular watch collector site Hodinkee, says: “The pre-owned watch market is still very much like the Wild West. There are a lot of watch-selling platforms. And customers don’t necessarily know who they’re buying the watch from. They can’t guarantee that it is authentic. They can’t guarantee that it’s not a ‘Frankenwatch.’ And they can’t guarantee that the watch is working properly.”

FLIPPERS This might most concern younger collectors who are apparently entering the market for the first time. The BCG notes this trend

for younger buyers to enter the market, attracted perhaps by the promising investment potential of luxury watches, and their relative liquidity. Specialists including WatchBox, Tourneau and Chronext are growing a market which looks likely to thrive even when the pandemic is over and distribution is back to normal.

It is not too late for luxury retailers and brands to expand into the space, BCG advises. “Brands could face some operational challenges in capitalizing on the opportunity, but the market for secondhand hard luxury goods is large, growing, and dynamic - and it is here to stay in the new luxury reality.”

Elizabeth Layne, chief marketing officer at Rebag, says that shortages, and the number of smaller companies going out of business during the pandemic, are not the only reasons for the growth of the secondhand market. “I think that both social media Left Ulysse Nardin Reference 8156-111 Classico Dragon 2005 Right Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime 5175R www.artsandcollections.com

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WATCHES // COLLECTIONS

the female watches, it was like, ‘Here is this dainty watch’. We [women] want to spend money on nice things and we already do that with bags and shoes, so why don’t we add watches to that?”

Elizabeth Layne believes that for women, researching and buying online might be less intimidating than walking into a store, and social media channels like TikTok are getting in on the act, with over 173 million views of luxury watch-related content.

HEIRLOOMS

Top Audemars Piguet Reference 25859BA yellow gold chronograph wristwatch, circa 1999

IMAGES © SOTHEBY’S

Bottom Chopard Mille Miglia Ref 8915 Set of five limited edition titanium chronograph wristwatches with date, circa 2001

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content, as well as editorial content focusing on watches have broader factors that make it a lot more approachable,” she says.

Layne also points to online blogs such as Dimepiece, which have opened up the used luxury watch market to women.

Dimepiece founder Brynn Wallner says: “I just noticed the way that the consumer was spoken to. And there are certain trends where it’s like, ‘The man should buy this watch and go climb Mount Everest.’ And for

Websites like Rebag will sell a luxury watch for a relatively affordable price, one which allow it to be seen either as a practical gift, or as a worthwhile investment. Secondhand luxury watches are increasingly being seen as heirloom pieces, just as are new items, and there’s plenty of competition from marketplaces such as Hodinkee, which specialises in watches produced after 1990, Germany-based Chrono24, which says it carries about 500,000 watches from more than 3,000 retailers and over 30,000 private sellers, and Switzerland-based Chronext, aimed largely at the US and Asian markets.

According to a report from Morgan Stanley, Rolex sold 810,000 watches last year, while Patek sold 53,000, Audemars 40,000 and Richard Mille 4,300. Clearly this isn’t enough to satisfy the buying market.

Waiting lists and restricted allocations prevail, with the inevitable result that frustrated would-be buyers turn to the second-hand market. Prices for some desirable models have trebled in the last three years.

Social media continues to provide a showcase for sellers to promote their wares and for buyers to show them off, and market insiders say that soaring global wealth, driven by stocks and crypto, along with a new generation of watch collector websites have driven the rise of this dynamic market. How will the manufacturers respond? – by increasing production, cutting prices, or embracing their own second-hand markets? Time alone will tell.  The London Watch Show 18th-22nd March 2022 Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London www.thelondonwatchshow.com

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02/02/2022 15:45

COLLECTIONS // PROPERTY

A PALATIAL LEGACY

Lancer Square on Kensington High Street, London, sets a new residential standard for the area. But how does it draw on its historical roots?

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estled in the heart of West London’s affluent urban village of Kensington, Lancer Square, located on Kensington Church Street, sets a new residential standard for the area. The 212,000 sq ft development draws inspiration from the site’s palatial and horticultural past as the original Kensington Palace grounds and kitchen garden.

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led the design process for both the development’s masterplan and the interiors scheme, which includes the residences, amenities, public spaces, garden and courtyard, retail and office space.

Squire & Partners worked closely with Lancer Square’s developer Bellworth, who is a subsidiary of LGB Group, to create one of West London’s most unique developments, drawing from the site’s rich history.

The development comprises three

blocks ranging from six to seven storeys, including two residential buildings containing 36 private one to four-bed residential apartments and three penthouses with rooftop views, and a Grade A office block, all finished to the highest standards.

One of the few new-builds in the area, the development also houses 7,000 sq ft of world-class amenities including a gym, spa, 20m swimming pool, sauna and treatment rooms, discreet entry and private parking

IMAGES © SQUIRE & PARTNERS

BY RICHARD BENSON

www.artsandcollections.com

02/02/2022 15:28

PROPERTY // COLLECTIONS

for the residences, and an exceptional concierge service.

Taking a holistic approach to the design of Lancer Square, Squire & Partners has delivered a contemporary interpretation of the architectural character found within the Kensington Palace Conservation area. Designs draw inspiration from the site’s botanical past as the original palace grounds and kitchen garden, and later as the Kensington Barracks for the Royal Lancers. The textured two-tone brick façades and vertical window proportions create connections with Kensington Palace whilst celebrating traditional and contemporary craftsmanship.

BRANDED Bespoke branded elements are woven into the fabric of the buildings – from the external façade, feature screens and ironmongery to the door handles and with each of the residential, office and retail components of the development given its own emblem.

Nature plays an intrinsic role throughout the designs for the two residential and office buildings – from material choices such as marble with lively veining that mimics the flow of nature, to the sunken garden courtyard at the heart of the scheme.

Squire & Partners worked in close collaboration with Based Upon, a collective of artists and creators who designed a number of bespoke pieces for Lancer Square. Commissions include three courtyard sculptures inspired by children’s story tales of Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan, set within Kensington gardens.

The main reception area of the private residences features a procession of spaces, with lift lobbies flowing from left to right. A coffered ceiling amplifies the height of the space, and the grandeur of the Palace is picked up on and referenced with a gold leaf finish inspired by its ornate painted ceilings.

A pair of reception desks for the office and residential reception areas have been designed in nickel and bronze respectively to complement the entrance interiors, and feature embossed vintage maps of Kensington. Verre eglomise mirrors by Studio Peascod were placed in the lift lobbies, inspired by the elegant domestic interior of the Paris apartment of Yves Saint www.artsandcollections.com

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Laurent and Pierre Bergé. The entrance experience of the apartments was an important element of the layout design, with feature entrances flooded with daylight.

Apartments comprise an enfilade of rooms, with stone architraves and portals around openings demarking thresholds.

Squire & Partners have introduced an opulent palette of luxurious finishes for the Residences, including walnut timber veneer and oak floors.

To enhance the development’s level of luxury, bespoke ironmongery in champagne gold complements Calacatto Oro marble in the master bathrooms and silk georgette in the secondary bedrooms.

Views out of the apartments are expanded upon with loggias that offer discreet but generous inside-outside living.

CONNECTIONS The Penthouses at Lancer Square allow an elevated level of craftsmanship, with inlaid joinery, book-matched marble, fireplaces, a feature stair and continuous terraces around every side that celebrate the views and

flow of spaces from inside out. Penthouses also feature basket weave patterned timber floors, with other apartments featuring slim line board floor finishes.

The state-of-the-art amenities offered at Lancer Square includes a jacuzzi, steam room, sauna and gym that surround the swimming pool, where visual connections have been designed between the communal spa facilities.

In response to drawing nature deep into the spa, Squire and Partners worked with Based Upon to create a feature wall artwork using Tramazite, a resin material infused with metals and pigments, which is hand-worked through multiple layers – a contemporary interpretation of ancient lacquering techniques.

Award-winning interior design studio 1508 London were appointed to design the development’s showflat, offering a functional open plan dining space with a linear selection of furniture and soft furnishings.

Prices start at £4.86m for a two-bedroom apartment.  www.lancersquare.co.uk

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INVESTMENT // COLLECTIONS

GOLD FEVER

Is gold still the reliable investment it used to be? It helps if you understand its history

BY PAT SAVAGE

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here may be ‘fashions’ in investment – some might unkindly call them ‘bubbles’ (*cough* NFTs) - but one investment seems to be a recurring favourite, and for good reasons.

Gold, in its many forms, always seems to be in style.

Though there have been some dramatic changes in the gold investment market over the decades, and there’s no denying that values can go up and down, many investors continue to base their portfolio on this most evocative of precious metals.

Certainly there are many ways to invest in gold; you can buy bullion or coins, put your money into an ETF or Exchange Traded Fund, or invest in the stocks of mining companies. In any case, there seems to be something about the intrinsic quality of the metal that keeps investors coming back to it.

Throughout history, gold had been prized for its relative rarity, its attractive appearance, and that fact that it could easily be worked into beautiful jewellery.

No wonder, then, that it was used as a currency early on, it’s believed from around 560BC. Though it has industrial applications – there’s probably some gold in your mobile phone, for instance – it’s still often used an outward sign of wealth.

A gold watch tells time no better than a steel one – but it might make you feel better about yourself.

IMAGES © DREAMSTIME

RELIABLE But the days are gone when people would horde gold in their homes – these days, the metal is more likely to be kept in a vault, where the owner, or part owner, doesn’t have to worry about keeping the asset secure. Plus, modern types of gold investment provide a liquidity which was not necessarily the case in the old days.

So what is the enduring attraction of gold as an investment? Certainly, though its value changes, it doesn’t seem to be as volatile as other markets – over the www.artsandcollections.com

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last 100 years, gold has been a far more reliable form of investment than any other asset. As an aid to diversifying a portfolio it has never been more popular, and as a hedge against currency collapse and inflation, it can’t be beaten.

When markets fluctuate and prices are unpredictable, the panic to buy or

sell various stocks and shares is much less likely to affect the gold market – and unlike some other assets, there is normally no tax associated with owning gold.

So talk to your advisor about gold investment today, and you may find yourself looking forward to a glittering financial future…  ARTS & COLLECTIONS 75

02/02/2022 15:31

COLLECTIONS // BOOKS

BOOK REVIEWS

From the distinctive buildings of a master architect to the glories of metalwork from the Arab world, and fading movie palaces to the quirky sketches of a locked-down novelist, we present a library of must-have volumes for your coffee-table and bookshelf

MOVIE THEATERS

Photography: Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre.

Text: Ross Melnick Prestel, £60.00 https://prestelpublishing.penguinrandomhouse.de Since 2005, the acclaimed photographic duo Marchand/Meffre have been travelling across the US to visit these early 20th-century relics, grandiose movie palaces constructed during the heyday of the entertainment industry, that now stand abandoned, empty, decaying, or repurposed. Hundreds of lushly coloured photographs capture the decaying splendour of these once magnificent buildings.

FRANK GEHRY THE MASTERPIECES

Jean-Louis Cohen | Flammarion, £65 https://editions.flammarion.com From his home in Santa Monica to the undulating Beekman Tower in New York, and the shining curves of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao to the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris, Frank Gehry’s architecture has the rare distinction of pleasing critics, academics and the public alike.

This authoritative compendium of his work, produced in collaboration with Cahiers d’Art, includes 480 illustrations and photos.

THE ART OF PIN-UP XL EDITION Dian Hanson | Taschen, £60 www.taschen.com

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IMAGES © PRESTEL, FLAMMARION, TASCHEN

Based on the acclaimed XXL compendium, this accessible volume (reduced from £150 to £60) gathers the work of nearly 100 pin-up artists, with showcase chapters for the top ten names, including Gil Elvgren, George Petty and Alberto Vargas.

Each chapter opens with a reproduction of an original calendar or magazine cover, and boasts original model photos as well as preparatory sketches. With much pin-up artwork from the 1920s-1970s discarded after printing, originals are now selling for $200,000 or more, making this the ideal time to look into this once ubiquitous artform. www.artsandcollections.com

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BOOKS // COLLECTIONS

NADINE IJEWERE

Nadine Ijewere | Prestel, £39.99 https://prestelpublishing.penguinrandomhouse.de This is the first book dedicated to London-born fashion photographer Nadine Ijewere, the first black woman to shoot the cover of Vogue when in 2018 she photographed Dua Lipa, Binx Walton, and Letitia Wright. Ijewere’s ground-breaking work deconstructs industry stereotypes with stylish portraits that champion the diversity of models. With over 160 photographs, this book is a visual record of the remarkable career that has made her one of the most sought-after fashion photographers today, drawing not only on her roots in Nigeria and Jamaica, but also on her own experiences as a young black woman in South East London.

CAPTIVATE!

Curated by Claudia Schiffer Prestel, £49.99 https://prestelpublishing. penguinrandomhouse.de This richly illustrated 216-page book accompanies the first ever exhibition curated by supermodel Claudia Schiffer, bringing together legendary fashion photographers, designers and supermodels from the nineties.

Spectacular images by legendary photographers are shown alongside insightful essays, unseen material from Schiffer’s private archive, and provocative work from the likes of Arthur Elgort, Ellen von Unwerth, Herb Ritts and Karl Lagerfeld.

B: A YEAR IN PLAGUES AND PENCILS

IMAGES © PRESTEL, GALLIC BOOKS, UNICORN PUBLISHING

Edward Carey Gallic Books, £14.99 www.gallicbooks.com

This quirky collections of 150 pencil drawings plus essays by the English novelist was born out of a lockdown project to produce a drawing every day. The drawings reflect Carey’s isolation in Austin, Texas, his family and literary influences from Oscar Wilde to Zadie Smith, wildlife from puffins to alligators, current events from climate protests to American politics, and pure products of Carey’s wild imagination. Named after Carey’s favourite grade of pencil, the book finds beauty among the horrors of contemporary times. www.artsandcollections.com

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METALWORK FROM THE ARAB WORLD AND THE MEDITERRANEAN

Doris Behrens-Abouseif Thames&Hudson, £50 https://thamesandhudson.com The latest book in the series on the treasures of The al-Sabah Collection, Kuwait, this volume presents vessels, fittings and other objects made in Syria, Egypt, Iraq and Yemen from the early Islamic period through to the end of the Ottoman era in the 19th century. The pieces include exquisite platters, serving-vessels, candlesticks and pen-boxes produced for royal courts, but also many beautifully decorated bronze domestic items, such as bowls, lunchboxes, door-knockers, buckets and lamps, reflecting the complex history of the Arab world following the advent of Islam.

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WINE // COLLECTIONS

THE PRESIDENTS’ BARREL Results from the recent Hospices de Beaune charity wine auction smashed records – and it was all in a good cause.

BY ANDREW MAYFAIR

IMAGES © HOSPICES DE BEAUNE / SOTHEBY’S / MICHA PATAULT / MICHEL JOLY

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eld on the traditional date of the third Sunday of November, having been cancelled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 161st edition of the Hospices de Beaune wine auction brought in a total of €12.6 million/$15.3 million, far surpassing the pre-sale estimate of €5.2–7.8 million ($5.9–8.8 million). The 362 lots were 100% sold, with every lot selling for a price above its high estimate.

With the addition of the Pièce des Présidents, (the ‘Presidents’ Barrel’), which sold for a record €800,000/$900,000, the grand total raised for charity was €13.5 million / $15.3 million.

Conducted this year for the first time by Sotheby’s, three auctioneers managed the sale in rotation over its six-hour duration.

The Pièce des Présidents led the sale, this year selected from the prestigious Corton Renardes vineyard. Sold to benefit the Fédération Nationale Solidarité Femmes, to help in their fight against violence towards women, and the Institut Curie, to aid medical research against breast cancer, the unique single-barrel cuvée established a new record www.artsandcollections.com

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price for the Hospices de Beaune Charity barrel, eclipsing the previous record set in 2020. It was acquired in the room by Mattia Tabacco from Oeno Group, a multi-award winning Fine Wine House specialising in luxury rare wines, based in London.

CAUSES The €12.6 million raised from this year’s sale and future sales will allow for the completion of the €70 million reconstruction of the Philippe Le Bon Hospital in Beaune, and the acquisition of a new mammography machine. Funds will also support the Hôtel Dieu museum project, delayed by the pandemic.

This year’s auction, with 362 lots, achieved an average lot price of €34,980, compared to 2020, when 638 lots were sold for an average of €21,690, giving a more than 60% increase in price per lot this year.

The average increase in price per white cuvée was 115% and for the reds, 56%.

François Poher, Director and Chairman of the Board of Hospices Civils de Beaune, said: “We are proud to have contributed to

Above The Pièce des Présidents or President’s Barrel sold for a record €800,000 Photo: Michel Joly Left Conducted this year for the first time by Sotheby’s, three auctioneers managed the sale in rotation over its six-hour duration Photo: Micha Patault

raising awareness about women’s rights, and their entitlement to healthcare and equality. The result of the sale exceeded our expectations.”

And Mario Tavella, President, Sotheby’s France, Chairman, Sotheby’s Europe, said: “We are delighted the funds are going to such great causes and look forward to hosting the next auction on the third Sunday in November next year.”  ARTS & COLLECTIONS 79

03/02/2022 11:59

COLLECTIONS // WHERE TO SPEND IT

Where to

SPEND IT

From a delicate watch to an awesome amplifier, we present some desirable luxury collectables and technological marvels for you to buy and enjoy

BY MANNY BERHANU

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LOTUS FEAT Kross Studio continues its succesful streak of collaborations with this partnership with designer Alain Silberstein, to realise his vision of a timepiece capturing the essence of the sacred Asian lotus. The Lotus Tourbillon, in a limited edition of 18, uses the Kross Studio central tourbillon (the KS 7’000 caliber), equipped with an oversized barrel offering a five-day power reserve. The regulator takes its place in the centre within a tourbillon cage at the top of the barrel, uniting form and function, and setting the stage for a floating titanium lotus flower design. Cost is $80,000. https://kross-studio.ch

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THE RIVIERA TOUCH The Tom Ford Neroli Portofino Essentials set is inspired by the glorious beauty and radiancy of the Italian Riviera resort town. The set includes the bold Eau de Parfum and the aromatic shower gel, both shaded in aquatic turquoise to represent the stunning, vibrant Mediterranean Sea. It also comes with a spacious, pebble-grained leather washbag and a full-grain leather billfold wallet. Allin-all, this makes for a perfect gift for him for Christmas or birthdays. The set is priced at £1,320. www.tomford.co.uk

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POWER CHECK Balmain’s Checked Bouclé Tweed Blazer in pastel pink and white shows that power suiting can also be attractive. Made from houndstooth cotton-blend tweed with a full lining, and tailored to the house’s signature sharp silhouette, it also delivers comfort. Featuring tactile frayed trim accompanied with padded shoulders and crest buttons through the double-breasted front, which add a sharp tailoring note, it goes magnificently with matching tweed shorts or light-wash jeans for a fashionable look. The blazer also includes two-flap front pockets and a slit pocket. Price is £2,060. www.harveynichols.com www.artsandcollections.com

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WHERE TO SPEND IT // COLLECTIONS

4

MORE BOUNCE The Plum Bowl Freebound Trampoline provides a revolutionary trampolining experience. The stateof-the-art CURV mat allows children to express themselves more through dynamic movement in various directions. The flexible yet silent FLX bungees, made out of 120 individual elastic threads, allow for an extremely bouncy experience. Safety is not an issue with this trampoline due to its secure flex clips, which keep the trackmat taut. Price is £1,200. www.plumplay.co.uk

6 BEST OF BOTH WORLDS Audio fans will swoon over this first hybrid amplifier from valve specialist PrimaLuna. The Evo 300 Hybrid does include a valve preamplification stage, but has a solid-state power stage

by Floyd Design, the solid-state arm of PrimaLuna’s parent company Durob Audio. The result is a true hybrid offering the warmth of valves with the power of solid state, in a 2x100W configuration with six inputs and outputs. A phono stage is an optional extra. The UK RRP is £6,198 inc. VAT. www.absolutesounds.com

IMAGES © KROSS STUDIO, TOM FORD, HARVEY NICHOLLS, PLUM PLAY, PRIMALUNA, DAB MOTORS, BULGARI

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BORN TO BE MILD

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Created out of a shared desire to think ‘motorcycle as fashion accessory’, the DAB Motors Concept-E RS Burberry edition has been launched in a limited edition of 20. Designed, engineered and built entirely at DAB Motors’ factory in Bayonne, France, the motorcycle is available in two standard colourways (midnight blue and metallic grey) and features a 10kW electric motor, bespoke logoed bodywork, a leather seat, customised rims, and handlebar grips embossed with the TB monogram.

Cost is €29,900 including VAT. www.dabmotors.com

HERITAGE ON YOUR ARM Made in Italy, this luxurious Alexander Wang x Bulgari belt bag oozes elegance and sophistication. The bag stands out for its two hypnotizing Serpenti heads in antique gold-plated brass with captivating red enamel eyes - a design inspired by a Bvlgari Heritage watch from the 1960s. Not only is it dignified but also functional as it includes a frontal, external and internal pocket which is completed with a “Alexander Wang BULGARI” logo. The bag is priced at €3,180.00. www.bulgari.com www.artsandcollections.com

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COLLECTIONS // RESTAURANT

HIDDEN GEM of Restaurants

Fine dining can be found in any capital in the world, but Restaurant Klein JAN brings gourmet food to the wild setting of the Kalahari

BY CHRIS JENKINS

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The Kalahari felt like a blank canvas with unlimited possibilities, he said.

Every taste at Tswalu Kalahari is a reminder of South Africa’s culinary heritage, interpreted in a fresh, modern way. Tswalu’s executive chef, Marnus Scholly, and Jan Hendrik spent two years delving into the authentic flavours, heritage foods and ingredients in the Northern Cape.

STORYTELLING “The idea behind Klein JAN is to celebrate local and foster a sense of community” says Marnus Scholly, Executive Chef, Tswalu Kalahari. “Our suppliers are the real heroes and have become part of the greater Tswalu family, which includes the talented teams behind Klein JAN and Tswalu. Being recognised as the world’s Hidden Gem will keep on motivating us to do better, to learn more from nature, and to keep searching for authentic stories from the Kalahari to tell. It

IMAGES © TSWALU KALAHARI / ADRIAAN LOUW

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escribed as a ‘restaurant worth going an extra mile for’, Klein JAN is situated in the middle of South Africa’s largest privately-owned reserve dedicated to conservation and research.

Klein Jan was launched in April 2021 and is an exciting collaborative project between chef Jan Hendrik and Tswalu Kalahari.

Now Restaurant Klein JAN has been honoured at the prestigious La Liste 2022 gala evening in Paris. With South Africa’s first Michelin-star chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen at the helm, the restaurant was recognised as the International Hidden Gem. Creating Restaurant Klein JAN at Tswalu has been the South African-born Jan Hendrik’s great homecoming project.

Growing up on a farm, he felt an instant connection to the vastness of the Kalahari and knew that the time had come to return the spirit of JAN – his Michelin-starred restaurant in Nice, France – to home soil.

is a privilege to convey the Kalahari’s unique sense of place to the world.”

In true ‘hidden gem’ fashion, the restaurant has a magnificent root cellar at its core. This subterranean storehouse is stocked with all the ingredients destined for the plate, many of them cured, preserved or pickled in-house. Storytelling is a fundamental aspect of the dining journey, bringing to life all these region-specific ingredients on a multi-course, seasonal menu.

Dining at Klein JAN is a culinary adventure from start to finish with different courses - visual works of art - served in theatrical, interactive spaces. As part of their stay, Tswalu’s guests get to enjoy one complimentary dinner at Klein JAN, adding a unique dimension to a safari of a lifetime in the southern Kalahari. With the addition of this destination dining room to the guest experience, the culinary traditions and ingredients of the Northern Cape have become the shining stars of a seasonal menu rooted in local culture.  https://tswalu.com

www.artsandcollections.com

02/02/2022 15:47

METACASK 88: Year of the Dragon NFT A Macallan 1988 Scotch Whisky Cask with Digital Artwork Label: Secured on the Blockchain

ART BY RUBEN FROSALI / RUBENFRO.COM

WORLD RECORDS WILL BE BROKEN ONLINE AUCTION COMING LAST WEEK OF MARCH METACASK.COM/NFT-2

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OSMIOR RETROGRADE PERPETUAL CALENDAR Automatic manufacture movement L411.2 Pink gold case 4N18K - 41,0mm Silver gold dial guilloche by hand

www.montres-leroy.com I info@montres-leroy.com

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