Arts & Collections: Volume 2 2021

arts &

COLLECTIONS www.artsandcollections.com

WINE • ART • INVESTMENT • LUXURY PROPERTY • COLLECTABLES • PHOTOGRAPHY AC00 Cover.indd 1

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Contents features

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A BRUSH WITH ROYALTY

Painter Richard Stone has been privileged to portray many royal personages, but how did he overcome a childhood accident to become a master of the art of portraiture?

20 A ROYAL LEGACY

As exhibitions in tribute to the late Duke of Edinburgh go on display in royal palaces, we look at some of the most interesting and unusual artefacts associated with Prince Philip

22 ECLECTIC DREAMS

A new gallery in Cambridge combines works of art with natural items of unusual interest. We fling wide the doors of Extraordinary Objects

24

DIRECT FROM THE GALLERY

Sotheby’s Gallery Network offers a solution for galleries to show their works online, with direct access to buyers. We look at some notable recent offerings

27

GREENER GOLF

New styles and materials in golf shoes are bringing fashion to the fore – but manufacturing methods are also offering eco-friendly options for green and club

32 luxury in london

From residental to retail, hotels to public buildings, London has a reputation for luxury design matching any world capital

34

WHY INSURANCE IS AN INVESTMENT

Are some people so rich they don’t need insurance? That’s not a sound assumption, say the experts from Aston Lark. We find out why it’s advisable to be assured

38 THE MAKING OF A MARQUE

Bentley’s history features some hair-raising adventures, but its latest offering promises the ultimate in comfort as well as a reassuringly sound approach to the environment

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images © extraordinary objects, comitti, loribelle spirovski/maddox gallery, richard stone, royal collection trust, dreamstime

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42 THE ALCHEMY OF PAINTING

49 MESSING ABOUT IN BOATS

46 THE SENSUALITY OF GEMS

54 damage limitation

We talk to artist Loribelle Spirovski about being an outsider, the tension between photorealism and surrealism in her acclaimed work, and her new show Coronation

Jeweller Olivia Young’s Ouroboros collection combines fine workmanship with an appreciation of the sensual qualities of gold and gems

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rock’n’roll gallery

The ‘auction house to the stars’, Julien’s of Beverley Hills, held its first art exhibition, and the celebs turned out to see and be seen

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From the pleasures of a small speedboat to the luxuries of a superyacht and the indulgences of a megayacht, we explore all the options for a life on the ocean wave

Some of the greatest accidental losses in the art world should teach us essential lessons about the value of insurance

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dreaming in dark times

Should the arts be dependent on business for investment and development? We talk to the Mirabaud Group about corporate responsibility for supporting arts and culture

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Contents

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features

12 76

60

62 66 70 74

8

CARTOON HERO, OR VILLAIN?

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RISING FROM THE ASHES

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As Jerkface’s show Villainy opens in London, we ask what the cartoon-inspired artist brings to the table, and what a giant donut tells us about contemporary culture

From the ashes of the disaster in Beirut is rising a determination for other cultural centres to rally in support

PARTY ON, DUDE

Graffiti-inspired KAWS is making his mark in the pages of a new book from Phaidon cataloguing his colourful work

12

golden advice

Should your first step into art collecting be to secure the services of an art advisor?

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A VINTAGE OF CARE

This year the annual charity wine auction at the historic Hospices de Beaune in the Cote D’Or will be hosted by Sotheby’s

76 HEARTS OF GLASS

Iconic glass art studio London Glassblowing is celebrating its 45th anniversary, and founder Peter Layton is still blowing strong

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IT FIGURES

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

EDITORIAL

As iconic department store Le Samaritaine reopens in Paris after extensive redevelopment, we ask whether this is sign that luxury is on the way back

HAPPENINGS

All the events, exhibitions and shows worth seeing, from female photographers in focus at the Met, to Zaha Hadid’s extraordinary architecture in Shanghai

AUCTION HIGHLIGHTS

Our eclectic roundup of the most amazing items to come up for auction this season, from a portrait of Geronimo to a pair of duelling pistols and some suspect stamps

BOOK REVIEWS

From Chinoisierie to Chippendale and missing art to Michael Caine, our round-up of the essential volumes to add to your bookshelf or display on your coffee table

WHERE TO SPEND IT

Our roundup of must-have luxury items, from an electric supercar to an impressive turntable, and flexible jewellery to extremely drinkable whiskey

images © london glassblowing, taschen, zha, estate jewellery auctioneers, kaws/phaidon

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REGULARS

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I Can See Clearly Now...

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Awards. Magazine covers, hanging out with royalty and A-listers and a regular seat on chat show sofas.It began when I was 18. A lucky break when a theatre role landed on my lap – I was an understudy, straight out of acting school. Film roles quickly followed and a music career also saw me top the album charts around the world. A day rarely went by without someone asking for an autograph but I started to feel like an imposter.

Paparazzi would chase me around on motorbikes and it was as if I was becoming a prisoner in my own life, cornered and vulnerable. True, the champagne rarely stopped flowing and gala dinners and award ceremonies were weekly – sometimes nightly – occurrences. The money was cascading in but I began to grow bored with fame – and then it with me.

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It Figures...

DAMSONMEDIA Publisher & CEO Kevin J. Harrington Editor Chris Jenkins Design Friyan Mehta Features Writers John Renwick, Richard Benson, Patricia Savage Production Director Joanna Harrington Production Assistant Delicia Tasinda Digital Manager Amy Golding Office Coordinator Adam Linard-Stevens

IMAGES: © RICHARD STONE, MOONEN, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED LTD/KAWS, ROYAL ALBATROSS, HALLES DE BEAUNE

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, artsandcollections.com, features all of 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.

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…guests in five cabins can be accommodated on Moonen’s luxurious Marquis yacht

250

… the number of tasks of craftsmanship that go into the making of each pair of Royal Albartross golf shoes

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500

The number of lots of fine wines commonly offered at the annual Halles de Beaune auction in November

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© 2021 DAMSON MEDIA

8 ARTS & COLLECTIONS

Page 38

…million years old, the age of dinosaur skull Ed on show in Cambridge gallery Extraordinary Objects

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

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.

430

…miles, the combined range of the E-motor and V6 engine of the Bentley Bentayga luxury SUV

Cover image: Prince Philip, Grand Master of the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators by Richard Stone, courtesy of the artist. See feature, p.16

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… feet in length, the inflatable HOLIDAY figure exhibited by artists KAWS in Hong Kong harbour

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Editorial

The Return of Luxury

Image: © wikimdia commons

I

nitially planned for April 2020, the long-awaited reopening of legendary Paris department store La Samaritaine has finally taken place. Closed in 2005 for refurbishment, the palace of consumerism on the rue de Rivoli was taken over by luxury goods giant LVMH, but plans were derailed by the pandemic; now, finally, the 70,000 sqm architectural gem of art nouveau and art deco set by the Pont Neuf is open again. Does this mark the return of the luxury market, so blighted by lockdown?

The new concept store brings together over 600 brands under its legendary glass roof, and includes a 3000sqm beauty area and spa, and an entire fifth floor devoted to food, including ten restaurants, cafés and tearooms, from Voyage Samaritaine by Matthieu Viannay to Ernest by Naoëlle d’Hainaut, and the Dalloyau, Dinette, l’Exclusive and Street Caviar spots.

Part of the redevelopment is the Cheval Blanc Paris, a luxury 72-bedroom hotel featuring a 650sqm terrace lying between two aisles, giving views from the Eiffel Tower and Notre-Dame to Centre Georges Pompidou, including a gourmet restaurant managed by chef Arnaud Donckele, and a Spa Cheval Blanc featuring a beautiful swimming pool.

The 10-storey development also includes 96 social housings entrusted to Paris Habitat and an 80-spot day care centre, as well as 15,000sqm of offices.

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“It took five years to convince the mayor of Paris, five years to obtain the permit and five years of colossal work” says Jean-Jacques Guiony, financial director of LVMH and CEO of the iconic department “We didn’t think it would take fifteen years, but it was worth it.”

Created in 1870 by Ernest Cognacq, by 1900 La Samaritaine had taken over several surrounding blocks. It reached its golden age in the 1960’s, but by the 1970s had gone into a decline, with parts sold off as offices.

In 2001, LVMH group took over La Samaritaine, closing it for renovation in 2005.

Conceived by Japanese agency Sanaa, Pritzker award winner 2010, the new La Samaritaine uses renewable energy including air-conditioning with deep geothermy, and features 40 lifts and 25 escalators.

The original art nouveau building was painstakingly restored while the new contemporary wing was built from scratch, at an estimated cost of $750m. Now, the signature sunflower-yellow sign at the top of the glass and wrought iron building has been dusted off and stands gleaming in the sunlight, signalling that the building, and hopefully the luxury goods market as a whole, is open for business once again.  Chris Jenkins

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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 2021 – lockdowns permitting

behind the lines The Box in Plymouth will host the European premiere of Australian exhibition Songlines: Tracking the Seven Sisters from 21st October 2021 to 27th February 2022. Featuring over 300 paintings and objects by more than 100 artists, this is the first time the exhibition, originally staged at the National Museum of Australia (NMA) in Canberra, has been seen outside Australia. Entirely conceived and curated by a team of First Australians, led by Margo Neale, it expertly combines state-of-the art exhibition and display technologies with art, song and dance.  www.theboxplymouth.com Left: Martumili Artists, established

by Martu people in Parnpajinya and surrounding communities

Below: Zaha Hadid Architects, Galaxy SOHO Beijing, © Hufton+Crow

built environment Until September, MAM Shanghai is presenting the first exhibition of Zaha Hadid Architects in mainland China, with a retrospective display of projects dating from 1982 to today. Defined by a timeline of Zaha Hadid Architects’ (ZHA) formative works in China, ZHA Close Up explores the pioneering research and interconnecting relationships that unite their projects around the globe, detailing the technological innovations that are transforming how the studio imagines, designs and constructs built environments, and showcasing projects that have received the highest honours.  www.en.mamsh.org

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Events // collections

new and improved The “New Woman” of the 1920s was a powerful expression of modernity, a global phenomenon that embodied an ideal of female empowerment based on real women making revolutionary changes in life and art. Opening in July at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The New Woman Behind the Camera features 185 photographs, photo books, and illustrated magazines by 120 photographers from over 20 countries. This groundbreaking exhibition will highlight the work of the diverse “new” women who made significant advances in modern photography from the 1920s to the 1950s, a tumultuous period shaped by two world wars, when women stood at the forefront of experimentation with the camera and produced invaluable visual testimony.  www.metmuseum.org

Left: Unknown, Tsuneko Sasamoto, Tokyo, 1940.

Inkjet print, 2020. Courtesy Tsuneko Sasamoto/ Japan Professional Photographers Society

swinging sixties In the mid-1960s a handful of Chelsea boutiques sparked a fashion revolution.

Freed and fuelled by creative exploration and experimentation, they began selling radical clothing to counterculture youth. Their outrageously flamboyant designs were inspired by romantic ideas of the past; Byronesque frilled shirts were paired with Regency brocades and plush velvet trousers were mixed with influences from Morocco and the Far East, creating an explosion of colour, pattern and decoration. Running from 1st October 2021 to February 2022, Beautiful People: The Boutique in 1960s Counterculture at the Fashion and Textile Museum London examines the shared free spirit of Granny Takes A Trip, Hung On You, Apple, Biba, Mr Fish, Thea Porter, Ossie Clark and more.  www.ftmlondon.org

Below: Johan Creten, And the stains are so deep/ deep stains, 2003-2012, glazed stoneware. Courtesy of the artist and Perrotin. Photo: Gerrit Schreurs

Right: The Fool designs inside The Beatles’ Apple Boutique, 1967.

Photo: © Karl Ferris.

joie de vivre To celebrate his gallery’s 30th anniversary in 2016, Alfonso Artiaco invited artists, collectors and friends in San Carlo to the opening night of Puccini’s 1896 opera La Bohème, which depicts four artists (a poet, a painter, a musician and a philosopher) living in Paris in frugal circumstances, but living differently with an unshakeable joie de vivre.

This spirit is recreated in the exhibition La Bohème, curated by Eric Troncy at Alfonso Artiaco Gallery Naples, running from June to September.

Celebrating artists for their capacity to conjure up whimsy and fantasy, the show includes works by Jean-Marie Appriou, Brian Calvin, Johan Creten, Antoine Espinasseau, Karen Kilimnik, Sean Landers, Sarah Lucas, Matthew Lutz-Kinoy and others.  www.alfonsoartiaco.com

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collections // news

Auction

HIGHLIGHTS By richard benson

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

young beauty John William Godward’s sumptuous 1898 oil on canvas Poppies came up for sale at Lyon & Turnbull from the estate of Dr Helen EC Cargill Thompson. Painted by Godward – the ‘High Victorian Dreamer’ at the peak of his powers, Poppies depicts Miss Ethel Warwick, then aged 16, in classical attire and framed by marble columns against a meticulously painted backdrop of lavender and red poppies.

Attracting a range of international bidders at the guide of £100,000-150,000, it sold at £447,000. 

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news // collections

magnificent mog Allon White Sport Cars (www.allonwhite.co.uk) offered for sale this magnificent pre-owned Morgan Plus 8, registered in 2014. With just over 23,000 miles on the clock, this stylish sportscar has real presence with its Metallic Dark Grey paintwork, black leather interior and polished rim alloy wheels. This version of the Morgan Plus 8 was first launched in 2012, and features a BMW 4.8 litre V8 producing 367 bhp. This produces a fabulous exhaust note, effortless power, and combined with a weight of around 1100 kg, offers excellent performance.

The styling is classic Morgan with a long bonnet and glorious sweeping wings, but under the 1930s inspired bodywork lurks a thoroughly modern sports car. The lightweight, bonded aluminium chassis, race-inspired suspension and AP racing brakes ensure the car handles and stops as well as it goes. Sale price was £75,995. 

stamped out Stanley Gibbons’ July Stamps and Postal History of the World sale featured this oddity from the 1966 British Technology stamp issue - a 6d red in a vertical strip of four, where the blue printing ink has run out, making the central E-Type Jaguar and the printer’s mark disappear.

A normal strip is shown for comparison.

In fine unmounted condition with the original gum, 24 mint examples are known to exist, with a similar strip selling in 2005 for £40,000.

Estimate here was £12-15,000. 

box of delights

IMAGES: © lyon & turnbull, stanley gibbons, allon white sports cars

A spectacular week of auctions at Lyon & Turnbull culminated in the sale of the most valuable work of art ever sold in Scotland.

The Five Centuries sale in Edinburgh on May 20th included a previously unrecorded 14th century French gothic casket from Tornaveen House in Aberdeenshire, where it had been for four centuries. In ten minutes of bidding drama across multiple phone lines, the price began at £50,000 and ended at £1,455,000 (including premium). This is one of only nine similar examples known – most of the others are in important museum collections.

Probably made in a Paris workshop c.1330, it is intricately carved in relief with scenes from courtly literature including the Arthurian legend of the Quest for the Holy Grail. 

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collections // news

bring the jubilee This colourful Rolex Datejust 36mm Jubilee Band was offered with an estimate of $22,000 by Estate Jewellery Auctioneers of Los Angeles. The unisex watch features a 36mm diameter stainless steel case, and a custom Yellow Pave dial with genuine diamond and rainbow Arabic markers.

The custom bezel is non-Rolex, set with genuine diamonds of VS clarity in G-H colours approximating 10.2ctw.

The watch band is a two-tone diamond bracelet in the Jubilee style, to fit a 7.5 inch wrist, and the crystal is sapphire. The movement is an original Rolex Automatic Calibre 3035. 

cocky pair This rare pair of flintlock blunderbuss pistols by Dust of London, circa 1800, was offered with an estimate of £3,000-£5,000 by Thomas Del Mar of London.

Featuring brass barrels formed in three stages, with octagonal breech sections, and fitted beneath the barrels with spring bayonets released by the trigger-guards and ramrods on the left, the guns have integral box-lock actions engraved with elaborate trophies-of-arms carrying ovals, signed on the left and inscribed ~London~ on the right. Highly figured walnut butts are fitted with engraved trigger-guards decorated with Britannia trophies, and the brass-tipped ramrods are probably the originals.

John Dust, a pupil from Christ’s Hospital apprenticed to John Richards in 1779, is recorded aged 75 as a gunmaker at 14 Queen Street, Westminster in 1802-5, at 33 and 125 Strand in 1805-20, and at Charles St, Stepney in 1841. 

the ocean life Mirabaud-Mercier’s auction of travel posters featured this fine French Line advertisement from around 1900, depicting the New York run, painted by Richard Rummel (1848-1924), best known for his paintings of New York’s colleges executed from 300 feet up in a balloon. Rummell was also an accomplished yachtsman and a futurist. On linen, this 70 x 105cm poster would have been exhibited in the streets of Paris at the time of its creation, so it’s a rare survivor. From the collection of Albert J. Leon, New York City, the poster had an estimate of €20,000. 

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news // collections

brave heart

IMAGES: © invaluable.com, thomas del mar, santa fe art auctions, mirabaud-mercier, sotheby’s

The quintessential portrait of one of the greatest leaders and warriors in American history, Geronimo - Apache, 1905 was taken by one of the greatest practitioners in the history of the photographic medium. This powerful and compelling image is arguably the single most important from the 30-year odyssey of Edward Sheriff Curtis (18681952), and the 40- to 50-thousand negatives he created while photographing the North American Indian.

Hundreds of notable portraits exist of Geronimo, yet this photo, perhaps more than any other, captures the dignity and representation of his Apache roots. The headpiece and staff the celebrated leader selected for this portrait were symbols of his cultural patrimony, worn with pride when in his community, and in defiance during his internment at Fort Still.

It is believed that only 6-10 examples of this highly sought-after Geronimo platinum print exist, and in terms of condition and print quality, this is possible the finest example in existence.

From the Christopher Cardozo Edward S. Curtis Collection, it was offered for sale by Santa Fe Art Auctions with an estimate of $180,000. 

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

Treasures

T

his extraordinary George III gilt-brass and enamel musical automaton clock was made for the Chinese market by John Mottram of London circa 1790. The 92cm piece came up for auction at Sotheby’s with an estimate of £1.5m. The ormolu three-tier case is surmounted by a silvered dome comprising twelve engraved segments, opening to reveal spinning glass rods simulating a fountain and jets of water, with a further rotating mast and paste-set spiral rotating finials; the sides are inset with enamel plaques painted with river landscapes in the manner of Jean-Louis Richter, all on a later mahogony turntable plinth. Two fusees play one of four tunes at the hour or at will on a carillon of ten bells. Ian White records the piece in his book English Clocks for the Eastern Markets, which explains how novelties such as this, known as zimingzhong or ‘sing-songs’ became prized gifts in Qianlong era China.

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ART // PAINTING

A Brush

with royalty Portait painter Richard Stone, this issue’s cover artist, tells us about his experiences in art and the challenge of capturing character in paint

IMAGES © richard stone/julian calder

By Chris Jenkins

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PAINTING // ART

H

ow does a portrait painter convey the essence of the subject, particularly when the sitter is so familiar to the public?

This must be a crucial question for Richard Stone, who has been painting portraits of the Royal Family and other notables for more than four decades.

Richard’s portrait of The Duke of Edinburgh, our cover image for this issue, was painted in 2001 to mark the end of Prince Philip’s 50-year tenure as Grand Master of the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators. The portrait was unveiled by the Grand Master himself in the presence of the Duke of York on 22 March 2002, and met with their general approval, says Richard: “Both of them discussing its finer points with me. In turn, this occasion led to the commission to paint Prince Andrew in the robes of Grand Master.”

But this was not Richard Stone’s first brush with royalty. At the age of 22, he became Britain’s youngest royal portrait artist since Sir Thomas Lawrence painted Queen Charlotte in 1790 at the age of 21.

appreciation

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“

I think I developed a facility to draw quite well because I could do nothing else - Richard Stone

“

Although he has had little formal art training, Richard feels his success is a direct result of a natural talent and a strong determination to succeed in the career he has pursued since childhood.

Born in 1951 the son of a Colchester postman, Richard began cultivating his talent following an accident at the age of four that left him with a fractured skull and permanent deafness in his right ear. The young artist began sketching in a notebook and later painted to communicate with his family and teachers, demonstrating a keen sense of perspective and mixing colours.

His deafness meant an isolated existence at primary school, where teachers let him draw most of the time. ‘I’m convinced that, as it was my only source of amusement – and, quite possibly, communication – it created in me a need to draw quickly and, perhaps, accurately. I think I developed a facility to draw quite well because I could do nothing else” he says.

Later, at secondary school, Richard was encouraged to draw by his art teacher and headmaster. “But the person I pay most tribute to was a neighbour, Fred Heron.

An amateur painter, he saw me painting

Left: Richard Stone in his studio: “Natural talent and a strong determination to succeed” Above: Richard Stone, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, 1986

in the garden and convinced my parents I was worth the investment in a box of oil colours. Fred then gave me exercises in paint and technique, and an appreciation of art through his book collection.”

An amateur Essex painter, Heron taught Richard the basics of art. Then when he was fourteen, Richard went to the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, where he saw a portrait by Sir Gerald Kelly. With the directness that has subsequently characterised his career, he wrote to Sir Gerald, saying how much he had admired the portrait and asking if he could possibly help and advise him. The result was prompt.

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ART // PAINTING

“Looking at the hand, Sir Gerald then started educating me, saying you don’t need the whole body or figure to understand or represent someone’s personality – you could tell a lot about the figure behind that hand just by looking at it – and adding: ‘That’s what missing from your work. You have a facility to draw but it has no presence.’”

Richard would not be dissuaded, and the meeting was the start of a tutelage that was to last until Sir Gerald’s death in 1972.

“The first exercise he set me was to paint a peach. I painted several, but he didn’t like any of them. He said: ‘You want to become a portrait painter: capture the bloom on the flesh of a peach and you’re part way to understanding the way the light falls, and the effect that’s created, on the human skin.’ He sent me off to paint more, and the exercise continued over the time I knew him.”

Presence

Above: Richard Stone, Nelson Mandela, 2008 “Everyone has the most remarkable story to tell”

Sir Gerald could offer him all the reasons against being a portrait painter, but if he would like to call and see him, and bring his work, he was welcome.

Richard had spent a year attending weekly life classes at Colchester School of Art, and had added to his portfolio. Sir Gerald’s secretary asked him to spread his work across the floor of the great artist’s drawing room. Richard recalls: “Sir Gerald,

who was in his eighties, shuffled in and took some time looking at the drawings before saying: ‘Mr Stone, thank you for bringing your work. A lot of enthusiasm, but not much talent. Thank you for coming.’

“I was stunned, assuming I was this little artistic star at my secondary school producing what I thought were more than competent drawings of the nude. Sir Gerald could see I was upset and explained that, in his teens, he’d worked as an artist’s assistant in Paris. He showed me a tiny clay model of a hand. Rodin had given it to him for helping prepare clay for the great sculptor.

Richard’s earliest portrait subjects included Sir Arthur Bliss, the Master of the Queen’s Musick, and Sir Adrian Boult, and through this experience he was invited to paint the Queen Mother’s portrait. The finished work was greeted with tremendous critical acclaim.

“The Queen Mother was amazingly generous with her time,” says Richard, “and would invite me for lunch or tea and to meet friends. She would bring her family to view the portraits in progress. It was astonishing, really – I was only twentytwo. She had an amazing presence. She was the consummate professional when it came to meeting people and making them feel welcome and comfortable, and she was interested in so many things. We’d chat about art. It was wonderful hearing her talk about sitting for artists like John Singer Sargent, Augustus John, Graham Sutherland, John Bratby and, of course, Gerald Kelly – she’d sat for everyone.”

Defying the critics, Richard saw this as the first step that would lead to the achievement of his childhood ambition.

Unveiled at the National Portrait Gallery in 1992, his portrait of HM Queen Elizabeth II is his most famous work. Commissioned by the burghers of Colchester, the eight foot by five foot canvas hangs today in the town’s Moot Hall, and represents three years’ work and some seven sittings. “The sittings were difficult to fit in with the Queen’s schedule,

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PAINTING // ART

and I had to spread them over three summers when the light was consistent”, Richard recalls. “She gave me some ten sittings, after which I went to Buckingham Palace to study the Parliamentary Robes of State she’s wearing in the picture.’

The portrait has been hailed as one of the finest painted during Her Majesty’s reign and was subsequently chosen by Her Majesty for the Royal Mail airmail stamp.

Sittings To commemorate HM becoming Britain’s longest reigning monarch, Richard was commissioned by The Realms to paint Her Majesty’s portrait again in 2015. Upon completion, it was acquired by The Royal Collection and now hangs in St James’s Palace, London. Starting with sketches on a ten-inch by eight-inch canvas, the final portrait ended up being eight feet by five feet. “It’s probably been the picture that

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most people will remember – one I invested a phenomenal amount of time in. I gave up all other work for three years. The nicest compliment I’ve ever had came when the Queen herself selected it for a print from all her portraits as the one that best summed up her role. During her sittings she had been fascinating, funny and marvellous company. Hopefully some of those aspects show through in the portrait.”

Richard continues to paint senior members of the Royal Family, and other prestigious commissions include Nelson Mandela, Luciano Pavarotti, Baroness Thatcher, Dame Joan Sutherland and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

While his portfolio includes some of the world’s best-known people, Richard insists his subjects don’t have to be celebrities to ‘give him a buzz’. “Everyone has the most remarkable story to tell, no matter what their background. It’s an enormous privilege to

be in a situation where they trust me enough to want to tell me that story, and it’s useful in the process of painting the portrait. It’s an unusual circumstance meeting a stranger who is somehow totally focused on you.

It’s the people that give me the excitement and the interest – and you don’t have to be famous to create the kind of energy and stimulation I need to paint a portrait.”

Married with a son and two daughters, Richard lives and works in Colchester where he maintains a studio, and many of his works are available as prints from his website. He is currently working on a portrait of the great Italian tenor, Andrea Bocelli. 

https://richardstoneuk.com

Below: Prince Philip at the unveiling of his portrait in 2002, with artist Richard Stone

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COLLECTIONS // heritage

A Royal Legacy Now open at Windsor Castle and Holyroodhouse are special displays to commemorate the remarkable life and legacy of Prince Philip. We look at some of the most notable artefacts on show

By Chris Jenkins

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heritage // COLLECTIONS

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he death of Prince Philip in April 2021 brought into sharp focus the life and service of Britain’s longest-serving consort. Now some remarkable artefacts from his life are on display at Windsor Castle and at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Themes explored in Prince Philip: A Celebration include the Prince’s early life and naval career, his role as consort and his support for the sovereign at home and abroad.

The displays will also focus on His Royal Highness’s wide-ranging patronages and associations, including sport, science and industry, conservation and the environment, art and collecting, and encouraging younger generations. A special focus at Windsor Castle will be on Prince Philip’s role in the Coronation of 1953.

The Windsor display is in St George’s Hall and the Lantern Lobby, two spaces devastated by the Windsor Castle fire of 1992, and whose restoration was overseen by His Royal Highness as Chair of the Restoration Committee. A section of the display exploring Prince Philip’s role includes a fragment of a burnt beam salvaged from the debris.

Other highlights of the displays, curated by the Royal Collection Trust, include the Robe and Coronet the Prince wore at Her Majesty’s Coronation in 1953.

Tickets to Prince Philip: A Celebration are included in the standard admission price for Windsor Castle and the Palace at Holyroodhouse. images run clockwise from left.

GEORGE A WEYMOUTH (1936-2016)

IMAGES © the royal collection trust

H.R.H. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (1921-2021) at Windsor Castle, 1995 Tempera on canvas board Prince Philip commissioned this portrait which depicts him as Chair of the Restoration Committee convened within three weeks of the 1992 fire at Windsor Castle. He is depicted in the fire-damaged St George’s Hall beside one of the props holding up the remnants of the carved interior, with a roll of architectural plans under his arm.

SIR HUGH CASSON (1910-99) HMY Britannia: after sun lounge 1951-52 HMY Britannia: dining room 1951-52 Graphite, pastels, watercolour, bodycolour, and ink on watercolour board Two studies for the decoration of HMY

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Britannia; for the sun lounge, with annotation on the right, and the artist’s initials, lower right, and the dining room, with annotation, lower left and the artist’s initials, lower right.

FRANÇOIS XAVIER LALANNE (1927-2008) Wine cooler 1970 Biscuit porcelain, steel, bronze Presented by President Georges Pompidou of France during his State Visit to the United Kingdom, 1972. The back of the grasshopper opens to reveal compartments for cooling wine bottles.

GARRARD & CO. LTD: 112 REGENT STREET, LONDON W 1 Silver model of HMY Britannia Hallmark 1972-3, silver, mahogany A silver model of the Royal Yacht Britannia, on a rectangular base, chased to simulate the sea, attached to a rectangular, mahogany plinth. Presented to Queen Elizabeth in 1972

by Lloyd’s Register of Shipping, London.

WHITE, ALLOM & COMPANY Chair of Estate 1953 Gilt beechwood (frame), silk damask (upholstery) The Chair of Estate made for Prince Philip after the Coronation to accompany The Queen’s Chair of Estate in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace.

DAISY CROWCHILD (1901-1984) Headdress c.1973 Eagle feather, horsehair, silk, glass beads Presented by Jim Shot Both Sides, Head Chief of the Blood Reserve in Canada, 1973.

Receiving a headdress, or war bonnet, is a mark of high esteem; seasoned Plains warriors earned their right to headdresses by receiving an eagle feather for each act of valour.

HRH PRINCE PHILIP, DUKE OF EDINBURGH (1921-2021) Midshipman’s log 1940-41 While serving on HMS Valiant, Prince Philip described the Battle of Matapan in his Midshipman’s Log book. ‘My orders were that if any ship illuminated a target I was to switch on and illuminate it for the rest of the fleet, so that when this ship was lit up by a rather dim light from what I thought was the flagship I switched on our midship light which picked out the enemy cruiser and lit her up as if it were broad daylight. She was seen complete in the light for only a few seconds as the flagship had already opened fire …’ www.rct.uk 

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ART // GALLERY

eclectic dreams A new gallery in Cambridge combines contemporary art with extraordinary objects from nature. We talk to curator Carla Nizzola

By Chris Jenkins

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GALLERY // art

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t’s pitched as a new concept for art connoisseurs, collectors and the curious alike - a new gallery, Extraordinary Objects, has launched in Cambridge, UK, profiling a fascinating assembly of artwork, sculptures, antiquities and natural history objects.

The Extraordinary Objects collection celebrates curiosity and adventure, displaying modern masterpieces alongside rare fossils and minerals.

Founder Carla Nizzola has over a decade’s experience in the art world. An artist herself, Carla managed one of London’s leading contemporary galleries for seven years, before deciding to follow her passion for curation.

Carla told us: “I am so pleased to finally open Extraordinary Objects in the eclectic city of Cambridge. The gallery is, in essence, an extension of my own personal collection; I believe works from different genres have an extraordinary way of complementing and elevating each other and fossils, antiquities, and minerals have always been displayed alongside contemporary artworks in my home.

“Each object has a unique and compelling story and watching people being blown away when they first see a piece in the collection is, for me, the best feeling. Already we have had collectors come in to buy a contemporary painting but leave with a piece of 4.5-billionyear-old meteorite. You never know what will ignite your curiosity.”

IMAGES © extraordinary objects

Banksy Extraordinary objects currently on display include X Escif – Axe, 2019 by Banksy, created in 2019 as part of Banksy’s Gross Domestic Product collection, a rare collaboration between Banksy and Spanish street artist, Escif. The sculpture depicts an axe stuck into a piece of wood, with a flower growing from its handle. The piece is currently on consignment from a private collector and is not for sale.

Also on show is Flower Thrower, 2003 by Banksy, one of the artist’s most iconic works, also known as Love Is In The Air. The graffiti depicts a man appearing to throw flowers at someone in rage; he is said to represent a rioter, however the flowers signify hope for peaceful resolution of conflicts.

Displayed in Extraordinary Objects is a triptych of the Flower Thrower, one of 100 signed limited edition screen-prints ever made, which has also been framed by Banksy.

Also from the art world is The American

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Dream, 2020 (£45,000), a map of the US inspired by Grayson Perry’s tour of the country when filming his Channel 4 series, Grayson Perry’s Big American Road Trip. The map has been described by Perry as being a portrayal of America’s extreme version of the online culture war; with Mark Zuckerberg illustrated as a Big Brother-like figure at the top of the piece. The 110cm x 240cm picture in Extraordinary Objects is a colour etching from three plates on one sheet, from an edition of 68, and is signed by the artist.

Above; Extraordinary Objects, a unique and compelling collection Left: Carla Nizzola with Grayson Perry’s The American Dream Below: Ed the dinosaur skull

natural Arguably even more extraordinary are some of the natural objects on display.

Ed (£45,000) is the fossilised skull of a dinosaur from the Mesozoic Era, found in the Hell Creek Formation in Montana, USA. Around 68 million years old, this was one of the last known surviving species of dinosaur, with a slight resemblance to a platypus and a herbivorous creature.

Even more ancient is Cari (£5,500), a piece of meteorite around 4.5 billion years old and estimated to have impacted Earth around 4,200-4,700 years ago. Almost pure iron and weighing approximately 35kg, it’s thought that this is among the heaviest single pieces of space rock to impact Earth.

To visit the gallery on Green Street, Cambridge, book an appointment with Carla on +44(0)7739 002 759.

Browse the Extraordinary Objects website at www.extraordinaryobjects.co.uk and follow @ExtraordinaryObjectsUK on Instagram. 

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COLLECTIONS // sotheby’s

direct from the gallery

Sotheby’s Gallery Network offers an easy solution for galleries to showcase their works online, with fixed prices for buyers.

S

otheby’s Gallery Network provides an online, buy-now marketplace for contemporary art and design from the auctioneer’s trusted gallery partners. Offering complete price transparency and a seamless online checkout process for works of art, the Gallery Network gives clients access to a highly prized gallery inventory, with many of the artworks coming direct from the artist’s

studio. Here are some recent standout items from the Sotheby’s Gallery Network sales, and forthcoming masterpieces just waiting to be snapped up.

You can see more from the selection of gallery items currently on offer at https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy-now/gallery-network 

Sara Cwynar

Sahara from SSENSE.com with Swimmers from TurboSquid.com, 2020 Archival pigment print, 46.5x53.5 in Sara Cwynar (Canadian, b. 1985) is interested in the way that images accumulate, endure and change in value over time.

Her conceptual photographs and films involve constant archiving and representation of collected visual materials, layering diverse imagery with references to art theory. This piece uses imagery from a fashion website and a 3D modelling archive.

Jonas Wood

Landscape Pot with Plant, 2017 16 colour screen print on 410gsm Satin Enhanced White paper From a private collection in New York, this limited edition print is in excellent condition and is signed, numbered and dated.

In his boldly coloured, graphic works, including paintings, drawings, and prints, Jonas Wood (Boston, 1977-) combines art historical references with images of the objects, interiors, and people that comprise the fabric of his life. Translating the threedimensional world around him into flat colour and line, he confounds expectations of scale and vantage point.

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SOTHEBY’S // COLLECTIONS

DAVID LACHAPELLE

First I Need Your Hand, Then Forever Can Begin, 2009 Chromogenic print, 24x24 inches Born in Connecticut in 1963, David LaChapelle attended North Carolina School of The Arts, originally enrolled as a painter. He experimented with photography, developing an analogue technique of hand-painting his own negatives.

Following his first New York photography show he was hired by Andy Warhol for Interview Magazine, and has since become a well-known fashion, music and fine art photographer. Inspired by everything from art history to street culture, his compositions are characterized by an aesthetic of hyper-realism and a highly saturated colour palette. This piece, edition 17 of 30, is framed with archival treatment in a custom wood frame with a black finish and non-glare UV acrylic. Cost is $10,500.

JEFF KOONS

IMAGES © SOTHEYBY’S

ROY LICHTENSTEIN

Landscape Mobile (Limoges), 1991 Painted bronze and porcelain Edition 67 of 125, this piece from David Benrimon Fine Art has a printed signature, title, date and is numbered 67/125 on the underside in black ink, published by Bernardaud & Artes Magnus Ltd., Limoges and New York.

Roy Lichtenstein (American, 1923-1997) is probably best known for his pop art paintings, but this sculpture also captures his interest in the lack of sensitivity in massproduced, often perishable images and merchandizing art, which prompted him to mimic such aspects of the public landscape in his own work.

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Diamond (Red), 2020 French Limoges porcelain with chromatic coating Edition 419 of 599, this piece measuring 12.75x15.5x12.58 inches is signed and numbered.

Diamond was part of Koons’s iconic Celebration series, conceived in 1994, that consists of sixteen paintings and twenty large-scale sculptures. The original 7-foot long Diamond (1994-2005) was created in five unique colours (green, pink, blue, yellow, and red) in mirror-polished stainless steel with transparent colour coating. This version transforms the monumental Celebration sculpture into Limoges porcelain fabricated within the workshops of Bernardaud. Price is $35,000.

MONIQUE VAN GENDEREN

Untitled, 2020 Oil on canvas, 10x8x1 inches From the Vielmetter Gallery Los Angeles, this contemporary abstract was selected

by Gucci Westman, acclaimed makeup artist and founder of Westman Atelier, for a preview of the Emporium, a new luxury boutique space at Sotheby’s New York featuring a range of art and objects available for immediate purchase on Sotheby’s Buy Now. In excellent condition, it’s typical of the work of Los Angeles-based Monique van Genderen (Vancouver, 1965-), the recipient of the 2019 Chiaro Award for painting from the Headlands Center for the Arts, Marin County, CA.

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ELECTRIFYING ICONS.

Creating the world’s most iconic electric cars.

Everrati™ make iconic electric cars relevant to the world today; each car is hand built and upgraded to offer unparalleled luxury and performance. Our zero-emission electric powertrains are fully reversible.

To future-proof your driving experience, register your interest at: www.everrati.com/artsandcollections

Everrati™ supplies restored and modified classic and vintage cars for its customers. Everrati™ does not manufacture vehicles. Everrati™ is not sponsored, associated, approved, endorsed, nor, in any way, affiliated with the manufacturers of the cars they restore. All brand names, logos and crests along with any other products mentioned are the trademarks of their respective holders. Any mention of trademarked names or other marks is for purpose of reference only.

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golf // COLLECTIONS

greener golf How the humble golf shoe has evolved into an artefact combining craftmanship with sustainability By richard benson

IMAGES © royal albartross

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“

As you walk down the fairway of life, you must smell the roses, for you only get to play one round.

– Ben Hogan

Above: Royal Albartross’s partners in small family-run factories are relied on for their craftsmanship

“

G

olfing fashion may have evolved beyond loud patterns and clashing colours, but much of the attention paid to the sport still goes to the hi-tech accoutrements such as clubs and practice apps. Are we in danger of overlooking one of the most important parts of the player’s equipment, the golf shoe?

The earliest evidence of a shoe with spikes (hobnails) is from an 1893 photo of players in New Zealand. Walter Hagen wore hobnail shoes for his U.S. Open victory in 1914, but golf shoes with safer screw-in spikes were regular footwear by 1919.

By 1948, as golf became more popular, it was obvious that spiked shoes were playing havoc with the greens. Lug soles, rippled soles, multistud soles and rubber cleats were tried as alternatives, with little improvement.

There were even Ph.D studies into the damage caused by different types of soles.

The United States Golf Association recommended recessed spikes in the 1970s, and some progress occurred when shoe companies provided spikes without shoulders.

But real change started to come when golfers began to demand their shoes appear more stylish. The ‘saddle Oxford’ style with

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COLLECTIONS // golf

a saddle-shaped piece of leather around the laces, and tasseled shoes came first, then new materials designed for comfort and durability, and finally, soft plastic spikes which came to outperform metal for grip and reliability. Now it’s common to see spikeless shoes which can provide just as much traction as spikes.

distinctive With the explosion in professional endorsement of golf equipment brands, shoe designers realised the value of having distinctive designs which would be recognisable on the TV screen. Meanwhile. changes in the fashion manufacturing world and a recognition of the value of sustainability started to make a difference to the way golf shoes were made.

Royal Albartross, launched in 2012, is a British luxury golf brand manufacturing handmade shoes, belts, bags and other accessories in Italy. Historically, the ‘fast fashion’ industry has been reliant on an exploited and under-paid workforce, but Royal Albartross continues to be ask questions about these archaic practices and reaffirm the industry’s appetite for change.

Royal Albartross’ primary way of achieving sustainability is through producing all of its shoes and belts in small, family-run factories in Italy, Spain and Portugal, relied on for their craft, expertise and dedication.

Regular visits to ensure safe and fair working conditions are an essential part of RA’s ethos, as is its commitment to use only the finest leathers that have minimal carbon footprint and limited impact on the environment.

RA works closely with a family-run Italian company, Gruppo Mastrotto, in the tannery business for over 60 years, and specialising in using leather derived as a by-product of the agricultural industry, adopting perhaps the oldest known form of recycling.

Above: It takes 250 tasks of craftsmanship to produce each Royal Albartross golf shoe Below: One of Royal Albartross’s latest products, the Strider Lite #342 in rye green Italian leathers and suedes

in landfill sites every single year, RA believes in the obligation to apply a more conscientious and rigorous approach to manufacture. This “low and slow” philosophy of small-batch production based on demand from customers drastically minimises waste, with a projection of a 90 percent sell-through on all its products.

Shoe patterns are developed with attention to foot anatomy as well as style, then a master ‘clicker’ cuts each skin with precision, avoiding the natural blemishes in the leather. Pairs of shoes are perfectly matched with the leather grain stretching in the same direction, while a special combination of last shapes and upper patterns are key to the balance and beauty of RA’s golf shoes.

The leather soles are trimmed to the last to seamlessly blend the upper to the sole of the shoe, ready for RA’s stacked leather and moulded heel block and signature stitched welt detail to complete the design.

Defying fleeting trends, RA’s products are timeless designs that are built to last and will still be worn many years from now – a greener golf shoe for a more sustainable future. 

IMAGES © royal albartross

craftsmanship RA’s partners use eco-friendly, electricallypowered hide treatment processes that rely upon a water-based finishing process as opposed to a method reliant on chemicals.

It takes eight weeks and more than 250 tasks of precise craftsmanship to create each Royal Albartross golf shoe, combining hightech insoles, breathable linings and varying cleat placements to cushion and balance the player’s every step on the course.

In a world in which it is predicted that 85% of all textiles from the fashion industry end up

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PREMIUM GOLF SHOES & ACCESSORIES

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T H E R OYA L P E N T H O U S E T E R R AC E

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EXQUISITE. ELEGA NT. unforgettable.

+ 4 4 (0) 20 793 0 8181 | W H I T E H A L L PL AC E , LO N D O N S W1A 2B D CO R I N T H I A .CO M / LO N D O N

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COLLECTIONS // DESIGN

Luxury Design in London

From hotels to residential blocks, London has always been renowned for the quality and luxury of its interior design

By Chris Jenkins

W

hether it’s for commercial, retail or residential achitecture or interior design, London has a reputation which puts it high on any list of the world’s capitals.

One hotel project, started in 2018, put to the test the skills of the GA Group, a collection of design companies who have been creating award-winning experiences for over 30 years, specialises in luxury hotel interior design, residential interior design, master-planning, furniture and product design, branding, graphic design and communications.

The restyling of the Corinthia, London, originally an imposing Victorian-era Grand Hotel, presented GA with a very rare and unique gift, in that decades of Ministry of Defence use resulted in there being no heritage listing on the building.

Situated between Northumberland Avenue and Whitehall Place, the hotel originally opened as the Metropole in the 1880s. GA’s core objective then was to leave the exterior unaltered, but internally to identify the base structure and recognise the potential hidden behind layers of chaotic adjustments and insertions.

Grand Hotel

IMAGES © corinthia, quintai living, pan pacific

The brief from the client was simple - they wanted a 21st Century ‘Grand Hotel’, and GA certainly responded to the brief with flair.

A magnificent piece of art behind the reception desk replicates the river Thames meandering through London, with the hotel’s location at the centre of the piece. The bronze clad detailing on the lift doors are cast from moulds of actual leaves found within St. James Park. The Lobby Lounge features a soaring dome in the centre adorned with a full moon chandelier designed by Chafik Gasmi

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DESIGN // COLLECTIONS

Pacific London rooms and suites are veritable urban retreats, emblematic of modern 21st century luxury. Guests will find peace of mind, unassuming style and graciousness.

The hotel will be one of the first in London to include an impressive 1,083m² floor dedicated to holistic wellness, featuring the most technologically advanced gym facilities showcased by any hotel in the UK.

quirks

of Paris and produced by the French crystal manufacturer, Baccarat, and the art deco destination bar Bassoon features subtle layers of melodic references in its furniture, walls and ceiling.

In the Northall brasserie, the renovation itself was a voyage of discovery, stripping back layer upon layer of previous renovations and adjustments to reveal the original structure and details.

In the bedrooms and suites, the aim of GA Design International was to create a residential feel based on grand English homes, but with a subtle contemporary interpretation.

Seven exquisite penthouse suites utilise the upper floor spaces and unrivalled turret areas. Each subtly-themed penthouse delivers a bespoke experience, with inspiration from an imagined Georgian London street and the different people that might have lived there - the writer, the musician, the actor, the explorer.

In the words of Edward L Davies, Managing Director of G.A Design London; “We created a world-class, five-star luxury hotel for the 21st century in the style of a grand English home.”

collaboration with architects PLP, is sensitive to the Asian heritage of the brand while creating an ultra-modern, timeless hotel.

Glenn Pushelberg, Principal of Yabu Pushelberg comments: “As designers, our aim is to create environments that make people pause and have a sensory experience.

The subtleties of connected details and sympathetic use of materials and motifs throughout the hotel help to connect spaces and weave a narrative.”

Fusing together significant architecture, elegant design, boundary-pushing wedding and leading destination restaurants and bars, and completing the public gardens strewn along the façade and plaza, Pan Facing page: The Corinthia - grand English style

In a perhaps more modern, youthful approach, the latest Wembley Park rental apartments from Quintain Living, The Robinson, offers some delightfully quirky design elements.

There are 358 homes in three buildings, and on the roof of the main building, a bank of sun loungers stretches 50m across the terrace, which is surrounded by a wealth of plants in brightly painted oil drums.

Other roof terraces feature bespoke, custom-made camper vans that serve as work-from-home spaces.

The apartments themselves are also delightfully quirky, from their brightly coloured kitchens (residents can choose the colour they want, from turquoise to chilli red) to their Yin and Yang bathrooms.  www.corinthia.com/london www.panpacific.com www.quintainliving.com Below: Pan Pacific, London - significant architecture and elegant design

Above: The Robinson - delightully quirky

retreats Nearby, London’s newest luxury hotel, the Pan Pacific, juxtaposes old and new London architecture. Bishopsgate Plaza encapsulates a 43-storey bronze tower, home to Pan Pacific London and private residential apartments, while the 144-year-old Devonshire House showcases designer shops, a restaurant and a contemporary destination cocktail bar. A landscaped public plaza seamlessly connects these two cultural hubs.

The hotel’s design, by Yabu Pushelberg in

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COLLECTIONS // INSURANCE

Why Insurance is an INVESTMENT Do high net worth individuals regard insurance premiums as an unnecessary expense or a good investment?

BY RICHARD BENSON

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of Aston Lark, one of the top five Chartered Insurance Brokers in the UK. Webb, Client Director at Aston Lark, tells us that this holistic approach is the key to understanding the client’s needs – working with the client directly, with the family’s office, or with the manager of an art collection, the insurer will build a relationship with the client and proactively suggest insurance solutions.

DILIGENCE Aston Lark can cover clients for many standard types of insurance, from home and car to travel and medical, but some requirements are more unusual. One area Webb specialises in, for instance, is musical instruments, working with professional musicians and orchestras to make sure their requirements are covered; whether for domestic, premises or worldwide cover, all risks including fire, flood, loss, theft and accidental damage, public liability, travel, rental or depreciation following an accident.

Of course, much insurance work has been impacted during the coronavirus pandemic; there has been a lot less in the

way of transportation of valuable musical instruments or art, often an area for claims.

But, as exhibitions went online and valuables ended up sitting in freeports rather than being transported, there was still a role for the insurer, doing due diligence before online purchases and providing specialist appraisers in cases where it wasn’t possible to examine an item in person before buying at auction.

And of course, the pandemic didn’t by any means put an end to sales; “Our typical client is sophisticated in their tastes and knows what they want” says Julie Webb. “Some are buying as an investment, others I think in lockdown have just been sitting with their iPads scanning what’s for sale – whether it’s a Banksy or a Hermès handbag, there have been some fantastic successes in virtual auctions during lockdown.”

RECOVERY Of course, making these sorts of acquisitions can bring its own problems when the time comes to make an insurance claim. “Will you remember everything you have in the event of

IMAGES © DREAMSTIME

T

here’s a myth that “wealthy people don’t need to buy insurance”. The argument is that if you have enough money to replace your written-off Lambo or your burnt-out mansion without noticing the expense, why would you spend money every year on insuring them?

The reality, of course, is that high net worth individuals understand very well the value of insurance, and the additional services that an insurance company can provide. For instance, your personal liability if you cause a motor accident, or you damage someone else’s irreplaceable art work, may run into millions, far more than you would be required to spend in insurance premiums; and if you have an extensive art collection, it represents an investment in your and your family’s future financial security, so you wouldn’t put that at risk by leaving it uncovered.

But of course, high net worth individuals don’t go to High Street insurers to cover their lives, property and assets; they look for a company which ‘understands them and gets into their world’, in the words of Julie Webb

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insurance // COLLECTIONS

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“

an investment or tax specialist, or a pension advisor, but don’t think about insurance risks until they’re pointed out. For instance, if there are staff in the house all day, are the alarms left switched off? If you own a non-standard building such as a thatched cottage, would it be covered by standard property insurance?

If a work of art is damaged, would your insurance cover restoration or depreciation?”

Our typical client is sophisticated in their tastes and knows what they want...

- Julie Webb, Aston Lark

“

a fire or theft?” asks Julie Webb. “We work with clients to make sure they have a complete photographic record of their possessions in case of claims – equally important is the recording of works of art, where if there is damage, a complete photographic record can make it easier to restore the work to its former condition.”

Aston Lark can also help clients with a ‘disaster recovery plan’ – Webb recalls one case 15 years ago when a house fire saw the entire staff forming a human chain to get valuable works of art to safety. Smoke and water damage after a fire can be as serious as the disaster itself, and a good insurer will help with this, as well as with the cost of alternative housing while repairs are being made.

“The most important part of assessing a client’s needs is a home visit” says Webb.

“Many clients will pay for a wealth advisor,

Below: Assessment and valuation are essential stages in the insurance process

VALUABLES Ensuring valuables have the proper provenance, paperwork and valuation in place is part of the job of the insurer, but getting the sums insured right is just one of the essentials.

The test of the relationship between the insurer and the client, as Julie Webb says, is how well the relationship stands up in the case of disaster - “We don’t want to sell policies on price, but on advice.” 

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THE TRUTH WILL PROTECT YOU BETTER THAN THE WRONG INSURANCE Are you confident your artworks are insured properly?

Their value is always changing. And the truth is if you’re underinsured and something happens, your policy won’t cover the full cost of a repair or replacement.

Our private client insurance brokers make sure that doesn’t happen.

We understand the importance of making sure art collectors are insuring their fine art and treasured items correctly. We’re up to date and open about their value, and can deliver on a risk strategy that keeps you well protected. Better you hear the truth from us now, than from your insurer later.

To book your personal consultation visit www.astonlark.com/personal or call 020 8256 4901 Private Clients For the exceptional

astonlark.com Aston Lark Limited is registered in England and Wales, No. 02831010. Registered office: Ibex House, 42-47 Minories, London, EC3N 1DY. Aston Lark Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, No. 307663.

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Protecting your Art Given that art lovers are willing to pay large sums of money to own a piece that they find mesmerising and evocative, at Aston Lark we think another issue follows logically: protecting it properly with insurance.

Money from an insurance pay-out can’t fully compensate for the loss of a wonderful piece of art, but it can provide at least a “quantum of solace”, as Ian Fleming might put it. It can also be a practical benefit for investors who are at least protected from losing the financial value of their items, as fine art doesn’t do well in a fire or a major water leak, and it certainly doesn’t do well in instances of burglary.

We also understand that any damage to a piece of art or an antique could cause an emotional upset, as many pieces are one of a kind and have sentimental value. Our in-house Claims team will help guide you through a loss and get you the best possible settlement quickly and without fuss.

Aston Lark are specialists in finding the right insurance solution for art and antique collections. We understand the value of a good policy and will help you protect your investment.

To speak to us about your artwork insurance please call 020 8256 4901, or email privateclients@astonlark.com.

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COLLECTIONS // Cars

The Making of

A marque When it comes to cars, none is more revered than Bentley – but how does a classic marque gain its reputation?

By Chris Jenkins

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IMAGES © bentley, wikipedia commons

here’s something about the Bentley name which conjures up images of country lanes, steam locomotives, bowler-hatted gentlemen with walrus moustaches and the sound of willow on leather at a country village cricket match.

Of course, this sort of association can do wonders for a marque’s nostalgia value, but to compete in the modern world, manufacturers also have to be on top of the latest technology – as Bentley is with its latest model, the Bentayga Hybrid, which brings electric motoring to the luxury SUV market.

Recently celebrating its centenary, the company was founded as Bentley Motors Limited by W. O. Bentley in 1919, and became widely known for winning the Le Mans 24 Hour races in 1924, 1927, 1928, 1929 and 1930.

legend But the greatest legend surrounding the Bentley marque has to be the ‘Blue Train’ story of 1930.

Le Train Bleu, an overnight express train running from Calais in the north of France to the resort towns along the Cote d’Azur, was

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popular with wealthy British holidaymakers, and several car manufacturers raced their cars against the Blue Train for publicity purposes. But the most famous of these runs was undoubtedly the one made by Woolf Barnato in a Bentley.

Captain Barnato, at that time the chairman of Bentley, was a colourful character to say the least; heir to a diamond fortune, artillery captain, cricketer, racing driver and marksman, he bought his first Bentley in 1925, won many races with it at Brooklands, and liked it so much he bought the company 12 months later.

Part of a clique of wealthy British motorists known as the Bentley Boys, Barnato did the Train Blue run in a 1930 Bentley Speed Six coupe fitted with a three-seat coupe body

by Gurney Nutting. This stunning vehicle has been reproduced several times subsequently, usually on the chassis of a post-war Bentley.

Barnato later made light of the lark, but there’s no doubt that at the time he saw its value as publicity for Bentley – and the French authorities certainly took him seriously, fining him for racing on public roads, and banning Bentley from the 1930 Paris motor show.

A 1994 painting by railway artist Terence

Cuneo (1907-1996) immortalising the race is a pure fiction, as the Bentley never actually chased the train along its tracks, and Barnato may not even have been driving the model depicted – but the image, and thers celbrating Bentley’s racing successes, remain potent symbols of Bentley’s heritage.

immortalised Bentley’s independence and this part of its history came to an end in the Depression, as it was bought by Rolls Royce in 1931, but this merger too ended with RR going into receivership in 1971.

In 2020, Bentley announced that all its new cars will be electric by 2030, and in June 2021, Bentley launched the Bentayga Hybrid, bringing electrified motoring to the luxury SUV market.

The Bentayga promises ‘Unrivalled serenity through electric drive and even greater refinement’, with increased connected car services with access to charging data, statistics and cabin comfort controls; an E-Motor partnered with a 3.0 litre twin-scroll turbocharged V6 petrol engine delivering 443 bhp (449 PS) and 516 lb.ft (700 Nm) of torque, giving a combined range of 430 miles

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charge can be achieved before you need it.

Meanwhile, the E-Charging service enables you to search and discover charging stations near you, with the option of setting one as your navigational destination.

My Cabin Comfort allows you to control the air conditioning and heating systems remotely, letting you step into the perfect cabin environment regardless of the weather outside. My Car Statistics, meanwhile, aid journey planning by giving you detailed trip statistics via the My Bentley app, including your average fuel consumption, electric energy consumption and your remaining allelectric range.

While you are driving, the completely redesigned Driver’s Information Panel inside the cabin now includes e-motion information, equipping you with essential statistics throughout your journey.

The Bentayga Hybrid is the first of two new Bentley hybrids due to enter production this year, with the next to break cover this summer. The Bentayga Hybrid is available to order in the UK and Europe now.

How you make history in it will be entirely up to you…!  (693 km) with capability of 25 miles (40 km) range in pure electric drive (WLTP) mode.

Following the launch of the Bentayga V8 and Bentayga Speed last summer, the Bentayga Hybrid is the third model in the most successful luxury SUV portfolio the segment has ever seen. The first generation Bentayga Hybrid accounted for one in every five of Bentaygas manufactured, and the introduction of the second generation is likely to increase that ratio – 45 percent of Bentayga orders in China since launch have been for the hybrid version.

The new Bentayga is significantly revised both inside and out from the previous generation, available with a four or five-seat configuration, and can be personalised further with a vast selection of options to create your very own unique Bentley with their Mulliner designers.

(Above) Bentley’s 2021 Unifying Spur celebrates diversity and inclusion

(Opening page and below) The Bentley Bentayga and Terence Cuneo’s depiction of Woolfe Barnato’s Blue Train race

comfort IMAGES © bentley,

Safe, smart and convenient features include the My Battery Charge tool, which allows you to intelligently manage and schedule charging via the My Bentley app, letting you input your time of departure so that the highest level of

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Follow your instincts.

The commanding Bentayga.

Find your extraordinary at BentleyMotors.com/newBentayga Bentayga V8 WLTP drive cycle: fuel consumption, mpg (l/100km) – Combined 21.7 (13.0). Combined CO₂ – 294 g/km.

The name ‘Bentley’ and the ‘B’ in wings device are registered trademarks. © 2021 Bentley Motors Limited. Model shown: Bentayga V8.

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ARTS // PAINTING

the alchemy of painting Artist Loribelle Spirovski’s collection Coronation is about post-pandemic recovery and the reclaiming of painting. She tells us about her inner world.

By Chris Jenkins

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PAINTING // ARTS

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Earlier in my development, I felt the need to ‘prove’ that I could paint (mostly for myself) – Loribelle Spirovski

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IMAGES © loribelle spirovski/hofa

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orn in 1990 to a Filipino mother and a Yugoslav father, Loribelle Spirovski graduated in 2012 from the College of Fine Arts at the University of New South Wales as a Bachelor of Art Education, and has since exhibited her distinctive paintings in Australia, Europe, the UK and the United States.

Loribelle has developed a reputation as a highly sought-after young artist on the international scene, and showing in June at HOFA Gallery London and in a virtual exhibition is Coronation, her latest collection of works, produced during lockdown.

Using her signature oil and acrylic line technique in portraits, and distorted, digitalstyle imagery rendered in eye-popping colours, she depicts the tenuousness of a reality mediated by technology and social media distortions, in works such as the diptych War and Peace.

Loribelle’s migration from Manila to Australia was an early influence on her work. “Even while growing up in Manila, I felt like a bit of an outsider - no one looked like me” she says. “But when I came to

Australia, it appeared to be the opposite situation, where no one looked like anyone else. It was such a multicultural mishmash.”

COLLAGES

(Top) Loribelle Spirovski in her studio (Above) Loribelle Spirovski, Homme 249, 2020 (Left) Loribelle Spirovski, The Solipsist, 2019

“The art that I made even as a kid would always take the form of collages, cutting from photographs of the Philippines, cutting from stolen copies of my dad’s National Geographic magazines. I have always been drawn to juxtaposition and emigrating to Australia simply solidified that.”

This collage approach still influences the

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anxiety issues for most of her life, I think it manifests whether I want it to or not”, she says, “because more than anything, each painting is a depiction of my present reality.”

In her portrait work, Loribelle works mainly from photographs, deviating quite intentionally from the actual features of the sitter – “When I do have a sitter, I generally have to be inspired by them and I try to fit the form of the painting to match their personality...ultimately, sitters are conduits for a feeling.”

“

It’s easy to fixate on the limitations of the medium in depicting the world as it is – Loribelle Spirovski

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more sophisticated painted style which now marks Loribelle’s art. “Because my earliest works as a child were primarily in clay and collage, a similar aesthetic continues to guide me in my paintings. I approach portraiture from a sculptural understanding of form and compose images with collage in mind” she says.

The tension between photorealism and surrealism in Loribelle’s art reflects her inner world. “Earlier in my development, I felt the need to ‘prove’ that I could paint (mostly for myself)” she says, “and it took experience and time for me to let go and simply enjoy the medium.” She’s also influenced by music, which she feels can harmonise with her art; “My tastes vary as much as my visual output does, so my playlists range from classical to jazz to prog rock to Motown and rap”.

Is her art, though, consciously pessimistic, or dark in theme? “I have never intentionally begun a painting trying to be dark, but as someone who is prone to existential thoughts and who has had

mindfulness The viewer, then, has to bring something to an appreciation of Loribelle’s work – “I want them to be open and to allow themselves to have a moment of mindfulness” she suggests. “Sometimes, the pictures are quite serious with heavy themes and subject matter but I also need a break from the heaviness and will often balance these paintings out with ones that are simply for fun and colour.”

So how has Loribelle adjusted to working during the pandemic lockdown?

“We were very fortunate in Australia to not have been affected as drastically as other countries” she says. “But global events always have a way of permeating an artist’s work, and despite our global isolation I felt very connected to the events in other places and felt compelled to respond to them in my work. This is what ‘Coronation’ is all about. The shifting of power and the loneliness that can come with isolation”.

Global events have indeed influenced Loribelle’s Coronation collection, which

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(Left) Loribelle Spirovski, Year of the Horse, 2021 (Opposite) Loribelle Spirovski, War and Peace, (Diptych) 2021 (Below) Loribelle Spirovski: “Each painting is a depiction of my present reality”

will be on show at HOFA Gallery London and in a virtual exhibition in June. “For this collection, I have drawn influences from global events and my own personal experiences over the past hectic year.

Working away from my usual studio has challenged me to create in a smaller space, but has ironically been accompanied by a tremendous feeling of artistic freedom, especially as the world begins its recovery” says Loribelle. “In a way, this show is about recovering and reclaiming.”

alchemy So what is the future for the painted medium in a world of digital art and NFTs? “This is a question that painters must face every time they approach a canvas” says Loribelle. “It’s easy to fixate on the limitations of the medium in depicting the world as it is, but no medium is ever going to be able to encompass the complexity of reality, especially when technology is rising beyond our capacity to catch up or understand. So, I feel as most painters do, that I have enormous respect for the archaic, simple, endlessly fascinating, intellectually challenging medium that is paint. It’s still alchemy to me.”  https://thehouseoffineart.com www.loribellespirovski.com

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COLLECTIONS // jewellery

THE SENSUALITY of Gems

Jewellery designer Olivia Young is inspired by the rare and wonderful world of gems and the sensuality of gold. We discover the tale of Ouroboros

By Chris Jenkins

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he ouroboros is an ancient Egyptian mythical creature, a serpent or a dragon curved around to eat its own tail, representing infinity and the circular nature of life. This philosophy encapsulates Ouroboros founder Olivia Young’s personal beliefs and experiences; for creativity there must be destruction, what goes up must go down, what is down will go up. It is inspiring and consoling to appreciate that nothing is static, and everything both good and bad

is in constant motion. As Olivia researched mythology she fell increasingly in love with serpents and circles - for her, circles are the purest and most beautiful form.

“At the core of Ouroboros is a deep appreciation for the power of sensuality and the erotic: says Olivia. It’s my hope that these pieces empower the wearer.”

Gems and jewellery have been Olivia’s love since her first visit to India. Aged sixteen, she was let loose in the Aladdin’s

Cave that is the gem palace, Jaipur. “There’s nothing as entrancing as burying your hands in chests of pearls, diamonds and emeralds” she says - “I was enchanted and have never looked back.”

Following a degree in philosophy, Olivia returned to india and work at the gem palace, spending two years learning the mysteries of gemstones, jewellery manufacturing processes and design, returning to London to study for a gemmology diploma at

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jewellery // COLLECTIONS

are delicately placed into the spaces and gently pressed and heated into place using charcoal.

Small squares of gold foil, kundan, are applied to the gold walls of the setting and worked, using a fine chisel to gently serrate the edge, creating a strong bond. This process is repeated, continually folding the gold foil squares, until a thick wall has been created slightly overlapping the edge of the gem. The gold wall is then smoothed and shaped and the jewel is removed from the rod and cleaned.

The end result is a snakeskin pattern glinting seductively up at one as it swivels around between the fingers. All the pieces that use this technique can be switched to show a hidden darker side, more subdued but no less lustrous and inviting, capturing the dual nature of many of us.

(Above) Snake Cuff, POA

Gem-A, the Gemmological Association of Great Britain, and going on to work with the world’s leading gemstone mining company, Gemfields, writing their grading systems for rough gemstones.

After four fascinating and diverse years she finally felt ready to start her own company and founded Ouroboros at the end of 2017.

tactile The slinky movement of articulation is achieved by making every layer of the ‘snakeskin’ by hand to fit neatly into the next.

It is then pinned on each side inside to allow for this extraordinarily smooth and tactile movement, which is immensely satisfying to play with.

Other pieces in the Modern Miniatures range use an ancient Moghul painting style, often using a single hair to execute the

exacting detail, using pure gold as paint, working closely with the artist to modernise them by paring back the colours and simplifying the composition. These pieces are inspired by the ancient tantra art of Jaipur, and, of course, by the ancient symbol of the ouroboros.

Working with film-maker Wanda Orme, Olivia has produced a series of short films showcasing the sensual nature of Ouroborus jewellery - “a reminder of the beauty that surrounds us and the dance of cycling energy in which we all participate.”

delicious Apart from the original Ouroboros snake designs, the many collections in the Ouroboros range include Sexy Fruits, designed to look ‘delicious enough to eat’; The Dark Side of the Moon, using lustrous black agates and lapis lazuli to call out to our secrets and desires, and the rainbow moonstone Boa Collection, innocent at first sight, but with pieces pairing to form full circles when worn together, two halves of the eternal ouroboros.  www.ouroborosjewellery.com (Opposite) From Ouroboros x Wanda Orme (Below) Serpentine Tantra pendant chain, £3,790

IMAGES © olivia young/ouroboros/wanda orme

unique In her designs for Ouroboros, Olivia wanted to celebrate not just the obvious gemstones, but all that is rare and wonderful. “There is a whole world in every gemstone and the inclusions often give rise to unique and mesmerising colours and patterns” she says. Olivia’s training has taught her to value immensely everything that comes out of the earth – respecting both the earth and the vast amount of work it takes for a gemstone to get to the wearer.

Several complex techniques are employed in the creation of Ouroboros jewellery. The Kundan (Hindi for pure gold) setting is a centuries old Moghul technique using 24 karat gold to set gems. Glowing gems of uneven shapes are grouped together and edged in gold, in one beautiful constant surface. A framework is filled with shellac and antimony as an adhesive. The piece is then secured onto a rod for handling, and the foiled polki (rough cut sliced) diamonds

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ART // EXHIBITIONS

Rock and Roll Gallery The ‘auction house to the stars’, Julien’s of Beverley Hills, held its first art exhibition, and the celebs turned out to see and be seen

By Chris Jenkins

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n a new departure for the leading auction house, in June, Julien’s of Beverley Hills held its first art exhibition, Degrees of Separation, offering for sale over 50 original works from today’s most acclaimed artists of contemporary art, photography, street art and music.

Held at Julien’s famed gallery in Beverly Hills, the sale presented works from artists Blek le Rat, RISK, Estevan Oriol (director and co-star of Netflix’s LA Originals), Billy Morrison (guitarist for The Cult and Billy Idol), Dave Navarro (guitarist for Jane’s Addiction and Red Hot Chili Peppers and host of the television show Ink Master) & PADHiA (Duel Diagnosis), WrdSmth, Plastic Jesus, Meg Zany and Bernie Taupin (legendary lyricist and Academy Award-winning songwriting partner of Elton John).

Featuring special artist appearances and signings of limited edition works, the sale was a first for Julien’s Auctions, the world-record breaking auction house to the stars. Julien’s Beverly Hills is the new brand extension for presenting important works of art from the bleeding edge of the art world.

(L-R) Julien’s COO Jason DeBord, Dave Navarro of Jane’s Addiction, and PADHiA of Dual Diagnosis at the Julien’s of Beverley Hills Degrees of Separation opening photo by Shelley DeBord

Expensive Julien’s is best known for its high-profile auctions in the film, music, sports and art markets, including collections from Marilyn Monroe, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Lady Gaga, Banksy, Cher, Michael Jackson, Hugh Hefner and many more.

The auction house made news in 2013 with its sale of Banksy’s Flower Girl for $209,000, and in 2018 when it sold Banksy’s mural Slave Labour (2012) for $730,000, Jean-Michel Basquiat’s Head (Portfolio I) for $87,500, and one of INDECLINE’s naked Trump statues titled The Emperor Has No Balls for $28,000.

Julien’s has earned places in Guinness Book of World Records for the world’s most expensive dress ever sold at auction, the Marilyn Monroe Happy Birthday Mr. President dress sold for $4.8 million in 2016; for Michael Jackson’s white glove in 2009, sold for $480,000; and in 2020 for

Kurt Cobain’s MTV Unplugged 1959 Martin D-18E acoustic-electric guitar for $6 million.

With its new venture, no doubt Julien’s will soon be showing the works of more stars, and setting more world records.  www.juliensauctions.com.

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BOATS // COLLECTIONS

Messing About

in Boats

Boating is one of the exclusive pleasures of the wealthy, and modern sea-going vessels offer endless opportunities for fun and leisure

IMAGES © moonen

By patricia savage

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COLLECTIONS // BOATS

A small speedboat is the perfect introduction to a life on the waves – ideal for cruising coastal waters or providing family days of alfresco dining and swimming off the stern platform, these small boats are excellent for water-skiing or wakeboarding, creating lasting memories for all of the family.

Typical are the Italian styles designs build to order by Comitti. The Comitti Boatyard was opened in 1956 on the shores of Lake Como by Mario Comitti, and now, still in private ownership, the Comitti range epitomises contemporary and classical Italian designs across four different model families – Breva, Isola, Venezia and DiLegno.

The UK & Caribbean dealership is run

by Dr Karen Dickens, who says: “It was through my initial purchase of a Venezia 34, Octopussy, and then the all new Breva 35 Property of a Lady that I realised I wanted to be directly involved in expanding Comitti.

“We will have just taken delivery of a new Isola 33 in July, and I can honestly say from personal experience that Comitti is the perfect brand to satisfy connoisseurs and those wishing to stand out from the crowd. Day cruisers, pleasure seekers, to superyacht tenders and those looking for commercial and resort business use, Comitti can build the ideal boat.”

The Comitti fleet ranges in price from £80,000 for a Venezia 22 to £325,000 for a

Believe me my young friend, there is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.

- Ratty to Mole, The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame

Left: Moonen’s superyachts are sophisticated and elegant Below: Comitti’s small speedboats are purpose built for fun and leisure

Breva 35 (+VAT & taxes), and the UK team under director James Hart is based at The Old Alarm, Quay Hill in Lymington, where any queries about ordering a Comitti speed boat, delivery times, or visiting the factory on Lake Como can be answered.

performance From a state-of-the-art facility in the Netherlands, Vanquish Yachts hand-builds unique-looking motoryachts for clients across the globe. Ranging from 45 to 115 ft, created in aluminium or composite, Vanquish specialises in high-performance superyachts, powerboats and tenders that benefit from the very latest construction techniques.

Vanquish’s slogan describes its vessels as ‘not for everyone’ - each Vanquish is an individual vessel in her own right, built to the specific requests of her owner and using the latest thinking in design and construction. Vanquish says “Forget the clichés about customisation, at Vanquish Yachts we expect you to bring ideas to the table before we can design and build

IMAGES © comitti

Classical

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hether you charter, buy new or used, or opt for a part share (fractional ownership), investing in a boat is one of the most exciting and rewarding things you can do with your money.

While sailing a small boat is perhaps more about action and excitement, owning a yacht (or maybe spending a few weeks a year on one as part of a fractional ownership scheme) is surely the ultimate in indulgent luxury lifestyle.

As part of a yacht-share scheme, you can enjoy expert yacht management, maintenance and exclusive concierge services such as fine dining without the necessity of yacht ownership; while of course, if you are the owner, the world is your oyster, and you can go anywhere, any time, and still be surrounded by the trappings of luxury and the benefits of modern technology.

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COLLECTIONS // BOATS

on opening page). In 2020 the Dutch superyacht builder sold two 36-metre Martinique yachts, the M/Y Kokoro and the YN200, and the shipyard has an additional 36-metre Martinique and a 34-metre ‘gentleman’s yacht’ Moonen 110 in-build.

Currently in production, 36-metre Martiniques YN200 and YN201 have been designed by René van der Velden and Diana Yacht Design. The first in line for completion, YN200, will build on the success of her predecessors with the addition of a sparkling Jacuzzi on the extralarge sundeck, which has been extended by 2.5 metres from the original design.

YN200’s owners have enjoyed their beautiful Moonen 84 for the past three years and had many reasons to return to Moonen for their new yacht. “Moonen’s reputation for unprecedented engineering and quality of mechanical systems and general construction” being one.

sophistication

your boat. With our passion for design and engineering, we love partnering with people who demand that we realise seemingly impossible wishes.”

Combining a rich understanding of process efficiency with a desire to push the window of innovation and exceptional skills in aluminium, the first Vanquish Yachts VQ32 was launched to popular acclaim in 2013.

This was followed by a string of different models, all developed with clients who share Vanquish founder Tom’s Steentjes’ attitude that nothing is impossible and no two boats should be the same.

The Vanquish range includes models from the Vanqraft VQ16 ‘fun machine’, a cross between a superyacht tender and a water scooter, just 16ft long but big enough for five and capable of over 50 knots;

right up to the VQ115 Veloce, a tri-deck powerboat capable of a whopping 50+ knots of speed, an exceptional feat for a 35-metre motoryacht.

Vanquish Yachts say that as they only create boats for demanding individuals, they also insist on total quality and reliability, applying top-drawer technologies and systems. Speeds of 40 knots are the norm, and if you have a particular penchant for speed you can order a 60+ knots Veloce version with even more beefy engines.

An ingenious hull design will ensure low fuel consumption, fast acceleration, superlative comfort, awesome agility with very little spray, and a long range. Vanquish yachts are renowned for their low cost of ownership and retain a high resale value which will easily justify your original outlay.

When it’s time to invest in your pleasure, Vanquish say - make the call!

For the full superyacht experience, look no further than Moonen Yachts (image

IMAGES © vanquish

Above: Vanquish Yachts’ VQ45, 44.3 feet and capable of over 40 knots

They say “The sophistication of the ship’s systems are equivalent to that of a ship twice its size. There is no compromising any inch of the ship’s parts or materials whether it be a simple faucet to a major water filtration system.”

Built for private use to explore the USwest coast, the owners of YN200 will enjoy her spacious main deck which is home to a large salon, adjacent formal dining area and an impressive forward facing master stateroom. To the aft, the winter garden offers an indoor lounge that can be closed off with sliding doors.

With a slightly different exterior design, the larger 42-metre Moonen Marquis has a five-cabin layout, sleeping a total of 12 guests, and storage space for two tenders.

An exquisite full-beam master stateroom on main deck includes a full bath and shower and an open plan lounge and study.

The aft is dedicated to alfresco entertaining, with tinted glass bulwarks fitted on the aft decks to provide complete privacy without obstructing the outlook.

It’s a long way from just ‘messing about in boats’, but it’s the ultimate in sea-going indulgence.  www.comittiboatsuk.com www.vanquish-yachts.com www.moonen.com

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Collections // Insurance

damage limitation

Glasgow School of Art in 2018 - a good argument for insurance

Insuring your valuables should be an obvious step – as these examples of tragic losses show

I

n May 2004, a warehouse in East London run by a logistics company called Momart went up in flames. No-one was hurt in the fire, but the results were nonetheless tragic – hundreds of works of art, many by leading names in Britart, were lost in the conflagration.

Important works by artists including Chris Ofili, Tracey Emin, Patrick Heron, Damien Hirst and Barry Flanagan were destroyed in the blaze on the Cromwell industrial estate in Leyton, east London. At least 100 of the works destroyed were part of Charles Saatchi’s collection, including Emin’s Whitstable seaside hut, The Last thing I said to you is Don’t Leave Me, and Everyone I Have Ever Slept With 1963-95, and Jake and Dinos Chapman’s Hell, which Saatchi commissioned for a retrospective at his gallery for around £500,000.

Momart’s other clients include the National Gallery, Tate Modern, Tate Britain and Buckingham Palace.

The artist Gillian Ayres, the husband of the late Helen Chadwick, the novelist Shirley Conran and the heirs of the painter Patrick Heron were among those involved in a legal action against Momart, which claimed that the storage warehouse was wholly unsuitable for high-value fine art, had inadequate fire detection and was “a disaster waiting to happen”. Estimates at the time of the fire put the losses to artists, collectors, galleries and insurance companies at between £30m and £50m.

Bigger Hell Ms. Ayres said the warehouse she was shown around when she agreed to store her work with Momart was different from the one which went up in flames, on an industrial estate surrounded by other businesses. Momart eventually made a secret out-of-court settlement, and about the only good thing to come out of the

sorry affair was that the Chapman brothers embarked on a bigger and better version of Hell.

And if you believe that lightning never strikes twice in the same place, bear witness to the Glasgow School of Art, designed

by Charles Rennie Mackintosh in phases between 1896–1909. In 2014 a spark from a projector caused the destruction of the library, and while restoration work was being completed, in 2018 it’s suggested that rags soaked with linseed oil being used to treat wood panelling combusted, causing another enormous blaze. Again, there was only one bit of good news – extensive surveys made after the first fire gave rise to hopes that the building could be fully restored.

The lessons to be learned are that art is fragile and life is unpredictable – and at the end of the day, perhaps only insurance can offer any certainty in an uncertain world. 

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20/07/2021 12:31

THE ART OF WEALTH Structuring your wealth for the important moments in life.

Most of us are aware of the importance of solid foundations and structure to enhance our financial journey, but very few do take the necessary steps to ensure their assets are protected. These days, more than ever, it’s vital to consider so many other variables.

Protecting your assets Protecting your estate Bespoke insurance for your arts/portfolio Ensure your portfolio is diverse Get in touch at morrinsonwealth@sjpp.co.uk to book a non-committal consultation.

UK: 020 7516 5775

|

Email: morrinsonwealth@sjpp.co.uk | www.morrinsonwealth.co.uk

Morrison Wealth is an Appointed Representative of and represents only St. James's Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the Group’s wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the Group’s website www.sjp.co.uk/products.

The ‘St. James's Place Partnership’ and the titles ‘Partner’ and ‘Partner Practice’ are marketing terms used to describe St. James's Place representatives.

Morrinson Wealth is a trading name of Morrinson Wealth Management LLP.

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Is your website beautiful?

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12/04/2021 16:15

ARTS // FUNDING

Art Logistics // COLLECTIONS

Not Vital, Moon, sculture donated

by Mirabaud to the city of Geneva

dreaming in Dark Times

Is there a self-interest case for corporations supporting the arts? We look at some of the ways they are supporting efforts to restore the cultural landscape

By Chris Jenkins

IMAGES © mirabaud

A

ccording to the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, arts and cultural economic activity, adjusted for inflation, increased 3.7 percent in 2019 after increasing 2.3 percent in 2018.

Arts and cultural economic activity accounted for 4.3 percent, or $919.7 billion, of current-dollar gross domestic product (GDP), in 2019. In Washington State alone, 185,741 jobs related to arts

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and culture, representing 5.0 percent of all jobs in the state.

Cultural funding in Europe is still struggling to recover from the 2008 economic crash, with Eastern European countries moving ahead of Western states – but for the next long-term EU budget 2021-2027, the European Commission is proposing to increase funding for Creative Europe, the programme supporting

European cultural and creative sectors and audiovisual works, to €1.85 billion.

The Programme’s proposal recognises that culture is key to strengthen inclusive and cohesive communities, so it plans to support the initiatives that allow more people to participate in culture and thus contribute to a socially more inclusive European society. An EU report says “In the context of migration pressure, culture

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COLLECTIONS // Art Logistics

FUNDING // ARTS

has an important role in the integration of migrants to help them feel part of host societies and develop good relations between migrants and new communities.”

Where do corporations stand in this? There is of course a long tradition of corporate sponsorship of arts and culture, some of which has raised ethical questions, such as whether oil or drugs companies should even be invited to sponsor cultural institutions.

Speaking in the Financial Times, Daniel Weiss, chief executive of New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, said: “Frankly, it’s very complicated in a society where there’s a great deal of interconnectedness between the financial practices of various corporations and individuals.” He added: “These questions that are being raised are ones we’re certainly prepared to respond to.”

pledges

(Above) Yayoi Kusama, Pumpkin (La FIAC Hors les murs, 2019 sponsored by Mirabaud)

social responsibility strategy” and saying “While most organisations think in terms of quarters, at Mirabaud we see the future in terms of generations.”

consequences Mirabaud asks the question “Have you ever wondered what the world would be like without artists and culture?”, arguing that the pandemic has taken an enormous toll on the art world, with many artists suffering the consequences directly.

“Galleries, museums, and art fairs have been hard hit as a result of the multiple lockdowns and other restrictions, as they have been considered non-essential” says Mirabaud. “For us, culture is more than essential; it’s existential: no culture means no future. The inability to access art and culture has added to the stress caused by the unprecedented health crisis. Fortunately, cultural institutions of all kinds responded to this exceptional situation by opening their virtual doors and archives, allowing a broad audience some respite during the forced hibernation of the past year.”

As Partners, Mirabaud is proud to renew their support of the world of contemporary art through events such as the FIAC (Foire Internationale d’art Contemporain, to be held this year in Paris in October); MAMCO, the Musée d’Art Moderne et Contemporain in Geneva; and the Lux Festival, the festival of lights held each January in Geneva.

Mirabaud is also the lead partner of the Quartier des Bains Association, which organises events to promote contemporary art in Geneva; and also supports the Zurich Art Weekend, scheduled this year for September 17th-19th, and the Fundación Cerezales Antonino y Cinia, a Spanish private institution in the province of León which focuses on the development of the territory and the transfer of knowledge through the production of culture and ethno-education.

As Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau commented as its federal government responded to a petition by 65 prominent art institutions and organisations with a C$500m (£300m) rescue fund, “We need our artists to continue to make us dream, particularly in dark times.” 

IMAGES © mirabaud

Certainly governments are responding to the post-pandemic crisis in arts and culture.

In Italy, a €245m (£220m) fund has been established to sustain companies and workers in the world of performing arts during the lockdown, while in Germany the government has pledged €1bn to a fund supporting theatres, museums and other organisations.

In Spain culture minister José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes said that if the country had learned anything during the crisis “it’s that we need to work together to consolidate the importance of cultural policy in the European agenda”.

But private companies have also done and continue to play their part in supporting culture and the arts.

Founded in 1819, Mirabaud Group, an international banking group that provides a clientele of private and institutional investors with highly customised investment, private banking and asset management services.

Now led by a seventh generation of entrepreneurs, Mirabaud has expanded offices in Switzerland, the UK, France, Spain, Luxemburg, Italy, UAE, Canada, Brazil and Uruguay.

The company takes its responsibilities in arts sponsorship seriously, calling corporate philanthropy “part of a longterm commitment to social responsibility, one of the four pillars of our corporate

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Four Perfect Vehicles, 1992 − Allan Mccollom, Mirabaud Collection of Contemporary Art

Have you ever wondered what the world would be like without artists and culture?

By Lionel Aeschlimann, Managing Partner, Bank Mirabaud

© Nicolas Lieber

The pandemic has taken an enormous toll on the art world. Many artists have suffered the consequences of the pandemic directly. Galleries, museums, and art fairs have been hard hit as a result of the multiple lockdowns and other restrictions, as they have been considered non-essential. For me, culture is more than essential; it’s existential: no culture means no future. The inability to access art and culture has added to the stress caused by the unprecedented health crisis. Fortunately, cultural institutions of all kinds responded to this exceptional situation by opening their virtual doors and archives, allowing a broad audience some respite during the forced hibernation of the past year.

At Mirabaud Group, corporate philanthropy is part of a long-term commitment to social responsibility, one of the

four pillars of our corporate social responsibility strategy.

While most organisations think in terms of quarters, at Mirabaud we see the future in terms of generations.

As Partners we are proud to renew our support of the world of contemporary art: the FIAC!, the MAMCO, the Geneva Lux Festival, the Quartier des Bains Association, the Zurich Art Weekend and the Fundación Cerezales among others.

Mirabaud Group is an international banking group that provides a clientele of private and institutional investors with highly customised investment, private banking and asset management services. Founded in 1819, and led by the 7th generation of entrepreneurs, we have expanded offices in Switzerland, the UK, France, Spain, Luxemburg, Italy, UAE, Canada, Brazil and Uruguay.

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ART // CONTEMPORARY

cartoon hero, or villain?

He’s one of the most controversial and collectable artists in the world – as his work comes to the Maddox Gallery, London, we ask “who is Jerkface”?

By john renwick

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CONTEMPORARY // ART

N

IMAGES © maddox gallery

ew York based street artist Jerkface may operate anonymously under a moniker that is as witty as it is elusive, but he’s become one of the most collectable contemporary artists in the world. His latest body of work, Villainy, a solo exhibition at the Maddox Gallery London, presents onlookers with an array of characters that are at once both familiar and estranged.

Channelling composition, arrangement and nostalgia, Villainy reimagines iconic cartoons from throughout the ages, conflating shapes, characters and cinematic universes in an act that has established Jerkface as the ultimate ‘cartoon villain’.

From adopting the imagery of icons such as Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh, to characters from The Simpsons and The Flintstones, Jerkface takes inspiration from the vivid palette and bold design of ‘Memphis’ style, marrying the unbridled dynamism of youth with the clean and contemporary aesthetic of geometric abstraction.

Marking the artist’s first solo show in the United Kingdom, Villainy is an immersive experience like no other, with the artist taking over both the interior and exterior of the gallery with his signature motif: the D’ohnut from The Simpsons.

Above: Jerkface’s Villainy at Maddox Gallery London Left: A giant “D’ohnut” captured media attention at the exhibition launch Below: Jerkface’s work reimagines iconic cartoon characters such as Bart Simpson and Fred Flintstone

Universal Little is known about Jerkface except that he was born in 1982, first found success on the East Coast of the USA, and his practice has now expanded both geographically and artistically. Jerkface murals now adorn cities around the world, and he has exhibited paintings in Hong Kong, New York, and beyond.

Now signed exclusively to Maddox Gallery, Jerkface explains his decision to show for the first time in the UK, commenting “my work is universal in many regards and seems to strike a chord throughout the world, but London, like New York, has always been at the top of my list to leave my mark on. I’ve had a following in London from the beginning, so I’m very excited to be bringing my work overseas”.

Maddox Gallery CEO, John Russo, commented “the evolution and popularity of the work by Jerkface is phenomenal.

He has become one of the most soughtafter artists of our generation due to his commitment to iconography, and his reinvention of characters that inspire us to feel whimsical and nostalgic. By recreating pop culture icons and childhood favourites, he presents images that are both familiar and relevant to all, which has resulted in unprecedented demand”.  Villainy will be available to view from the 24th June to the 15th July at Maddox Gallery, 9 Maddox St, London, W1S 2QE and online at www.maddoxgallery.com.

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ART // FUNDRAISING

RISING

from the Ashes The disaster in Beirut in August 2020 hit the arts as hard as any other aspect of the city. But now a UNESCO initiative and a gala in Venice are helping to raise funds for restoration

By Chris Jenkins

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FUNDRAISING // ART

IMAGES © hayat nazer/twitter, tom young/facebook, kempinski san clemente palace, yara papidus/twitter, Hedva Ser/GALERIE PIERRE-ALAIN CHALLIER/krista kim studio

W

hen in August 2020 a massive explosion in Beirut’s port area killed over 200 and injured at least 5,000, damage to the infrastructure of the city was estimated at around $10-15b – the real cost may not be known for years.

Among the areas most hard-hit were the city’s art galleries and museums, clustered around the port area. Torn canvasses and shattered sculptures were among more than 60 artworks displayed at the exhibition L’Art Blesse, translated as Wounded Art, held in Beirut’s Villa Audi, a mosaic museum.

The exhibition presented pieces damaged in the blast in a new light. Some were left as they were - metal sculptures Peace and Entangled Love by Nayla Romanos Iliya, for example, bore the dents and scratches they received when they were knocked over by the force of the explosion when on view in the lobby of Le Gray Hotel, a short way from the port. A chandelier in the Villa Audi rested shattered on the floor where it fell.

Other works were repaired in such a way that their cracks and tears remain visible artist Tom Young’s paintings were sutured, with the threads running along the canvas like scars. His studio and home were both devastated that day. In a recent work The Great Silo, he shows the heroic structure which protected much of central and Ras Beirut from the force of the blast. He presents the Silo as a modern-day temple, reminiscent of Baalbek, a giant symbol of protection and strength in a moment of terror.

(Below) Hedva Ser, Interstice, 2000 (Bottom) Tom Young, The Great Silo, 2021 (Opposite page) Hayat Nazer, Phoenix

Gala Dinner by invitation on September 15th, the event will include a forum with over 500 VIP guests and participants.

The Biennale, an Italian cultural foundation based in Venice, has a history of over a century around the figurative arts, but also music, cinema, theatre, architecture and dance, and is considered the most important art foundation in Italy, and among the most important worldwide.

The location for the Rising From the Ashes Gala, San Clemente Palace Kempinski, is one of the most beautiful locations in Venice. This legendary retreat sits on its own private island, just seven minutes away from Piazza San Marco by one of the hotel’s iconic boats.

The 900-year-old landmark property is comprised of a series of beautifully restored monastery buildings, as well as a 12th-century chapel, and nearly 15 acres of ancient gardens.

The hotel features three bars and three special restaurants, as well as the Merchant of Venice SPA experience, a heated outdoor swimming pool, and a range of fitness facilities including a 1,500-metre jogging path through the centuries-old park, the pitch-and-putt course, and the tennis court.

During the 17th Venice Architectural Biennale, San Clemente Palace will provide a platform to host a forum with a vision to rebuild Beirut, supporting local NGOs actively

ashes Artist Hayat Nazer made a statue out of debris from the explosion. She described The Phoenix (seen on opening page) as “transformative art that aims at acknowledging the truth and the pain, to preserve the memories, but also to regain strength and rise again from our own ashes.”

In the aftermath of the disaster, UNESCO, the Louvre and international organisations pledged ‘cultural first aid’ to Beirut. A Lebanon Solidarity Fund launched by the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture aimed at supporting the city’s art and culture community.

Other cultural centres such as Venice are rallying around to support the restoration of Beirut. In September 2021, a collaboration of La Biennale Di Venezia, UNESCO and San Clemente Island Hotel will present a Gala to support Beirut’s restoration. Opening with a

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ART // FUNDRAISING

(Above) Yara Lapidus, star of the San Clemente Venice Rising from the Ashes Gala (Right) Kempinski San Clemente Palace Island Hotel with (inset) Krista Kim, Mars House

IMAGES © hayat nazer/twitter, tom young/facebook, kempinski san clemente palace, yara papidus/twitter, Hedva Ser/GALERIE PIERRE-ALAIN CHALLIER/krista kim studio

involved in reconstruction of the affected historical district. Young Miami artist Kenan Abbas is actively involved in the sponsorship campaign for young artists and youth affected by the Beirut disaster.

opportunities San Clemente offers sponsorship opportunities including logos on invitations and at panel presentations, and presentation of material at the Bienalle from May to November. During the Bienalle, architecture businesses represented will include Vasconi Architects by Thomas Schinko, Zaha Hadid’s Studio, Mohammad Hadid, Renzo Piano, Lina Ghotmeh and Sy, and donated art will include works by Hedva Ser and by Toronto-based Krista Kim, whose NFT Mars House recently sold for over $500,000.

Highlights of the Gala will include musical performances by Jeff Schroeder of Smashing Pumpkins, and by singer Yara Lapidus, whose voice has been described as ‘like a sigh’, ‘like melting honey’, ‘like a warm breeze through a cedar forest at moonlight’. The French Lebanese singer made history as the first artist ever authorized by John Lennon’s estate to translate and interpret his song How in (Lebanese) Arabic.

For sponsorship information for the Rising From the Ashes Gala, please contact Ayten Mirzoyeva (ayten.mirzoyeva@vasconi.fr) or Bahar Hacivelioglu (bahar.hacivelioglu@ kempinski.com). 

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Follow Arts & Collections on Instagram Follow @artsandcollections for the latest news and updates on fine arts, luxury collectables and investment trends

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19/07/2021 17:36

art // Contemporary

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Contemporary // art

Party on, Dude

As a new book from Phaidon celebrates the work of contemporary phenomenon KAWS, we look at the iconic artist’s extraordinary output

By Chris Jenkins

Y

because he liked the way the letters looked together. He soon moved on from this simple tag, developing a unique style that involved adding cartoon-like figures to bus-shelter advertisements.

Later, he would replicate these early works of ‘subvertising’ in a series of screenprint lithographs. These included a mock Calvin Klein ad, featuring supermodel Christy Turlington being embraced by a green figure.

Breakthrough Speaking of his early days as a graffiti artist, Donnelly said, “When I was doing graffiti, my whole thought was, “I just want to exist.”

I want to exist with this visual language in the world… It meant nothing to me to make paintings if I wasn’t reaching people.”

His breakthrough came in 1999 when

he visited Japan after being approached by Bounty Hunter, the cult toy and streetwear brand. He would go on to create his first toy, COMPANION. Produced in an edition of 500, the toys sold out almost immediately, and COMPANION became a recurring figure in KAWS’ work. But KAWS has come a long way since then. In March 2019, a 121-footlong inflatable version of COMPANION was

Left: WHAT PARTY, 2020, Bronze, paint, 90 × 43 × 35 in. Photo Michael Biondo / © KAWS Below: HOLIDAY SPACE, 2020, Vinyl, 11×5×4½ in.

(29.5 × 13 × 11.4 cm). Courtesy AllRightsReserved, Ltd / © KAWS into space by balloon

IMAGES © KAWS/@harimaolee, michael biondo, courtesy phaidon

ou have probably seen KAWS’ work without necessarily recognising its depth or universality; the artist has made such a profound impact on the modern art world that he can truthfully be said to be one of the most influential and collectable creators at work today. Now a new book from Phaidon, KAWS: WHAT PARTY provides a comprehensive overview of his career.

Born Brian Donnelly in 1974, KAWS studied illustration at the School of Visual Arts in New York. Before he achieved success as an artist he worked as a background painter on animated series such as Disney’s 101 Dalmations, and cult shows Daria and Doug.

From an early age Donnelly was known for marking buildings in New Jersey and Manhattan with ‘KAWS’, a tag he chose

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art // Contemporary

Above, KAWSBOB 3, 2007, Acrylic on canvas, 72 x 96 in. (182.9 x 243.8 cm) / ©KAWS Right: KAWS and Estudio Campana, Chairs and Sofas, 2017–19 (left), KAWS and Estudio Campana, KAWS Chair Pink, 2018 Below right, Phaidon, KAWS: WHAT PARTY, black on pink edition

Exhibition Over the last two decades KAWS has built a successful career with work that consistently shows his formal agility as an artist, as well as his underlying wit, irreverence, and affection for our times. His refined graphic language revitalizes figuration with both big, bold gestures and playful intricacies.

The book KAWS: WHAT PARTY provides a comprehensive overview of the artist’s career, and accompanies a major solo exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum of the same name, on view from February 26th to September 5th, 2021—his largest museum survey in New York City to date.

The exhibition presents a sweeping survey of the artist’s twenty-five-year career, showcasing monumental sculptures and canvases alongside sketches, toys and other ephemera from the artist’s archives.

This book adds to the ambitious scope of the exhibition. Featuring all the works highlighted in the exhibition, the book

presents dozens of other, related artworks, many of which have never been published, including sketchbooks, preparatory drawings, documentation of his graffiti work, and several new works completed in the past year.

Additionally, it features hundreds of neverbefore-seen images of the artist’s working process, including paintings in progress and sculptures being fabricated and assembled.

The final section is comprised of full-bleed images of the Brooklyn Museum exhibition, giving the reader a chance to experience the show from home.

The book also features two essays: an art historical survey of the artist by WHATPARTY curator Eugenie Tsai, John and Barbara Vogelstein Senior Curator, Contemporary Art, Brooklyn Museum; and Beyond Warhol, written by Daniel Birnbaum, the former director of Moderna Museet in Stockholm and founder of the art and technology laboratory Acute Art.

white cover editions, but will be available in a special black-on-pink cover format this September. In addition, the KAWS Studio will be releasing an exclusive run of 500 signed black-on-pink copies, also in September. KAWS: WHAT PARTY 256 pages 1,500 colour 305 x 238 mm Hardback £49.95 UK/ €55 EUR www.phaidon.com Hashtag: #KAWSWHATPARTY

IMAGES © KAWS/@harimaolee, michael biondo, courtesy phaidon

installed in Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour during Art Basel. Anchored by a 40-ton weight, versions of the piece — dubbed KAWS: HOLIDAY — were previously on view in Seoul and Taipei, and marked the latest step in the artist’s rise to fame.

KAWS engages audiences beyond the museums and galleries in which he regularly exhibits. His prolific body of work straddles the worlds of art and design to include paintings, murals, graphic and product design, street art, and large-scale sculptures.

packaging The design firm 2x4 worked closely with KAWS to develop the book’s striking design and packaging - a flush-cut hardcover with fabric spine housed in a clear plastic slipcase featuring the titular WHATPARTY figure.

KAWS: WHAT PARTY is currently sold out across pink, black, orange, yellow, and

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Contemporary // art

Above: UNTITLED (KAWS), 1995, Spray paint on freight train, New Jersey / © KAWS Right: HOLIDAY, 2019, Inflatable, Approx. 121 ft.

(37 m) long, Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong. Photo @harimaolee, courtesy AllRightsReserved,Ltd / © KAWS Below: BFF, 2020, Bronze, paint, 212 × 89 ½ × 53 ¾ in. Photo Michael Biondo / © KAWS

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COLLECTIONS // Advisors

Golden Advice

When you take your first steps into art collecting, one of the early decisions you should make is whether you should use the services of an art advisor.

By Richard Benson

IMAGES © wikimedia, sotheby’s

In association with

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Advisors // COLLECTIONS

H

owever knowledgeable you may think you are about art, or however much you trust your instincts, an art advisor will always have an advantage – an in-depth knowledge of not just art, but also how the art world operates. It’s a huge and sometimes obscure business, involving many more factors than a mere appreciation of the fine arts.

The main function of an art advisor is to protect you from making expensive mistakes.

These could be through a lack of knowledge of aspects of taxation, law or customs regulations; or very often, concerned with due diligence on artworks.

International in scope and often highly educated in a particular field of art, an art advisor will be able to place a piece in its historical context, but more importantly will assess its market value – is it from a crucial point in the artist’s development, or an early or late work? Would this make it more or less collectable, or valuable?

Tastes Whether you are concerned with making a single purchase, or building a collection, and art advisor will be able to steer you in directions which will complements both your tastes, and the changing tastes of the market.

Ray Waterhouse of Fine Art Brokers, an international advisory company with offices in New York, London and Paris, explains: “The majority of advisors have expertise in the theory or in a certain field of art, having been at an auction house for example, but don’t necessarily know how the practical aspects of the market work or how to negotiate.

“Such an advisor might be good for you if you want to do all the negotiation and administration yourself, but there are teams who offer a complete range of both advisory and brokerage services, like Fine Art Brokers.”

Whether you are visiting an art fair, gallery or auction in person (rare events in recent months), buying online, or buying direct from the artist, there will be many hurdles to jump – authentication, condition reports, tax issues, shipping costs and security being a few.

Your art advisor will also be able to guide you through these, and the most important issue - how much to pay. While there will be recorded precedent for many works, there

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are many factors to take into account – the artist, the condition of the work, the subject matter, the size, and so on. The art advisor has insights into all these factors which may not be immediately obvious to the average buyer, or seller.

Diligence As Ray Waterhouse explains, the role of the art advisor has really come into its own during the pandemic, when face-to-face meetings and international travel have been severely proscribed. “With a professional and expert advisor, it is possible to remain in your home or office and still collect great art” he says. “We always recommend that clients see art in person before buying, but that isn’t always possible. For example, the team at Fine Art Brokers has viewed paintings in Japan, Barcelona, and Geneva for clients in New York, and in Paris, Amsterdam, and London for clients in the Middle East. We have inspected and then negotiated the purchase of paintings at over $20million without the client seeing the work in person, as they trust our taste and due diligence.

“An art advisor always allows the client to make the decision but can do the traveling, research, and administration of purchase to take away the stress.”

Because of course, while the art advisor

might be thought of as someone to offer advice about buying, he or she will also be in a position to advise on selling. When a certain artist is in the public eye, such as when an exhibition is being staged or a major work has been sold at auction, then may be the ideal time to realise the value of your investment. Suggesting the right time and to sell, and often also the place, is a key function of the art advisor.

While the main concern of the collector should be to enjoy his or her collection, the art advisor’s job is to be out in the field, building connections with artists, dealers, institutions and financial resources, so that the collector doesn’t have to do any more legwork than they find enjoyable and convenient. Relying on the advisor’s market intelligence makes just as much sense as relying on your accountant for financial advice and your lawyer for legal.

And should you be asking yourself whether paying the art advisor’s commission is worth it - turn the question around, and ask how much it could cost you not to rely on their advice.  Left, detail from Leonardo’s Mona Lisa – Below, not the real thing, but this 1900 copy of Leonardo’s masterpiece still sold for £378,000 on an estimate of £8-12,000 at Sotheby’s in July

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collections // BOOKS

BOOK REVIEWS

From behind-the-scenes portraits of actor Michael Caine to handy guides to Chippendale and chinoiserie, and the murky world of art theft to the work of a Japanese master photographer, our round-up of essential volumes brings you the latest in collectable titles for your coffee-table

chinoiserie Richard Hayman I Shire Library, £8.99 I www.bloomsbury.com This slim volume is a handy introduction to chinoiserie, the decorative craze inspired by the styles of the Far East that gripped Britain from the late C17th to early C19th. Fuelling popular views of the ‘exotic orient’, the style drew from many cultural sources the wealthy would import furniture, wallpaper and porcelain, prompting mass production in the style by the likes of Chippendale and Royal Worcester. The book is beautifully illustrated, though it does leave you wishing for a format larger than this 64pp, 210x149mm paperback.

contemporary japanese architecture Philip Jodidio I Taschen, £60 I www.taschen.com Since Osaka World Expo ’70 brought Japanese contemporary architectural forms to centre stage, the country has been a key player in global architecture. No fewer than seven Japanese architects have won the Pritzker Prize. This massive 448pp tome presents the latest in Japanese building, revealing how the likes of Tadao Ando, SANAA, Shigeru Ban, Kengo Kuma, and Junya Ishigami are relinking past, present, and future—building greener and smarter than ever before.

Michael Caine: Photographed by Terry O’Neill Terry O’Neill, ed. James Clarke I ACC Art Books, £45 I www.accartbooks.com Michael Caine is synonymous with a certain kind of classless cool, and it was never captured better than by Terry O’Neil, who had a lot in common with Caine. This immersive visual journey through Michael Caine’s career exemplifies his charm both in and out of character, with behind-the-scenes shots from dozens of movies including Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Seven Times A Woman, The Magus and of course British cult classic Get Carter.

Essential for fans of Caine or the work of Terry O’Neill.

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BOOKS // collections

Formula 1: The Impossible Collection Brad Spurgeon I Assouline, €920 I https://eu.assouline.com/ Presented in a luxury clamshell case with a metal plaque, in a red canvas tote bag with a pair of white gloves, this eye-openingly expensive 228pp, 39.4x47.3x7.6cm tome chronicles the milestones that elevated Formula 1 from a gentleman’s sport to a global phenomenon, highlighting technical innovations, drivers’ achievements and classic races. Featuring 175 illustrations including hand-tipped images and fold-outs.

thomas chippendale Adam Bowett, James Lomax I Shire Library, £8.99 I www.bloomsbury.com Another in Shire Library’s slim volumes of style introductions, this summary of Thomas Chippendale’s C18th furniture covers his Rococo, Chinese, Gothic and Neoclassical styles. Chippendale’s revolutionary design book, The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker’s Director, published in 1754, was the key to his success. The same year he set up his famous furniture workshops in St Martin’s Lane. This beautifully illustrated history covers both the valuable originals, and the worldwide influence of the ‘Chippendale style’ after his death in 1779.

lost art: the art loss register casebook vol. 1

IMAGES © THE PUBLISHERS

Anja Shortland I Unicorn, £25 I www.unicornpublishing.org Documenting the work of the Art Loss Register in tracking down stolen artworks and blocking their sale, this account of ten notorious cases shows how restitution can often be agreed amicably, even decades after a loss. There’s often a balance to be found between legal definitions of good title and moral right. This look by Anja Shortland, Professor in Political Economy specialising in the economics of crime, into the murky world of thieves, fences and the trickiest parts of the art market is an entertaining and informative read.

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sukita - eternity Masayoshi Sukita I ACC Art Books, £50 I www.accartbooks.com Photographer Masayoshi Sukita encountered David Bowie in London for the first time in 1972, and despite his limited English, wangled a photo-shoot which led to a 40uear collaboration between the two, including the iconic cover for Heroes. This impressive 256-page retrospective of Sukita’s career, the first of its kind, also includes shots of punks in London and many musicians including David Sylvian, the Yellow Magic Orchestra, the B-52s and T-Rex, as well as his work in advertising and fashion photography and his less well-known street and travel imagery.

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COLLECTIONS // wine

A Vintage of Care

This year the traditional charity wine auction at the Halles de Beaune will be held on November 21st, with Sotheby’s as the new host. We sample the offerings to come

T

he 161st Edition of the Hospices de Beaune charity wine auction will be held at the Halles de Beaune, in the surroundings of the Cote d’Or vineyards, on November 21st - the third Sunday in November, as per tradition.

But this year, after a tendering process launched last year, Sotheby’s is taking over as host, an arrangement which will go on for five years.

Above: The quality of the Hospices de Beaune wines has reached new found heights under the watchful eye of talented winemaker Ludivine Griveau

François Poher, Head of the Hospices Civils de Beaune, said: “After a tender procedure launched in mid-December, we have chosen Sotheby’s proposal. For the next five years, we will work together to deepen knowledge of our domaine, its wines and our sale for the benefit of all of Burgundy. We will also work to preserve the centuries-old character and heritage of our hospital institution and further

IMAGES © hospices de beuane, dreamstime

By Chris Jenkins

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wine // COLLECTIONS

strengthen its capacity to invest in the service of the people of our region.”

Mario Tavella, President of Sotheby’s France and Chairman of Sotheby’s Europe, said: “Sotheby’s is proud to work alongside the Hospices de Beaune as organiser of its charity auction and also to promote the cultural initiatives that punctuate the year of this honourable institution. This year will mark the launch of Sotheby’s wine sales in France and we are honoured by the trust placed in us by the Hospices de Beaune and look forward to beginning our work with their team this week.”

Highlights Jamie Ritchie, Worldwide Head, Sotheby’s Wine, said: “It is one of the greatest highlights of my career to be able to participate in this sale. There is no greater honour for our international team than to organise the most famous and oldest wine auction in the world. Since 1859, this sale has set benchmark pricing for the new vintage in Burgundy, acting as an economic gauge for the region. We will work diligently to further promote the wines of Burgundy throughout the world, expanding on the enormous interest and market growth that already exists.”

“We also look forward to working with the team at the Hospices de Beaune to preserve the historic significance of those three special days in November – Les Trois Glorieuses – and enhance the auction experience for the local community, for all the visitors to Beaune, as well as for those who cannot attend in person and can participate using Sotheby’s innovative digital platform.”

Founded under the patronage of Guigone de Salins and Nicolas Rolin in 1443, the famous Hôtel-Dieu de Beaune was conceived as a charitable hospital to provide care and shelter to those in the local community who were most in need. Nowadays, the hospital has moved into more modern buildings, but the original Hôtel still stands as a museum and as a remarkable example of 15thcentury Burgundian architecture, and a stunning monument to the vision of the founders. Now known as the Hospices Civils de Beaune, the institution’s work has continued uninterrupted for nearly six centuries.

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The hospital has a prestigious vineyard in Beaune of 60 hectares of the best Burgundy appellations, all given in bequests and donations. In 1859 the decision was taken to sell, at auction, the new vintage of wines from the Hospices’ holdings for the first time. Its place as the most significant wine auction worldwide is now firmly established, with 160 auctions having taken place, always on the third Sunday of November. Through its heritage, this hospital institution, the most famous charity wine sale in the world, plays a leading role in the two major activities of Beaune and its region - tourism, and wine.

Quality Frequently comprising 500 lots of 50 different cuvées, the wine auction not only raises important funds to be invested in the medical equipment and the modernization of the hospital institution in the South Côte d’Or territory, but also for service and care of the local community.

Sotheby’s selection as the auctioneers

for the Hospices de Beaune represents an extremely exciting development for this famous wine auction, and the auctioneer is delighted to have the opportunity to draw wider attention to the important work of the Hospices.

Sotheby’s said: “We also look forward to introducing their outstanding wines to our global community of wine lovers and collectors. Under the watchful eye of talented winemaker Ludivine Griveau since 2015, the quality of the Hospices de Beaune wines across the board has reached new found heights, with striking levels of elegance and purity. We are honoured to have the opportunity to work with the Hospices, to deepen knowledge of their magnificent wines and charitable activity, for the benefit of all in Burgundy and further afield.”  https://hospices-beaune.com Below: The Hospices de Beaune, venue for one of the world’s most important wine auctions

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ARTs // GLASS

Hearts of Glass

Situated in the heart of the capital, iconic glass art studio London Glassblowing is run by the pioneer of the UK’s studio glass movement, Peter Layton

By Chris Jenkins

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GLASS // ARTS

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fter what it describes as ‘18 months of doom and gloom’, London Glassblowing hopes to inject some colour into the lives of art lovers with an exciting array of events celebrating its 45th anniversary.

Founder Peter Layton is the UK’s oldest glassblower, having turned 84 this year. He set up the studio in 1976 and moved it to Bermondsey Street in 2009, transforming London Glassblowing into one of Europe’s most prominent studio glass galleries and longest running hot-glass studios.

“Now that we’ve finally made it out the other side following the pandemic, we are delighted to be able to welcome guests back to our studios,” said Peter.

“We are so incredibly fortunate to be involved in such a tremendous industry - and it truly is a blessing that we have survived what was such a difficult time for so many. Lockdown has truly got our creative juices flowing and we cannot wait to show everyone what we have been working on.

“Though I hope our many fans and collectors will join us in celebrating 45 years of London Glassblowing, we are forever moving forwards - never standing still always experimenting and pursuing new avenues with which we can produce new and exciting artwork.

“I turned 84 this year, but age is but a number. I’m more excited now than ever to produce our beautiful creations and work alongside our array of hugely talented artists. It is this excitement and doing what we love that keeps us young.

“I know our collectors and fans are incredibly excited to get back into our gallery too and we are so grateful for all their support.”

IMAGES © london glassblowing/the artists

Inspired This landmark year for the studio sees a variety of shows taking place, both online and in-person, as far as current restrictions allow.

A summer show running in July featured Peter’s New Marrakech collection, inspired by the Jardin Majorelle in Morocco, which was created by the French Orientalist artist Jacques Majorelle over almost 40 years and restored in the 1980s by Yves Saint Laurent.

Netflix viewers would also have recognised a familiar face at the show,

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Left: Peter Layton, founder of London Glassblowing: “I’m more excited now than ever to produce our beautiful creations” Above: Sculpting molten glass: “An extremely challenging and intense experience” Below: Layne Rowe, Ornithology

with the winner of the second season of glassblowing competition Blown Away, Elliot Walker, also featured. Elliot is one of only a handful of glassblowers who focus on sculpting molten glass, an extremely challenging and intense experience that demands skill, dexterity and speed working at extremely high temperatures. He takes

inspiration from a range of sources including still lives by the masters of the Flemish and Dutch Schools of painting.

He showcased three limited edition glass spool-and-needle pieces made in honour of the NHS’ efforts during the coronavirus pandemic at the summer show. These are smaller versions of two huge spooland-needle pieces, made entirely of glass, which will be auctioned off by London Glassblowing in aid of NHS charity the Healthcare Workers’ Foundation.

The two larger auction pieces are titled The Threads Connecting Us, and 50 percent of the funds from their sale will be donated to the charity. The spools each come with a separate needle. The pieces

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IMAGES © london glassblowing/the artists

ARTs // GLASS

Above: London Glassblowing: “Always experimenting and pursuing new avenues.”

Below: Elliot Walker, The Threads Connecting Us

were auctioned to coincide with the 73rd anniversary of the NHS. Elliot is also set to take part in his own solo show at London Glassblowing alongside his partner and assistant Beth, which will run from October 1st to 30th.

Another incredible artist exhibiting at the summer show was Layne Rowe, who has most recently created a pair of 10ft-high glass angel wings named Solace which have toured cathedrals, with the hope of giving hope to those who have lost loved ones to Covid-19.

Work by Layne at the show included Ornithology (a set of exquisitely crafted feathered quills in ink) and items from

his Woven collection inspired by the Devon coastline.

Traveller Artists Bruno Romanelli and Nina Casson McGarva gave Zoom talks as part of the Summer Show, and Peter Layton will also have his very own solo exhibition later this year called Time Traveller. This will run from August 6th to September 2nd, both online and in-gallery, with a private viewing for VIP customers set to take place early August.

The studio will take part in the Bermondsey Street Festival on September 18th too, for which London Glassblowing will have its own ‘Back Yard Sale’.

There are also further events planned to mark the studio’s 45th anniversary during September and October, both online and at the gallery. Details for these events are yet to be revealed, but all events are listed on its website.  www.londonglassblowing.co.uk

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COLLECTABLES // WHERE TO SPEND IT

Where to

SPEND IT

From a stunning EV supercar to an adaptable necklace, we present some desirable luxury collectables and technological marvels for you to splash your cash on

BY RICHARD BENSON

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EVIJA SO FAST Lotus is launching the first all-electric British hypercar, the Evija, claimed to be the world’s most powerful series production road car with a target power output of 2,000 PS, 0-62 mph (0-100km/h) in under three seconds, and top speed over 200 mph (320 km/h). An ultra-lightweight carbon fibre monocoque makes it the world’s lightest production EV hypercar, at 1,680kg. It has a pure electric driving range target of 215 miles (345 km) on the WLTP Combined Cycle midmounted battery pack, which echoes the celebrated Lotus mid-engined sports car layout. Production is limited to 130 cars at around $2m. www.lotuscars.com

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THREE BRIDGES The first timepiece born of Aston Martin’s partnership with GirardPerregaux is a contemporary celebration of the iconic Three Bridges pocket watch of the 19th century. The 44mm case of the Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges – Aston Martin Edition is formed of lightweight Grade 5 titanium, suffused with black DLC, bestowing the watch with a stealthy appearance with the movement appearing to levitate within the case. An additional strap features black calf leather with Rubber Alloy injected with white gold. Only 18 will be made, at a cost of £113,000. www.girard-perregaux.com

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OF ALL THE BARS...

The Kelly bar stool from Covet Paris is inspired by the curved and sculpted arches from Rick’s bar in the classic movie Casablanca. The body consists of a full piece of polished brass and features a low back, a foot rail and brown leather on the seat. Besides being stylish, it is also made to endure and be comfortable. Width is 44cm, depth 38cm, height 113 cm, and seat height 74cm. Hand-made to order, shipping time is around eight weeks and price is £3,085 per item - so it will add up quickly if you’re furnishing a whole bar. www.covethouse.eu

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WHERE TO SPEND IT // COLLECTABLES

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DICKY DRIVER An unusual pre-war French classic, this 1922 Renault NN is a very rare two-seater version with a special dicky seat at the rear. Powered by a four-cylinder 951cc engine, only a limited number of this version were built and finding one in good condition is becoming increasingly difficult. This example has been extensively restored in a twotone scheme with beautiful beige leather interior.

It’s on offer at €39,950 from ER Classics in the Netherlands. www.erclassics.com

6 NEVER MIND THE BROLLACHS The Craft Irish Whiskey Co’s latest limited edition expression, The Brollach is a 2001 single malt that was aged in ex-Bourbon casks before being finished in French oak Madeira barrels. The iteration, which is limited to 661 units, promises a “deep oaky flavour with intense but intimate dark cherry and chocolate notes” and is available to buy immediately from the company’s online store at €5,500. Each 70cl bottle comes with two Finn glasses and is housed in an oak box lined with suede. https://craftirishwhiskey.com/the-brollach

IMAGES © LOTUS, GIRARD-PERREGAUX, COVET PARIS, ER CLASSICS, NAIM, THE CRAFT IRISH WHISKEY CO, MESSIKA

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SOUND OF A NEW DAWN The first turntable from Salisbury-based amplifier manufacturer Naim, the Solstice is limited to 500 units worldwide, with 120 for the UK. Described as ‘a new dawn for music’, the handcrafted Solstice comes with the turntable, a next-generation version of the iconic Naim Aro tonearm, an Equinox MC cartridge, Solstice Series Phono Stage, power supply and bespoke accessories set.

The most distinctive feature is the high-mass, highly polished aluminium platter. Cost is £16,000. www.naimaudio.com

7 LUCKY FOR SOME Messika’s Lucky Move colour medallions can be worn on the finger, around the neck or on the wrist. Colourful lucky charms adorned with natural stones - Lapis Lazuli, Malachite, White Mother of Pearl and Turquoise, the Lucky Move luxury jewellery collection features diamond long necklaces, diamond rings, diamond bracelets and diamond earrings, designed to be worn alone or layered to embrace the fashionable trend for ‘stacking’ jewellery. The white motherof-pearl with pink gold diamond necklace shown here costs €2,480. www.messika.com

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Welcome to Sotogrande, the sun-soaked haven for the elite since the 1960s. Today, Sotogrande S.A is creating a new experience for family living through a selection of gated communities offering privacy and much more than a residence. A country club on your doorstep with state-of-the-art amenities and concierge services to complement Sotogrande’s quality of life.

+34 856 560 922 · lareserva.residencial@sotogrande.com · sotogrande.com

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www.sanmarzano.wine

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