Arts & Collections: Volume 3, 2022

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COLLECTIONS

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Contents FEATURES

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THE FACE OF CELEBRITY

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PRANCING PONY

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SIXTY YEARS A SECRET AGENT

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CONSUMER CULTURE

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STARS IN HIS EYES

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RUSSIA’S CANCELLED ART

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BRINGING THE BAHAMAS TO LIFE

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BOARS AND BISON

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MATCHLESS TASTE & ELEGANCE

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THE MALTA STORY

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CANNES-DO ATTITUDE

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PHOTOGRAPHY IN FELLOWSHIP

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ART YOU CAN WEAR

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THE SPECIALIST DIFFERENCE

Ageless spy James Bond is actually 60 years old, and to mark the occasion, Christie’s has auctioned some remarkable memorabilia

A new book on Paul Newman brings together the work of some of the leading portraitists of the golden era of Hollywood

Whether you seek party excitement or luxurious seclusion, the Bahamas represent the jewels in the Caribbean crown

Charles Burnand’s new showroom in London’s Fitzrovia showcases the work of a galaxy of international artists and designer-makers

The Cannes Yachting festival brings together the industry for a celebration of all things maritime

Art doesn’t have to be framed and hung on your walls - Alba Amicorum’s scarves show it can be worn too 4 ARTS & COLLECTIONS

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A 75-percent scale recreation of one of Ferrari’s most important racing cars is on offer from The Little Car Company

Sotheby’s Private Sales works discreetly and seamlessly with buyers and sellers of world-class works of art throughout the year

Critic and gallerist Ellen Nash argues that the position Russian artists have been put in reflects an earlier era of history and politics

Sculptor Hamish Mackenzie travels the world to research his stunning bronze wildlife works

The island republic of Malta has a storied history, and has become a magnet for luxury travel and spectacular weddings

A new organisation aims to apply blockchain technology to publicising the work of some of the world’s leading photographers

How can a specialist art insurer protect a collection in a way standard insurance cannot? We look at some of the ways

IMAGES © ANDY GOTTS/ACC ART BOOKS, CHRISTIE’S IMAGES LTD 2022/ DANJAQ, LLC

Photographer Andy Gotts brings out the best in his famous sitters. Now his work is collected in a stunning book, The Photograph

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MOVERS AND SHAKERS

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GUERNSEY’S ART OF WEALTH

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MODERN MONEY MATTERS

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NFTS: OBSERVING THE HUMAN?

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A CLEAR SENSE OF QUALITY

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THE MINIMAL ATTITUDE

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CAN HOTELS GO GREEN?

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A PRIVATE LUXURY

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A DYNASTY IN TIME

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How art logistics company Convelio is using technology to offer buyers a way to organise shipping in minutes

IMAGES ©ACC ART BOOKS/DOUGLAS KIRKLAND, CHARLES BURNAND/SOPHIA SPRING, FELLOWSHIP TRUST/LÁSZLÓ MOHOLY-NAGY, BURGESS YACHTS, BONHAM’S, L LEROY & CIE

What the island’s financial institutions have to offer and how they are getting ready for a digital future

In these days of financial uncertainty, it’s more important than ever to have a wealth manager to advise on your plans and investment

Art tech startup Artscapy is working with Artificial Gallery to venture into the world of NFTs for young artists

The art insurance market has been shaken up by event. Dr Stephan Zilkens tells us how insurers have adjusted

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Austrian design manufacturer STEININGER has a purist approach to kitchens and interiors

What can hotels do to go green without compromising on their luxury services?

The Maldives are a favourite location for enjoying nature, relaxation, and a touch of luxury

Looking back to the Leroy 01, one of the most fabulously complicated watches ever made www.artsandcollections.com

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Contents REGULARS 8

IT FIGURES

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EDITORIAL

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HAPPENINGS

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AUCTION HIGHLIGHTS

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BOOK REVIEWS

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WHERE TO SPEND IT

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This issue’s most astonishing items and happenings summed up in handy facts and figures

What does Damien Hirst’s year-long experiment say about the state of the NFT market?

All the must-see events, exhibitions and shows from Art Basel Miami to Ai Weiwei and Helmut Newton in Berlin to Rétromobile in Paris

Our comprehensive roundup of some of the most amazing items to come up for auction from a Chinese jar and an HR Giger painting to a life-size stainless-steel panther

The most fascinating volumes to display on your bookshelves or your coffee-table, from a history of vampire movies to an essential guide to Marina Abramovic

Our round-up of luxury items worthy of your investment, from an electric MG and a heavy metal turntable to a luxury steamer trunk and a titanium chronograph

92 IMAGES © RM SOTHEY, ACC ART BOOKS, FRATELLO WATCHES, ART BASEL MIAMI/ERIC FIRESTONE GALLERY

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or three generations, the family has focused on quality and tradition in boat building. The virtuoso design, impressive handling characteristics and outstanding quality of Frauscher boats, inspire connoisseurs and enthusiasts worldwide. More precisely, it is probably the extraordinary design, the excellent craftsmanship and the passion for boat building that have turned a small family business into the most innovative shipyard in Europe. Both the motor- and the electric boats from Frauscher - Made in Austria - are a statement today. The predicate „awardwinning“ runs like a red thread through the Frauscher product range.

ment work, therefore, focuses on both – technical innovation and design – with the objective of offering best in class products at all times.“ The quality of the craftsmanship and the materials used at the Frauscher shipyard, reflect boat building at the highest level. With more than 90 years of experience, todays‘ shipyard steers from Lake Traunsee via Mallorca and Miami out into the world. It‘s time to discover a new dimension - and fall in love anew.

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CEO Michael Frauscher, responsible for production and development, explains: “At the Frauscher shipyard we see ourselves as ‚engineers of emotions‘, always wanting to provide our boat owners a great time on the water. Our develop-

@frauscherboats • frauscherboats.com

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

Arts & Collections partners with over 120 of the world’s finest luxury and boutique hotels to provide the highest quality coverage of global art and cultural events, auctions of interest and developments in the global art market. This blend of interesting and informative editorial is most appealing to guests at these premier hotels, who have a great interest in fine art and collectables. Arts & Collections’ dedicated website, www.artsandcollections.com, features all the exclusive previews, reviews and expert commentary pieces that appear in the pages of Arts & Collections as well as news of auctions by Sotheby’s and other top auction houses, plus exhibitions and popular cultural events, keeping visitors fully informed, as well as providing a comprehensive resource area for collectors and connoisseurs.

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...the actual age of eternal secret agent James Bond

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...the number of churches in Malta

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COLLECTIONS www.artsandcollections.com

THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS MAGAZINE SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED OFFICIAL OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER OR EDITOR. THE PUBLISHER RESERVES THE RIGHT TO ACCEPT OR REJECT ALL EDITORIAL OR ADVERTISING MATTER. THE PUBLISHER ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR UNSOLICITED MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS OR ARTWORK. IMAGES ARE SENT AT THE OWNERS’ RISK AND THE PUBLISHER TAKES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR LOSS. © 2022 DAMSON MEDIA ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART OF ANY TEXT, PHOTOGRAPH OR ILLUSTRATION WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE PUBLISHER IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. PRINTED IN THE UK.

Page 26

...the date from which Russian art was forced to adopt Socialist Realism

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

...the number of times Paul Newman was nominated for an Oscar

IMAGES © ACC ART BOOKS/MILTON GREENE, DREAMSTIME, DANJAQ, LLC AND METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER STUDIOS INC, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, L LEROY & CIE

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Cover image: Scarlett Johansson by Andy Gotts, © Andy Gotts/ACC Art Books

1933

...the foundation year of Austrian design manufacturer STEININGER

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965

...the number of pieces in the classic pocket watch the Leroy 01

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Editorial

THE BONFIRE OF THE NFTS

Does Damien Hirst’s year-long experiment to pitch NFTs against physical artwork mark the bursting of the digital bubble?

A

IMAGES © DAMIEN HIRST/TWITTER

year ago, controversial artist Damien Hirst launched what was in effect a referendum on NFTs versus traditional art. Well, the verdict is in - and NFTs are out, to the extent that Hirst says he will now burn the tenders associated with unsold NFT works. Hirst’s plan was to make buyers of his NFT project The Currency decide between owning the physical artwork, or the digital token connected to it. Now, Hirst has announced the final count - on his Twitter account, or course. The project consisted of 10,000 unique NFTs, each associated with a corresponding artwork the British artist made in 2016. The digital tokens were sold for $2,000 each via a lottery system. Each of the works, consisting of enamel dots painted on handmade paper, was based on one of the artist’s favourite song lyrics: Totally Gonna Sell You, Laugh in Our Faces, This Old Art, You’re Always So Interesting, and so on. Each piece is different, and all are stamped with a microdot and a hologram of Hirst’s face.

CHOICE In forcing buyers to choose between the physical and NFT versions of the work, Hirst had clearly put his money on the digital; and a month into the project it looked like he had backed the right horse, with 2,036 sales of The Currency generating $47 million. But a year www.artsandcollections.com

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later, along with a general malaise in NFT investment, sales had fallen away, and trading prices collapsed. As the closing deadline approached, buyers argued the virtues of digital versus physical the speed and ease of selling and the lack of necessity for insurance for instance, against the uncertain future of NFTs and the pleasure of owning a physical work. Now, prices hover around $7,500 for an NFT of The Currency, though one has sold for $26,000. With the final votes in, the figures stood at 5,149 physicals and 4,851 NFTs sold, meaning, as Hirst said, “I will have to burn 4,851 corresponding physical Tenders”. No doubt, this is not the end of the debate over NFTs versus physical art. Hirst, for example, still supports NFTs, and why not? he’s made an estimated $89m in sales. No surprise then that he says he will keep 100 of the NFTs for himself, “to show my 100 percent support and confidence in the NFT world.” Hirst and HENI, the platform that launched the project, collaborated on an exhibition of the painted works at London’s Newport Street Gallery in September. Each day of the show, a certain number of the unsold NFT tenders were burned. Meanwhile, ouside, a street artist smashed and burned a Hirst plate bought from the gift shop. A sacrifice to the fickle gods of Art?  Chris Jenkins ARTS & COLLECTIONS 9

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ARTS // EVENTS

Happenings Arts & Collections presents a selection of the most compelling artistic, cultural and entertainment events coming your way later in the year

ART LOCKED IN From 27th October-18th December 2022, Koestler Arts presents its 15th Annual UK exhibition, at the Southbank Centre, Royal Festival Hall, London, curated by Chinese contemporary artist, documentarian, and activist, Ai Weiwei. For the 60th anniversary of the Koestler Awards, Ai Weiwei wants the exhibition, which showcases artwork created by individuals in prisons, secure mental health facilities, immigration removal centres, young offender institutions and on community sentences across the UK, to show how humanity responds when put in extreme circumstances.  www.koestlerarts.org.uk

Above: Ai Weiwei selecting works for Koestler Arts

BEACH HEADS Art Basel Miami will take place from December 1st to December 3rd at the Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC). 283 premier galleries from 38 countries and territories – including 26 first-time participants – will exhibit this year, the fair’s largest edition in Miami Beach to date. More than half of this year’s galleries are principally located in North and South America, joined by new and returning exhibitors from Africa, Asia, and Europe.  www.artbasel.com/miami-beach

IMAGES © KOESTLER ARTS/AI WEIWEI, ART BASEL, YARES ART

Below: Eric Firestone Gallery © Art Basel

Above: Yares Art Gallery, © Art Basel 10 ARTS & COLLECTIONS

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EVENTS // ARTS

BRAND IDENTITY From 2nd December 2022 to 14th May 2023, the exhibition HELMUT NEWTON. BRANDS runs at the Helmut Newton Foundation in Berlin. Picking up where previous show A Gun for Hire left off, HELMUT NEWTON. BRANDS showcases Newton’s work from the 1980s and ‘90s for high-paying ad agencies and corporate clients, mostly shot in and around Monaco. With over 200 photographs, half of which have rearely been seen before, the show features many unknown motifs from Newton’s collaborations with brands such as Swarovski, Saint Laurent, Wolford, Blumarine, Lavazza, Volkswagen and Chanel. To mark the exhibition, a newly revised edition of Helmut Newton. A Gun for Hire will be published by TASCHEN.  www.helmutnewton.com Left: Helmut Newton, Monica Bellucci, Blumarine, Nice 1993 (detail), © Helmut Newton Foundation

SUPERCARS Boosted by the continuing success of previous years, Rétromobile will be held in Pavilions 1, 2 and 3, at the Porte de Versailles Exhibition Centre, Paris, from February 1st-5th, 2023. The show will feature the usual eclectic line-up of carmakers, dealers, clubs and federations, automobilia sellers, parts and tools vendors, auction houses, bodywork restorers, insurance specialists, car art galleries and more. Highlights will include Lamborghini’s reconstruction of the Countach LP 500, a unique prototype which was the star of the March 1971 Geneva Motor Show.  www.retromobile.com Below: t he Lamborghini Countach LP 500, © Lamborghini

IMAGES © HELMUT NEWTON FOUNDATION, LAMBORGHINI, NPG/RANIA MATAR

Above: Demi, Brummana, Lebanon, 2021, by Rania Matar

PORTRAIT FORMAT The Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2022, now celebrating fifteen years under Taylor Wessing’s sponsorship, is the leading international photographic postrait competition, celebrating and promoting the very best in contemporary photography. For the second year, the exhibition will take place at the arts hub Cromwell Place, London, from 27th October – 18th December 2022, while the National Portrait Gallery building in St Martin’s Place is closed until 2023 for major redevelopment works.  www.npg.org.uk www.artsandcollections.com

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COLLECTIONS // AUCTIONS

Auction

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

LOTUS BLOSSOM

IMAGES © CHRISTIES

Christies’ Works of Art From the Schroeder Collection auction in July featured this Chinese cloisonne enamel jar and cover from the Qianlong period, 1736-1795, which sold for £37,000 on an estimate of £6,000-10,000. Acquired by Baron Sir John Henry Schröder (1825-1910) and by descent to Baron Bruno Schroder (1933-2019), the piece, 20cm in height, is supported on a spreading foot and features twin gilt beast-head handles with loose rings, finely decorated in bright enamels with large lotus blooms on a ground of scrolling foliage between bands of pendant ruyi heads and upright lappets to the mouth rim and base. The cover is similarly decorated and inset with openwork gilt-metal panels, surmounted by a lotus bud finial with seeds. 

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AUCTIONS // COLLECTIONS

PLANE LOVELY This impressive United airlines Boeing 377 Stratocruiser cutaway model, complete with its shipping crate with original United Airlines labels, was on offer from Morphy Auctions of Denver with an estimate of $30,000. Stratocruiser N31225 was one of the first seven delivered to United Airlines during the late 1940s and served with the airline as Mainliner Hawaii from September 28, 1949-December 29, 1954. This promotional model of wood and plastic by Pacific Miniatures of California has an 83-inch wingspan and exhibits both the exterior and interior features of the Stratocruiser. 

DIVINE BEAUTY This 10th century Indian sculpture was on offer from Artemis Gallery of Tucson through Live Auctioneers, with an estimate of $19,500. A breathtaking sandstone sculpture of a dancing surasundari or divine beauty boasting a quixotic visage and voluptuous breasts as she twists her torso and raises both arms, it is crowned by an elaborate coiffure of a coiled top bun and an arched headdress. A similar sandstone sculpture of a more petite scale sold for $87,500 at Bonhams New York in 2014. 

CONCERT PITCH

IMAGES © MORPHY AUCTIONS, ARTEMIS GALLERY, AGUTTES

A rare Guarnerius violin was sold by Claude Aguttes, of Aguttes auction house for 3.3 million Euros (£3.5m), in Paris on Friday June 3rd, 2022. The instrument has belonged to world renowned violinist, Régis Pasquier for more than twenty years and has accompanied him in the world’s most prestigious concert halls. Prior to this auction, no Guarnerius “del Gesù” violin had come up for sale in the last 10 years, and no Guarnerius from the age of full maturity of the violin maker had been acquired in the auction room in the 21st century. “There are many violins, but this one is like selling a Rembrandt, a Goya or even a Leonardo da Vinci painting,” said Sophie Perrine of Aguttes Auctions. 

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COLLECTIONS // AUCTIONS

PRETTY UGLY This acrylic and airbrush on paper piece by Hans Ruedi Giger (1940-2014), the artist behind the monster designs for the movie Alien, sold for $81,900 on an estimate of $30,000 at Christies online Post-War and Contemporary at sale in July. The 70 x 100 cm piece, Ugly, painted in 1979, features in the book Necronomicon II, and is strongly in the tradition of Giger’s ‘biomechanoid’ works which gave rise to the designs used in Alien, Species and other sci-fi/horror movies. 

SPORTY SPIRIT From RM Sotheby’s Monterey auction of the Oscar Davis collection, this 1930 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Sport Spider in the style of Zagato was expected to fetch up to $800,000. Not content merely to own one of the most spirited pre-war Italian sports cars, Oscar Davis had a metallurgical analysis of the chassis and components of this Gran Sport example done to establish its heritage. 

This lifesize big cat sculpture by Sebastian Novaky was on offer with a guide price of £19,550 from Saatchi Arts’ Feline Figures selection. A one-of-a-kind piece, Leopard #2 measures 174x63.5x31.8cm and is made from stainless steel. A beautifully detailed sculpture with an abstract hollow form, the piece captures the leopard’s hunting stance as it waits to capture its prey with its mighty paw. The German sculptor Sebastian Novaky has exhibited in Australia, Singapore, Denmark, and Italy. He says: “Striving for a sense of harmony, even in the most uncertain of circumstances, inspires me to make sculpture. I aim to stimulate emotions, feelings and the imagination. I want to create an atmosphere conducive to achieving a sense of well-being, happiness and joy. My work is figurative but it is meant to be metaphorical, not simply representational. In attempting to achieve a spiritual balance in my life and work, I look for alternatives to the self-absorption, materialism and cynicism that often seem prevalent in society. I try to focus on the metaphysical rather than the evidence of the physical world.”  14 ARTS & COLLECTIONS

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IMAGES © RM SOTHEBY’S, CHRISTIES, SAATCHI ARTS

HERE, KITTY, KITTY

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AUCTIONS // COLLECTIONS

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

Treasures

WHAT A BUZZ A jacket worn by astronaut Edwin ‘Buzz’ Aldrin on his first mission to the moon has sold for a record-breaking $2.77m (£2.3m), becoming the most valuable American space artifact ever sold at auction. The spaceflight jacket, sold by Sotheby’s in New York in July, was worn by Aldrin on the famous Apollo 11 mission in 1969 where he flew alongside Michael Collins and Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon. Key features of the jacket include Aldrin’s name tag on the left breast above the Apollo 11 mission emblem and the iconic American flag on the left shoulder. 

T

STONE ME

IMAGES © SOTHEBY’S, HERITAGE AUCTIONS, THE MACALLAN

This gold Cartier black onyx necklace with carnelian stones sold at Heritage Auctions for $7,750 on a reserve of $1,500, despite missing one carnelian element. Hallmarked 18k, the 173/4 inch necklace is completed by a foldover clasp and safety latch. 

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he oldest whisky released by The Macallan, The Reach is an extraordinarily rare single malt whisky celebrating the artisanship it took to craft it, from 1940 to today. An 81-year-old whisky distilled in 1940, this spirit is crafted from a single, sherry-seasoned oak cask and is the oldest expression released by The Macallan to date. The extraordinary and unique packaging of The Reach has been brought together by a collective of Scottish artisans. The handcrafted cabinet of glass, bronze and wood, is a fitting tribute to a very special whisky. This dark and burnished single malt is housed in a mouth-blown glass decanter, cradled by three bronze hands created by Scottish sculptor Saskia Robinson and featuring three individual fingerprint impressions of the hands that hold it high. To mirror the dedication that it takes to craft something truly beautiful, Scottish band Mogwai brought this release to life with an original score composed and recorded especially for The Reach. You can hear it on the company’s website.  www.themacallan.com. ARTS & COLLECTIONS 15

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ARTS // PHOTOGRAPHY

The Face of

CELEBRITY

Andy Gotts is known as ‘the Ansel Adams of faces’. Now his characteristic star portraits have been collected in a stunning book, The Photograph BY CHRIS JENKINS

Andy’s contact-sheets give us what feels like a VIP pass to spend time with his subjects. We see their beauty, their flaws, charisma, humanity and even a glimpse into their thoughts and process. We see the person in these people and are touched by their being. - Kylie Minogue

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PHOTOGRAPHY // ARTS

Above and Right: G eorge Clooney

IMAGES © ANDY GOTTS/ACC ART BOOKS

W

hen your monograph features testimonials from stars as diverse as Alan Cumming, Gene Simmons, Ian McKellen, Jeff Bridges, Michael Caine, Peter Capaldi and Simon Pegg, your success must have achieved stellar proportions; yet these are just a few of the names associated with photographer Andy Gotts. Sometimes called the ‘Ansel Adams of faces’, British-born Gotts, 51, has risen spectacularly to become one of the most recognisable and feted portraitists working today - and his career is still on the rise, with the publication of a comprehensive survey of his work, The Photograph, seemingly acting just as an introduction to what is to come. Other famous faces featuring in the book include Meryl Streep, Robert De Niro, Alan Rickman, Judi Dench, Dolly Parton, Eddie Redmayne, Gwyneth Paltrow, Harrison Ford, Penelope Cruz, Rita Ora, Samuel L. Jackson and many more. It’s a definitive, authorised, career-spanning book of images and many of the stories behind the images, featuring an incredible selection of portraits and, for the first time, multiple never-before-seen contact sheets. As if that weren’t enough, there’s even a foreword by Aussie songstress Kylie Minogue. But Gotts’ career in portraiture had a small start. In 1989 he was studying for a BTEC in photography at Norfolk College of Arts & Technology, and grabbed the opportunity for a shoot when TV star www.artsandcollections.com

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Stephen Fry visited. “I was given 90 seconds and I took 10 shots. This minute and a half is now a total blur”, Gotts recalls. “I cannot remember what I said to provoke the expressions and reactions I had in these 10 frames, but that was it...BOOM...my eureka moment. It was like a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders and I knew celebrity portraits were the way for me.”

ARTWORKS Since then, Andy Gotts has risen to the position of ‘photographer to the stars’ of the British media, Hollywood and the music scene through graft and raw talent. Gotts’ dramatic black-and-while style turns faces into artworks of shadow and light, while his colour portraits capture his subjects’ ineffable humanity.

Based in London and New York, Andy Gotts’ work has appeared in many international magazines, including French, Italian and Australian Vogue, ELLE, Style, Vanity Fair, GQ, Empire, FHM, Total Film, Entertainment Weekly and many more. A selection of his photographs is held in the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery, and he was appointed an MBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List in 2012. Speaking to Eamonn Holmes on the occasion of the exhibition of his work Icons at Maddox Gallery in 2021, Gotts said: “I can sit down and try to think of the most perfect things to sum up my work, but Ringo Starr did it for me - I steal off him because there’s an amazing landscape photographer called Ansel Adams, and Ringo looked at my ARTS & COLLECTIONS 17

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ARTS // PHOTOGRAPHY

Left: Daniel Craig

Above all Andy Gotts allows his subjects to shine through, untouched. His artistry does not come afterwards, in Photoshop and all the supposedly flattering trickery technology has taught us to expect. His skill is there in each frame, each moment, in the relationship he has built with his sitter - Alan Cumming

ICONIC

portfolio and said, ‘Andy, you’re the Ansel Adams of faces!’ And that’s exactly what I do, I try to capture the nooks and crannies, the geography of the facescapes.” In a world where Photoshop is often used to cover up blemishes and smooth

With this amazing book, you will see why Andy is as much a star as his subjects. - Gene Simmons

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complexions, Andy Gotts takes the opposite approach, emphasising the wear and tear of life. It’s an approach which works particularly well for his older, male sitters, such as Harrison Ford and Sir Ian McKellan, though Gotts is equally adept at capturing the luminous beauty of females including Scarlett Johannson and Penelope Cruz. Equally importantly, Gotts doesn’t treat his sitters with the reverence some of them might expect, coaxing from them extraordinary facial gymnastics. In the case of Robert De Niro, Gotts encouraged him to do his impression of Al Pacino doing an impression of Robert De Niro - “It was a split-second thing that happened’, says Gotts, but he captures it perfectly in his gurning portrait of De Niro.

“Everyone said Harrison Ford was hard work” says Gotts. “He doesn’t like interviews, he doesn’t like photography. I thought, I’m going to play this differently I’m only going to talk about things I know he likes. And you can see this (in the contact sheets), his face turning from being quite standoffish to a relaxed face. And I said, ‘Harrison, when have you ever messed around in front of the camera?’ - and he said ‘Never in 35 years, they were scared of me!’ And that’s where, once he started, he would not stop - I’m allowing the inner child to briefly come out. I’m allowing people to be silly where normally they’re wanted to look iconic.” What’s most remarkable is that Gotts often captures his subjects in as little as 10 minutes. “I go into a room wanting to do three things”, he says - “I want an iconic looking shot, I want something a bit more quirky and silly, and at the end of the shot I always tell the same joke. Sometimes they roar with laughter, sometimes they don’t get it, sometimes they look disgusted - it’s quite a rude joke!” The book, The Photograph, is designed to capture this working process, showing contact sheets which reveal the progress of the sessions. “This is part of the working process of an analogue photographer” says www.artsandcollections.com

09/11/2022 12:15


PHOTOGRAPHY // ARTS

ANDY GOTTS - The Photograph ACC Art Books 325 mm x 275 mm 252 Pages, £50 Also available is a deluxe, slip-cased edition, limited to 125 copies, with an exclusive print of Ringo Starr, at £500 www.accartbooks.com

Above Left: Andy Gotts, The Photograph Above Right: Ringo Starr Below Left: Rita Ora Below Right: Dolly Parton

IMAGES © ANDY GOTTS/ACC ART BOOKS

Gotts. “You have a reel of (negative) film, you chop it up, you put it on photographic paper (as a positive) and you choose your favourites.” In her introduction to The Photograph, Kylie Minogue expresses her appreciation of the merit of analogue photography: “As someone in front of the camera, I react differently when being photographed on film. Digital doesn’t involve the same calculation of cost or time and therefore can often feel more random, more throwaway. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve heard the phrases ‘There’ll be one in there’ and ‘We’ll fix it in post’. There are, of course, beauty and benefits with digital, but I will always have a love affair with film – an admiration for its purity and the precision required. The shutter is opened the split second the photographer senses the shot is right and I, as a subject, feel it.” This beautifully summarises Andy Gotts’ work, which somehow seems to capture the essence of old-fashioned Hollywood star photography, while at the same time granting the intimacy and immediacy we have come to expect in the age of Instagram. 

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09/11/2022 12:15


COLLECTIONS // AUCTION

Sixty Years

A SECRET AGENT The eternally young secret agent James Bond is actually 60 this year, and Christie’s celebrated with a charity auction. Now, pay attention...

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his autumn, Christie’s and EON Productions presented Sixty Years of James Bond, an official two-part charity sale celebrating the 60th Anniversary of James Bond on the silver screen. Featuring 60 iconic lots spanning the 25 James Bond films, the live and online auctions’ proceeds were donated to benefit 45 charities. The 61 lots presented across the live and online auctions were 100% sold, raising a spectacular total of £6,874,494. The top lot of Part I Live Auction was the No Time To Die Aston Martin replica DB5 stunt car,

selling for an impressive £2,922,000, while lively bidding saw a Swarovski crystalmounted prop egg made by Asprey, London from the film Octopussy reach £327,600.

LICENCE TO BUY The live auction featured 25 lots comprising vehicles, watches, costumes and props many of which are related to the 25th and most recent Bond film, No Time To Die, with the final six lots representing the six actors who have played Bond: Sir Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Sir Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig.

Headlining the sale was an iconic silver birch Aston Martin DB5, the only DB5 stunt car to be released for sale. While attendance for the live auction was invitation-only, online bidding for the auction was open to all via Christie’s LIVE™. The online sale featured 35 lots spanning the 25 films. From posters and props to costumes and experiences, this sale offered one-of-a-kind memorabilia bound to impress fans of the iconic British spy. What’s no secret is that you can see a the complete rundown of the results of the auctions on the website at www.christies.com. 

IMAGES © CHRISTIE’S IMAGES LTD, © DANJAQ, LLC AND METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER STUDIOS INC.

Skyfall (2012) Floating Dragon Casino lion statue Sold for: £7,560 on estimate of £6,000 One of a pair seen in the Komodo Dragon pit in the Floating Dragon casino scene filmed at Pinewood Studios, made by the Bond art department

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AUCTION // COLLECTIONS

Licence to Kill (1989) Black single-breasted tuxedo Sold for: £25,200 on estimate of £10,000 Worn by Timothy Dalton as James Bond, signed on inside jacket lining

The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) Major Anya Amasova’s dress Sold for: £40,320 on estimate of £8,000 Worn by Barbara Bach. Navy silk jersey dress with Swarovski elements in neckline and straps, designer Ronald Patterson

No Time To Die (2021) SPECTRE Agent Primo’s Bionic Eyeball Sold for: £44,000 on estimate of £6,000 Together with cradle, velvet cushion and plate. 1 5/8 in. (4.2 cm.) high, including cradle

No Time to Die (2021) ‌Michael Kors leather satchel Sold for: £23,940 on estimate of £3,000 Bancroft style bag used by Naomie Harris as Moneypenny

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AUCTION // COLLECTIONS

No Time to Die (2021) Omega Seamaster Diver 300m 007 edition Sold for: £226,800 on estimate of £20,000 A titanium automatic diver’s military style wristwatch with mesh bracelet, worn by Daniel Craig as James Bond in No Time to Die, designed with input from Daniel Craig

IMAGES © CHRISTIE’S IMAGES LTD 2022, © DANJAQ, LLC AND METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER STUDIOS INC

007 Special Edition Leica Q2 camera Sold for: £30,240 on estimate of £10,000 One of 250, in fitted globetrotter case, signed by Daniel Craig, together with Daniel Craig’s Bond book by Greg Williams

Octopussy (1983) Swarovski prop egg Sold for: £327,600 on estimate of £10,000 In the manner of Fabergé, commissioned from Asprey, London with hinged cover enclosing a miniature carriage, adorned with white crystals

Diamonds Are Forever (1971) Poster, UK quad Sold for: £8,820 on estimate of £3,000 Poster, Robert McGinnis artwork, backed on linen, condition A-; together with book, Diamonds are Forever, Jonathan Cape, London, 1956, 8vo, original black boards blind-stamped with diamond design, in facsimile dust-jacket

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COLLECTIONS // AUCTION

No Time to Die (2021) Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE Sold for: £138,600 on estimate of £30,000 A 1200cc motorcycle with liquid-cooled, 8 valve, SOHC, 270° crank angle parallel-twin engine. Sold by Triumph Motorcycles Limited

IMAGES © CHRISTIE’S IMAGES LTD 2022, © DANJAQ, LLC AND METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER STUDIOS INC, © PHOTOGRAPHER MAX EAREY

No Time to Die (2021) Aston Martin replica DB5 stunt car Sold for: £2,922,000 on estimate of £2,000,000 One of only eight built specifically for James Bond and to date the only DB5 stunt car to be released for public sale by Aston Martin

The World is Not Enough (1999) Q Jet Boat Sold for: £126,000 on estimate of £30,000 A ‘non-runner’ SFX version built by Riddle Marine

Aston Martin DBS Superleggera, No Time to Die 007 Special Edition Sold for: £403,200 on estimate of £400,000 Ceramic grey coupe, 8-speed ZF automatic transmission, 5.2l twin-turbo v12 engine

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ARTS // PHOTOGRAPHY

STARS IN HIS EYES

IMAGES © xxx

Paul Newman was arguably one of the last of the great classic Hollywood stars. Now a new book celebrates his blue-eyed cool with a stunning selection of images

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PHOTOGRAPHY // ARTS

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IMAGES © ACC ART BOOKS/THE PHOTOGRAPHERS

aul Newman, who died in 2008, was arguably one of the last great Hollywood icons. Known for his rugged good looks, nuanced acting style and an active lifestyle which included a keen interest in motor-racing, Newman’s essence is captured in a new book BlueEyed Cool - Paul Newman Through the Lens of Six Great Photographers, by James Clarke, from ACC Art Books. Born in 1925 in Shaker Heights, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, Newman showed an interest in theatre as a child, and at age 10 performed in a stage production of Saint George and the Dragon at the Cleveland Play House. He studied drama and economics at Kenyon College in 1949, and toured with several summer stock companies before studying at the Actors Studio under Lee Strasberg. His acting career was interrupted by military service in the Second World War, where he flew as a gunner in the Pacific theatre. His first starring Broadway role was in William Inge’s Picnic, and he appeared in several other small roles before hitting the big time with his performances in Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956) and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), which also starred Elizabeth Taylor.

Other major film roles included The Hustler (1961), Hud (1963), Harper (1966), Cool Hand Luke (1967), and the role for which he will probably be best remembered, in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969). Nominated 10 times for an Oscar, he received an Academy Award for Best Actor for The Color of Money (1986).

CARS But Newman was also a noted racing driver, winning several national championships as a driver in Sports Car Club of America road racing, and his teams winning several championships in open-wheel IndyCar racing. Having said he would quit “when I embarrass myself”, he competed into his 80s, winning at Lime Rock in what former co-driver Sam Posey called a “brutish Corvette” displaying his age as its number: 81. In a 2008 run at Lime Rock, arranged by friends, he reportedly still did 9/10ths of his best time. His other interests (and remember here that he studied economics) included Newman’s Own, a food company from which he donated all post-tax profits and royalties to charity - by 2021 amounting to over $500m. He also founded the SeriousFun Children’s Network, a global

family of summer camps and programs for children with a serious illness which has served 1.3 million children and family members since its inception. Paul Newman was married twice, including to Oscar-winning actress Joanne Woodward, and fathered six children. When once asked about his reputation for fidelity, he famously quipped, “Why go out for a hamburger when you have steak at home?” Of Newman’s screen persona, Chuck Sack wrote: “The Newman image was of a man outside society’s boundaries who recognized the hypocrisy of the system for what it was... to appreciate how the image affected Newman, one need only recall the reputation of his contemporaries. Brando was the temperamental and narcissistic Actor. Steiger was the pensive, meticulous Character Actor. Ben Gazzara was the wellknown Broadway and television Actor. Paul Newman was the box office Star.”

BLUE-EYED COOL ACC Art Books’ Blue-Eyed Cool; Paul Newman Through the Lens of Six Great Photographers, features the work of six of the most respected names in the field: Milton H. Greene, Lawrence Fried, Douglas Kirkland, Terry O’Neill, Al Satterwhite and Eva Sereny. But the foreword goes to Tim

Left: P aul Newman by Douglas Kirkland Right: Image by Al Satterwhite

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ARTS // PHOTOGRAPHY

Top Left: Image by Milton Greene Above: Image by Lawrence Fried Left: Image by Al Satterwhite Right: Paul Newman: Blue-Eyed Cool, from ACC Art Books

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PHOTOGRAPHY // ARTS

Zimberoff, who explains how he attempted to capture Newman’s famous eyes in a black-and-white photograph. “I wanted Newman’s baby-blues to have as much impact in black-and-white as in Technicolor” Zimberoff explains. “Because I didn’t like the idea of fiddling around in the darkroom to light a fire in Paul’s pupils every time I set out to make a print, I’d have to do some hocus-focus up front, in camera, while Paul was on camera.... It’s necessary to understand, first, that blackand-white film is not monochromatic. It’s not a one-color medium, as people tend to describe it. The correct term is panchromatic. Panchromatic film “sees” colors as discrete wavelengths of light and renders each one as an individual shade of gray, from darkest black (a total absence of reflected light) to brightest white and everything in between.” Zimberoff’s solution, using blue filters to emphasis Newman’s eyes, delivered a striking portrait (seen right). But he admits that like a lot of actors, Newman wasn’t that comfortable in front of a stills camera: “Paul was thoroughly engaged throughout our photoshoot. But when our twenty minutes were up, he got up and took off. I’m sure he would rather have been shifting heel-andtoe through a chicane into a straightaway, hellbent for speed behind the wheel of a race car, not hassled by a Hasselblad.”

IMAGES © ACC ART BOOKS/THE PHOTOGRAPHERS

IMAGE Yet Lawrence Fried, who photographed Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward on the set of their theatre production Baby Want a Kiss, noted that Newman was a photography enthusiast, and encouraged his interest in the art and craft of image making. “Fried would ask Newman to drag out his camera and then playfully invite the theatre and movie star to show him how to take a photo” says James Clarke in the book. “This ease and warmth between Fried and Newman permeate the resulting photographs by Fried, which capture Newman’s handsome features and, certainly, an urbane confidence. They are also images that speak to friendship between photographer and their subject.” The book also showcases Douglas Kirkland’s photographs from the set of the classic Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and beautiful studio portraits of Paul Newman with Joanne Woodward in 1980. www.artsandcollections.com

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In Kirkland’s shots for People magazine in 1980, Newman was wearing a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona watch, a gift from Joanne engraved on the back with ‘Drive Carefully’. In 1984, Paul gave the watch to his daughter’s boyfriend, James Cox, and in 2017, the watch went up for auction for the Nell Newman Foundation. The Kirkland picture was used to promote the auction, where the watch was sold for $17.8 million. “We had no idea that we had a ‘piece’ of Paul’s watch.” Douglas Kirkland explains. “That particular image (from 1980) is now being collected. We have sold a number of limited edition prints to collectors.”

Above: Image by Tim Zimberoff

The last word belongs to photographer Terry O’Neill, who photographed Newman during the production of four movies. In an interview with The Independent in 2008, O’Neill rued the passing of a particular generation and era in Hollywood filmmaking, saying: “They don’t really make good films any more. There aren’t really any great stars, not like Paul Newman…”  Blue-Eyed Cool: Paul Newman Through the Lens of Six Great Photographers ACC Art Books, £45 www.accartbooks.com ARTS & COLLECTIONS 29

09/11/2022 10:36


Redefining Luxury For Over 60 Years A haven for the world’s most discerning travellers, find yourself nestled between

the tranquil turquoise waters and the lush emerald jungle of Paradise Island. Experience the legacy and glamour of the Resort’s expansive Versailles Gardens and 12th Century Cloisters, dine on lavish fare at DUNE by Jean-Georges or live like Bond at Martini Bar & Lounge.

This private oasis offers rooms, suites, bungalows and villa residences with modern beach chic or elegant island interiors. From romantic rendezvous to family escapes, the serenity of The Ocean Club beckons you home.

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COLLECTIONS // TRAVEL

Bringing the Bahamas to Life Whether you seek party excitement or luxurious seclusion, the Bahamas represent the jewels in the Caribbean crown

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ituated off the tip of eastern Florida, stretching southeast across the Atlantic, the Bahamas are made up of some 2,000 islands - that’s if you include the minor ‘cays’, sandy islands on the surfaces of coral reefs. But of course the major islands are the most popular holiday destinations, offering something for just about every type of traveller from the sunworshipper to the luxury traveller. Grand Bahama, third largest and northernmost of the islands, with the town of West End is ideal for family holidays, with lots of children’s facilities and activities, while Nassau is a fabled party island, offering outdoor adventure from diving and

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snorkelling to golfing and world-renowned fishing. In between there are quiet, romantic islands with coral beaches which offer plenty of seclusion if that is what you wish.

CLIMATE The stunning white sandy beaches and clear azure waters of the Bahamas, together with their year-round tropical climate, make them a wonderful holiday destiation at any time of the year, though mid-December through to April is peak season, with the highest rates and the biggest crowds of the year. If you enjoy island-hopping, there are fast ferry services, from Nassau to Andors,

Long, Exuma, Grand Bahama, South Abaco and Eleuthera, including Spanish Wells and Harbour Island, as well as slower mail boats and many small airlines. The peak of the festival season is Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, when “Junkanoo” sees street parades held throughout the islands. The Conch Festival is hosted every October, celebrating the nation’s most beloved food, a culinary spectacle that includes a conch cracking contest, live music and dancing. If the exciting nightlife of Nassau isn’t for you, you may prefer the luxury surroundings of a resort such as the Ocean Club on Paradise Island, off the shore of the city.

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TRAVEL // COLLECTIONS

IMAGES © FOUR SEASONS

PARADISE Since its development in the 1960s, Paradise Island has always been the playground of the rich and famous. It’s also a popular setting for movies; The Beatles’ film Help! (1965) was partially filmed there, as were the films My Father the Hero (1994), Holiday in the Sun (2001), and James Bond films Thunderball (1965) and Casino Royale (2006). Paradise Island is connected to the island of New Providence by two bridges that cross Nassau Harbour. The first was built in 1966 by Resorts International, and the second in the late 1990s. Since opening in 1962, The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort, Bahamas has been a playground for celebrities and discerning travellers. Set along a fivemile stretch of natural, white-sand beach on Paradise Island, it’s an enclave of remarkable seclusion, with intimate lowrise buildings surrounded by 35 acres of Versailles-inspired lawns and gardens. The gardens (seen left) are one of the most remarkable sights of the Bahamas. www.artsandcollections.com

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This idyllic setting is reminiscent of the Cote D’Azur, perhaps incongruous but somehow echoing the glamour and luxury for which the Resort is famed. This quarter mile stretch of impeccably manicured greenswards houses a personally curated collection of stone and bronze statues imported by George Huntington Hartford II, heir to the A&P Tea Company and former owner of the Resort and Paradise Island. The Gardens ascend to 12th century cloisters overlooking Nassau Harbour for a truly remarkable experience like no other.

DIAMOND In 2022, the Diamond 60th Anniversary of the Ocean Club, the gardens have been the setting for a series of special events including a Rosé Paradis Garden, in partnership with Château d’Esclans, an enchanting pop-up experience transporting guests from the storied Versailles Gardens of Paradise Island to the south of France. Kicking off the spring season, guests enjoyed an ultra-exclusive culinary experience with the launch of the 007

Secret Menu. Paying homage to all seven Bond films released in the 1960s, The Ocean Club premiered in the legendary Martini Bar, a highly-exclusive, immersive seven-course menu, each course inspired by one of the films, curated by the property’s talented culinary masters, paired with a unique martini - shaken, not stirred, of course - from the Martini Bar. And there have been major renovations of the resort’s facilities, from the spacious guest rooms and suites of the Crescent Wing to the exclusive Villa residences (seen above), across all of the resort’s public spaces, such as the signature restaurant DUNE by Jean-Georges, the gym, Versailles Pool, Ocean Pool and the Spa. General Manager John Conway says: “2022 marks a special year for all of us here at The Ocean Club, as we celebrate our storied past, present, and future. Throughout the last six decades, the property has become an iconic grande dame of the Caribbean, with so many incredible stories to tell, and this year, we want to bring these stories to life.”  ARTS & COLLECTIONS 33

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IMAGES © CHARLES BURNAND/SOPHIA SPRING

COLLECTIONS // GALLERY

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GALLERY // COLLECTIONS

MATCHLESS

Taste & Elegance Globally renowned collectible design gallery, Charles Burnand, has opened a light-filled new space in the heart of London’s arty Fitzrovia neighbourhood. Arts & Collections pays a visit BY CHRIS JENKINS

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lobally renowned collectible design gallery, Charles Burnand, has opened a light-filled new space in the heart of London’s arty Fitzrovia neighbourhood to showcase the work of its international group of artists and designer-makers. The two-story, 250sqm space will showcase the gallery’s expanded roster of established and emerging artists, as well as housing a new custom commission studio enabling clients to see the design and production process first-hand. Founded in 2009 by Simon Stewart, Charles Burnand has established an impressive reputation for representing talented international designers and artists creating works for interior designers, architects and private collectors. Stewart started the studio to make bespoke pieces for discerning clients, and soon realised that collectors and designers wanted oneoff pieces made to very exacting standards. “We work with honest, noble and sustainable materials and we have honed

our skills to create unique, one-of-a-kind and edition pieces that are appreciated by collectors worldwide,” says Stewart. “Our new gallery allows us to show our pieces in one place, allowing our clients to engage with the ‘world’ of Charles Burnand. It is also a dedicated space where we can work with designers, architect and collectors to bring their ideas to fruition,” he adds.

EVOLUTION The evolution of the Charles Burnand in-house design and production studio is a story forged out of curiosity, combined with a visceral desire to design and create cutting-edge pieces in luxurious, tactile materials that will be in the client’s collection permanently. “Joy, for us, is working with a clientele who understand that world-class design is a process that takes time - the time to consider details, the time to make. Our client is an appreciator of the finest materials, who celebrates time-honoured

skills that we combine with cutting-edge technology,” Stewart says. Following on from a successful SALON Art + Design NYC 2021, as well as Collect in London, new works on show at the London gallery include designs by Alexandra Champalimaud, a debut work by Linda Boronkay, a bench by Caleb Zipperer and the brilliant craftsmanship of Callum Partridge. The collectible design market is buoyant, says Jill Bokor, Executive Director of SALON Art + Design NYC. “The passion for collectible design has reached new heights in the past two years. Spending more time at home, people and not only collectors - feel the need for greater elegance and comfort and within that, the unexpected. The brilliance of Charles Burnand is precisely this; the ability to elevate and surprise, to create collectible design that whispers, rather than shouts ‘this is a home for people of matchless taste, elegance and whimsy.’ What more could a collector want?”

Left: C harles Burnand’s new gallery in Fitrovia. Photo: Sophia Spring

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COLLECTIONS // GALLERY

FREDRIK NIELSEN

FROM ‘FIRST IMPRESSION’ BLOWN GLASS PIECES Glass, car body paint An extensively trained glassblower who pushes the framework of his craft, Nielsen clearly speaks in his work of his range of influences crossing from graffiti to pop music, the energy of which is deeply imbued in each eye-commanding piece. “I want the physical effort to be so big that I am creating a work that is competing with my own body. Everything that reaches this stadium of competition becomes important, then I have created a volume that is looking for the limits of body and mass.” The raw expression he shares is a result of his direct competition with the forms he explores, the process but also the outcome after which we get to appreciate the depth of each piece. With his works housed both publicly and privately all over the world Nielsen is a true international man of glass.

DAWN BENDICK

FROM ‘FIRST IMPRESSION’

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IMAGES © CHARLES BURNAND/SOPHIA SPRING

TIME ROCK STACK XV, 2022 - UNIQUE PIECE Dichroic glass Dawn Bendick is an artist working with time, light and multitone glass. Commonly found near trails and bodies of water, cairns are stacks of cantilevered rocks purposely balanced as ceremonial totems that mark a place or a journey. Bendick’s Time Rock Stacks are cast stones and relics gathered from a medieval church in dichroic glass embedded with metallic particles that react chromatically to the frequency of light. These glass timepieces respond to their surroundings and are a way of tapping into our peripheral senses and heightening awareness of changes in seasons, atmospheric light and weather. . Her project titled Time Over Time considers how the changing properties of a material can signal the passage of time. The multitone glass is a colour changing material from which ideas about our relationship to natural light are communicated. She works with a combination of natural and artificial lights to trigger changes in the colour of this unusual and magical material. Her work is inspired by natural light and our intuitive ability to track time without technology. www.artsandcollections.com

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GALLERY // COLLECTIONS

MIA JUNG

CLOUD CONSOLE, 2018 EDITION OF 8 + 2AP Murano glass, 24 carat gold Cloud Console was born as part of the search for the simplest, most elegant and at the same time, poetic form. In this search Jung saw an opportunity to create a piece that accentuated the beauty of both the Murano glass and the 24 karat precious metals. Jung considered elemental and natural forces - the power of wind, a leaf quivering, the silent drag of the moon, a heat haze on the horizon creating a mirage like effect; elements shifting and dancing together all of which could be captured in the undulating surface of the hand-poured glass and precious metals.

AGATHE LABAYE & FLORIAN SUMIE

SALON CHAIR 4 - UNIQUE PIECE Stainless steel, leather, oak Le Salon is a project and collection that has been developed from architect Agathe Labaye and designer Florian Sumi’s desire to create a sharing space, where everyone can gather around one single centre. Labaye & Sumi picture it as a scene with protagonists of different physiognomies and physiologies, with a variety of personalities. In the universal configuration of the agora, this theatre of objects is enclosed in its centre. Thereby, they evoke stories around the idea of a group, looking for a formal identity of the whole while identifying each part of it. This project began during spring of 2018 in collaboration with the leather artist Dragovan with whom they created two small prototypes (Salon s-1 and s-2) combining sheet stainless steel and leather which resulted in the creation of Japanese-style low seats. Le Salon 3 is fabricated with oak from Burgundy, stainless steel legs and braided leather backrest. Higher than the first two, longer than it is deep, this narrowness accommodates a more restricted, upright and tense sitting experience. The fourth and last seat Le Salon 4, is far more complex, though more conventional in its ergonomics. Wide and deep, it is made up of metal sheet, struts and stainless steel stiffeners, and a woven backrest designed much as a dorsal corset hugging the lines of the backbone and shoulder blades. www.artsandcollections.com

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COLLECTIONS // GALLERY

FROM ‘BEFORE THE FANTASTIC...’ THE DREAMER (the Table That Dreamt of Being Light) Gypsum Realised over the past two years, this collection is a series of ‘moments’ created through emotion and form. Rodriguez’s work is guided by a very particular moment of creation, the instance when the nebula in our mind lights up and the synapses connect, crystallising an emotion or idea into a form. “Prior to every storm there is moment of clarity and quiet space, the pre-cursor to the dutiful chaos that will ensue, a moment where procedural development begins; it is this nexus that is ‘Before the Fantastic…’” Award-winning Rodriguez (b.1971), multi-disciplinary designer and artist, creates furniture, interiors and special projects; his work includes handmade furniture and lighting made from plaster and salvaged wood, imbued with distinct character that is both familiar and curious at the same time. 38 ARTS & COLLECTIONS

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IMAGES © CHARLES BURNAND/SOPHIA SPRING

REYNOLD RODRIGUEZ

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GALLERY // COLLECTIONS

CREATIVE A true creative in every sense, Simon Stewart’s original career was as a professional classical musician - his instruments were saxophone and clarinet but after 17 years as a recording artist and performing around the globe he switched careers 15 years ago. Stewart started the business with his mother, originally as a lifestyle concept store selling original mid-century-modern Italian furniture, lighting and artist-made objet for the home. The company launched its own first collection in 2013. About five years ago, Stewart noticed an increasing demand for bespoke and custom pieces and as client requests increased, he began to look for workshops in Italy (mainly Murano glass), France, Germany, and the UK. The company now has an impressive roster of artists and workshops creating world-class pieces. “In the past two years the bespoke business and calibre of commissions has grown exponentially,” says Stewart. “For example, we are now selling handmade chandeliers for in excess of £300,000. Due to the bespoke nature of each commission, we hand-select the artisan or artist most suited to the task in hand - it all depends on the nature of the project.”

FANTASTIC In September, Charles Burnand presented First Impression, a new group show celebrating glass as a material in contemporary, collectible design with pieces from both established and emerging artists. An intimate curation of ceramic works sat alongside the glass pieces, referencing the differences and parallels across the mediums. This exhibition coincided with the UN’s International Year of Glass; a material that Charles Burnand Gallery has a long-standing global reputation for championing in collectible design. Artists included CaCO3, Fredrik Nielsen, Joanna Manousis, Zac Weinberg, Dawn Bendick and emerging talent Binghui Song and Inger Sif Heeschen. “To be able to curate a show with glass artworks of this calibre and quality is a clear demonstration of how glass can be taken from the everyday and elevated to extraordinary levels. First Impression challenges the viewers perception of glass and is a true celebration of the fragility www.artsandcollections.com

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Above: Simon Stewart. Photo: Sophia Spring

and strength of this age-old medium” says Simon Stewart. On show now is Before the Fantastic..., a solo exhibition which marks a new partnership between Charles Burnand Gallery and Puerto Rican artist and designer Reynold Rodriguez. From his studio in San Juan, Rodriguez works closely with his design studio to develop projects that combine new techniques and

sometimes unfamiliar materials in works which are often dreamlike. Before the Fantastic...runs until January 13th 2023.  Charles Burnand Gallery is at 27 Whitfield Street, London, W1T 2SE, tel. +44 (0)20 7993 4968. See the website at www.charlesburnand.com and Instagram: @charlesburnand ARTS & COLLECTIONS 39

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Your great escape. Tailored by Burgess

enquiries@burgessyachts.com +44 20 7766 4300 14 offices worldwide I Europe I Americas I Asia Pacific I Middle East

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Unexplored destinations, memorable experiences, wonderful surprises. It’s what we do. With over 45 years of market-leading superyacht expertise, Burgess always supplies the wow factor - for clients familiar and new.

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As a Burgess client, you always come first, whether that’s charter, brokerage, new construction, management or finance. Global knowledge delivered locally from 14 offices worldwide, that’s the Burgess difference.

04/07/2022 11:51


COLLECTIONS // YACHTING

CANNES

The Cannes Yachting Festival 2022 hosted 650 prestige boats

-Do Attitude The marine industry has recovered strongly after the pandemic, with boat sales and hire more popular than ever

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multihull sailing boats ranging from 10 to 33 metres in length, with 19 global launches. The Yacht Brokerage & Toys Area in Port Canto accommodated about 30 previously owned boats in-water, available for sale or hire. This year, the Yacht Brokerage area accommodated the biggest boat at the Festival, with an exceptional length of 73 metres in length. “In many ways 2022 will remain unforgettable, not only because we celebrated the 45th anniversary of the Festival but mainly because we reached our ambitious objective which was to exceed the results of the 2019 edition prior to Covid” said Sylvie Ernoult, Director of the Cannes Yachting Festival. “These very good results echo the latest figures provided by the French Nautical Industries Federation on the boating industry, which has brightened up thanks to order books filling up. Beyond the results, from the first days of the Festival we heard lots of feedback from our 600

exhibitors as to how satisfied they were and delighted with the visitor quality, positive sales and wonderful weather. All the indicators were green! We are proud of and happy with these results”, she added.

LUXURY LEISURE Leading marine specialists such as Burgess Yachts were out in force at Cannes. Burgess, a global leader in luxury yacht sales, charter and management, exemplifies the way in which marine sales and charter can bring a touch of luxury to leisure. Among its roster currently are the award-winning Silvertip and the graceful Shenandoah of Sark. Built in 2001 and refitted in 2020 by Yachting Developments, New Zealand, the 110-foot Silvertip accommodates up to seven guests in three cabins. Guests can stretch sunbathe on the aft deck’s sunpads or take the steps down to the folding swim platform for a cooling dip or to enjoy the many thrilling tow toys behind the yacht’s 14.8ft tender.

IMAGES © DREAMSTIME, BURGESS YACHTS

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ike many international luxury markets, the yachting world suffered in the pandemic, but it has since made a spectacular recovery; the hire industry is racing back to health, and events like the Cannes Yachting Festival, held this year from 6th-11th September, mark the resurgence of a fun-filled industry. Every year the Cannes Yachting Festival hosts an eclectic offering of boats from 5 to 45 meters on-water and less than 10 meters ashore, in all categories; sailing or motor, monohull or multihull, rigid or semi-rigid hull. In 2022, the Vieux Port saw 54,000 visitors and hosted more than 600 exhibitors, showing 650 prestigious new motor-boats ranging from 5 to 48 metres in length, of which 135 were world previews. Vieux Port is also the setting of the Luxury Gallery, an area dedicated to luxury and the art of living. On the other side of the Croisette, the Port Canto is the setting of the Sailing Area. This year it presented 116 new monohull and

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YACHTING // COLLECTIONS

From the drawing board of the renowned Dubois studio, Silvertip is expertly built for both performance and comfort. The guest deck lounge remains completely line-free for total safety and a dodger over the companionway shelters guests from the wind without blocking the views forward. For a more sedate experience, passengers can explore the anchorage on paddleboards, zip silently about on the flyboard or even join the crew on a fishing expedition. There are also six sets of scuba diving equipment and a compressor so they can get up close to the submarine life. To escape the midday heat on deck, lunch can be enjoyed at the dining table below in air-conditioned comfort, and after lunch there’s a lounge with its state-of-the-art sound system to relax in. At bedtime, Silvertip has very familyfriendly accommodation for seven, comprising a full-beam master cabin with an island double berth aft, plus another guest double cabin and a twin cabin with an additional berth. Silvertip is available for charter at €49,000 per week.

GOLDEN AGE Another highlight from Burgess is Shenandoah of Sark, a yacht whose grace, elegance and class cuts through the world of yachting to be perceived as a thing of beauty. Built in 1902 and refitted in 2018, the 178-foot Shenandoah of Sark features a family-friendly, line-free guest cockpit at the heart of the action, together with wide-open deck spaces presenting limitless options for relaxation and entertainment. Ten to eleven guests can be accommodated in four cabins. Featuring an onboard chef and a saloon with a baby grand piano, the yacht’s exceptional luxury and glamour brought Vogue on board for a fashion shoot. At the end of the day guests can retire to four versatile suites including a sumptuous fullbeam master cabin and prepare for another day of ocean-going pleasure. Perfectly capturing the luxury of the boating life, Shenandoah of Sark is available for charter from €110,000 per week.  www.cannesyachtingfestival.com www.burgessyachts.com Right (from top): Shenandoah of Sark makes sail ,and breaches the waves; Silvertip offers familyfriendly accommodation

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GREECE & WEST MEDITERRANEAN

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26/10/2022 10:05


COUTURE // COLLECTIONS

From Alba Amicorum’s Man Ray collection

ART

You Can Wear Art doesn’t have to be framed and hung on your walls Alba Amicorum’s scarves show it can be worn too

IMAGES © ALBA AMICORUM

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n the heart of London’s fashionable Belgravia is the atelier of Alba Amicorum, opened in 2020, which can claim, possibly uniquely, to be a “wearable art and luxury scarf studio and shop”. Conceived by the artist, graphic designer, and collector Darshana Shilpi Rouget as an incubator for wearable textile art, Alba Amicorum was launched as a collaborative endeavour to connect Shilpi Rouget with an impressive list of international artists, artist estates and creatives. Using the scarf as a medium for www.artsandcollections.com

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“unframing” art and turning it into a wearable timeless object and accessory, Alba Amicorum is dedicated to producing limited edition collections, and advocating for a more considerate and sustainable consumption. Alba Amicorum takes inspiration from Renaissance ‘friendship books’ which young men and women in 16th-century Europe would fill with musings and contributions from the ‘influencers of their day’ as they travelled between universities and great cities.

In this spirit, Darshana uses the scarf as a canvas for expressing thoughts and ideas through collaborations with artists and friends around the world.

ARTISANS Shilpi Rouget has gathered her international collective of collaborators and artisans after a longstanding career as a creative director and graphic designer for prestigious luxury brands such as Tiffany’s, Cartier and Conde Nast and having lived in New York, Brussels and London. ARTS & COLLECTIONS 45

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COLLECTIONS // COUTURE

The medium is scarves, meticulously printed in limited editions, resulting from collaborations with artists and artisans, and their work is translated onto the finest silks and cashmere by a skilled family of Italian artisans in Como, who print scarves for the fashion world’s most prestigious designers. The collaborations at Alba Amicorum liberate art from the frame and onto fluid fabric – to be worn, draped or wrapped in any way the wearer chooses. Since the brand’s launch in 2020, Alba Amicorum has collaborated with a carefully curated selection of artists and creatives, from Man Ray Estate to prima ballerinas Misako Kato & Juliet Burnett, French Indonesian artist Joel Benguigui, Mongolian artist Shagdarjavin Chimeddorj, New York based writer Ross Klavan, American illustrator and artist Deni Javas, American photographer James T Murray and American artist Mary Jones. In 2020, Darshana also created a collection of scarves around the work of her late father, esteemed Indian multidisciplinary artist Babuji Rajendra Shilpi, whose rich colourful work celebrated Indian heritage and ancient arts. This Winter, Alba Amicorum will launch a new collection of handmade ‘twillies’ to be tied around a bag, or worn as a neckerchief, bracelet or pocket square, offering a luxurious and imaginative detail to any outfit, transforming it through the timeless accessory of the scarf. 

Above: Three of Alba Amicorum’s winter ‘twillies’ Right: “A canvas for expressing thoughts and ideas” Below: From the Man Ray Collection - the scarves can be worn, draped or wrapped in any way the wearer chooses

IMAGES © ALBA AMICORUM

https://albaamicorum.com/

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www.artsandcollections.com

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COLLECTIONS // CARS

THE PRANCING PONY

What do you call a 3/4 scale Ferrari? There’s only one word for this Pebble Beach Edition Testa Rossa J, and that’s fantastic

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his fabulous Pebble Beach Edition Ferrari Testa Rossa J went under the hammer at Bonhams’ “The Quail Auction” in August with an estimate of US$90-120,000, achieving $148,000, with all profi ts donated by The Little Car Company to the Pebble Beach Foundation. A very special one-of-one edition, finished in Bianco Cervino with blue stripes, the Pebble Beach Edition Ferrari Testa Rossa J commemorates “Lucybelle II” (chassis 0732TR), the 1958 Le Mans 24 Hours car. The Testa Rossa J is a beautiful fully electric 75% scale reproduction of the Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, developed and hand-built from the original drawings kept by Ferrari Classiche. This prancing pony was the first Testa Rossa J to ever appear at auction,

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allowing the successful bidder to jump the year-long waiting list. Working in collaboration with The Little Car Company, the UK-based firm specialising in the production of officially licensed scaled cars, Ferrari has led every aspect of this project, strictly limited to 299 vehicles.

TRACK STAR Developed and handcrafted using original drawings supplied by the Ferrari Classiche department, scanned and digitally recreated, along with design oversight from Ferrari’s Centro Stile, each Testa Rossa J is made with hand-beaten aluminium panels, paying homage to every aspect of the original 250 Testa Rossa, including the iconic “pontoon fenders”. A key track protagonist in the 1950s

and 1960s, the 250 Testa Rossa is one of the all-time great Ferraris, distinguished by its lengthy list of honours and its longevity. The car claimed some 18 victories in its history, and three World Sportscar Championship titles in 1958, 1960 and 1961. It is also the only Ferrari to have won the 24 Hours of Le Mans four times – in 1958, 1960, 1961 and 1962 (considering the 330 TR the last evolution). This particular example of the Testa Rossa J, a one-of-one special edition, commemorates “Lucybelle II” (chassis 0732TR), which was the car raced by US driver Ed Hugus, a Pebble Beach resident, and Ray “Ernie” Erickson at the 1958 Le Mans 24 Hours under the race number ‘22’. Donning the original paint scheme of Bianco Cervino with blue stripes, with the

IMAGES © BONHAM’S

BY CHRIS JENKINS

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CARS // COLLECTIONS

accompanying number ‘22’, this will be the only Ferrari Testa Rossa J globally to hold this livery. The car also boasts period correct racing lights, with “Lucybelle II” handpainted on one side of the car and the United States of America flag handpainted on the other. Ferrari and The Little Car Company have ensured the product is as true to its predecessor as possible. Original features include the same steering and suspension geometry, giving it authentic handling. It also has re-proportioned wire wheels that match the original’s Borrani alloys, and are wrapped in Pirelli Cinturato tyres for complete authenticity.

Trimmed in sumptuous red leather from the same tanneries that supply Ferrari for their road cars, the seats are made to match the original “Lucybelle II” Testa Rossa, right down to the white piping.

POWER The transmission tunnel has been removed and the two original seats are replaced with seating that can accommodate an adult and junior. The steering wheel is supplied by Nardi, like the steering wheel of the original car, with the world’s smallest quick-release steering wheel system, developed to facilitate easy entry into the car for the driver.

To cater for drivers of all abilities and ages, four driving modes from Novice to Race have been developed to make the driving experience as safe as possible. As a nod to the current generation of road cars, the pedals are from the F8 Tributo and the tyres are supplied by Pirelli, Ferrari’s official technical partner, fitted on the handmade 12-inch wire wheels. Suspension is taken care of with Bilstein coilover dampers and custom springs which were fine-tuned and signed off by Ferrari’s test divers at the Fiorano test track in Maranello. The three batteries powering the electric engine are positioned at the front of the car, and provide approximately 90 km range, depending on driving style. The batteries are accessed under the front bonnet, while the car can also be charged where the fuel cap previously resided. Ben Hedley, CEO of The Little Car Company, said: “This beautiful Testa Rossa J is a perfect example of the phenomenal detail and handcraftsmanship that our team devote into manufacturing these stunning cars.” Other highlights of the Quail Auction in August included an ex-Steve McQueen 1971 Husqvarna motorcycle, sold at the top estimate for $186,500, one of McQueen’s favorite off-road bikes which he kept until his death in 1980; and an exHumphrey Bogart 1956 Ford Thunderbird in original slate grey coachwork ordered by Bogie, which made $105,000.  www.bonhams.com/auction/27509 www.testarossaj.com

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09/11/2022 11:10


COLLECTIONS // SOTHEBY’S

CONSUMER CULTURE Sotheby’s Private Sales works discreetly and seamlessly with buyers and sellers of world-class works of art through the year, independent of the auction calendar

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hether you are a seller looking to realise the value of a special item or a buyer hoping to add a desirable piece to your collection, the private sales team from Sotheby’s is always ready

to assist. The world-famous auction house can put its full resources in the categories of fine art, jewellery, watches, books, wine and automobiles at your disposal through its Private Sales department. Away from

the bustle of the auction room, Private Sales are discreet and select, with prices agreed between seller and buyer. See these and other items currently available at www.sothebys.com/en/buy/private-sales. 

STERLING RUBY

SP 11 Spray paint on canvas Born in Bitburg, Germany in 1972, Ruby lives and works in Los Angeles. Embracing an omnivorous approach to material, Sterling Ruby works across ceramics, sculpture, textile, installation, and painting; bold hues, monumental scales, and an element of spectacle pervade much of his practice. He has collaborated with designer Raf Simons for brands including Calvin Klein, Christian Dior, and Simons’s eponymous label. Ruby has also collaborated on a number of dance projects. Since 2007 the record price for this artist at auction is $1,785,000 US for SP231, sold at Christie’s New York in 2013. Signed, titled and dated SP11 SR.07 on the reverse, this piece measuring 96 1/8 x 84 1/4 in was executed in 2007.

AMBERA WELLMANN

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Night Mare Oil and a dried flower on canvas Ambera Wellmann (b. 1982, Lunenburg, Nova Scotia) lives and works in New York. Her works often portray human and animal bodies, commingling into numberless, genderless corporealities. A graduate of Nova Scotia College of Art & Design University, Halifax, Canada, her work has been shown at the ICA Boston (2022); Palazzo Bollani, Venice (2022); New Museum Triennial, New York (2021) and Staatsgalerie Stuttgart (2021). Her painting Hound sold for $38,000 in 2021. Signed and dated 2018 on the overlap, this 15 by 16 in. piece executed in 2018 was acquired from Galerie Antoine Ertaskiran, Montréal in the same year. www.artsandcollections.com

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SOTHEBY’S // COLLECTIONS

ANDY WARHOL

Gerard Depardieu Screenprint and coloured paper collage on paper What more is there to be said about pop artist Andy Warhol’s celebrity portraits, which redefined the nature of fame while taking art into hitherto unexplored realms of mass acceptance? Obsessed with celebrity, consumer culture, and mechanical reproduction, Warhol created some of the 20th century’s most iconic images. drawing widely from popular culture and everyday subject matter in his most famous works: his 32 Campbell’s soup cans, Brillo Pad box sculptures, and portraits of Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor, for example. His works have sold for upwards of $100 million at auction. Executed in 1986, this work was acquired by the present owner from Thaddaeus Ropac in Paris in 2003, measures 18¼ by 13¼ in. and is stamped by The Estate of Andy Warhol and by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc., and numbered VF 115.118 on the reverse.

TRACEY EMIN MANOLO VALDÉS

Reina Mariana Wood One of the most internationally established contemporary Spanish painters, sculptors and draughtsmen, Manolo Valdés was born in Valencia in 1942. This signed wooden piece from 2017 is typical of Valdés’ work, as critic K. de Barañano, says in Valdés, Material and Memory, “Valdés uses ‘welding’ and joining elements, glues, etc. as false appearances in his sculpture. This of course is also the tradition of Julio González, in his use of welding as an expressive element. Valdés’s workmanship is perfect, even when it serves to give an impression of rupture or breaking. And in that ‘impression’ of handling the support, of breaking its forms, of his deconstruction, resides the core and root of his style.”

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SOPHIA WALLACE

Άδάμας (Unconquerable) Wood, fibreglass, steel and enamel The artist says of this piece: “Άδάμας (pronounced Adamas) is a Greek word meaning 'unconquerable'. This is, to my knowledge, the first anatomically correct sculpture of the clitoris. To make it I had to consult widely divergent images, as so few accurate representations of the true anatomy are available. At first, I imagined the sculpture suspended from the ceiling. As I developed it further, I realized that I wanted the sculpture to stand face to face with viewers. To be viewed as a subject after being absent for so long.” Measuring 36 by 46 by 11 in. (not life-size, then! - Ed.), the piece, executed in 2013, is part of Wallace’s seven-year project Cliteracy.

Blinding Neon (clear blue) This piece measuring 30½ by 34¾ in. (77.5 by 88.3 cm) exemplifies the artist’s use of familiar forms to establish relationships with the viewer through deeply personal narratives, brutal honesty and a blunt sense of humour. Cast in electric blue, the glowing neon is reminiscent of commercial signage fabricated with the intention of seducing its viewer to consume. The outline of the woman, however, is rendered with a loose freedom which gives the form a liveliness and character which transcends otherwise racy connotations. Emin’s autobiographical and confessional work spans a variety of media, including drawing, photography, neon, video performance and applique. Executed in 2008, this work is number 8 from an edition of 10, plus 2 artist’s proofs.

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ARTS // CONTEMPORARY

RUSSIA’S

Cancelled Art

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IMAGES © ELLEN NASH, GEORGII UVS, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Should politics affect our attitude to art? International curator and critic Ellen Nash presents an insider’s viewpoint

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CONTEMPORARY // ARTS

Right: S oviet propagandist art - VI Lenin Proclaims Soviet Power by Vladimir Serov, 1947

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oth a journalist and an art critic, Ellen Nash was Russia’s leading art correspondent from 2009-2015 when she reported for Russian radio station Komsomolskaya Pravda, where her stories were listened to by millions of Russians. As an art curator she has worked all over the world with Russian artists including Ivan Lubennikov, Tatyana Nazarenko, Nesterova, and Georgii Uvs. But now Ellen Nash says: “The situation with Russian art is not only deplorable outside of Russia today, but also inside the country!” As one of Russia’s leading international art curators and broadcasters, Ellen argues that it is important to talk about how the international art world is punishing Russian artists, who do not support Putin’s war in Ukraine. “Recently we saw the most progressive theatre in Moscow, the Gogol Centre, closed, while the artistic directors of two other leading theatres were kicked out”, she says. “Apart from art, the only public television channel - TV Rain, and Radio Echo of Moscow were shut down. “What is happening in Russia now and in the world reminds me of the Russian Revolution from 1917-1920, except without the empathy of the international community. In later times in the Soviet Union, theatre directors, poets and artists were stripped of their citizenship and banned from entering. This is hard to believe nowadays, but it is happening in Russia now.”

HISTORY Born in Yerevan, Armenia as Elena Nashikian, Ellen Nash moved at the age of four to Moscow, where she gained a master’s degree in Arts and Humanities and PhD in History of Art. She then studied a Professional Program in Producing in Los Angeles, which led her to become Russia’s chief contemporary art critic and broadcast journalist. In 2013 she founded her own gallery, UVS Art Gallery in Moscow, that represented contemporary artists and focused on curatorship, exhibitions and helping to form private art collections. As for the modern Russian art scene, Ellen Nash draws parallels with events at the start of the 20th century, when two million people left Russia during the Revolution. www.artsandcollections.com

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“Most of them were artists, intellectuals and scientists dubbed “white émigrés.” The white émigrés believed that they should fight against the Soviet dictatorship. They hoped this would help free Russia. But they could do it only from abroad - from Europe, UK, USA – and at the time Europe and the rest of the world supported them and helped them to emigrate and gave them a platform to criticise the regime and show the world the real Russia” she explains. Now, “The mere act of being a Russian artist has become political”, Ellen claims. “It’s not just Putin’s regime that is suffering from international sanctions, but Russian artists are being cancelled by the art world, cancelling themselves even. To understand

the real Russia, and not the one controlled by Russia’s state media, it’s more important than ever that we understand the country through its artists – that we have an open dialogue. That we see Russian artwork on the international stage.”

CELEBRATED The history of Russian art is a long and celebrated one, and one which is marked by impressive results in auction houses. An auction at Christies in 2021 realised £6m for items including Fabergé jewellery, enamels, silver, Imperial and Soviet porcelain, paintings by Sergei Chekhonin featuring a portrait of Leo Tolstoy, an impressionistic early canvas by Konstantin ARTS & COLLECTIONS 53

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ARTS // CONTEMPORARY

Korovin, and a moonlit seascape by Ivan Aivazovsky. Also included were an important private collection of Russian enamels, a rare model of a dormouse by Fabergé and a monumental bronze sculpture of Mephistopheles by Mark Antokolsky. Later in the year a selection of Fabergé Masterpieces from the Harry Woolf Collection was led by a rare study of wild strawberries, a famous jewelled mosaic brooch, and an enamelled gold bonbonnière in the form of a doge’s hat.

Above and below: works by Georgii Uvs from the exhibition Mesozoic. Let’s Start Over!

the Politburo, and Nikita Khrushchev later alleged that Kliment Voroshilov spent more time posing for classical representational portraits in Gerasimov’s studio than he did attending to his duties in the People’s Commissariat of Defense. Gerasimov’s paintings shows a mastery of classical representational techniques. So, is Russian art now in a similar position, hogtied by political interference? Ellen Nash says: “Freedom has come to an end, and if Russian art over the last 20 years has had, at last, a gulp of freedom, without which you cannot create, experiment and enter the world market, then now they are again being conserved, and consequently there will be dull and uninteresting art.” Nash argues that the similarities between today and the Soviet era are being made harder by the fact that instead of Europe and the rest of the world supporting Russian artists, they are trapped and being “punished for being Russian”. She says: “It is a real travesty that there is not more support for Russian artists from the international art world. In addition, we’re now also being censored just like the dictatorial censorship during the Soviet Union. “Russia has never allowed freedom of speech like the US or Europe, but this

PROPAGANDA

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IMAGES © ELLEN NASH, GEORGII UVS

Yet impressions of Russian art are often overshadowed by images of Soviet-era propaganda. In the spring of 1932, the Central Committee of the Communist Party decreed that all existing literary and artistic groups and organizations should be disbanded and replaced with unified associations of creative professions. Officially approved art was required to follow the doctrine of Socialist Realism. The Moscow and Leningrad Union of Artists was established in August 1932, and an epoch of Soviet art began, led by artists such as Isaak Brodsky, Alexander Samokhvalov, Boris Ioganson, Aleksandr Deyneka, Aleksandr Laktionov, Yuri Neprintsev and other painters from the Moscow and Leningrad schools. Moscow artist Aleksandr Gerasimov produced a large number of heroic paintings of Joseph Stalin and other members of www.artsandcollections.com

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CONTEMPORARY // ARTS

censorship has made it all a lot worse. If an artist wants to work in Russia now, they are not allowed their own opinion unless it is one that fully supports the government. Any sort of freedom Russians previously had has come to an end, without which it’s impossible to create, experiment and enter the competitive global art market.”

ELEMENTS There are signs of some push-back from the international art world with artists exhibiting at major art world events such as the Venice Biennale and Art Basel. Nash herself curated an exhibition at the Venice Biennale by Russian-born London-based artist Georgii Uvs titled Mesozoic. Let’s Start Over!, which reflects the need to start over and build a new world. “The exhibition includes four works reminiscent of the Mesozoic landscapes, an era of significant www.artsandcollections.com

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tectonic, climatic and evolutionary activity that reflects the difficult historical time we are facing now”, she says. “His works are inspired by a time that ended and started afresh, which he calls us to do - providing hope for all for a better future.” Uvs uses a secret technique to create his paintings without touching the canvas. His work is characterised by bright pigments, which when under ultraviolet light distorts the depth of his work. His works are twofaced - as in nature they have sunset and sunrise, day and night. So, under ordinary lighting the artist is able to hide elements that come to life under the UV light. Georgii Uvs is one of the very few artists of Russian origin who have managed to exhibit at this year’s Venice Biennale - the Russian pavilion was even banned for the first time in the event’s history, perhaps not surprising considering the current political

Above: Georgii Uvs’ work ‘reflects the difficult time we are facing now’

climate. But Russian artists did not support the attack on Ukraine, Nash argues, and do not deserve that their art has effectively been cancelled. “Russian artists are very vulnerable right now, they have relied on the international art world to support their careers and the rug has been pulled out from underneath them” says Nash. “In reality these people have nothing to do with Russian government. They are artists. They are not politicians, and they don’t decide and have no influence on the government and their policy.”  Curated by Ellen Nash, Georgii Uvs’ Mesozoic. Let’s Start Over! runs at the European Cultural Centre, Venice until November 2022 ARTS & COLLECTIONS 55

09/11/2022 11:19


ARTS // SCULPTURE

Boars and Bison Sculptor Hamish Mackie’s work has taken him from the forests of the Ardennes to the wilds of Canada

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BEHAVIOUR Hamish found the wild boar fascinating to observe. “Each age and sex of wild boar move and behave in a very different way” he explains. “I have enjoyed putting these differences into my sculptures, the boar at the back having a much heavier gait than the lighter young. “When a sounder is running past, it is hard to distinguish the age and sex of the boars. I have incorporated the telltale signs in these sculptures, right down to tail-hair length.” Wild Boar Trio of Youngsters / Überlaufer is a numbered edition of 12, signed by Hamish Mackie, measuring 22x19x105cm. The entire group of wild boar sculptures, the Wild Boar Sounder, is available to purchase together or individually – Wild Boar Keiler, Wild Boar Bachen, Wild Boar Trio Überlaufer, and Wild Boar Pair Frischlinge. Sculptures can be shipped worldwide at cost, with no VAT payable on exports outside the EU. Otherwise, Hamish has contributed a Hares Monumental sculpture to Hares of Hampshire, a public art charity event created by the Murray Parish Trust and Wild In Art in Southampton.

Hamish Mackie’s Wild Boar Sounder

Launched at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show this year and exhibited in the Royal Enclosure at Royal Ascot 2022, the threetimes lifesize sculpture meets Hamish’s desire to challenge himself to produce a large-scale sculpture that would look dramatic within a landscape. It’s available in a numbered edition of nine. And, after undertaking a fascinating research trip to Canada, Hamish promises a bison sculpture to come soon. “We drove very early one morning from Edmonton to Elk Island National Park for the day, to research bison. We saw quite a few, but for research purposes the best one to photograph was an elderly male happily feeding and hanging out by the side of the road. It was a really wonderful park to visit and a real highlight for me.” Other works in progress include a proposal for a bespoke gold octopus with 650 sapphires in its suckers; a full-size boar in a numbered edition of 12, and a cheetah, 37cm long and available in a numbered edition of 12 - all impressive enough for any bestiary.  www.hamishmackie.com

IMAGES © HAMISH MACKIE

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culptor Hamish Mackie, whose work in bronze and other cast metals famously captures a huge range of animal and human life, travels the world to research his subjects. Here he tells us about some of his recent works. In one of his latest creations, after spending many happy hours in the Ardennes studying wild boar, Hamish has created a ‘sounder’ of seven wild boar sculptures. “A ‘sounder’ is a female-dominated family group of wild boar, comprising several generations with and without offspring, led by the most mature breeding female” he explains. “Youngsters from 13 to 24 months are known as überläufer.” The wild boar has been used as an emblem in art since antiquity, with the earliest known depiction drawn 45,500 years ago. The most well known is Il Porcellino, a bronze fountain of a boar in Florence, cast in around 1634 after a marble original. Wild boar are one of the most wideranging mammals in the world, listed by the World Conservation Union as one of the most invasive species. They number more than ten million in the EU alone. After man, the grey wolf is the main predator of wild boar.

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HAMISH MACKIE SCUL P T UR E L I F E I N B R O NZE

www.hamishmackie.com • hamish@hamishmackie.com • + 44 (0) 7971 028 098

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COLLECTIONS // TRAVEL

THE MALTA STORY The island republic of Malta has a storied history, and has become a magnet for luxury travel and spectacular weddings

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influences with many remnants of British rule. Being a former British Colony, traffic in Malta drives on the left. The official languages are Maltese and English, and 66% of the current Maltese population is at least conversational in Italian. Malta’s state religion is Catholic - there are more than 360 churches in Malta, Gozo, and Comino, or one church for every 1,000 residents. With its population of about 516,000 over an area of 316 km2 (122 sq mi), Malta is the world’s tenth-smallest country in area, and fourth most densely populated sovereign country - the capital Valletta is the smallest national capital in the European Union by area and population. The island features three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, Valletta, and seven megalithic temples which are some of the oldest freestanding structures in the world. Malta is a popular tourist destination, welcoming a record 2.1 million tourists in 2019. The tourism infrastructure has increased dramatically over recent years, with a mixture of houses, apartments, and five-star hotels. Malta also promotes

itself as a medical tourism destination, with a number of health tourism providers developing the industry. Perhaps part of the appeal of Malta is the traditional generosity of the natives - a 2010 Charities Aid Foundation study found that the Maltese were the most generous people in the world, with 83% contributing to charity.

ARCHITECTURE Maltese architecture has been influenced by many different Mediterranean cultures and styles. The first settlers on the island constructed Ġgantija, one of the oldest manmade freestanding structures in the world. Neolithic temple builders (3800– 2500 BC) endowed the numerous temples of Malta and Gozo with intricate bas-relief designs, including spirals evocative of the tree of life and animal portraits, designs painted in red ochre, ceramics, and a vast collection of human form sculptures, particularly the Venus of Malta. These can be viewed at the temples themselves (most notably, the Hypogeum and Tarxien Temples), and at the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta.

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he island of Malta, strictly speaking a republic country, lies in the Mediterranean Sea, 80km south of Sicily. It has been inhabited since at least 5900 BC, and has been contested by the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Greeks, Arabs, Normans, Aragonese, Knights of St. John, French, and British, amongst others. In recent times, the seige of Malta by the Axis powers during the Second World War, dramatised in the 1956 movie The Malta Story, reminds us of the island’s strategic importance. The British parliament passed the Malta Independence Act in 1964, giving Malta independence from the United Kingdom as the State of Malta, with Elizabeth II as its queen, and the country became a republic in 1974. It has been a member state of the Commonwealth of Nations and the United Nations since independence, and joined the European Union in 2004; it became part of the Eurozone monetary union in 2008. But of more importance to the modern visitor is Malta’s multi-cultural heritage, combining mainly Roman, Arab and French

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TRAVEL // COLLECTIONS

ART & CULTURE Malta’s temples such as Imnajdra are full of history, while the Roman period introduced the typical highly decorative mosaic floors, marble colonnades, and classical statuary, remnants of which are beautifully preserved and presented in the Roman Domus, a country villa just outside the walls of Mdina. Early Christian frescoes decorating catacombs beneath Malta reveal eastern, Byzantine styles which continued to inform the work of medieval Maltese artists, along with Romanesque and Southern Gothic movements. The artistic heritage of Malta blossomed under the Knights of St. John, who brought Italian and Flemish Mannerist painters to decorate their palaces and churches, notably Matteo Perez d’Aleccio, whose works appear in the Magisterial Palace and in the Conventual Church of St. John in Valletta, and Filippo Paladini, who was active in Malta from 1590 to 1595. Caravaggio painted at least seven works during his 15-month stay on the island, and two of his most notable works, The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist and Saint Jerome Writing, are on display in the Oratory of the Conventual Church of St. John. The following Baroque movement saw the glorious vault paintings of the celebrated Calabrese artist, Mattia Preti transforming the severe, Mannerist interior of the Conventual Church St. John into a Baroque masterpiece. www.artsandcollections.com

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Ta’ Qali Artisan Village provides you with the opportunity to watch craftsmen blowing glass, to visit filigree goldsmiths, as well as to purchase beautiful jewellery, ceramicware, stone miniature houses and souvenirs, wooden sculptures, candles and lace; while the majestic Casa Bernard is a stunning baroque palace built in the days of the knights on top of a medieval

watchtower, and a family home as well, recently restored to its former glory, and containing a treasure trove of spectacular furniture, paintings, and countless objets d’art.

Above: A glorious island and a republic country Below: Malta’s history goes back to the Neolithic

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COLLECTIONS // TRAVEL

WEDDINGS Malta is a popular wedding destination, and caters to all tastes and beliefs, offering both civil and religious ceremonies. Legal formalities are relatively simple and can even be done in advance from your home country - see www.bridemalta.com. Being predominantly Roman Catholic, the Islands boast around 365 beautiful churches, making Malta and Gozo the ideal destination for religious weddings. For a civil wedding, there is a wide range of options including grand baroque palaces with stunning gardens, and beautiful countryside farmhouses. Specialist tour operators can lay on a personal wedding organiser, make-up and hair artist, photographer, bridal bouquet, groom’s buttonhole and wedding cake. A large buffet reception is very much part of the traditional Maltese wedding, but if you prefer a British style sit-down wedding breakfast, or indeed something more bespoke, the Islands have a range of experienced and professional caterers who offer a wide selection of luxury modern dishes in addition to local cuisine. Most hotels in Malta have a food and banqueting team who will be pleased to meet individual

Above: The ‘going-away’ ritual is an important part of the Malta wedding experience Below: Maltese cuisine shows strong international influences and regional variations

requirements and special requests for any size of wedding party. Once married, the ‘going away’ ritual is a memorable moment. So whether you choose a horse-drawn Karrozzin, a sleek limousine or even a traditional Dgħajsa boat in Valletta’s Grand Harbour, you’ll be sure to enter your married life in unforgettable style.

Maltese cuisine shows strong Sicilian and Italian influences as well as influences of English, Spanish, Maghrebin and Provençal cuisines. A number of regional variations, particularly with regards to Gozo, can be noted, as well as seasonal variations associated with the availability of produce, and Christian feasts (such as Lent, Easter and Christmas). Food has been important historically in the development of a national identity, in particular the traditional fenkata (stewed or fried rabbit). There is a strong wine industry in Malta, with a number of native grapes including Girgentina and Ġellewża, as well as locally grown grapes of other more common varietals, such as Chardonnay and Syrah, and a number of wines have achieved Protected Designation of Origin, with wines produced from grapes cultivated in Malta and Gozo designated as “DOK” wines, that is Denominazzjoni ta’ l-Oriġini Kontrollata another feature of the unique and fascinating story that is Malta.  60 ARTS & COLLECTIONS

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FOOD AND DRINK

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ARTS // PHOTOGRAPHY

FELLOWSHIP in Photography

A new photography organisation is bringing the world’s leading photographers to the blockchain. But how does Fellowship work?

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BY CHRIS JENKINS

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PHOTOGRAPHY // ARTS

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ellowship describes itself as a new “Web3” photography organization, presenting NFT collections of works by marquee living artists, emerging photographers, and artists’ estates. Does this indeed mark a turning point for photography on the blockchain? It seems that all forms of art, from painting to music, are now available as NFTs (non-fungible tokens) enabled by blockchain technology, which assigns rights to the owner using supposedly uncrackable digital keys. Recent NFT art sales include $390,000 for a 50-second video by Canadian singer Grimes, and $6.6 million for a video by American graphic designer Beeple (you don’t have to have a pseudonym to sell art as NFTs, but it seems to help). So what does Fellowship bring to the party? Founded by a group of artists, collectors and thought leaders bridging the worlds of art, photography and Web3, Fellowship’s latest series of NFT exhibitions

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include artists Joel Meyerowitz, Laurie Simmons, Guy Bourdin, László MoholyNagy, Gregory Crewdson, Katy Grannan, Pieter Hugo, Joel Sternfeld, Mitch Epstein and Hank Willis Thomas. Fellowship “invites audiences across the globe to discover and collect the work of some of the most significant photographic practitioners of past and present”, and by creating a new path for artists to present work on the blockchain, commissions and exhibits photography in an accessible way through a rotating spotlight on the best photographic talent - from the seminal to breakthrough artists of tomorrow. Fellowship’s rotating exhibitions programme exists alongside a digital publishing arm and permanent NFT collection, to empower audiences to engage, understand and enjoy photography. Dedicated to creating best practices in the Web3 space, Fellowship offsets carbon emissions and provides artists with their own smart contracts.

Guy Bourdin - Vogue, Paris, May 1978

AUCTIONS The founding members of Fellowship are Alejandro Cartagena, co-founder and artist; Chadwick Tyler, co-founder and artist; Studio 137, co-founder and photography collector; Fernando Gallegos, lead curator; Christopher McCall, co-founder and curator; James Gilbert, co-founder and photography collector; Holly Hay, senior photo editor; and Caroline Gutman, community manager. Fellowship hosted its latest NFT auctions in early August, presenting three artworks by Gregory Crewdson: Untitled (2002) from the series Dream House; Woman in Bathroom (2013) from the series Cathedral of the Pines, and Redemption Center (20182019) from the series An Eclipse of Moths. The three cinematic artworks aim to capture the eerie ordinary life of small town America slowly decaying in front of us. Untitled (2002) features the Oscar-winning actress Tilda Swinton who is elaborately staged against a mundane, domestic ARTS & COLLECTIONS 63

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ARTS // PHOTOGRAPHY

becomes the focal point of the image set against a decaying backdrop that captures the ennui of Crewdson’s subject. Crewdson’s exhibition will be followed by a series of weekly auctions by Guy Bourdin, Katy Grannan, Joel Sternfeld, László Moholy-Nagy, Pieter Hugo, Hank Willis Thomas, Mitch Epstein, Joel Meyerowitz and Laurie Simmons.

SPACE The founders of Fellowship say: “We believe the digital art market is just getting started. We looked around and didn’t see a space that showed up for artists, so we built it. Fellowship is creating new opportunities and best practices for photographers at every stage in their career to create, exhibit and reach new audiences via the virtual realm. “We’re pushing photography forward by offering an extension of the artist’s presentation model beyond prints. We’ve imagined a future where everyone can visit our collection to be inspired by the

Above: Katy Grannan - Boulevard Anonymous SF 2010 Below: Jonas Bendiksen - The Book of Veles, NFT set

IMAGES © FELLOWSHIP TRUST

setting that mirrors the heteronormativity of middle-class America. Swinton is one of the many celebrities who posed for the series, together with Julianne Moore and Gwyneth Paltrow, staged against melodramatic yet ordinary backdrops that subvert their celebrity image and explore the themes of desire and social alienation. Woman in the Bathroom (2013) captures Crewdson’s female subject standing naked in front of a mirror. The intimate portrait showcases the sitter unaware of the artist’s gaze while the double door frames limit our view. The space becomes impenetrable physically and psychologically as we view the woman deep in thought. Redemption Center (2018-2019) presents a vista of an empty, decaying parking lot occupied by a solitary man standing and looking to the outside of the frame. Behind the parking lot is a small building with the words “Redemption Center” written on it in the colours of the American flag. The moment we witness is frozen in time as the man

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PHOTOGRAPHY // ARTS

world’s best photography” - and on bringing photography to the blockchain, Joel Meyerowitz says: “Photography is the only art form that constantly refreshes itself through changes in its technology, while at the same time sharing these changes with the global population. It is our world’s most democratic art form. With a mission to galvanize the community, Fellowship is inspiring a new generation of artists to experiment in the digital space by providing grants, tools and support networks to create, exhibit and sell NFTs. To date, Fellowship has supported the likes of Summer Wagner, Amy Woodward, Alessandra Sanguinetti, Jim Goldberg, Tania Franco Klein and Todd Hido, with a safe and trusted framework to present often their first NFT. Fellowship makes its debut at Paris Photo 2022, from 10th-13th November, with an impressive lineup of artists, and an exclusive first reveal of a collaboration between Dmitri Cherniak and László Moholy-Nagy Estate. Featuring works from The Guy Bourdin Estate, The August Sander Archive, Cristina de Middel, Tania Franco Klein and Eman Ali, Fellowship’s booth will showcase how collectors can find works of art through Web3 and traditional channels, and will se the launch an exclusive ‘white glove’ service to allow collectors without crypto wallets the opportunity to participate in live NFT auctions at the Fair and acquire art on the blockchain. 

Above: Guy Bourdin from Paris Photo 2022 Right: László MoholyNagy - Sailing (34) Below: Joel Meyerowitz - Cape Light, Chuckie, Provincetown Massachusetts 1980

https://fellowship.xyz https://discord.com/invite/fellowshiptrust @fellowshiptrust

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Protecting the irreplaceable BY HUGO JOHNSEN

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collection is rarely just viewed from an investment perspective. Inherited or commissioned works of art can hold huge personal significance. Equally, the thrill of acquiring individual pieces to add to a collection often evokes a powerful emotional connection. Our role as an insurance broker is not just to consider the monetary value of a collection but also its wider significance.

Giovanni Antonio Boltraffio (1467 – 1516) Portrait of a Youth c.1495/1498 detail National Gallery Ralph and Mary Booth Collection

THE ART OF FINE COVER Fine Art Insurance protects against loss, damage or theft. Insurers want certainty that the right security is in place and that risks are considered properly. We help our clients think about the positioning of alarms, window and door locks, smoke detectors and sprinklers, as well as optimising the surrounding ambient conditions whether on display or in storage.

Insuring Fine Art requires special consideration: u Will compensation be adequate in the event of a total loss? u Can a claim be made for the loss in value of a pair if only one piece is damaged? u If the value of a work of art suddenly increases because the artist dies, will cover automatically increase? u Is a piece insured in transit or on loan? u What happens if a third-party claims title to a piece bought in good faith? Accurate market valuations also have an important influence on the outcome of a claim. We advise on the differences in cover based on the changing Market Value (low or high auction estimate, Retail Value) or set Pre-Agreed Values. When a decision is made we ensure values are regularly reviewed by a professional valuer to prevent underinsurance. Planning for the worst-case scenario offers the best protection. We work with clients and insurers on a tailored disaster recovery plan. This ensures everyone knows exactly how to respond and who to contact in the crucial early stages of an emergency. Swift removal, specialist storage of fine art and access to restoration specialists, can be vital in protecting against further damage or loss. Together, with your insurer, we offer invaluable experience to help you recover from a claim, providing access to the right expertise at the time when it matters most u Hugo Johnsen, Director of specialist insurance brokers, Castleacre, has a wealth of experience helping Private Clients, Museums, Galleries and Estates protect their Fine Art collections.

I N S U R A N C E

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INSURANCE // COLLECTIONS

The Specialist Difference

What can a specialist art insurer offer that standard insurance cannot? We look at some of the ways an art collection can be protected

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ine art insurance is certainly about covering the monetary value of an objet d’art, but it’s also about a whole lot more; the personal value a collector attaches to the piece, or its place as part of a collection, or even its significance to a wider community. Of course, valuable art is also exposed to different risks from everyday possessions, particularly if it is part of a collection which may be displayed, or loaned out. Here the experience of a specialist insurer comes into its own, with expert knowledge of how the art should be protected from risk. As an example, while a standard insurance policy may offer replacement of a damaged or stolen object, a fine art insurance policy would additionally cover the cost of restoration; and, if that

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is not possible, replacement, or suitable monetary compensation. In case of disaster, a conventional policy may offer replacement or repair after the event; but a fine art insurance policy should also cover the eventuality of having to move its insured objects into temporary storage, with of course the correct conditions to preserve the works in good condition.

LEGALITIES Another area in which specialist fine art insurance scores is when legal questions of ownership or provenance arise. If, for instance, a work of art is bought in good faith, but legal title is later disputed by another party, a claim of ‘defective title’ may be brought - though commonly, there is a limit on the amount which can be claimed. Questions can also arise when, for

instance, an artwork is damaged while being restored. The restorer should have cover, but a specialist insurance policy gives an extra level of reassurance. There are even instances where the value of an artwork can be affected (positively, one assumes) by the death of the artist - if the value of a collection suddenly shoots up overnight, a conventional policy would not adjust automatically. Very common, of course, is the requirement for All Risks cover when artwork is loaned for exhibition. Here again, the specialist art insurer can bring expert knowledge to bear, reassuring the collector that should the worst happen, any claim will be resolved with the benefit of insight and experience into the complexities of the art world.  ARTS & COLLECTIONS 67

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Shipping re-imagined. Seamless art transport provided by Convelio’s full logistics ecosystem.

Discover the leading end-to-end digital solution for global fine art shipping, delivering artworks for galleries, dealers, curators and private collectors. We provide client support in-house for all transport inquiries ensuring your shipments are seamlessly managed.

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ARTS // LOGISTICS

Movers and Shakers A

rt logistics, the business of moving valuable, delicate and possibly historically significant works from point A to point B, isn’t as simple as it may sound - what with the fragility of the items, the complexities of Customs regulations, and the recent challenges of Covid-19, the changes brought about by Brexit and the war in Ukraine, it’s as if the world is conspiring to make life more difficult for art logistics specialists. It was the coronavirus pandemic more than anything else which brought about a fundamental change in the nature of the art logistics market. For the best part of two years, the majority of the international exhibitions which relied on art logistics were

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closed down, operating instead as virtual events. The same was true of the auction world, forced to adapt to an online existence as live audiences instead browsed for art on their digital devices. In some ways, this enforced change just hastened a process which was already in motion. Auction houses particularly found that the digital market suited them, opening their sales up to a worldwide audience which became used to buying sight unseen.

AGILITY Artworks which had previously been regularly shipped around Europe, the US and the East were now more likely to spend their time sitting in climate-controlled

Freeports, or to exist only in the virtual world as NFTs. So where did this leave the established art logistics companies? Convelio, founded in 2017, was agile enough to adapt to these changes, and continued to expand its base of 3000 customers across more than 80 countries, including major galleries, online marketplaces and auction houses such as 1stdibs, Christies and Sotheby’s. With offices in Paris, London and New York, Convelio now has more than 200 employees, and a total investment of €41 million in four years, including contributions from the European Investment Fund, Forestay and Mundi Ventures helped power an exceptional period of growth: in 2021

IMAGES © DREAMSTIME, CONVELIO, FIAC, THE ARMORY SHOW/CASEY KELBAUGH

The art logistics industry has faced many difficulties in recent years here’s how companies like Convelio are meeting the challenge

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LOGISTICS // ARTS

alone, Convelio executed 14,000 shipments worth $265 million between 80 countries, increasing revenue by 2.5 times. One of the aims of the latest funding round was to support the development of the company’s logistics technology, service offering and sustainability strategy, along with the growth of its global operation, particularly in the US. An essential part of this is the consistent improvement of a dispatch algorithm giving instant quotes, considering parameters such as fragility, dimensions, and value. Convelio co-founder Edouard Gouin says: “One of the biggest challenges the industry faced was the delay in receiving a shipping quote. Indeed, whether it is an auction house that has to inform a client, a gallery that has to integrate the cost of transportation for its client to accept the proposal, or for a private collector who

wants to transport his goods, receiving an answer in more than 24 hours is no longer acceptable in the era of “instantaneous everything”.

QUOTES “Traditional shipping providers can take from 1 to 5 days to issue customers with quotes to ship their high-value, time-critical items. Convelio’s online quoting system provides quotes within seconds, using proprietary algorithmic technology that assesses multiple data points instantaneously across the entire logistics chain. “As soon as a customer places an order, Convelio takes care of everything, from shipping to insurance, customs and realtime tracking. “This algorithmic technology has also formed the basis of their two integration Above: Convelio’s founders Edouard Gouin (L) and Clément Ouizille (R) Left and below: FIAC and The Armory Show, tests of Convelio’s tech

tools - the API and the Widget - which allow art market players to display Convelio’s shipping quotes directly onto their marketplaces, websites and platforms. Fairs such as The Armory Show, FIAC, 1-54 and Paris Photo have integrated the Widget onto their OVRs (online viewing rooms) with the aim of supporting exhibitors’ online sales. “By using digital solutions such as this, price transparency seems to be becoming the norm; 62% of respondents in Artsy’s Gallery Insights report said that the lack of visible prices kept them from buying art online. This number is likely to increase in the coming years, particularly among nextgeneration collectors.” Needless to say, Convelio is also aware of the role of the logistics industry in the climate crisis, and has a Climate Care programme committed to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 13 and aligned with the net zero targets formed on the basis of the Paris Agreement. By leveraging its tech-first approach in a market where automation has historically not been employed, Convelio seems to have found a solution for some of the major challenges the art logistics world faces today.  www.convelio.com www.artsandcollections.com

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Your wealth is your future We understand the impact your wealth has today, and for generations to come. That’s why we work with you to make sure your investments can create the future you want. We listen to you and build our service around your purpose. We are still largely owned by the Schroder family, who founded the company over 200 years ago. We put stability, independence of thought and our exceptional investment reach at the service of entrepreneurs, professionals, families and charities across the globe. Contact euan.dangerfield@cazenovecapital.com or call 01481 703 700. Your wealth. Your way. cazenovecapital.com/ci

Your capital is at risk when investing. This document is issued by Cazenove Capital, which is a trading name of Schroders (C.I.) Ltd (“SCIL”). Registered Office at Regency Court, Glategny Esplanade, St. Peter Port, Guernsey GY1 3UF, Channel Islands. Registered number 24546 Guernsey. SCIL is licensed under The Banking Supervision (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law 2020 and The Protection of Investors (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law 2020, as amended. SCIL is also regulated by the Jersey Financial Services Commission in the conduct of investment business. Registered address at Office address 40 Esplanade, St. Helier, Jersey JE2 3QB, (No.31076) . G22003

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INVESTMENT // COLLECTIONS

GUERNSEY’S Art of Wealth

For all its beautiful beaches and quaint towns, for many, the attraction of Guernsey is its financial services. So how does the British Crown Dependency work with wealth?

IMAGES © Dreamstime

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ituated in the English Channel, though strictly speaking off the coast of Normandy to which it was once attached, the island of Guernsey is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a British Crown Dependency. Guernsey is not part of the United Kingdom, although defence and some aspects of international relations are managed by the UK, and while the island has a mixed British-Norman culture, British cultural influence is stronger, with English being the main language and the Pound sterling its primary currency. The island has a traditional local language known as Guernésiais, but it’s no longer widely spoken. www.artsandcollections.com

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It’s perhaps this Englishness which makes Guernsey an attractive destination for holidays and retirement, but for the wealthy, there are more obvious incentives - Guernsey is one of the world’s largest offshore finance centres, with for instance a thriving funds industry. Over 800 investment funds are currently administered in the island, with a current value of almost £300 billion. For instance, one of the leading wealth management companies in Guernsey, Cazenove Capital, is a specialist wealth management arm of Schroders in the UK and Channel Islands, looking after private clients, family offices and charities. It offers

a complete wealth management service including tailored wealth planning and investment management, together with banking and lending services, and is one of a small number of UK-based firms able to offer advice to US persons living both in and outside the US.

FLEXIBLE Guernsey’s financial institutions maintain a proportionate, flexible and competitive funds regulatory regime, adopting a risk-based approach to ensure that appropriate levels of investor protection are maintained, while at the same time avoiding unnecessarily complex or burdensome regulation. ARTS & COLLECTIONS 73

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COLLECTIONS // INVESTMENT

Guernsey has a strong history of financial innovation, for instance introducing the concepts of the private cell company and the private investment fund, a class of fund designed to reflect the close relationship between fund managers and their investors, and Guernsey’s financial services regulator, the Guernsey Financial Services Commission (“GFSC”) works closely with the funds industry to make sure that the needs of modern investors are recognised.

RETENTION

and the company’s client base continues to grow year on year. Aquitaine knows its clients, their business goals, family dynamics and personal desires, and the company says its emotional intelligence allows it to be a trusted partner as well as an effective trustee.

RIGOROUS Guernsey has been assessed as being amongst the best quality financial centres in the world when measured against the rigorous international standards for tackling money laundering and terrorist financing set by the FATF. The Guernsey Banking Deposit Compensation Scheme and Guernsey Compensation of Investors Scheme gives savers and investors peace of mind. Guernsey registered the world’s first regulated green fund and is home to the first private equity fund to be managed and administrated by blockchain. It pioneers fintechs and other digital initiatives, so along with its long history of wealth management, Guernsey is also prepared for anything the future might hold. 

IMAGES © Dreamstime

Given the flexibility of Guernsey’s company law, a Guernsey company can be used to mimic a trust to some extent, making a Guernsey corporate vehicle an attractive structure for holding family wealth. Guernsey’s stable political and legal structure, originating from Norman customary law, adopts many principles of English common law and equity; for instance the principle of the right of contracting parties to agree a deal between themselves. Legal redress can be sought through a reliable judicial system, with ultimate appeal to the Privy Council in England.

Of course another incentive for financial investment in Guernsey is that the island provides an uncontroversial tax-neutral environment for funds and fund managers. Guernsey does not levy any form of capital gains tax or inheritance tax. No stamp or document duty, or transfer tax, is payable in respect of companies, unit trusts or limited partnerships that are funds. Funds structured as limited partnerships are tax transparent in Guernsey, and funds structured as companies or unit trusts may apply for an annual exemption from income tax, subject to meeting certain criteria. Guernsey does not levy any form of VAT, and so management fees charged or transaction/deal costs incurred by a Guernsey manager do not suffer any VAT leakage. As an example of the way in which Guernsey’s institutions can provide bespoke services to each individual client, Aquitaine Group Ltd, based in St Peter Port, are professional Trustees who pride themselves on offering a bespoke and boutique service, which has ensured that client retention rate is exceptionally high

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Fiduciary specialists, providing boutique services with elegant solutions to complex problems Tel: +44 (0) 1481 729944 | www.aquitainetrust.com

Aquitaine Group Limited, P O Box 357, Mill Court, La Charroterie, St Peter Port, Guernsey GY1 3XH Registered No: 49134 | Licenced by Guernsey Financial Services Commission

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COLLECTIONS // WEALTH MANAGEMENT

Modern Money Matters In these days of financial uncertainty, managing your funds and planning for the future has never been more challenging. That’s where a wealth manager can help

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with a holistic approach. In cases where specialist knowledge on subjects such as tax or inheritance law is concerned, the wealth management company could work with your own specialists, or bring in internal or external experts. This relationship could be a lifelong one, indeed going on after you have passed and your wealth descends to your family.

OPTIONS The main function of a wealth management specialist is to offer you options. For instance, in fund management, you might seek advice on choice of investments from conservative, balanced portfolios, through to more aggressive growth-focused portfolios. Your wealth manager will work within your investment style and chosen areas to help realise your investment goals. In property management and areas such as mortgages, an advisor can help

reduce the cost of borrowing, while providing advice on structuring ownership of residential and commercial properties for maximum financial efficiency, and on pensions, you might seek advice on transferring pension funds into a private plan, or to an overseas scheme. Savings options can be tailored to meet specific needs, for instance retirement or funding education, while providing a hedge against inflation, while insurance matters can be considered to prepare for unexpected accident or illness. From inheritance tax planning to discretionary fund management, a wealth advisor will be at the end of the phone ready to help clients deal with any financial issue. Negotiating the complex world of investment and financial planning isn’t something you should have to do alone, and a consultation with a wealth manager gives you the means to meet the future with confidence. 

IMAGES © DREAMSTIME

ith soaring inflation worldwide, collapsing pension funds, political uncertainty and economic gloom, it’s more important than ever to get professional advice on managing your wealth. Particularly if you qualify as a high net worth individual with funds over 1m, or a VHNWI with assets in the multiple millions, wealth management advice can not only prevent you from making expensive taxation or investment mistakes, it can also help you to create a legacy for your dependents. So, what sort of services can a wealth management specialist offer? One of the most important is a personal touch which you would not get in dealing with a High Street financial institution. With a wealth management company, the relationship is personal; you would normally work with a named individual who would gain a thorough knowledge of all your financial concerns, and be able to provide advice

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Our Heritage Protects Your Horizon

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Bespoke and corporate financial planning since 1986

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Manage it with the right tools. Over 2,000 collectors trust Artscapy to store data, documents and information about their art collection and to track its value. Discover museum grade art, hand-picked and curated for you from selected galleries and

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ARTS // DIGITAL

NFTS: OBSERVING THE HUMAN? Are NFTs taking over the art world? Companies like Artscapy are making it possible for anyone to buy into this art technology movement NFTs, Non-Fungible Tokens, are unique data blocks which represent a particular asset, whether that’s a painting, a piece of music or a video. Crucially, they are not ‘fungible’ - they can’t be exchanged for equivalent goods or assets. NFTs exist on a blockchain, a distributed public digital ledger that records transactions. You’re probably most familiar with blockchain as the underlying process that makes

cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin possible. But artists such as musicians Grimes and Muse, and graphic designer Beeple have caught on to the idea that an NFT artwork can have huge appeal to the modern art buyer, who perhaps wants to bid up a collection without being burdened by its physical presence. It’s an intriguing idea, but how do you tell which NFT artworks are of any value, and

IMAGES © ARTSCAPY

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ollecting art is a very subjective experience, but it is also a great way to showcase aspects of your personality and make a statement about who exactly you are. Many people, particularly young collectors, will have been drawn into the art world for the first time by the concept of NFTs - virtual artworks bought and sold in the digital world, and protected by encrypted blockchain data.

Above: Sejin Kim, Messenger Left: Gihun No, Koganecho Flip

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DIGITAL // ARTS

Right: Artscapy’s ‘phygital’ workshop Below: Bongsu Park, Dream Ecologies 11

how can you go about building a collection? Artscapy, the art tech startup founded by Alessandro and Emilia De Stasio, is venturing into the NFT world with a collaboration with Artificial Gallery, the London-based contemporary art and design dealership and consultancy. Known worldwide for managing private and public collections, Artificial has a wideranging portfolio of internationally acclaimed artists such as Maurizio Cattelan, Keith Haring, Antony Gormley, George Condo and Banksy.

EXPRESSIONS Artscapy has also inaugurated a series of real-world exhibitions with Observing the Human, taking place in July in London’s Shoreditch. The show was born out of an encounter with artist Bongsu Park at her solo show at Rosenfeld Gallery in London. During the show, Artscapy’s founders and CEOs, Alessandro and Emilia, spoke with Bongsu and she recounted how artists like her and Ga Ram Kim in the collective Noonssup are interrogating and pushing themselves in exploring new artistic expressions, and how technology plays a key role in this. They use technology not for technology’s sake, but as an enabler of artistic research and expression. Struck by this, and its linkage with their mission to promote thought-provoking contemporary art, the collaboration between Artscapy and www.artsandcollections.com

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Noonssup came to be, driven by a shared desire to showcase rigorous contemporary artistic research whose message is uniquely expressed through technology - in this case NFTs - and to make this new stream of art more accessible to collectors and to the wider public. The show brought together five internationally renowned and institutionally collected Korean artists to offer their interpretations of observing human nature. It journeys through sensorial experiences, onto the emotional, and into the subconscious, investigating what it means to be human. Beyond traversing different themes within the human experience, the works also cross different media, from video, to sound, to performance, and into a futuristic appeal for a virtual reality in which we can share and uncover dreams. Art writer, Bianca Spaggiari says: “Observing the Human presents a journey into human perception - observation - that is enhanced or perhaps rather, distorted, by the advent of the next chapter in technological advancement. The journey is itself international and borderless, arriving in London as the interpretations of five South Korean artists. “Faced with the challenge of turning the intimate, self-reflecting act of observation into an artistic act that is outward facing, curious, and explorative, a number of questions emerge. Who is the observer

now? Is it the artist during the creative process, or is it the viewer?

ICONOGRAPHY Bianca Spaggiari continues: “Five distinct points of observation on human nature are brought together in this exhibition, where each concept sprouts from roots in South Korean contemporary culture and iconography. The stems then grow in different directions into the human experience, into observation, applying each different mediums of expression, powered by the new opportunities that technology offers. “In particular, each work has a unique tie to technology as a non-fungible token (NFT), whether the token stores the artwork directly or acts as a right to access the artwork. At every point, the viewer is invited to participate and actively, or passively, allow observation to unfold.” Highlights of the show included Sejin Kim’s observation of our epic movement into space, Messenger; the intimate observation of our fast paced life captured by Gihun Noh in 683 photographs in the work Koganecho Flip; and the endless dichotomy of cosmic (dis)order synthesised by the artist Daniel Schine Lee. You can find out more about the potential of NFTs in the art market by joining Artscapy - currently in beta testing, the platform is free to join at www.artscapy.com.  ARTS & COLLECTIONS 81

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It is the love of art and the absolute satisfaction of our clients that has made us so successful for more than 35 years. We make sure your art is safe.

WE ENSURE ART. VISIT ZILKENSFINEART.COM OR GET PERSONAL ADVICE: +49. 221.800 68420

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Miquel Barceló, El Planeta de los Toros, luxury edition book, edition 9/50, 2017

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COLLECTIONS // INSURANCE

A Clear Sense of Quality The art insurance world has had to adapt to many changing conditions. Arts & Collections asks Dr. Stephan Zilkens of Zilkens Fine Art Insurance Broker for some insights From collectors to artists, galleries, art dealers, museums, restorers, art forwarders, exhibition organisers and all those who deal professionally with art, in a fast-changing market there has never been a greater need for the right concepts to solve insurance-specific requirements. The coronavirus pandemic, for instance, posed major challenges not so much for

private collectors, but for professional businesses and exhibitions. “There were no fairs nor exhibitions prepared in 2020 and 2021”, says Dr Zilkens, “Artworks remained in museums waiting to be transported back to their owners. Insurance contracts had to be prolonged that cover of loan items was still in place. Generally during the pandemic the market

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ounded in Cologne in 2010 by Dr. Stephan Zilkens, Zilkens Fine Art Insurance Broker remains an owner-managed house. Zilkens is then in a unique position to understand requirements from entrepreneur to entrepreneur, and to innovate in the art insurance world, finding answers to any art-related insurance questions.

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INSURANCE // COLLECTIONS

Right: Dr Stephan Zilkens: “Higher awareness of Internet possibilities”

lost something between 15 and 20 percent of its premium volume. “The major change post-pandemic comes from the higher awareness of the Internet possibilities. But it seems to be quite a short period, as the more fairs and exhibitions are opened the less people are trying to satisfy their hunger for art on the Internet.”

AUTHENTICITY But should they choose to buy on the internet, collectors face increased problems of provenance and authenticity. “The collector always takes a risk if he buys an artwork without having analysed the original” says Dr Zilkens. “Online art dealers or auctioneers usually have a history as classical institutions. Their appearance on the Internet is related to a necessary change because of circumstances. “Normally you can expect that these traditional houses have the same quality lines online or off-line. If a collector buys with an unknown art dealer or an unknown auction house which only exists on the Internet, he has a much higher risk. But if his art insurance integrates a ‘defective title’ section, he has at least a chance to be covered if the work appears as being stolen.” Questions also arise about the longterm viability of NFTs. “Many experts doubt that NFT’s have a very long future in art collecting” says Dr Zilkens. “It seems as if they correspond to money fleeing from capital markets where zero interest rates or worse scenarios make investors nervous. “Insurers so far have not yet developed any product which integrates an NFT into a classical fine art policy. The reason is obvious - the character of the NFT is completely electronic, therefore the risks arising are seen as technical risks which belong to the cyber sector. So, for instance, the Beeple photograph NFT of more than 5000 holiday pictures having been auctioned for more than $60 million will not be insurable. The full risk is with the buyer.” Traditional risks such as fire and forgery www.artsandcollections.com

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remain perhaps the most common in the art insurance industry. While fire can still risk destroying a whole collection, “Experts can have special liability insurances to cover their risk of having bought a forgery”, says Dr Zilkens; “When provenance is clear and routable, normally there is not a real risk. The real challenge for a modern collector is to develop a clear sense of quality in constantly changing market.”

LOSS RATIO Theft is perhaps less of a threat than it was, “Since the Art Loss Register is a must for everybody who deals with art. And then the new Interpol app available for everybody makes it easy to check whether an artwork is stolen or not.” But sometimes collectors bring risk on themselves, for instance by risking cut-price shipping. “Sometimes collectors think the cheaper the transport price, the better. Frankly, wrong packing or wrong shippers who pretend to know something about art have a major impact on the loss ratio of collectors.” War in Ukraine doesn’t seem to have

disrupted the European art market, where 2022 auction results are back to 2018 levels, but war risks are not insured and never have been. Nonetheless, “insurers should consider normal risk when loans are going to Ukraine.” And some things never change - the general outline of art insurance is always based on an all-risk cover. But definitions of insurance values can change - private collections have a tendency to be based on agreed values, while the gallery sector with much more movements and very differentiated ownerships has a broad variety of definitions of value, and museum policies can consider lenders as being co-insured. “State indemnity schemes are sometimes mixed in Museum policies, and that is a different difficult brew for collectors” says Dr Zilkens. You can read Dr Stephan Zilkens’ weekly review of the art market on the Zilkens website.  Zilkens Fine Art Insurance Broker www.zilkensfineart.com info@zilkens.com ARTS & COLLECTIONS 85

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COLLECTIONS // ARCHITECTURE

The Minimal

ATTITUDE

Austrian design manufacturer STEININGER has a purist approach to kitchens and interiors. CEO and chief designer Martin Steininger tells us more - or less

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ustrian design manufacturer STEININGER is a third-generation business; current CEO and chief designer Martin Steininger took over the company, founded by his grandfather in 1933, and steered it in a new direction, combining international designs with exceptional Austrian craftmanship. Steininger describes the company’s design aesthetic as “Minimalism meets functionality” – the company uses only premium materials such as wood, virgin stone, aluminium and urban concrete, and pursues the principle of “maximum simplification.” “Mind you, in relation to the form, and not the equipment” explain Steininger. With unusual materials such as stone, concrete, aluminum or brass, he underscores the linear, at times archaic appearance of his designs. “Good design is clear, unobtrusive, timeless. Form follows function may be absolutely justified. My antithesis to this is: Aesthetics is function! Because things have to please. We assume that they work, otherwise the product would not make sense.” The designer is inspired by nature, art and architecture. Role models are Adolf Loos, Josef Hofmann, Walter Gropius and Achille Castiglioni. He was also influenced by the minimal artist Donald Judd. The creative director designs everything himself, preferably with pen and paper.

A luxury label with showrooms in Linz and Vienna, Austria; Hamburg, Germany; St.Gallen, Switzerland, and London, England, STEININGER’s designs are in

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ARCHITECTURE // COLLECTIONS

demand internationally, and its designer kitchens often win awards, including in 2018 and 2019 for its brand image and the FOLD kitchen island: as well as German Innovation Awards, RedDot Awards, H&D Awards and Iconic World Awards. Steininger’s latest design is an iconic black steel kitchen block with a black stone worktop that seems to be floating, at first glance more of an art object than a kitchen unit. “The FOLD is a self-contained geometric body that takes back its power but not its presence”, says Martin Steininger. “Puristic intensity paired with perfect functionality. The design language is reminiscent of origami, the art of paper folding. The high-tech functions are hidden and cannot be seen from the FOLD in BLACK, the name of the unique kitchen.” FOLD is then typical of STEININGER’s sense of connection between art and design. “The connection is as complex as it is fascinating” says Martin Steininger. “Each of us will have a different perspective on this, but the connection is clearly there! Design tries to find solutions to problems and thus always aims for a specific result. In my view, art, on the other hand, does not pursue any specific objective. It is described as an independent act of freedom that often raises questions and creates space for debate and discussion”.

STEININGER’s FOLD in BLACK kitchen design, “a self-contained geometric body that takes back its power but not its presence”

NATURAL “For us, the kitchen is a design object - in the process of creation it is like art on paper. Our models are perceived as an art object in space. It is important to us that you don’t see the kitchen function at first glance, even though it is there at the highest level. Minimalism on the outside, full functionality on the inside!” The minimal and even archaic look of Steininger’s design is a significant part of a reductive aesthetic. “For me, reduction is a stylistic device” he says. “Purism with clear corners and edges runs through all my designs, because minimalism is not a fashion, but an attitude. “For me, beauty lies in simplicity and clarity combined with natural materials. This is timeless. And only the timeless survives or has the potential to become a classic.” Part of Steininger’s philosophy, of course, is the idea of sustainability and a reliance on natural materials. “The focus is clearly on creating sustainable values, www.artsandcollections.com

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in architecture as in design” he explains. “Design must look appealing and be technically perfect. We assume that they work, otherwise the product would have no meaning. We create a new kind of spatial experience, feel and sensuality. Natural materials play a major role in this. “In our manufactory, a wide variety of surfaces, materials and substances such as urban concrete, the finest natural stone, fine woods, rare metal alloys, aluminium or brass are elaborated. We combine state-of-the-art technology with artisanal craftsmanship. The result is unique pieces of perfect quality.”

So where will STEININGER’s design philosophy lead next? “People want to design a home that reflects their values” says Martin Steininger. “However, the ideas are often very complex. Our job is to turn these ideas into realisable projects. “We see a building as a setting, as a scenography, yes, as a theatre stage. For us, the overall picture always counts, and it has to be right. The aim of good design and architecture should be to create good places that serve the users, and, yes, also improve their lives.”  www.steiningerdesigners.com ARTS & COLLECTIONS 87

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COLLECTIONS // TRAVEL

Can Hotels

GO GREEN?

The global travel business doesn’t have a great name for sustainability. What can hotels do to go green without compromising luxury services?

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that one in three consumers prefer sustainable brands. Programmes such as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), a green building rating system, provide a framework for healthy, highly efficient, and cost-saving green buildings. In new-build hotels, construction and energy systems can be designed from scratch with these requirements in mind. For older buildings, it may be necessary to retro-fit more sustainable heating, lighting, and airconditioning systems, for instance.

SUSTAINABLE Replacing fleet vehicles with electric ones, renting electric vehicles to guests and providing charging points is a major step forward, but there are many ways in which hotels can make a contribution at minimal cost. Fitting rooms with auto-sensing systems to switch off unwanted lights or

air conditioning, installing smart showers that limit hot water use, furnishing with sustainable fabrics and supplying reusable instead of disposable cutlery and crockery is a help, as is cutting down on one-use plastic water bottles by offering reusable branded bottles. Food services can be made more ecofriendly by reducing waste, buying produce locally, and recycling more, while menus should include vegetarian and vegan options. Even the gift shop could go green with ethical clothing companies, fair trade accessories, and even ethical travel gear. As more hotels adopt green best practice, guests will come to expect it as standard - and what’s good for the guests, is good for the business, and should be good for the planet too.  Below: The green pitched roof of the GF Victoria Hotel in Costa Adeje, Tenerife

IMAGES © GF HOTELS

he travel business has suffered through the two years of a global pandemic which has only served to amplify calls for it to look more closely at its green credentials. While the aviation industry investigates new technologies and fuels, how can hotels play their part in going green? In fact, with rocketing fuel prices, and increased environmental awareness from consumers, it’s very much in the interest of the hospitality industry to look at options such as solar power, smart utility controls and waste recycling. The core requirements for a more sustainable hospitality business are reduction in the environmental impact of services, maintenance, logistics, products, and supplies. Increasingly, consumers seek out these green businesses, and are willing to pay more for eco-friendly products and services. A recent survey suggested

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Stay, you can have it all Come and enjoy an explosion of sensations at GF Victoria. Wellness, fun and gastronomy in an exclusive and sustainable environment. We look forward to seeing you in Costa Adeje, Tenerife!

www.gfvictoria.com

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COLLECTIONS // BOOKS

BOOK REVIEWS

From classic photography to vampire cinema, and antique jewellery to comic-book art, we present a library of musthave volumes for your coffee-table and bookshelf

VAMPIRE CINEMA Christopher Frayling I RAP I £39.95 I www.reelartpress.com

This survey of the first 100 years of vampires in the cinema by respected culture critic (Sir) Christopher Frayling explores one of Western culture’s most potent myths, from FW Murnau’s Nosferatu through Hammer’s Dracula to Marvel’s Morbius. Dripping with movie stills, posters, artwork, and press books, many rarely seen before in the light of day, the 272pp book examines the way “The vampire has gradually shifted shape from soul-less fiend, to lost soul, to soul mate’.

THE MODERN GUIDE TO ANTIQUE JEWELLERY

THE POWER OF PHOTOGRAPHY

Peter Fetterman I ACC Art Books I £30 I www.accartbooks.com During the long months of lockdown, Peter Fetterman ‘exhibited’ online one photograph per day, accompanied by inspirational text, quotes and poetry, selected from the range available through his leading commercial photography gallery in Santa Monica, California. This digital collection struck a chord with followers from around the world, and The Power of Photography presents 120 outstanding images from the series, along with Peter’s insightful words. From Ansel Adams’s family portraits to Bruce Davidson’s wistful depiction of young men playing ballgames on a street; this book gathers some of the most unique and heartening photographs from the 20th Century.

Beth Bernstein I ACC Art Books I £25.00 I www.accartbooks.com

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This go-to guide to antique jewellery takes the reader on a tour through time from the 1700s to the early 20th century, with advice on spotting the most desirable pieces, looking chic in antiques, and where to shop in New York, Paris and Amsterdam. Part educational guide, with anecdotes from dealers and experts; and part celebration of historical jewellery, this book is an invaluable and accessible reference, a 192-page hardback by a noted jewellery historian, author and journalist. www.artsandcollections.com

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BOOKS // COLLECTIONS

UGO RONDINONE

Laura Hoptman, Erik Verhagen, Nicholas Baume, Jason Schmidt I Phaidon I £39.95 I www.phaidon.com Swiss conceptual artist Ugo Rondinone makes works defined by a poetic quality and an enduring preoccupation with universal themes such as time, cosmic cycles, or the primordial opposition of day and night, using paintings (landscapes, mandalas, horizons, windows, stars and brick walls), and immersive installations (featuring clowns, multi-coloured windows, and monochrome-painted walls). This is the definitive monograph on the work of one of the most prolific, versatile, and exciting artists of the last three decades.

MARINA ABRAMOVI Ossian Ward I Laurence King Publishing I £14.99 I www.laurenceking.com

Ossian Ward, Head of Content at the Lisson Gallery and previously chief art critic at Time Out London, discusses Abramović’s life through a survey of her work, from She (1973 - 74), to The Life, (2019), the mixed reality performance and presentation at Serpentine Galleries. Marina Abramović has truly pioneered performance as a visual art form. Her work - notorious for its feats of endurance, pain and intense physical encounter - has pushed the boundaries of contemporary art and cemented her reputation as one of the most significant artists of the past 50 years. This book brings her complete practice together into one concise and essential volume.

ANATOMY OF COMICS

IMAGES © PHAIDON, LAWRENCE KING, FLAMMARION, TASCHEN

Damien MacDonald I Flammarion I £24.95 I www.editions.flammarion.com

This history of the world’s best comics art, perhaps slanted towards the European, includes masterpieces by cartoonists from Richard Felton Outcault in 1896 to Chris Ware today. These artworks - populated by meta-humans, hybrids and superheroes - present imagined fantastical worlds that have attracted generations of devoted fans. A critical reference, this book is also a celebration of the characters who have accompanied readers from their first forays into reading, through adolescence, and on into adulthood — from Tarzan to Tintin, Little Nemo to Betty Boop, Fantastic Four to Batman, Silver Surfer to Sin City, or the underground comics of Robert Crumb. www.artsandcollections.com

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TREASURES OF THE ROYAL ARMOURIES

Edward Impey, ed. I Royal Armouries I £30 I https://royalarmouries.org This 288-page photographic journey through Britain’s national museum of arms and armour reflects the ‘panoply of arms’ in the Royal Armouries’ collection, which was assembled over many centuries at the Tower of London, and now spans the ancient world to the present day. At the core of this collection is the museum’s unparalleled group of Tudor armours which derive from the Greenwich Armoury of Henry VIII, but also represented in 175 colour images are European, American and Asian objects. With a foreword by HRH the Earl of Wessex. ARTS & COLLECTIONS 93

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TRAVEL // COLLECTIONS

A PRIVATE LUXURY The Maldives capture the essence of a tropical paradise, but private islands like Velaa can also offer the ultimate in luxury

IMAGES © VELAA PRIVATE ISLAND

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collection of more than a thousand islands in the Indian Ocean, the Maldives are known around the world for their clear emerald waters, beautiful beaches and spectacular sunsets. For the visitor, the prospect of swimming and diving in these waters or lazing on the beaches is irresistable - but for the luxury traveller, the comforts associated with fivestar travel needn’t be missed. One of the great pulls of the Maldives is the sense of privacy they offer. Since most of the resorts are situated on their own private island, you can spend your whole time cut off from the rest of the world - or if you prefer, you can tour the islands, of which there are over a thousand inhabited and two hundred uninhabited.

VELAA Nestled within the constellation of islands that form the Noonu Atoll in the Maldives, www.artsandcollections.com

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Velaa Private Island takes exclusivity to the next level with facilities and service that go beyond traditional resorts, designed by award-winning Czech architect Petr Kolar as “an elegant fusion of Maldivian culture with contemporary luxury, intimate with Maldivian nuances”. Velaa Private Island is the realisation of a dream to create a “beyond luxury” exclusive boutique hideaway in the Maldives. Velaa means “Turtle” in the local language – named after generations of sea turtles that flock there to nest and hatch. From a broader “bird’s eye view” which greets arrivals by seaplane, the island’s exclusive over-water villas are also constructed to resemble the head of a turtle, with the island forming the body. The resort comprises 47 private villas, houses and exclusive residences. While 18 of the 47 are built over water, the Romantic Pool Residence can only be reached

by boat, allowing even more privacy and exclusivity.

MAGIC While it’s a favoured destination for honeymoons, the Maldives do cater for families, even if you want to spend your time on the water - the famous ‘liveaboards’ or houseboats offer sea safaris around the reefs, while offering any facilities you require including personal chefs and diving instructors. To experience the natural magic of the Maldives, don’t miss the lightshow of bioluminescent plankton (high season is midsummer to midwinter); and don’t miss out either on the local culture, a unique melting pot of Sri Lankan, Malaysian, Middle Eastern, Indonesian, and African influences. Music and dance performances, local food and day trips to villages will give you a real taste of the islands.  ARTS & COLLECTIONS 95

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COLLECTIONS // WHERE TO SPEND IT

Where to

SPEND IT

From a sporty bike to a flaming fireplace we present some unmissable technological marvels and luxurious bijoux for you to enjoy

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FAST AND FURIOUS

NO JUNK IN THIS TRUNK Specialist automotive and bespoke accessories brand Argent Timeless offers a stunning collection of travel accessories, including handmade Italian luggage, driving gloves, sunglasses, timepieces, and British leather goods. The Italian Luggage Steamer Trunk seen here costs £12,000, and can be customised to fit all its customer’s much-loved possessions from clothes to watches and jewellery from £14,000, so you can travel in ultimate style. www.argenttimeless.com

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FOCUS OF FIRE Focus is expanding its range of eco-efficient fireplaces with the launch of the new Glazed versions of the Domofocus and the Ergofocus. Focus is dedicated to the transformation of wood-burning fireplaces, with a triple objective of energy performance, eco-responsibility and superb design. Ecodesign certified and fully compliant with highest UK and European regulations, in these models the organic shape can rotate through a full 360 degrees, and an ingenious sliding glass window offers a perfect view of the flames without risk of sparks flying. Cost is from around £15,000. www.focus-fireplaces.com

IMAGES © SPECIALIZED CONCEPT STORE, ARGENT TIMELSS, FOCUS FIREPLACES

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Pedal to the metal with this fast and furious Epic Evo Mountain bike. It’s meticulously engineered to conquer any outdoor challenge with its FACT 1mm carbon frame, Rx XC Tune rear damping unit and FOX FLOAT 34 Factor forks, which deliver an incredibly low weight, stunning pedalling responsiveness, excellent rear wheel traction and composure over some of the roughest terrain. The Shimano XTR M9100 12-speed gears provide the rider with a wide range of speeds whether you want to power through bumps or ease through wet areas. Price is £8950. www.specializedconceptstore.co.uk

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6

WHERE TO SPEND IT // COLLECTIONS

HEAVY METAL

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ELECTRIC TEASER Chinese-owned British brand MG has dropped the clearest hint yet that its Cyberster electric roadster concept, first revealed in 2021, may reach production, with the release of a teaser video entitled Return of the Legend. Not much definite can be seen in the video, but the proposed roadster seems to have retained the scissor doors, arrow-shaped rear lights and yoke-style steering wheel of the concept prototype, while replacing the folding hard-top roof with a simpler, lighter fabric covering. There’s industry speculation that it may be named the MGC EV, in a nod to the company’s 1968 successor to the popular MGB roadster. www.mg.co.uk

5 IMAGES © MG, BALMAIN, FRATELLO WATCHES, PRO-JECT AUDIO

Pro-Ject Audio Systems’ Metallica Limited Edition Turntable delivers stunning sound and spectacular visuals. The Austrian maker equips the machine with a high-mass glass platter, diamond-cut aluminium sub-platter, aluminium S-shape tonearm and goldplated RCA connectors. Handmade in Europe, with a pre-adjusted Pick it S2 C cartridge & SME headshell included, cost is £1,149.. www.henleyaudio.co.uk

7 LION’S FOOT Enhance your footwear collection with the addition of these loud and stylish Balmain Unicorn Low-Top Sneakers. Defined by their futuristic silhouette with a ridged rubber sole, the all-white lowtop sneakers are also crafted with calfskin and neoprene, and feature a lace fastening. The bold look is then completed with a lion’s head snap button at the forefoot coupled with the iconic Balmain branding. The sneakers are priced at £975. www.balmain.com

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BEAUTIFUL CURVES Limited to 25 pieces and priced at €29,500 excluding VAT, the Fratello × Louis Moinet Memoris Spirit 40mm Chronograph is made of grade five titanium. The beautiful open-worked lugs have a fantastic satinbrushed curve, and while the beautiful box sapphire crystal allows for panoramic views, the flange also allows a cheeky side view. The movement is a Calibre LM84, a monopusher column-wheel chronograph composed of 311 individual components. There are 147 components for the upper part dedicated to the chronograph and 164 components for the lower part corresponding to the selfwinding movement. With a power reserve of 48 hours, the movement delivers all the classic Swiss efficiency you would expect. www.fratellowatches.com ARTS & COLLECTIONS 97

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COLLECTIONS // WATCHES

A DYNASTY IN TIME I

t’s sometimes difficult to comprehend that the skills and invention involved in modern watch-making go back hundreds of years, to before any modern form of technology, or indeed electricity. Since the Age of Enlightenment, no name stands higher than that of Leroy, a house with its roots in the 17th century. In 1747, the 16-year-old Basile Le Roy arrived at the workshops of Joseph Quétin, Master Watchmaker in the Paris Corporation, contracting as an apprentice for eight years. Basile was born into a family of Watchmakers to the King, whose innovations included marine chronometers and the first pocket-watch with a seconds hand. By the age of 20 he was accredited as a Master Watchmaker, opening a shop in the Palais-Royal. During the Revolution, his name with its regal overtones and his commercial links to the monarchy obliged him to use the anagram “Elyor” on some pieces.

INSPIRED Le Roy presented inspired designs at the Parisian Exhibition in the 1798, and by the 1820s, with Basile’s son Charles at the helm, Le Roy had become a noted purveyor to the crowned heads of Europe, 98 ARTS & COLLECTIONS

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as well as to the army and navy. This growing success was confirmed with the opening, in 1854, of the first Le Roy boutique in London under the name Le Roy & Sons at 296 Regent Street, and the appointment of the company as official Watchmakers to Queen Victoria in 1863. As Leroy & Co, the company collaborated with Swiss watchmakers such as Audemars and Piguet, and by the 20th century boasted customers including Roosevelt, Nobel, Renault, Chopin, Strauss, Wagner, and Matisse. Maintaining its reputation of innovation and excellence to this day, Leroy’s quality is exemplified by the Leroy 01 seen here, for over a century the world’s most complicated watch. Winner of the Grand Prix Spécial du Jury at the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1900, the Leroy 01 involves 975 pieces on four mechanical levels, and took seven years to complete. It remained the absolute standard-setter in “ultracomplicated” watchmaking until 1989, exemplifying the watchmaking expertise of the House of Leroy, but also the wealth of craftsmanship skills available in the Besançon area and in the Swiss Jura Arc in the early 20th century.  www.montres-leroy.com

IMAGES © L LEROY & CIE

In the world of horology, the Leroy name goes back to the Age of Enlightenment - how has it set its mark on watch-making history?

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OSMIOR TOURBILLON REGULATOR SKELETON ART DECO - UNIUE PIECE Automatic manufacture movement L512 Pink gold case 4N18K - 41mm

PARIS - LONDON - MILAN - NEW YORK - ST BARTHELEMY www.montres-leroy.com I info@montres-leroy.com

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San Marzano Vini SPA.indd 1

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