Anthology issue 6 Spring 2018

SPRING SPRING 2018 #06 2018 #06 €4.75€4.75 £3.35£3.35

FASHION FASHION

HERITAGE HERITAGE

ARTS ARTS

AisleAisle StyleStyle 20182018 • • Dolce Dolce & Gabbana’s & Gabbana’s Retail Retail Revolution Revolution

Matera, Matera, Capital Capital of of Culture Culture 20192019 • Amazing • Amazing Public Public Sculptures Sculptures

Russian Russian ArtistArtist Andrey Andrey A Cook’s A Cook’s Kitchen Kitchen • • Remnev Remnev • Charles • Charles Harper: Harper: Building Building Mental Mental A Retrospective A Retrospective Strength Strength

LIFESTYLE LIFESTYLE

Spring 2018 Issue 06

Waterford Castle Hotel and Golf Resort, one of Ireland’s most acclaimed hotels, is set on an enchanted 310-acre private island accessed by private car ferry. The island resort’s sixteenth-century castle offers luxury, security and privacy like few other destinations.

The hotel was awarded ‘The Best Wedding Venue 2016’ by Irish Wedding Diary, and ‘7th of the 50 Best Hotels in The World 2016’ and ‘3rd in the Top Ten Hotels of Europe 2016’ by Condé Nast Traveller. The resort’s Head Chef was awarded ‘Best Chef of Ireland 2017’, and its Mixologist was awarded National Cocktail Champion 2017’.

Waterford Castle Hotel & Golf Resort - The Island - Waterford - Ireland Tel: +353 (0) 51 878 203 - info@waterfordcastleresort.com

www.waterfordcastleresort.com

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CAROL CRONIN SEASCAPES

Annual Seasonal Opening Saturday, 5th May at 6.30pm The Carol Cronin Gallery, Upper Green Street, Dingle, Co. Kerry Tel: 086 103 1074 • • www.carolcronin.com 04_Carol_Cronin.indd 4

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Welcome to Anthology Spring Issue 2018

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pring has finally arrived – a season full of hope and anticipation. This year marks the centenary of women’s suffrage in Ireland, and while it’s important to savour that triumph, we must also hope that the campaign continues for social equality for all marginalised and excluded individuals and groups. We celebrate the anniversary in this issue by featuring some pioneering Irish women of the time who took on roles traditionally held by men and helped change prevailing ideas of what women were capable of, giving further momentum to the suffrage movement.

In this issue, contemporary Russian artist Andrey Remnev, whose work is influenced by traditional Russian icons, is our featured cover story. We also take a look at the retrospective exhi-

bition of the work of Charles Harper at the Royal Hibernian Academy in Dublin. And you can take a peek at the work of some of Ireland’s best contemporary artists and craftspeople.

Our featured travel destination is the spectacular city of Matera, the 2019 European Capital of Culture located in the southern Italian region of Basilicata.

Then, moving to the north of Italy, we visit the Ferrari Museum in Maranello where the world’s greatest motoring brand had its humble beginnings.

Thank you for reading, following and supporting us. As always, we strive to bring you a collection of beautiful experiences from around the world and wish you a joyful spring!

Edel edel@anthology-magazine.com

ANTHOLOGY PUBLISHING Limerick, Ireland EDITOR Edel Cassidy ART EDITOR Ros Woodham DESIGNER Lynne Clarke COPY-EDITOR Averill Buchanan CONTRIBUTORS Orna O’Reilly Weber, Jeannie Croucher, Róisín Cassidy, Louise Higgins, Dolores O’Donoghue ADVERTISING Gail Fean – advertising@anthology-magazine.com IFP Media – info@ifpmedia.com Printed by Warners Midland plc Distributed by EMNews

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ON THE COVER Contemporary Russian artist Andrey Remnev uses traditional techniques with his own distinctive, fairy tale-like, surreal style to create unique works of art. His paintings are distinguished by attention to detail and meticulous decoration in the manner of Russian iconography painting. (p. 46).

SUBMISSIONS ANTHOLOGY welcomes submissions – ideas, musings or long-form narrative – and is keen to publish serious reportage. All we ask is that the pieces are previously unpublished. Pitches to: info@anthology-magazine.com PHOTOGRAPHY From styled fashion shoots and portraiture to architecture, high-quality photography is what ANTHOLOGY aims to bring to every issue. We are happy to view work. Link or PDF to: info@anthology-magazine.com SUBSCRIPTIONS ANTHOLOGY is a quarterly publication with a focus on beautiful features and imagery from Ireland and around the world. Subscribe to avail of delivery directly to your door. Email: info@anthology-magazine.com ISSN: 2009-9150

The publisher accepts no responsibility for any of the views expressed or claims made by contributors or advertisers. While every care is taken to ensure accuracy of information contained in Anthology, we do not accept responsibility for any errors or matters arising from same. No part of this publication may be used or reproduced without written permission from the publishers.

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contents 12 ARCHITECTURE Dolce & Gabbana’s Retail Revolution 20 TRAVEL Creative Public Sculptures

34 46

34 INTERIORS A Cook’s Kitchen 46 PORTRAIT Andrey Remnev: Artist 54

PORTRAIT Charles Harper: A Retrospective

60 VÓTÁIL 100 Pioneering Women of 1918 54

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FASHION Aisle Style

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EXHIBITION Ferrari: Infinite Red

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FASHION Azzedine Alaïa: The Couturier

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HEALTH Building Mental Strength

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BEAUTY Overnight Beauty

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TRAVEL Matera: Capital of Culture 2019

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D&G’s

Retail Revolution

Luxury architect Carbondale transforms Dolce & Gabbana stores into designer destinations WORDS EDEL CASSIDY PHOTOS ANTOINE HUOT

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arts

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olce & Gabbana is pursuing an innovative strategy to create a unique, distinctive architectural retail environment for each store. This shift by large global retailers from generic branding marks a growing trend to create localised shopping experiences for customers.

Paris-based Carbondale, an award-winning internationally acclaimed architecture studio founded by the American architect Eric Carlson, was invited by the luxury fashion brand Dolce & Gabbana to collaborate in the design of two new stores, one in Venice and the other in Monte Carlo. The fashion designers took the decision to drop the global identity of their outlets, and asked Carlson to create completely different concepts that would reflect the history of each location in sympathy with the brand’s design aesthetic.

Venetian Palace The new store in Venice occupies the Palazzo Torres, a former bank originally designed by the architect and sculptor Giuseppe Torres in 1880, and draws on both the heritage of Dolce & Gabbana and the unique architecture of the city.

‘Venice is not a shopping destination, like Paris or Milan,’ says Carlson. ‘It’s a cultural destination, and the idea was to make [the store] somewhere visitors put on their list of things to see.’

For a brand defined by contrasts, the design, both inside and out, explores and accentuates the contrasts the historical and the contemporary spaces. The interior is inspired by the Italian palazzo model with distinctive rooms each characterised by different colours and finishes.

The women’s ready-to-wear room is red,

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the walls lined with Rosso Levanto marble and the floor with red marble mosaic tiles, while the men’s ready-to-wear section is green with Verde Menta marble and mosaics. The blue high-jewellery space is lined with dark-blue glass mosaic walls, punctuated with glimmering gold glass mosaic stars inspired by the tenth-century portico of the Basilica at Piazza San Marco. The green staircase, lined in Verde Antigua marble, leads visitors up to the prestigious second level where a twenty-metre-long wall mirror magically doubles the size of each room.

The blue and green rooms for men’s formal

wear, finished in Irish green and Italian blue Boquira marbles, are accentuated by wrapped panels of blue silk damask made by the Venetian weavers at Bevilacqua. The gold women’s evening-wear room is defined by wood inlaid flooring, brilliant gold silk damasks and Giallo Siena marble.

Paying homage to traditional Venetian craftsmanship dating back centuries, the door handles, clothing hooks, display stands and mirrors are hand-blown in Murano glass by the Seguso family, while fabrics used throughout the store are woven by Bevilacqua and by Rubelli.

The seating is inspired by the ‘couturier soul’ of Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. The iconic tailor’s pincushion became the starting point for the voluptuous chairs and sofas, which are wrapped in luxurious velvets and coloured according to the theme of each room.

The overall design masterfully unites and expresses the depth, diversity and richness of both the Venetian and Dolce & Gabbana cultures through an architectural experience of discovery in which historical treasures and exemplary contemporary design combine to celebrate a brand and a city.

above: (Left) The restoration included the façade, the former ground-level bank and a second-level private residence; (Right) Contemporary furniture is delicately designed to blend with the historical interior. left: Elaborately patterned inlaid mosaic stone floors create a splendid ambience

above: The façade of the historic Palazzo Torres has been meticulously restored. right: The high jewellery room with star motifs is inspired by the city’s Basilica San Marco

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arts

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culture

above: Velvet seats in the dressing room are inspired by the tailor’s pin cushion; right: The design unites and expresses the depth, diversity and richness shared by the Venetian and Dolce & Gabbana cultures

top: Contemporary fittings play on details from history and modernity. above: Mosaics are handmade by the Friul and Orsoni companies, Venice-based family artisans. below: The space represents a rare contemporary beauty without relying on austerity or minimalism

above: The design explores the contrast between extravagant historical and rich contemporary spaces. right: The green room is finished with Irish green Boquira marble

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top: Islands of pink quartz in the ladies section. above: Rich polished pink quartz stone detail. right: A mirrored ceiling creates a seemingly infinite vista

Principality of Monaco On entering the Monte Carlo store you’re immediately immersed in the glamorous atmosphere of the Côte d’Azur. The store is situated near the famous Casino de Monte Carlo and the Café de Paris, with views of the Mediterranean Sea, and is divided over three levels. Here, inspiration was drawn from the elegance, luxury and charm of the

city itself with a touch of James Bond-inspired humour for the jet-set clientele. For example, the long, narrow lower-level space with its discreet VIP entrance architecturally interprets the famous 007 swirling gun barrel with dynamic spirals of polished black marble and pink quartz stone wrapping the floor, walls and ceiling.

The large middle and upper levels are

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culture

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characterised by black marble flooring with ceilings covered entirely by mirror facets, punctuated by islands of pink quartz stone to define the various product areas.

The approach to materials for the Monte Carlo store was very different to that of the Venice store. Eric Carlson says: ‘Most of the materials and the finishes were designed to

reflect and dematerialise surfaces to create an elusive, sparkling perception as visitors move through the spaces. For example, all of the ceilings are composed of crisply bevelled rectangular mirrors and the floors are highly polished black Nero Marquina marble. Visually, this increases the volume and generates an intangible, magical im-

pression … like stepping inside a diamond.’

Eric Carlson’s mastery of space, light, materials and details are orchestrated to merge the cultural identities of both Dolce & Gabbana and Monte Carlo to create a uniquely customised triumph of beauty and opulence for an exclusive brand and elite clientele.

above: The middle level is dedicated to the brand’s menswear. right: The James Bond-inspired VIP hallway. below: Every detail is exclusively designed for a very select clientele

top: The Monte Carlo store is situated near the famous Casino de Monte Carlo and the Café de Paris. above: Pink velvet Italian chairs give a baroque feel with a touch of Rococo

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wonders list Some of the most powerful and creative public sculptures from around the world words dolores o ’ donoghue

cloud gate

By Anish Kapoor, Chicago, USA Inspired by liquid mercury, the 110-ton elliptical sculpture (also known as the Bean) is forged of a seamless series of highly polished stainless steel plates, which reflect Chicago’s famous skyline and the clouds above. The sculpture is among the largest of its kind in the world, measuring sixty-six feet wide by thirty-three feet tall. A twelve-foot-high arch provides a ‘gate’ to the concave chamber beneath the sculpture, inviting visitors to touch its mirror-like surface and see their image reflected back from a variety of perspectives.

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travel

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ove them or loathe them, commissioned public artworks have been part of our culture for centuries.

Whether it’s to commemorate a historic event, add some aesthetic merit to a public square, or make an open space

more appealing, these majestic monuments are a key feature of most modern cities, and each has its own story to tell.

Here are some of the most extraordinary, intriguing, beautiful or bizarre to be found around the world.

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shoes on the danube bank

By Can Togay and Gyula Pauer, Budapest, Hungary A most moving memorial to the people who were shot into the Danube during the Holocaust in Hungary. The Arrow Cross murderers forced terrified Jews to remove their shoes before shooting their victims off the riverbank. Shoes were a valuable commodity during World War II, and the killers could use them, or trade them on the black market.

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TrAVel

force of nature Versions of this statue are located in several major cities around the globe. Made from bronze, stainless steel and aluminium, the sculptures depict Mother Nature hurling planet Earth around in circles. Inspired by the destruction caused by hurricanes around the globe, the powerful and furious image reminds us of the power of nature and what Quinn describes as our ‘false sense of security’ with regard to it.

hAlCYon ArT InTernATIonAl And lorenZo QuInn

A series of sculptures by Lorenzo Quinn

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the architectural fragment

By Petrus Spronk, Melbourne, Australia This sculpture, which is seemingly buried underground, stands before the state library of Victoria. It was inspired by Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poem ‘Ozymandias’, which speaks of the fragile and transient nature of all that is human. Architectural Fragment is a Pythagorean triangle, thus making a strong association with the geometry of ancient Greece. Like a fallen classical monument, it symbolises the downfall of civilization while alluding to the transience of the present.

de vaartkapoen

By Tom Frantzen, Molenbeek, Brussels, Belgium This humorous statue of a Brussels policeman being tripped by a ‘rogue of the canal’ coming out of a manhole is adored by the people of Belgium. ‘De Vaartkapoen’ is the name given to the people who were born in Molenbeek (literally, ‘de vaart’ means the canal and ‘kapoen’ means cheeky). From the ground, a young rebel topples over a policeman standing above him, thus overthrowing his authority and portraying the power struggle between citizen and state.

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travel

mustangs at las colinas

By Robert Glen, Irving, Texas, USA The largest equestrian sculpture in the world, this breathtakingly realistic bronze sculpture of nine wild mustangs galloping across a granite prairie stream was created to capture the free spirit embodied in the heritage of Texas. The monument commemorates the wild mustangs that were historically important inhabitants of much of Texas. The horses are intended to represent the drive, initiative and unfettered lifestyle that were fundamental to the state in its pioneer days.

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release

By Marco Cianfanelli, near Howick, South Africa It was on this spot that, in 1962, Nelson Mandela was put in handcuffs and led away to be incarcerated for the next twenty-seven years.

Exactly fifty years later this monument was erected. It is made from fifty charcoal-coloured steel columns that create an image of Mandela’s head when viewed from a certain angle. The vertical bars, one for each of the fifty years since his arrest, represent his imprisonment, but they also suggest the idea of many making up the whole – of solidarity.

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Creative Clay Wonderful unique ceramic gifts for so many special occasions

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aquel Walsh of Creative Clay creates beautiful handcrafted Irish ceramics to enhance your home and bring a sense of calm and beauty into your world.

She embraces the Japanese philosophy of ‘Wabi-sabi’ – finding beauty in imperfection. Her work celebrates the beauty created by nature. Her rugged weathered pieces reflect the erosion and fragility of the landscape under the harsh conditions created by Mother Nature. The flora and fauna are a reminder that life and beauty will always find a way to adapt.

As the pieces are handmade, there will be variations in colour and shape; no two pieces are exactly alike.

Ballycasey Craft and Design Centre, Shannon, Co. Clare T: +353 86 6071815 E: info@creativeclayireland.com www.creativeclayireland.com

Stockists: Shannon Irish Design Store, Bunratty, Co. Clare - Cliffs Of Moher Gift Shop, Co. Clare - Kylemore Abbey, Co. Galway Draiocht Art & Craft, Adare, Co. Limerick - Newgrange/Brú Na Bóinne, Co. Meath - Maguires Cafe, Hill Of Tara, Co. Meath Suitor Gallery, Ballygawley, Co. Tyrone - Millie’s Treasure Trove, Tullamore, Co. Offaly - The Ennis Bookshop, Abbey Street, Ennis, Co. Clare - Barkers, Main Street, Wexford

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Ciara O’Keeffe Ceramics I

t all emanates from a story, an emotion, a song or a meaning.

From her studio in Athy, Co. Kildare, ceramicist Ciara O’Keeffe uses clay to reveal a story and create a unique range of ceramic sculptures that draw inspiration from Ireland’s rich cultural heritage with its varied contemporary history. A graduate of Limerick School of Art and Design, Ciara translates revealed reminiscences into distinct wall art and freestanding sculptures – fragments of history shared, overheard and carefully handcrafted into unique works of art.

Westering, Carlow Road, Athy , Co. Kildare T: +353 87 6404428 E: ciaraokeeffe74@gmail.com www.ciaraokeeffe.ie

‘I’ve always had to draw, to make, to create: my soul requires it and my sanity is grateful for it’ Ciara O’Keeffe

Lar Joyce L

ar Joyce is a self-taught artist based in Wexford, and has been drawing and painting professionally for five years. Working mainly in charcoal or oil paints, he likes to produce work with its own individual character, so that each new piece is unique.

He exhibits regularly in solo shows and in group exhibitions, including the Wexford Opera Festival.

His artwork – originals and prints – is sold in a number of galleries such as The Gas Lamp Gallery in Gorey; The Denis Collins Gallery, Wexford; Carlow Arboretum; The Irish National Heritage Park; and Westgate Design, Wexford.

Examples of his work can also be seen at www.larjoyce.com

Castleboro House, Castleboro, Clonroche, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, Ireland T: +353 87 2729052 E: larjoyce76@gmail.com

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NU goldsmith T

he NU gallery has become a focal point for thousands of visitors to Dingle every year. A native of Cashel, Co. Tipperary, Niamh Ni Mhathuna-Utsch, served her apprenticeship in Dublin and spent a further ten years working with master goldsmiths in Germany before she established her workshop and gallery in Dingle in 1996.

Niamh Utsch’s ever-changing collection of handcrafted jewellery is made of the finest materials. Pieces include rings, bracelets, necklaces, cufflinks, bangles, brooches, earrings. Her style is very distinctive – bold,

modern, often asymmetrical but always balanced, delicate yet strong. Her loyal and devoted clientele appreciate that every one of her pieces is unique. ‘Repetition is the death of creativity,’ says Niamh. ‘A handmade piece created by a master craftsperson has so much more meaning, both to the giver and the receiver, than a mass-produced product.’

Niamh’s ideas are inspired by the calmness that surrounds Dingle and its beaches, the gems she uses reflecting the different facets of colour that emanate from the landscape as the sun shines down.

Upper Green Street, Dingle, Co. Kerry E: nugoldsmith@gmail.com W: www.nugoldsmith.com

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Aimee Gillen S

T: +353 85161 2616 E: aimeegillen@hotmail.com www.aimeegillen.com

ince completing her degree in fine art at the Crawford College of Art and Design, Cork, Aimee Gillen has exhibited her work internationally, from Milan to New York.

Living and working in the Midlands of Ireland, Aimee produces highly sophisticated acrylic and glass pieces that meld organic forms with unbelievable colour. Her works are sensual two-dimensional pieces painted on canvases several feet across.

The materials that Aimee works with enable her to express a physicality that often changes dynamically several times in one piece. Her pieces are largely abstract, with some series featuring stylised figures. Many contain tantalising hints of recognisable organic forms. But mostly, the work is about rich, almost impossible colour, and complex organisation.

Her compositions are almost constructed, rather than painted. The shapes in her work surround, envelop and fold in on each other, taking unanticipated turns and layering on top of one another. The movement in each piece is both fragile and robust in turn. The palette is ambitious in extent and simply incredible in its richness and capacity for reflecting and refracting light.

Pamela Sullivan W

A selection of her work can be viewed at www.pamsullivan.art E: pamsullivanartist@gmail.com T: +353 87 9580820

hen Pamela Sullivan and her sister set up Aviary Lane, a hair salon in South Anne Street, Dublin, she was inspired to follow the theme and start painting birds. She loves birds, and likes to tell stories with her paintings.

Her paintings express her love for the natural world, and include portraits of exotic birds that capture the birds’ unique splendour, their individual personality and the beauty of their feathers.

Pamela’s choice of medium is oil paint, and she uses both the brush and palette knife to achieve many techniques within one painting, creating texture and movement with the paint itself.

A mum of two young children living in Skerries, Co. Dublin, Pamela has featured frequently in group exhibitions and exhibits her work at Art Source in the RDS.

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Luxquisite Experience the ultimate in luxury self-catering.

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Full information at: www.luxquisitepropertylettings.com Mylestone Interiors, based in Killarney, is an Irish interior design, furniture and accessories company, offering furniture and interior design solutions for a diverse range of domestic and commercial projects. www.mylestoneinteriors.ie

uxquisite self-catering guest houses are distinctive, highend properties located in the heart of Killarney, one of the country’s most sought-after destinations, and they offer an elegant, comfortable, home-from-home experience.

From larger period-style five-bedroom properties to more compact four-bedroom town houses, all are luxuriously presented with an inviting atmosphere and a warmth and cosiness to match. Having travelled extensively himself, experiencing first-hand the level of service that visitors deserve, the owner, Mike O’Donoghue, decided to offer properties of a similarly exceptional benchmark in Ireland.

Patrick Carmody of Mylestone Interiors was commissioned with the interior design. His brief was to create a classic but modern warm and welcoming atmosphere with high-quality fittings and furniture. Mike had firm ideas in terms of quality and attention to detail, while Patrick, who specialises in designing and sourcing unique pieces of furniture, set about bringing the vision to fruition.

The end results are stylish, elegant interiors that are functional and modern.

A concierge-style service is available to attend to guests needs. There is also a chef available for those who wish to dine or entertain during their stay, the ideal solution for family vacations or group gatherings.

Luxury Guest House Lettings Quality Within Exceptional Surroundings

Contact: +353 87 904 1011 info@luxquisitepropertylettings.com www.luxquisitepropertylettings.com 32 SPRING 2018 ANTHO LO G Y

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interiors

Nádhúra Design N

ádhúra Design is a design-led, environmentally conscious, interior fit-out company based in Galway City, Ireland, specialising in designing, building and delivering interior fit-out projects to the highest standard, within budget and on time.

The highly skilled team combines creativity with advanced technology and an understanding of superior furniture-making and craftsmanship to provide products, interior spaces and services that are designed and built to last, both in quality, relevance and style.

Nádhúra Design portfolio is extremely varied but is based on providing creative designs and engineered solutions for interior fit-out projects and bespoke statement pieces unique to your space.

Nádhúra will deliver both products and services with an emphasis on sustainability, customisation and superior quality.

Using emerging technologies, the company specialises in complex projects that challenge conventional approaches, and provides solutions that combine quality, economy, innovation and efficiency.

A complete service is available to bring your interiors vision to reality through design, concept development, engineering, manufacture, fit-out, and a full project management service, should you need it. Nádhúra Design provides interior architecture and fit-out consultation along with technical expertise to deliver dynamic commercial and domestic spaces.

With the trend towards using building information modelling (BIM) at an earlier stage in projects, Nádhúra has developed unique client relationships based on the application of materials and manufacturing knowledge, and integrated engineering solutions to large-scale BIM projects.

Our individual and collective projects include many high-profile commercial clients, both in Ireland, UK and North America.

Unit 2, Ballybrit Upper Industrial Estate Monivea Road , Galway T: +353 91 745599 E: info@nadhura.ie www.nadhura.ie

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A Cook’s W

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Maximise your kitchen layout For most people the design and layout of their kitchen is paramount. For the professional or amateur chef, it’s even more important. They want to ensure that their kitchen not only looks beautiful but functions well as a working kitchen, with adequate storage for their extensive saucepan collection, plenty of oven and dishwasher space and room to house all the latest gadgets which help them create culinary masterpieces for their family and friends.

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Top tips for designing a kitchen specifically for those who love to cook

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Kitchen

hile your average kitchen renovator is more concerned about aesthetics, those who love to cook and entertain will spend hours poring over solutions for everything from pot storage to dishwasher space. So when it comes to kitchen design, culinary connoisseurs want a perfectly designed kitchen that suits their needs and incorporates the ‘must-have’ appliances that make the cooking experience even more enjoyable.

Louise Higgins, founder of Perfect Headboards and Aspire Design, is an award-winning designer and a graduate of the Interior Design Academy of Ireland. Louise is a full member of the Interiors Association and is also a member of the Crafts Council of Ireland. For further advice, contact Louise at 045-982265 or louise@aspiredesign.ie

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S H A NE H O L L A ND

INTERIORS

Lighting Good lighting is essential in any kitchen but for the cook it’s even more important. Natural light is ideal for a serious cook, but the addition of task lighting makes life much easier – under-counter lighting, spot-lighting over your island, and so on.

An island makes a super focal point in any kitchen and for cooks it’s a wonderful way to add extra storage or a second dishwasher. It also provides a prep sink and a food preparation area. Some cooks love to be part of the party, so consider having a seating area at your island that allows you to be part of the conversation while you work.

VI CTO RIA N KITC HEN COMPA N Y

Have a focal point

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Splashback There is a growing trend for taller splashbacks as some home owners are opting for no wall cabinets and making the move towards open shelving. Higher splashbacks help unite and brighten a space with their reflective qualities.

While subway tiles are still a popular choice, there is a move towards more elongated subway tiles. Other popular designs are herringbone, chevron and laser-cut tiles.

Prep space

HALO TILES

Prep space is a major requirement for any cook, so ensure you have allowed for this in your design. A large sink is also ideal as it makes cleaning up so much easier. Consider a tap with a pull-out pipe for cleaning those pots and pans. Any chef would also love motion-sensor taps that detect the presence of a hand underneath and turn on automatically.

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ithout doubt, the most important aspect of a cook’s kitchen is how it functions rather than how it looks. But there’s no reason why you can’t have both – an aesthetically pleasing kitchen that incorporates all those practical things that are so important to the masterchef in your family.

Counter tops Quartz is an ideal counter top choice for the professional cook as it’s easy to maintain, hard-wearing and anti-microbial.

Granite is another surface to consider for its high-end finish, although it requires slightly more maintenance. Quartz manufacturers provide a wide range of colours and patterns to choose from, with large veining being very popular at the moment. As people are opting for darker painted kitchens, they tend to choose lighter-coloured counter tops in pale grey, white, cream or taupe.

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INTERIORS

Flooring

Connected cooking Smart kitchens are an evolving aspect of design as smart appliances are added to make cooking easier.

For the smart cook, it can be handy to tell when food is done with a glance at their phone. Smart devices have everything from presets for different foods to complex sensors that can adjust cooking settings automatically.

Smart refrigerators, ranges and dishwashers can also make the management of the kitchen easy. Devices equipped with features that can be activated from apps on a smartphone make it easy to manage the kitchen even when you’re not at home.

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VICTORIAN KITCHE N CO M PA NY

Thanks to advances in technology, ceramic flooring is a popular choice for kitchens. It’s available in a variety of styles and sizes, and can resemble wood or natural stone. If you’re cooking all day, then you may like to consider distressed wood flooring as it’s a little easier on the knees and feet and can take some abuse. Herringbone is a popular flooring pattern that is right on trend.

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Open your fridge.

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FOOD

SPRING DINNER MENU Chef Clodagh McKenna has created a delicious spring menu to celebrate the taste, quality and goodness of Irish Dairy

S P R I N G H E R B S PATC H CO C K C H I C K E N O N F E N N E L (Serves 4) It’s so easy to spatchcock a chicken, but if it seems complicated then ask your butcher to do it; alternatively roast as normal and increase the cooking time by double.

1 whole chicken 100g salted Irish butter, softened 3 tablespoons fresh spring herbs (flat leaf parsley, tarragon, garlic leaves if available), finely chopped 1 lemon, juice and zest 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 4 whole fennel bulbs, cut in half lengthways sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 1. Pre-heat the oven to 190°C / Gas 5.

2. To spatchcock the chicken, place the whole chicken breast-side down, with the legs towards you. Using sturdy scissors, cut up along each side of the backbone to remove it, cutting through the rib bones as you go. Open the chicken out and turn over. Flatten the breastbone with the heel of your hand so that the meat is all one thickness. You

F R ES H C R A B TOASTS W I T H S P I C E D YO G U RT (Serves 4)

can ask your butcher to do this for you if you want.

4 slices sourdough bread, toasted

one lemon and the crushed garlic cloves. I find it easiest to use the

For the crab 220g fresh cooked crabmeat 2 scallions, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, plus more for serving 1 lemon, juice and zest For the spiced yogurt 100ml plain yogurt ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

3. Next, make a spring herbed butter by placing the softened butter in a bowl and mixing in the chopped spring herbs, juice and zest of back of a spoon to mix all the ingredients together.

4. Use your fingers to gently separate the skin of the chicken from the breast and thigh meat to create pockets. Spoon half of the flavoured butter underneath the skin of the chicken breast and wings, and over the skin of the chicken. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

5. Place the remaining half of the butter in a saucepan over a low heat to melt. Then toss the halved fennel bulbs in the melted herbed butter, season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

6. Arrange the fennel bulbs on a baking sheet or roasting tin.

1. Mix together the crabmeat, sliced scallions, chopped fresh dill,

Place the spatchcock chicken on top of the fennel, and cook in a

lemon juice and zest in a bowl. Season with sea salt and freshly

pre-heated oven for 45 minutes.

ground black pepper.

7. Once the chicken is cooked, spoon the juices from the pan over

2. Stir together the yogurt and crushed red pepper flakes in a

the chicken and fennel until all the juices in the pan (or most of

small bowl and season with sea salt.

them) have been absorbed.

3. Slice the sourdough toasts into quarters, spoon the crabmeat mixture on the toasts and drizzle the spiced yogurt on top. Sprin-

Serve with Celeriac and Potato Gratin (Clodagh’s recipe can be

kle the remaining fresh dill on top.

found on www.ncd.ie) ANTHOLOGY SPRING 2018 39

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O R A N G E P I STAC H I O YO G U RT CA K E 50g slightly stale white breadcrumbs 100g ground almonds 100g pistachios 1 tsp baking powder 4 eggs 150g caster sugar 125ml sunflower oil 200ml natural Irish yogurt zest of 1 orange zest of 1 lemon For the citrus syrup juice of 1 orange juice of 1 lemon 1 star anise 1 cinnamon stick

1. Pre-heat the oven to 190°C / Gas 5.

2. Grease a 20.5cm (8in) round and 5cm (2in) deep tin and dust with flour.

3. In a large bowl mix together the breadcrumbs, almonds, pistachios and baking powder.

4. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs with the caster sugar. Continue to whisk while pouring in the vegetable oil, followed by the natural Irish yogurt.

5. Next, stir the liquid into the dry ingredients and mix well. Add the orange and lemon zest. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin and place in the pre-heated oven.

6. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the cake is golden brown. To ensure the cake is done, insert a skewer into the centre – if it’s ready, the skewer should come out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before turning out on to a plate.

7. Meanwhile, make the citrus syrup. Put all the ingredients into a saucepan and bring gently to the boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved completely.

To serve 50g of roughly chopped pistachios zest of a lemon or orange natural Irish yogurt

Simmer for 10 minutes or until thick.

8. While the cake is still warm, pierce it several times with a skewer. Then spoon the hot syrup over the cake, allowing it to run into the pierced holes.

Leave to cool. Spoon any excess syrup back over the cake every now and then until it is all soaked up.

9. Sprinkle chopped pistachios and the zest of an orange or lemon on top.

Serve with natural Irish yogurt.

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Brilliant: the three-tier sink system.

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The three-tier sink system for added convenience through a unique function. BLANCO ETAGON 500 extends the individual bowl to include an additional functional level. The brand new system concept has all the versatility of the sink centre, yet requires little space. The integrated ledge combined with the specially developed ETAGON rails allows working at three levels of the modern, linear bowl.

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Showtime Essential Kitchen Products, 51 Boeing Road, Airways Industrial Estate, Swords Road, Santry Dublin, Ireland D17 V227

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interiors

Alan Brown Design ‘T

Unit 1, Drummin East, Delgany, Co.Wicklow T: +33 1 214 8590 E: info@alanbrowndesign.ie www.alanbrowndesign.ie

he essence of a beautiful kitchen is the craftsmanship that created it.’ This belief and their unique personal approach has made the team at Alan Brown Cabinet Makers among the leading bespoke creators in the country. They pride themselves on creating beautiful individual spaces that are a pleasure not only to cook in but also to live, love and come together in.

With total professionalism and decades of honed skills, the company’s philosophy is led by beautiful, innovative, effective design.

The high quality of every finished piece is matched only by the personal service they offer.

‘We are obsessed by designing and producing rooms to the highest standards,’ says Alan proudly. ‘We work with the finest timber, personally selected by us for its strength, beauty and durability.’ As you would expect from master craftsmen, the pride they take in every room they create is evident in the meticulous detail of their work.

Alan would be delighted to discuss your individual projects and arrange a visit to your home at a time that suits you. Or you’re more than welcome to visit the showroom.

The Victorian Kitchen Company

I

f you are looking for something unique, The Victorian Salvage and Kitchen Company in Dublin city centre is well worth a visit. Mark McDonagh and his team of skilled craftsmen create handmade, hand-painted solid wood kitchens using traditional carpentry methods inspired by period kitchens from Georgian Irish to Victorian to Shaker style. They have recently added a more contemporary range with a modern twist that nevertheless maintains the quality of traditional craftsmanship.

Their city centre location is unique. From the moment you enter your eye is drawn to the beautiful kitchens surrounded by period accessories, such as reclaimed oak parquet flooring, decorative radiators, and antique and bespoke lighting, all complemented by handmade kitchen tables and state of the art appliances.

As all kitchens are bespoke, the design process begins with a consultation with Mark McDonagh who will work closely with you throughout. Every kitchen is designed to maximise space, light and functionality and is therefore unique to each client; from colour preferences to appliances, every detail is carefully considered. There is a lot to discover in the showroom, and you can also see the craftsmen at work in the Victorian Kitchen Company workshop.

South Gloucester Street Dublin 2 T: +353 1 672 7000 E: info@victoriankitchencompany.ie www.victoriankitchencompany.ie

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The ‘Synthesis’ from Falmec

F

almec, the Italian gurus of extraction and purified air, continually dazzle us with their flare for spectacular products, but their latest revelation is truly something else. The ‘Synthesis’ is a seamless, sleek and sassy all-in-one induction hob and extractor.

Not only is it perfect for those with space restrictions and kitchen island units, this really hits the spot when it comes to aesthetics. Simply stunning and minimal.

It’s the first 900mm hob, boasting four zones and with the Flexizone. No matter the shape or size of the pan you use, the heat is only conducted to the pan base.

The ‘Synthesis’ is primarily intended as a recirculation extractor. The air is filtered upon extraction and put back, rather than pumped through the vents to the exterior of the house. The clever, unique Carbon.Zero filter doesn’t just purify the air, it fiercely reduces the moisture and odour.

Exclusively available in Ireland from Showtime Essential Kitchen Products.

T: +353 1 8162101 E: info@sho.ie www.sho.ie

ZINZAN

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hoosing the right kitchen seating helps create the perfect space not only for you to share meals but also to imbue the room with life, warmth and conversation.

ZINZAN is a 100% Irish-owned and operated online furniture store with a strong focus on quality and a love of quirky, eye-catching designs, both contemporary and traditional. Our mission is to set the trend in replica and original designs, providing everyone with the opportunity to create homes with an edge.

The ZINZAN team is constantly searching for fun and creative designs to add to their range, offering inspiration to help you create a décor that reflects your personality.

T: 1800 989 550, www.zinzan.ie, Nationwide Delivery

Egan Stoneworks Kilbeggan N

atural stone will make any kitchen look great and make it a pleasure to work and cook in. For a stunning kitchen countertop, solid stone is the ultimate in luxury, design and look.

Granite, marble, and quartz offer durability, easy care and natural beauty, and come in a wide range of colours.

Egan Stoneworks will cut and polish stone to suit any design or to incorporate any style of sink or kitchen appliance.

Based in Kilbeggan, Egan’s is a well-established family business that takes pride in offering a quality service.

5 Lower Main St, Kilbeggan, Co. Westmeath

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interiors

NP

Liquid Glass Systems Ltd

F

ounded in 2014 by father and daughter team John and Rachel Murphy, NP Liquid Glass Systems are specialists in protecting surfaces. Providing a comprehensive range of services, from anti-graffiti and anti-algae staining to protecting carpets and soft furnishings, NP Liquid Glass Systems operate nationwide using their specially formulated protective coatings.

Clients include the RCSI, Powerscourt Hotel, OPW, HJ Lyons Architects, Monart Destination Spa and Hotel, Ceadogán Rugs and many others.

Last summer they began work on the Powerscourt Hotel where they undertook a large project to protect the full façade of the building against algae staining and damp penetration. The formulation of the Stone Protect coating allows it to be used Monart Destination on all types of brick and stone as it’s fully Spa & Hotel breathable and doesn’t leave a shine or gloss on the surface. This is ideal for historic and protected buildings.

Due to the environmentally friendly nature of the Fibre Protect coating, which acts as a shield against stains and spills, this type of protective coating is very much in demand in the hotel and restaurant sector. It’s the ideal protection for areas with large volumes of traffic as the coating prevents staining from spills, it keeps carpets and furniture looking like new, and it reduces maintenance costs.

The company also provides this service to the Powerscourt domestic market as their products are food safe and child- and pet-friendly.

NP Liquid Glass Systems are proud to be a Corporate Member of the Interiors Association as well as members of South Dublin Chamber of Commerce and Elevation Construction Network.

RCSI

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To make an appointment or speak to one of the team please email info@npliquidglass.ie or phone 0876408579. www.npliquidglass.ie

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Favourite 2015, oil on canvas 46 SPRING 2018 ANTHOLOGY

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ARTS

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CULTURE

WORDS EDEL CASSIDY

A R

ndrey emnev Inspired by ancient icon painting, eighteenth-century Russian art, the compositional innovations of the World of Art group, and Russian Constructivism, the work of artist Andrey Remnev lies somewhere between the distant past and modern day

Y

akhroma, a small town situated on high hills north of Moscow, is home to contemporary Russian artist Andrey Remnev who uses traditional techniques with his own dis-

tinctive, fairy tale-like, surreal style to create unique works of art.

His paintings are distinguished by attention to detail and meticulous decoration in the style of Russian iconography painting, which, on closer inspection, reveal idiosyncratic features that propel each piece right into the twenty-first century.

The popular Spanish luxury fashion brand Delpozo created a collection based on his paintings. And Vivetta Ponti, the creator of the new Italian fashion label Vivetta, was inspired by the artist’s drawings for her recent spring collection, translating them into whimsical embroideries and appliqués.

Here, in conversation with Edel Cassidy, Andrey Remnev talks about his inspiration, his meticulous process and his unique style that is positioned somewhere between past and present.

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What inspired you to become an artist?

pleted two years of military service, and

complex, but not unique; many artists in

then I got into the Academy (Moscow

the past worked in the same way I do. My

The desire to express the thrill I experi-

State Academic Art Institute named after

technique combines Italian Renaissance

enced about all sorts of things in life – the

V. I. Surikov), a higher education insti-

and eighteenth-century painting styles

time of the day, the state of nature, the

tute, where I was a student for six years.

with compositions inspired by artists of

mystery of the space that lies beyond the

After graduating, I studied icon painting

the Art Deco period and Mir Iskusstva

horizon. When I started painting, I realised

under the guidance of Father Vyacheslav

(World of Art).

that I could communicate my feelings

Savinykh from 1994 to 2000. I worked in

My most successful works have been

through art and that was the main impetus

a studio at the temple of the Andronikov

first created intuitively. Now I rely more on

for my desire to paint.

Monastery, the same temple where An-

logic. I understand what I want.

Tell me about your art education

drei Rublev worked and was buried.

The wish not to repeat myself is a driving force. I am always looking for

Fyodor Vasilievich Shapaev. When I was

You’ve developed a very unique style. Did you go through many changes before finding it?

twelve years old, he approached my par-

My style has developed naturally. I haven’t

every picture. With each painting I take a

ents with an offer to teach me. At that age

invented anything specific.

step forward; I solve a new challenge.

My first professional teacher (in the sense that he earned his living as an artist) was

I felt like I was a normal child, I was no dif-

I only drew what I wanted to draw. I

ferent from any others. Later, I asked him

have always wanted to create interesting

why he’d decided to teach me. He said, ‘I

compositions, to convey my feelings and

saw that you have a strong desire to draw.’

create strong images – these are the two

something new. I use a lot of the same techniques, but there is no repetition in terms of the ideas and thoughts behind

children’s art studio, and at twelve I started

terms of technique and visual language,

Very few contemporary painters work with egg tempera. Can you explain the preparation of materials and your application process?

drawing every Saturday and Sunday with

I did not invent anything – I was taught

Egg tempera is a material that requires

my professional teacher. I went to art

everything at university. I think that com-

strict discipline; you must follow a se-

college when I was seventeen, where I

position is the most recognisable element

quence of steps exactly and consistently.

studied for four years. After that I com-

of my style. My technique is certainly

Unlike working in oils, if something goes

From the age of seven, I attended a

factors that have shaped my style. But in

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ARTS

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CULTURE

Decadence 2007, oil on canvas ANTHOLOGY SPRING 2018 49

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Metamorphosis 2012, oil on canvas

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ARTS

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CULTURE

technique itself requires a rational and

Do you paint on wood or some other surface? What is involved in the preparation?

consistent approach to colour and shape.

I work on different surfaces and foundations

jects/figures I am painting. I produce the

Working with egg tempera has shaped my

– sometimes on canvas that is only glued

characters myself.

approach to colour and colour quality; this

but not covered with foundation, and some-

Initially, I choose my favourite images –

technique suits my personality and is the

times on a very dense foundation similar to

for instance, drawings by Jean Clouet from

best way for me to implement my creative

gesso. In order to resolve certain problems

the sixteenth century – but I never copy;

ideas. I take a great deal of pleasure in

I also work on wood or plywood. Tempera

they just inspire me to create my own.

working with egg tempera.

allows you to work on virtually any surface.

wrong at an early stage of egg tempera work, it cannot be fixed later. The

I believe that an artist chooses a material and their skills. An artist who enjoys the

Your figurative painting is beautiful. Do you use live models?

physical movement of strokes of paint will

I don’t work with models. I never paint

most likely prefer to work with oil paints.

from life. If I need objects or people, I refer

based on their own character, their motility

to them only while I’m doing preparatory work. I lead the painting process, guided by my sensations. I am not led by the ob-

But there are times when images can

‘When you feel the resistance of the material, you have to will yourself to make an effort’

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‘My technique combines Italian Renaissance and eighteenth-century painting styles with compositions inspired by artists of the Art Deco period’

Lethe 2015, oil on canvas

and Piero della Francesca.

be observed in real life, or when a drawing

and overcome that passivity. The antici-

or photo might be seen by chance. For

pation of work is a very sweet feeling, and

example, the painting ‘High Water’ is a

when you start working, when you take

of contemporary artists too. I understand

portrait of my daughter, but I didn’t initial-

a pencil or some paint, when you feel the

their ambition and desire for success,

ly intend it to be.

resistance of the material, you have to will

artists like Pierre Bonnard, Jan Fabre, Jeff

yourself to make an effort.

Koons, Takashi Murakami, Louise Bour-

I am fuelled by the energy and charisma

Both the preparation and the work itself obviously demand patience. Is this something you find challenging?

Have other artists influenced director Robert Wilson is close to me. I am your work? Which other artists inspired modern The Cat’salso Ship.

Opheliaby would like designers, espeto visit Greece andwork experience its Font; I identify with do you admire? cially the of Josep

Self-mastery is very important. Human

I’m inspired by many artists, but there

beings are by nature quite passive, but

are some who are especially dear to me.

fashion classics I admire Yves Saint Laurent,

self-discipline forces the artist to create

Among the Old Masters are Jan van Eyck

his mastery and sense of proportion.

geois, Damien Hirst. The language of the

colours. She is jealous of anyone his attitude shape and colour. From the who has everto been there!

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ARTS

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CULTURE

‘Unlike working in oils, if something goes wrong at an early stage of egg tempera work, it cannot be fixed later’

High Water 2016, oil on canvas ANTHOLOGY SPRING 2018 53

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Glamour, 80 x 90cm

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arts

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culture

A Life

in Painting Charles Harper, a Retrospective

words edel cassidy

A stunning retrospective exhibition of the work of Charles Harper at the Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin, explores the artistic evolution of the Valentia Island-born artist from 1960s’ art student to the present day

A

rt has always played an important role

to believe that I was born with some sort of gift.

in providing a window to the past,

But I now believe that nobody is born with a gift

giving us glimpses into other cultures

like that. You learn and you teach yourself.’

in time and space and helping us to understand

He attended Limerick Art School for a year

how they lived and what they valued. This is cer-

and then travelled to Germany where he studied

tainly true of the work of Charles Harper who,

animation at Fischerkoesen Film Studios in Bonn.

as a young student, realised that his work could

There he visited many museums and was intro-

promote a greater awareness and understanding

duced to the works of German Expressionists

of political and social issues.

such as Emil Nolde. They made a lasting impres-

Looking back on his career, there are few things

sion on him. ‘They fascinated me. They produced

he would change, he says. ‘I did a lot right and

paintings in ways I had never seen before and

some things wrong. I always had the basic principle

they made emotional sense. This experience

of learning from what I did and reinventing myself.

My style is a result of exploration with the medium and my technique grew from that. I use a meta-

Charles Harper in his studio.

Photo by Mason Harper

phorical approach to painting, not illustration or story-telling. I’m talking about a still art, a two-dimensional art and I work within these boundaries.’

In describing his artistic journey Charles tells how, as a teenager, he liked to observe, to draw – the human form, a flower, a house or a car. ‘I would get things very wrong and I knew I was inadequate, so I began to improve my knowledge and draw more accurately. I was doing this without guidance, except for the occasional encouraging remark from my mother, who would tell me I was very talented. I then probably began ANTHOLOGY SPRING 2018 55

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opposite, clockwise from top: Citizens, 63 x 93cm; Execution, 182 x 181.5cm; Abstract, 72.5 x 146cm; Social Labyrinth, 51 x 70cm.

strongly influenced my earlier paintings. In the exhibition is a painting called Abstract – what I would call the first painting of my professional career. It looks like the form of an Eskimo on a light-coloured background. It’s actually a series of forms intermixed with each other, with loose paint, dribble paint and dragged paint showing brush strokes and marks and the action of the body. This painting opened up something in me that was not there before.’

The first of his many notable awards was for the 1966 Commemoration of the 1916 Rising Competition and Exhibition at the Municipal Gallery of Modern Art,

‘During the 1970s, many authoritarian regimes instituted wide-scale repression and unjust imprisonment of politically motivated people and those who challenged the system’ of the attempt to desensitise citizens and deprive them of their freedom of expression and association.

The exhibition also features works from other

Dublin. His choice of subject, Execution, depicts the

long-term series – boats and oarsmen; angels; his

moment James Connolly was executed. It’s a work of

graphic, linear depiction of the Burren landscape.

strong emotional content and expressive energy. Of

The boating series, he explains, ‘is metaphorical

all the executions carried out during the 1916 Rising,

about the power of people working together, the

none caused as much public anger as Connolly’s.

water as danger, the delicacy of the streamlined

He was so badly wounded that he couldn’t stand up

boat, the power generated by the human body

to face the firing squad, and so he was shot in a chair

and transmitted by an oar. All of these ideas are

in the courtyard of Kilmainham Gaol. Here again we

addressed without a visual narrative, allowing the

see the strong influence of Abstract Expressionism.

context to dictate meaning.’

The grid, a visual structure that lies at the heart of

Harper has avidly pursued his interest in the hu-

contemporary art, became an underlying element

man form from the beginning of his career, and still

in many of his works. As a graphic component in

practises drawing from live models. This is the basis

painting, the grid came to prominence in the early

of his angel series, in which he captures the essence

twentieth century and was particularly prevalent

of the pose first and works on the details later. These

in the 1970s in the US with the rise of Minimalism,

paintings encompass veins of both abstraction and

which emphasised simplicity, geometric sequences

figuration. Sketching the anatomy and sense of

and pure colour. On his return from Germany to

motion from the live model gives the figures a basis

study at the National College of Art and Design in

in realism, before Harper reshapes them into celestial

Dublin, Harper immediately recognised its potential

beings. The angel series demonstrates his technical

to metaphorically probe challenging and difficult sub-

skill and ability to creatively combine techniques.

jects. He continues to use the grid in his work today.

During the 1970s, many authoritarian regimes

The intriguing large-scale landscapes of the Burren cross boundaries between traditional realism

instituted wide-scale repression and unjust imprison-

and contemporary art. The landscape of the Burren

ment of politically motivated people and those who

itself, with its grids of limestone pavement, lends it-

challenged the system. Harper used the grid at this

self perfectly to Harper’s use of the device. In these

time to highlight the plight of people who were im-

paintings he plays with the formal elements of

prisoned merely for their political beliefs. A series of

composition – shape, form and patterns of reflected

bandaged heads in whitish-grey tones are symbolic

light – to produce paintings of an instantly recognis-

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arts

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culture

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above, clockwise from left: Burren, 99.5 x 99.5cm; Fellow Students and Lecturers at NCAD, 47 x 51cm; Angel, 59 x 67cm

‘Sketching the anatomy and sense of motion from the live model gives the figures a basis in realism’

is merely a means to an end. What’s important is what the student does with technique in terms of independent perception and ideas.’

Harper was a founding member of both the EVA International exhibition in Limerick and of Aosdána, and has been a member of the Royal Hibernian Academy since 2002.

able terrain with a simple aesthetic appeal.

As the former Head of Fine Art at Limerick School of Art and Design, he shares his thoughts on encouraging students to develop their creativity.

‘Technique is the easiest thing to teach, but to give meaning to what you teach and to encourage students to develop is much more important. Learning through experience can’t be taught. It can only be learned by the pupils themselves through actual practice, in my opinion. A teacher or the education system can set up the conditions or the framework in which the practice can be learned. But technique

Charles Harper, A Retrospective will be on view until 22 April 2018 at the Royal Hibernian Academy Gallery, Dublin. Curated by RHA Director Patrick T. Murphy, assisted by Victoria Evans, the exhibition offers visitors an opportunity to travel with Charles Harper on a journey through almost six decades of the artist’s career. The exhibition is accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue with essays by Dr Yvonne Scott, Trinity College Dublin, and Irish Times art critic Aidan Dunne.

The show will be on view in 2019 at the Limerick City Gallery (date to be confirmed).

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Charles Harper RHA, Visit B, 1982, Oil on canvas, 152 x 152cm, Collection of the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon on long term loan to LCGA.

EXHIBITIONS AT THE RHA Charles Harper, A Retrospective Showing until 22 April Alex Pentek, Folded Space Showing until 22 April

188th Annual Exhibition 22 May – 11 August Ireland’s largest open submission exhibition includes painting, sculpture, photography, print, drawing and architectural models.

ADMISSION ALWAYS FREE Gallagher Gallery / 15 Ely Place, Dublin D02 A213 +353 1 661 2558 / info@rhagallery.ie www.rhagallery.ie

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Vótáil 100 WORDS EDEL CASSIDY

On the centenary of women in Ireland being granted the parliamentary vote, we celebrate the achievements and legacies of some of the pioneering women of the time

This year marks the 100th anniversary of Irish women being granted the right to vote and run in parliamentary elections. Historically, women were powerless in many ways and the denial of the vote was both a manifestation and a cause of this powerlessness. Participation of women in society and political life was severely restricted, but Irish women were far from passive in the face of this oppression.

To commemorate this important centenary we look at how female emancipation evolved, and celebrate the lives of women of that era who took up careers and positions once held predominately by men.

Sarah Henrietta Purser (1848–1943)

PORTRAIT BY WALTER OSBORNE

Artist, Arts Advocate and Entrepreneur

One of the leading Irish artists of the twentieth century, Sarah Purser was a pioneer for women who aspired to take up art as a profession and gain their independence.

From a wealthy family, she was born in Dun Laoghaire, County Dublin, the youngest of eight children. When her father’s business failed, she supported her mother and sisters by pursuing a career as a society portrait painter. Having studied at the Metropolitan School of Art, Dublin, and at Académie Julian, Paris, she attracted commissions through her friendship with the Gore-Booths and, in her own words, ‘went through the aristocracy like the measles’.

Sarah became wealthy both from the money she earned as an artist and through astute investments, particularly in Guinness, and she rented Mespil House in Ballsbridge for her family. She established herself as a leading figure of cultural nationalism, and her home became a hub for literary, artistic, political and social gatherings.

She was also a talented stained-glass artist whose work was commissioned from as far away as New York, and she founded ‘An Túr Gloine’, a stained-glass workshop.

She campaigned for the return of Sir Hugh Lane’s collection from London to Dublin, and was instrumental in securing Charlemont House as the premises for what is now The Hugh Lane Gallery.

Sarah Purser became the first female full member of the prestigious Royal Hibernian Academy.

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ARTS & CULTURE

Elizabeth Hawkins-Whitshed (1860–1934) Alpinist, Photographer, Filmmaker and Author

Born into an upper-class family, Elizabeth grew up in Greystones, County Wicklow. Widowed twice, she was known after her third marriage as Mrs Aubrey Le Blond, or more familiarly as Lizzie Le Blond.

Her adventures began in 1881 when, suffering from lung disease, she relocated to Switzerland for her health. During that summer, she scaled Mont Blanc twice and spent the next two decades breaking winter sports records. She later spent six consecutive summers in the Norwegian Arctic completing thirty-three climbs, twenty-seven of which were first ascents, and conquering peaks that no one had climbed before.

Lizzie was an accomplished author, and wrote a series of books and articles describing her mountaineering experiences. Later, she turned her hand to fiction, travel writing and family history. A talented photographer, she shot extraordinary photographs of stunningly scenic glacial landscapes. She was also one of the first women filmmakers, and made at least ten films of alpine activities.

Often sunburnt, Lizzie climbed in short skirts that barely came down to her knees, and her climbing activities became a society scandal. ‘I had to struggle hard for my freedom,’ she said. ‘My mother faced the music on my behalf when my grand-aunt, Lady Bentinck, sent out a frantic S.O.S. “Stop her climbing mountains! She is scandalising all London and looks like a Red Indian.”’

Agnes O’Farrelly (1874–1951) Poet, Writer and Academic

Agnes was the seventh of nine children, born in Raffoney, County Cavan, where her father was a prosperous Catholic landlord and farmer. Her attendance at the Holy Faith convent boarding school in Glasnevin, Dublin, was expected to be the end of her formal education. However, when her father died and left money to her, she decided to enrol at St Mary’s University College, Dublin, where she requested that the Irish language be taught as a university subject. Agnes subsequently became the first woman to receive BA and MA degrees in the Irish language and, in later years, to become the first female lecturer and female professor of Irish. Her novel Grádh agus Crádh (Love and Anguish) was the second novel written in the Irish language and the first by a female author.

She chaired the inaugural meeting of Cumann na mBan but left the organisation soon afterwards as she became increasingly disillusioned by the Irish political struggle for independence. A keen supporter of women’s rights, she was involved in several women’s organisations, and from 1943 to 1947 she served as president of the National University Women Graduates’ Association. She was also a supporter of women’s sports, and established the UCD Camogie Club.

Agnes remains a marginalised figure, largely because her writings are predominantly written in the Irish language. Nevertheless, her work provides a rich insight into language, literature, education, politics, feminism and social networks during the early- to mid-twentieth century.

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Kathleen Clarke, née Daly (1878–1972) Entrepreneur and Political Activist

Better known as a political activist and the wife of Tom Clarke, the first signatory of the Easter 1916 Proclamation, Kathleen was also a successful young entrepreneur before she left her native Limerick to get married.

In her autobiography, Kathleen Clarke: Revolutionary Woman, she writes about setting up her business: ‘When I was about eighteen years of age, I decided to start dress warerooms of my own.

I had saved a little money from what I had earned, enough capital, I thought, to start with, and I felt quite competent to do it.’

She then describes how the business grew over five years: ‘I increased my customers and enlarged my staff continually, and was a fair way to having one of the best dress warehouses in Limerick’.

This refers to when she sold her business and left Limerick in 1901 Kathleen Clarke in mourning clothes and her sons John Daly to go to America and marry Tom Clarke.

Clarke, Tom Clarke and Emmet Clarke, taken in the aftermath of the execution of her husband Tom Clarke in 1916 Later, Kathleen was a founder member of Cumann na mBan, and one of the few privy to the plans of the Easter Rising in 1916. In its aftermath her husband, Tom, and her only brother Ned Daly were executed. She subsequently became a TD and Senator with both Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil, and was the first female Lord Mayor of Dublin (1939–1941).

Eileen Gray (1878–1976)

Artist, Architect and Furniture Designer The legacy of Eileen Gray lives on through a memorial plaque at her former home, 21 rue Bonaparte, Paris. Born near Enniscorthy, County Wexford , she spent her childhood between the family homes in Ireland and London, and was among the first women to be admitted to the Slade School of Art. She also trained in Japanese lacquer work, and quickly established herself as one of the leading designers of lacquered screens and decorative panels.

The experience gained in working in this highly specialised medium was to influence her profoundly when she moved to Paris in 1902.

Her interior design work reflected trends in contemporary architecture, and she began to design stringently functional furniture, which she unified with dramatic minimalist interiors through the use of colour, texture and materials. As a self-taught architect, her buildings demonstrate a profound knowledge of space and use of light, and show a talent for ingenious planning.

During her lifetime Eileen Gray did not attract the same admiring attention as her male contemporaries, but she is now seen as one of the foremost furniture designers and architects of twentieth-century Modernism.

In February 2009, her ‘Dragons Armchair’, part of the Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé collection, was sold at auction in Paris for 21.9 million euros, setting an auction record for twentieth-century decorative art.

Although much of her life was spent away from Ireland, Eileen always considered herself very much an Irish woman.

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ARTS & CULTURE

Carmel Snow (1887–1961)

Editor of American Harper’s Bazaar Before Anna Wintour or Diana Vreeland, the fashion industry bowed to the opinion of an Irish woman. Carmel Snow (née White) born in Dalkey, County Dublin, was fashion’s most powerful voice from the 1930s to the 1950s.

As a child, shortly after her father’s death, she moved to New York with her mother who established herself as a prominent dressmaker to wealthy socialites. Carmel worked in her mother’s custom dressmaking shop before joining Vogue Magazine, where she rose to the rank of fashion editor.

From there she moved on to Harper’s Bazaar where she quickly became editor-in-chief. She transformed an ailing publication into the most admired and forward-thinking magazine of the century. Harper’s Bazaar became a reflection of Carmel and her vision of creating a magazine for ‘a well-dressed woman with a well-dressed mind.’

Together with art director Alexey Brodovitch she re-invented magazine design by creating stronger interaction between text and pictures, and employing an artful use of white space and images that jumped out at the reader.

She was responsible for coining the phrase ‘the New Look’ when she witnessed Christian Dior’s iconic collection in 1947. ‘It’s quite a revolution, dear Christian,’ she said. ‘Your dresses have such a new look’. With one throwaway sentence of gracious praise, Carmel Snow created a tagline for the most famous fashion collection of all time.

With photographer, Richard Avedon

Dorothy Stopford Price (1890–1954) Rebel, Doctor and Vaccination Pioneer

Born into an Anglo-Irish family, Dorothy was descended from a long line of Church of Ireland clerics. While studying medicine at Trinity College she was romantically involved with Sir Matthew Nathan, the under-secretary to the British Administration. She spent the Easter holidays of 1916 at his Lodge (now Áras an Uachtaráin) in the Phoenix Park. The events of Easter Week impelled her to record what was happening, and her diary provides a unique insight into how the 1916 Easter Rising was viewed from the perspective of a highly educated Protestant woman. She clearly had sympathy for Sir Matthew, but she also became increasingly supportive of the rebellion against British rule.

Her first job was as a dispensary doctor in Kilbrittain in County Cork, where she tended injured members of the Irish Republican Army during the War of Independence. During the Civil War she favoured the Republican side. She joined Cumann na mBan and gave lectures to members on first aid.

She married Liam Price, a barrister, district justice and local historian from Wicklow, and they set up home in Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin. Having studied the tuberculosis vaccination (BCG) on the continent, she was the first to introduce it to Ireland in 1937, vaccinating infants in St Ultan’s Hospital. She was instrumental in the mass rollout of the BCG vaccine across Ireland and the subsequent eradication of TB in the country.

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Kate O’Brien (1897–1974) Novelist, Playwright and Author

One of the most important Irish novelists of the twentieth century, Kate O’Brien was a pioneer for women’s writing. In a career that spanned almost fifty years – nine novels, nine plays, two travelogues, and copious criticism – her work was deceptively traditional in form but radical in content. Thus she invented a literary identity all her own.

Proud of her Irish middle-class origins, she was, nevertheless, hostile to the restrictive moral codes and the censorship laws of the newly emergent Irish state. Out of these contradictions, her fascinating and powerful novels were created.

Born in Limerick, she graduated in English and French from University College, Dublin, and travelled widely, living mainly in London, Spain and the USA. These experiences – in particular, her time in Spain and her response to the Spanish Civil War – had a significant influence on her work.

During the course of a hugely productive writing life, she lectured, reviewed and was broadcast on radio and television. She also adapted her bestselling novels for the stage in London and on Broadway. Her novels, in particular, were hugely popular with contemporary readers, and still have a wide audience to this day.

A courageous writer, Kate O’Brien was one of the most passionate and intelligent voices of her time, and contributed greatly to the body of modern Irish literature.

Brigid Lyons Thornton (1896–1987) Doctor, Rebel and Soldier

Born into a prominent Roscommon nationalist family, Brigid Lyons moved to Longford at a young age to live with her uncle Frank McGuinness and his wife Kate, who paid for her secondary school education. She flourished at the local convent school and won a county scholarship to study medicine at University College Galway.

A medical student and aged about twenty at the time of the Easter Rising, she served in the Four Courts where she was given the task of nursing the wounded and of serving food to the exhausted fighters. Following the surrender, she was imprisoned in Kilmainham. From her cell she heard the volleys as the leaders of the Rising were executed.

Brigid Lyons-Thornton, W.T. Cosgrave On her release from prison, she continued her and another in Nice, 1925 medical studies and qualified as a doctor. She served in the Free State army and was commissioned by Michael Collins in 1922, becoming the For assistance in sourcing images, sincere first female officer in the army. thanks to: Sinéad McCoole; Alan Walsh, When Brigid became ill with tuberculosis, she Longford Leader; The Museum at the was sent to Switzerland with other officers who had the same condition. During Fashion Institute of Technology, New York; this time she learned how to treat patients with the ailment. There, she met her Dr Jennifer Goff, National Museum of Ireland; Ríona Nic Congáil, Dublin City Unifuture husband, Captain Eddie Thornton of Toomore, County Mayo. versity; Kilmainham Gaol Museum; Robert As a public health doctor, she later went on to become a leading figure in the fight O’Byrne, The Irish Aesthete; Martin and Osa against tuberculosis among the poor in Ireland, carrying out research in Nice and SwitJohnson Safari Museum, Chanute, Kansas; zerland, and was involved in administering the BCG vaccination scheme in the 1950s.

Glucksman Library, University of Limerick.

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Aisle Style As this season’s Bridal Week got underway the runways were awash with frothy tulle gowns, exquisite embellishments and intricate lace detailing.

Designers also presented crystal-laden and pearl-encrusted gowns.

Here are some of the most outstanding dresses from the shows.

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Georges Hobeika Sails of tulle and clouds of lace combine to create an anthology of fairy tales and royal grandeur.

Following the traditional art of Parisian haute couture, delicate luxurious embroidery and harmoniously integrated crystals, together with a pristine finish, attest to the superior execution of each of these ultra-feminine gowns.

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Viktor& Rolf These gowns feature graphic bows, tulle volants and bold embroideries that create bold, yet feminine and unfussy silhouettes.

Glamour is added to each with bejewelled embroideries, flocked sequins and crystallised necklines. Tulle is pleated, layered, ruffled and worked to create voluminous, yet airy, contemporary gowns that are full of movement.

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THEIA This collection features illusion bodices with strategically placed glass and crystal embroideries or lace panels on plunging necklines and open backs. These gowns are romantic and whimsical, with 3D floral appliquĂŠs and embroideries, soft Chantilly lace bodices and Spanish tulle skirts, while shapes and silhouettes remain clean and simple.

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Belleek Castle: A Magical Wedding Experience

B Garrankeel Ballina, Co. Mayo T: +353 96 22400 E: weddings@belleekcastle.eu www.belleekcastle.com

elleek Castle, Ballina, County Mayo, is an iconic castle, gourmet restaurant, hotel and spectacular wedding venue. The charming bedrooms create a wonderful homely, tranquil atmosphere for guests. All rooms are individually furnished with antiques, and period décor pieces such as the beautiful woodcarved four-poster beds keep the romantic spirit of the castle alive.

Weddings for up to 200 guests can be accommodated in the Medieval Banqueting Hall where the stone-arched vaults and opulent décor set the scene for the perfect Irish medieval banquet.

It can be enhanced with the addition of a pig roasted on a spit in front of the thirteenth-century fireplace. Civil ceremonies can be catered for in the ceremony room of the newly renovated nineteenth-century stables. The wedding team ensures that all wedding couples get full attention and a truly bespoke wedding day.

Waterford Castle Hotel & Golf Resort: A Most Romantic and Unique Wedding Venue Imagine having your special day on your very own private island. aterford Castle is set on a 310-acre private island and is an ideal venue to make your dream of a perfect fairy-tale wedding a reality. The luxurious resort hosts the most romantic weddings in Ireland’s Ancient East, from small intimate receptions to large traditional and formal celebrations where you can have exclusive use of the island. The castle’s 19 bedrooms and 45 modern lodges offers accommodation for all your family, friends and guests.

Why not travel the beech-lined drive to the sixteenth-century castle on your wedding day and make your grand entrance as husband and wife through the massive oak doors to celebrate the most romantic and memorable occasion of your lives.

Waterford Castle, where you can leave your worries at the shore.…

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Experience world class cuisine in Erriseask Restaurant with chefs Stefan Matz & Sinead Quinn Ballyconneely, Clifden, Co. Galway I T: +353 95 23030 E: reservations@connemarasands-hotel.com I www.connemarasands-hotel.com

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Infinite Red

How Ferrari, the maker of a tiny-volume supercar with humble beginnings in a small town in northern Italy, became one of the most powerful brands in the world

WORDS DOLORES O ’ DONOGHUE PHOTOS COURTESY OF DESIGN MUSEUM LONDON AND FERRARI

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‘If you can dream it, you can do it’ – Enzo Ferrari

left: First Ferrari win in a GP valid for the Formula 1 World Championship, 1951 right: Enzo Ferrari at the Targa Florio in 1920. The car is an Alfa Romeo 40-60 HP Racing Type

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or some, the name Ferrari is the ultimate expression of wealth and extravagance; for others, it represents the pinnacle of race-bred engineering. Devotees not only revere the cars for their thrilling performance but also as priceless works of automotive art. The stunning beauty of a Ferrari is fundamental to the marque’s appeal.

home of the dream

Museo Ferrari and Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari, the two Ferrari museums, are among the most visited attractions in Italy, drawing fans and enthusiasts from all over the world. Between them, they explore the life of the founder, Enzo Ferrari, the design and manufacturing process of the car, its famous clientele, and the future of the luxury car brand. Major themed exhi-

bitions are renewed periodically featuring the iconic cars, and museum tours take visitors on a journey through the history of this illustrious brand.

Museo Ferrari, in the northern town of Maranello, was built in the 1970s, and is next to the legendary Ferrari factory and the Fiorano track. It offers an in-depth account of the Prancing Horse’s extraordinary roots, and takes visitors on a magnificent journey through collections of vintage Ferrari, its most famous Formula 1 cars, legendary sports prototypes and GTs, and, of course, the road cars that have set the benchmark for the entire car industry. The walls are covered with historical information, and there are display cases of various trophies awarded to the marque, including some won by Enzo Ferrari himself.

About twenty kilometres away in Modena, Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari is

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the ferrari story Enzo Anselmo Ferrari was born on the outskirts of Modena on 18 February 1898.

His father owned a small metal engineering company. Enzo was bitten by the racing bug at age ten when his father took him to watch a motor car race in Bologna.

Enzo also dreamed of becoming an opera singer, but the deaths of his father and brother from an illness contracted while working as ground crew in the Italian Air Force in 1916 forced him to grow up quickly, and he left school to become an instructor for Modena’s fire service workshop. He served in the Italian army and spent World War I shoeing mules, before the worldwide flu epidemic of 1918 almost ended his life and brought about his honourable discharge from duty.

Once he regained his health, Enzo

moved to Milan to work for a small car manufacturer, CMN (Costruzioni Meccaniche Nazionali), first as a test driver and later as a racing driver. Given the chance to compete with the company’s racing team, he made his debut at the 1919 Parma-Poggio di Berceto hillclimb race, finishing fourth in his division.

The Alfa Romeo Connection

Enzo left CMN in 1920 to join Alfa Romeo, and this marked the start of a twenty-year collaboration with the company that saw him undertake everything from test-driving to racing to dealing. He competed in several races as an official Alfa driver, delivering some impressive finishes.

He won the Circuito del Savio in 1923, where he met the parents of Francesco

top: Scuderia Ferrari poster designed to celebrate Scuderia’s fourth year of agility 1933 above: 125 S is positioned at the entrance of the Ferrari factory, 1947

built around Enzo Ferrari’s former home and focuses on his life and work. The museum complex includes two separate buildings: a former house and workshop that belonged to Enzo’s father, and a spectacular futuristic new building with a yellow roof shaped like the bonnet of a Ferrari that seems to embrace the house in which Enzo was born.

Visitors can experience not just Enzo’s milestone cars, but also his story – first, as a driver and Scuderia founder in the 1930s, and then as a constructor from 1947 onwards. The story is told through two spectacular video shows in which nineteen projectors are used to completely immerse the audience in the experience. The videos show Enzo Ferrari at various stages in his life and career, alongside drivers, models of his cars and high-profile celebrities.

above: Ferrari triumphant parade after the first three seats in Daytona, 1967 left: Enzo Ferrari at the entrance of the Ferrari Factory, 1957

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Baracca, an ace of the Italian Air Force and national hero of World War I. They were so enamoured with the courage and audacity of the young driver that they presented him with their son’s squadron badge, the famous ‘Cavallino Rampante’ (Prancing Horse) on a yellow shield.

The greatest victory of his racing career was at the 1924 Coppa Acerbo at Pescara in an Alfa Romeo RL. That and many more successful races made Enzo Ferrari a recognised name. top: The car is the 156 F1, no. 50; The engine hanging, in the foreground, is 6-cylinder V of 65 top right: Peter Whitehead in action with the Ferrari 125 F1 The pilot will win the GP of Czechoslovakia in Brno 1949 above: Front View with mechanical transparency of the first Ferrari car, the 125 S. - Project of Gioachino Colombo carried out in August-October 194

Scuderia Ferrari

In 1929, Enzo started Scuderia Ferrari, a team of racing drivers and technical assistants working for Alfa. His talent as a team organiser and director superseded his abilities as a racer. The main aim of this racing ‘stable’ was to allow owner-drivers to race.

In its first year, the Scuderia Ferrari caused a sensation by competing in twenty-two events, scoring eight victories and several good placings. With up to fifty full-time and

part-time drivers, it was the largest team ever gathered by one man. None of the drivers were paid a salary, but they received a percentage of the prize money won.

Enzo himself continued racing with moderate success, competing in his final race in August 1931. The decision to quit racing came as result of the impending birth of his beloved son, Dino, and his growing workload as head of the Scuderia. The prancing horse blazon first appeared at the 1932 Spa 24 Hours in Belgium on a two-car team of Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Spiders, which finished first and second. Scuderia Ferrari had essentially become Alfa’s racing division, building and racing cars under the Alfa name.

In 1938, Alfa Romeo management made the decision to enter racing under its own name, establishing the Alfa Corse organisation and absorbing what had been Scuderia Ferrari. Enzo was made head of Alfa Corse, but he wasn’t happy with this change in policy and he finally left Alfa in 1939 following a disagreement.

The terms of his leaving forbade him to race or design anything under his own name for four years.

The Rise of Ferrari

One week after leaving Alfa, Enzo started up Auto Avio Costruzioni (AAC) in Modena

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‘The best Ferrari is that which is yet to be built … the car which I have not yet created’ – Enzo Ferrari

at the headquarters of the old Scuderia Ferrari. There, he started work on a race car of his own. It was under the AAC banner that his first cars appeared in 1940 – two little red sports cars that were simply called AAC 815s (8 cylinders, 1500 cc). They were the first Ferraris. A new era had begun.

All international motor racing activities were interrupted during the Second World War, during which time Enzo’s new company produced machine tools and aircraft accessories instead. But after the war, and with the terms of his

top: F150 design drawing above and left: Clay Model of the Ferrari J50, car released in 2016

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contract with Alfa fulfilled, Enzo recruited several of his former Alfa colleagues and established a new Scuderia Ferrari, which would design and build its own cars.

Enzo, now forty-seven years old, began work on designing the first Ferrari in late 1945. His ambitious plan was to power it with a V12 engine. He chose a V12 for its versatility: it was just as suited for use on sports prototypes as single-seaters and even Grand Tourers. This particular architecture was to become a fixture throughout the company’s entire history.

The first Ferrari, the 125 S, was an extraordinary achievement in 1947, constructed during a period when Italy’s economy was still devastated by the recent war. Presented in the now famous ‘rosso-corsa’ red paint, the race car sported a 1.5-litre V12 engine, producing around 118 horsepower, and could reach speeds of up to 130 miles per hour.

under the skin Ferrari: Under the Skin celebrates seventy years of creative development since the launch of the first car. The exhibition, recently on loan to the London Design Museum, features one of the biggest collections of Ferraris and Ferrari memorabilia ever brought together under one roof outside of Maranello.

It consists of early design models, drawings, personal letters and memorabilia, as well as some of the most famous cars to grace the world’s roads and racing circuits. Together, these artefacts and original documents provide an unprece-

dented study of automotive design.

The exhibition charts the story of Enzo Ferrari and his remorseless drive to create the perfect driving machine for track and road. Key exhibits include Enzo’s driving licence, original photography, the original drawings and an exact replica of the 125 S, the first Ferrari ever built by Ferrari in 1987, and handwritten documents by Enzo Ferrari himself.

Charting the varied techniques used throughout Ferrari’s history, the exhibition demonstrates how drawings are translated by sculptural techniques into the

left: Abu Dhabi GP F1 2016 - Sebastian Vettel below: Grand Prix of China, 2017

top: Visit to Ferrari - Mick Jagger, lead singer of the Rolling Stones, on the delivery of his GTO above: Ferrari 275 GTB 4 by Scaglietti with Steve McQueen, 1967.

Image Courtesy of RM Auctions

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final form of the car. An original 1:1 scale hand-crafted clay design model of the J50 is a highlight, and offers an exclusive insight into the factory’s techniques. The limited edition J50 was made in a run of only ten cars exclusive to Japan, celebrating fifty years of Ferrari in the country.

The exhibition looks at Ferrari’s extraordinary celebrity clientele. It was these discerning clients who helped establish Ferrari as the brand we know today. On display is the GT Cabriolet (1957) owned by Peter Collins, one of the most famous British racing drivers of all time. Other cars include an F40 (1988) belonging to Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason and a 166 MM (1950), formerly driven by Gianni Agnelli, head of Fiat.

It is competitive racing that has remained at the heart of Ferrari from its inception to today. As well as previously unseen documents from the early history of the racing team, the exhibition includes helmets worn by Alberto Ascari, Mike Hawthorn, Michael Schumacher and Kimi Räikkönen. The 1952 British Grand Prix winner’s trophy and a selection of famous racing suits are also on display. The evolution of racing car

top: Rally of the South African Ferrari Clubs on the Kyalami Circuit for the 50th Anniversary Celebration, 1997 above: Jody Scheckter racing right: LaFerrari in production

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design is represented through the Ferrari 500 F2 (1952), which Alberto Ascari drove to victory at the F1 championship in 1952 and 1953, and the Ferrari F12000 (2000), the championship-winning car driven by Michael Schumacher.

The exhibition culminates in a look at Ferrari today. A LaFerrari Aperta, owned by Gordon Ramsay and the most technologically advanced Ferrari to date, represents the company’s continuing innovation. This hybrid vehicle is accompanied by concept sketches and a close look at the engine.

right top: The Ferrari GTO model that was presented at the Geneva Motor Show in 1984 below and right: Ferrari: Under the Skin exhibition at the Design Museum London 2018

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PHOTO PETER LINDBERGH

Azzedine Alaïa: The Couturier

London’s Design Museum honours the legendary designer with a retrospective of his extraordinary career spanning thirty-five years of haute couture WORDS EDEL CASSIDY

A

zzedine Alaïa was recognised throughout his life as a master couturier who celebrated the timeless beauty of the female form in the most refined degree of haute couture. For a year prior to his untimely passing on 18 November 2017, the Design Museum, London, had been working closely with the couturier to stage an exhibition exploring his career and creative process. Running from May to October 2018, this unique exhibition, curated by Alaïa himself, showcases his passion and energy for fashion.

Celebrated for his mastery of cut, fit and tailoring of innovative forms and materials, Alaïa designed by draping and sculpting directly on the human frame. He also meticulously cut all his own patterns, a skill that was virtually non-existent in the increasingly depersonalised world of fashion houses. A notorious perfectionist, he would work on a single outfit for many years if necessary before releasing it to the public. His body of work will remain a statement for exacting craftsmanship. He employed traditional techniques while embracing the latest technological advancements to create clothes

that had never been made before.

The exhibition presents more than sixty outstanding examples of Azzedine Alaïa’s craft from the past thirty-five years, selected personally by Monsieur Alaïa and guest curator Mark Wilson (Chief Curator of the Groninger Museum in the Netherlands). The exhibition

‘Azzedine was able to transform a woman’s body into something special; make you look great and still like a woman. He captured the essence of femininity.’ – Naomi Campbell also integrates specially commissioned architectural elements by leading artists and designers, such as Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, Konstantin Grcic, Marc Newson, Kris Ruhs, and Tatiana Trouvé, with whom the couturier entertained long-term creative dialogues.

The exhibition runs at The Design Museum, London from 10 May to 7 October 2018.

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+

culture

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Building

M E N TA L S T R E N GT H Developing mental toughness to improve performance in every area of life WORDS JEANNIE CROUCHER

W

e’re all familiar with the expression, ‘When the going gets tough, the tough get going.’

But what does it really mean? Are some

Evaluate Your Core Beliefs

Become aware of how you’ve got to this

people born with an innate ability to cope

point in your life and what may have led

well, even to shine, when faced with life’s

to it. If you have a firmly held opinion

challenges, while others crumble under the

(whether you’re aware of it or not)

pressure? Or is it possible to develop skills

that you’ll never become fit or be

that will help you to be more resilient and

successful in work, for exam-

resourceful when you need it most?

ple, then it’s quite likely that

Building mental strength isn’t only about

these self-beliefs will become

being disciplined and exerting willpower.

your reality – if they haven’t

It’s also about developing belief in yourself,

already. Psychologists have

cultivating the confidence to know that you

long believed that our daily

can achieve your goals through hard work

thoughts have a huge impact

and that you can cope when life throws the

on how we live our lives. Your

inevitable curveball your way.

thoughts become your belief and

Essentially, mental strength relates to

your belief dictates your actions and

managing thoughts and controlling feel-

behaviour, leading to positive or negative

ings and emotions, and translating all this

consequences. It seems obvious, but quite

into strategies to deal with any situation,

often people don’t take the time to evalu-

no matter how difficult or unmanageable it

ate their fundamental beliefs. When they

seems to be. Here are some things you can

do, they find they’re not based on clear

do to help you develop mental strength.

evidence; instead, it’s those fundamental beliefs that are holding them back.

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health

Take the time to sit down, listen to your

here. Instead, this strategy involves making

Begin with small, achievable goals

thoughts and even write down what you are

changes to the friends you surround

thinking. Watch out for words like ‘never’

yourself with on a regular basis. While

and ‘always’ – statements, for example, like

it can seem somewhat cruel to suggest

bed every morning when you get up can

‘I can never finish my work on time’ or ‘I am

ditching all your old school pals, it does

make a huge difference to developing your

always last to be picked for the team’. As

no harm to think about their mindset. Are

mental strength. The difference is that it

college psychology instructor Amy Morin

they helping you to improve yourself? If

starts the day with one task completed and

states in Five Powerful Exercises to Increase

you surround yourself with people who

can inspire you to continue the rest of the

Your Mental Strength, ‘Sometimes core

are unwilling to put themselves out there

day in the same fashion. It teaches your mind

beliefs are inaccurate and unproductive.’

to be successful and who don’t encourage

to do and achieve, and is a technique used in

you to reach higher, then this will likely

military training because it helps to create

reflect in your own thinking and contribute

good organisational habits and self-discipline.

Adapt your environment Now, while it would be wonderful to re-

to maintaining the status quo. This might

locate to sunnier climes, this is not what’s

be fine for your friends, but is it what you

being suggested

really want? Spending time with successful people will inevitably train and inspire

Even something as mundane as making your

Listen to the champion

This is the positive and encouraging voice in your head, not the one who makes

you to emulate them. It will change

excuses and criticises you. It can be all too

your feelings about yourself

easy to allow negative thoughts to invade

and promote positive mental strength.

our minds and paralyse our actions. But if you want to achieve certain goals in life, it won’t happen by procrastinating or by telling yourself that you don’t have enough time. People who are on their deathbeds often have more regrets about the things they didn’t do as opposed to what they did.

Tim Han, a High Performance Coach who has worked with highly successful people, says that we should listen to the positivity of the champion, the one who is pushing you, and not to the ‘criticiser’. The negative voice will encourage you to turn over, switch off the alarm and stay in bed when you know that you would be better off getting up early to work-out or prepare for the day. Instead, listen to the voice of the champion who says, ‘You must do this. You can do this. You will do this.’

While changing your negative

‘Your thoughts become your belief and your belief dictates your actions and behaviour’

mindset, your daily habits and your behaviour may seem like an enormous challenge initially, it’s the best way to develop mental resilience and help you live the life you want to live. Now that’s the thinking of champions!

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NIGHT Restore Your Skin While You Sleep

shift WORDS RÓISÍN CASSIDY

Guinot Time Logic Age Serum Not only smooths the skin and evens out the complexion but also noticeably tones facial contours by stimulating the metabolic energy of skin cells during the night, increasing both the skin’s collagen and elastic fibre density.

Key ingredients include Actinergie, which supplies oxygen to the skin, and ATP, or Adenosine Triphosphate, a complex organic chemical which slowly releases energy into the cells over twenty-four hours. I could see immediate results, but the treatment should be used for at least one month to see the full benefits.

The dropper bottle with sealing system is a great idea as it keeps the product sterile and guarantees optimal conservation.

As much as we all love make-up, skincare is the wise place to invest when it comes to beauty products. A good evening facial routine should be a high priority.

Like the rest of the body, the skin works hard during the daytime as it’s exposed to the sun, allergens, pollutants, dirt and so many impurities. As soon as we shut our eyes at night, the skin cells go to work, repairing, restoring and regenerating.

That’s why night treatments contain powerful, slowabsorbing moisturisers that are designed to penetrate over the course of several hours. They also contain the highest concentrations of anti-ageing compounds, ingredients like retinol, glycolic acid and hyaluronic acid, which work to heal and fight signs of ageing while we sleep.

There’s a never-ending supply of night treatments, and finding the perfect one for your particular requirements can be a bit of trial and error, but the following are some of the best options for working wonders while you snooze.

Elemis Pro-Collagen Overnight Matrix The next generation of Pro-Collagen anti-ageing skincare with Smart Technology has arrived. This overnight treatment uses ground-breaking Drone Peptide Technology that neatly sends youth-boosting ingredients to the precise areas that need them most. Some of the nourishing ingredients include algae, microalgae and wild indigo, all of which help restore the skin’s natural balance. The gel-cream is a pleasure to apply as it glazes over the face, creating a protective matrix that mimics the skin to seal in hydration, helping to prevent transepidermal water loss. Straight away my skin appeared smoother, plumper, more hydrated and less creased in the morning.

Skin Doc Night Patrol Every so often, technological advances lead to ground-breaking skincare developments and this product is a result of such progress. This overnight stem cell mask treatment provides exceptional antioxidant, protective and anti-ageing benefits, and rejuvenates the skin. Night Patrol is an overnight mask application with a breathable, nourishing, non-greasy film that allows the complete absorption of the Triple Stem Cell Complex. The unique complex, based on acai palm, Chinese basil and white oak, uses the very latest in stem cell technology to draw powerful agents from the active botanicals, delivering potent, targeted antioxidants. Fine lines and wrinkles are reduced and skin looks fresh and rested in the morning.

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BEAUT Y

Reform Retinol 1% Creme Retinol is considered to be one of the best performing ingredients to effectively address the signs of premature ageing and photo-damaged skin. Experience this revolutionary sensation of tighter, visibly younger-looking skin with this bedside essential. Skin will instantly feel as smooth as silk, and revitalising results can be seen within days. Containing 1% pure retinol, this anti-ageing treatment renews the skin while fading away lines, refining pore size and reducing dark spots. A special feature of this product is that it contains cucumber, chamomile and aloe vera, which soothe and calm any redness or irritation. Skin looks radiant and stunning even after a few days’ use.

Sisley Night Cream with Collagen and Woodmallow An intensive night-time beauty treatment with a fine creamy texture that leaves the skin incredibly soft and youthful-looking. There is a high concentration of soluble collagen to help correct the visible effects of skin ageing, and woodmallow is used for its softening and emollient action. The scent is very light and elegant.

Like all products from the Sisley range, it’s formulated with plant extracts that are gentle yet highly effective. These products nourish and repair even the most irritated skin for a calm, clear complexion that radiates health.

Caudalie Resvératrol Night Infusion Cream It’s lovely to wake up to smoother, brighter, firmer-looking skin, and this cutting-edge formula featuring Caudalie’s breakthrough clinical patent vine resvératrol does just that, visibly rebuilding, repairing and resculpting the skin. Resvératrol – the renowned anti-ageing ingredient pioneered by Caudalie in 1997 – diminishes visible lines and enhances skin firmness. Grape seed oil and organic shea butter nourish and restore skin, while ceramides support the skin barrier throughout the night. Its plant cocktail of chamomile flowers, poppy, lavender water, sage, fresh mint and orange leaves soothe and calm for visibly refreshed skin.

Suitable for all skin types, including dehydrated or sensitive skin. I found it especially wonderful for my dry skin.

L’Occitane Immortelle Precious Night Cream A silky smooth, skin-caressing cream that acts during the night, stimulating and regenerating the skin when it’s in its peak repair phase. Key ingredients include achillea extract to help the skin’s natural exfoliation process, and immortelle, an organic essential oil, rich in active molecules with unique anti-ageing benefits. The combination of these powerful ingredients helps sustain smoother, more radiant, and youthful-looking skin. With daily use, skin is definitely smoother and firmer, complexion is more even and luminous, pigmentation marks are lightened, and the face looks visibly younger.

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MATERA European Capital of Culture 2019 Explore the complex network of caves, churches, stairways and terraces of this atmospheric Italian city

words and photos orna o ’ reilly weber

F

In 1935, the famous artist and doctor Carlo

our hundred metres above sea level,

In 1993, the Sassi districts and the Park of

among the rolling hills of Basilicata in

the Rupestrian Churches of Matera were

Levi was sent to the town of Aliano, just

southern Italy, lies the haunting city

designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

85km from Matera, to spend a year in exile

of Matera. It is bisected by a deep ravine

Matera’s resemblance to ancient biblical

because of his anti-Fascist views. His remark-

through which the River Gravina flows.

sites, especially Jerusalem, has made it a fa-

able book Christ Stopped in Eboli recounts

The sides of this deep gorge are studded

vourite location for at least twenty major mov-

his experiences of living remotely and in

by ancient cave dwellings known as Sassi,

ies, including Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ,

great poverty among the locals of Basilicata.

where families lived from Palaeolithic

Pier Paolo Pasolini’s The Gospel According to

The city itself plays host every year to the

times right up to the 1950s when they

St. Matthew, and, perhaps more surprisingly,

Women’s Fiction Festival (WFF). This confer-

were rehoused by the Italian government.

the 2017 production of Wonder Woman.

ence is an opportunity for aspiring writers to

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The Sassi

the world is situated under Piazza Vittorio

Dating back over 7000 years, the Sassi are

Veneto where rainwater was collected and

ian, about the process of getting published.

said to be the oldest human dwellings in

then piped to the Sassi. The cistern is sup-

Now, Matera has been named European

Italy. Since the 1950s, many of the caves

ported by fifteen-metre-high pillars carved

Capital of Culture for 2019, following in the

have been restored and are now used as

from the rock, and is navigable by boat.

footsteps of other Italian cities like Florence

hotels, restaurants and businesses.

pitch their work to agents and publishers and to listen to lectures, both in English and Ital-

and Bologna. This highly valued award, which

Matera’s early cave dwellers needed to

Churches

recognises the attractions of the city in its

build cisterns and water channels to hold

own right, will enhance the fortunes of the

and transport water underground. What

tioned often in Matera. This refers to the

city for both inhabitants and visitors alike.

may be the largest ancient cistern system in

cave churches and monasteries, of which

You will hear the word ‘rupestrian’ men-

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‘What may be the largest ancient cistern system in the world is situated under Piazza Vittorio Veneto’ there are several, and the religious art that accompanies them.

But Matera is not short of wonderful churches above ground too.

The Duomo is Matera’s cathedral. It was constructed in Apulian Romanesque style in the thirteenth century and is situated at the highest point of the city overlooking Sasso Barisano to the north and Sasso Caveoso to the south. It is dedicated to the patron saints of Matera, Madonna della Bruna and St Eustace.

Inside the cathedral are ten magnificent columns, all different, which retain their original medieval capitals, many frescoes and lots of gold decoration. The original ceiling was concealed by a false wooden ceiling in the eighteenth century and decorated with paintings by Battista Santoro

above: The Duomo’s jewel-like interior, marble columns and colourful frescoes. right: A rainy day under the arches of Matera

illustrating local religious themes. The wall frescoes immediately below are by Anselmo Palmieri. The must-see exception

built by Giuseppe Fatone in the eighteenth

is the one remaining medieval fresco, The

century with funds donated by the confra-

Last Judgement, by Rinaldo da Taranto.

ternity for the Poor Souls in Purgatory. Its

The lavish high altar, made of white marble, dominates the scene and is overlooked by a huge painting known as the

theme is death, looked upon then as a new beginning, not the end of life.

Inside the church there are three altars and paintings depicting the Passion of

taken apart and moved to the chancel

Christ, while the Castelli organ, dated

balustrade. Also of interest is a carved,

ever seen before. The church is set into

1755, and the wooden pulpit, used until the

stone holy water font from the thirteenth

a large limestone cliff that rises up in the

1970s, are worthy of inspection.

century positioned near the entrance.

Cona Grande by Fabrizio Santafede.

Madonna dell’Idris is like nothing I have

middle of the Sasso Caveoso. The interior

The Church of Saint Francis of Assisi is at

Palazzi

has deteriorated quite a bit of over the

the end of Via del Corso. Though the church

centuries due to humidity, and not much of

was originally built in the thirteenth century, it

the original remains. However, on the altar

has a wide Baroque façade which dates from

Piazza Vittorio Veneto. It was built in 1748

there is a Madonna and Child, which dates

the 1700s and was designed by the architects

by the architect Mauro Manieri di Nardò to

from the seventeenth century and there are

Vito Valentino and Tommaso Pennetta.

house a convent and is now the headquar-

various frescoes. The church is connected

Interestingly, parts of the original monastery

ters of the Provincial Library.

by a tunnel to the crypt of San Giovanni in

of Saints Peter and Paul, over which this

Monterrone, where there are several fres-

church was built, are still visible. Apparently

as a diocesan seminary by Bishop Vincen-

coes dating back to the twelfth century.

the church was founded by St Francis him-

zo Lanfranchi. It was designed and built

self under licence from Pope Onofrio III.

by Friar Francesco da Copertino in 1672.

The Church of the Purgatory is a most

Palazzo dell’Annunziata is located in

Palazzo Lanfranchi was commissioned

unusually shaped building and is centrally

Worth seeing inside is the nine-panel

From 1864 it hosted a school dedicated to

located. It has a Baroque façade and was

polyptych by Lazzaro Bastiani, which was

the teaching of the classics. It now houses

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the National Museum of Medieval and Modern Art of Basilicata, where the photo-

Fortitude, Temperance and Prudence.

The building was originally used for

Eating Out

The bread from Matera, crisp on the

graphs and paintings of the famous doctor

municipal administration and is now home

outside, feather-light and white on the

and artist Carlo Levi are currently housed.

to the Conservatory of Music, dedicated to

inside, is one of its specialities and is

Palazzo del Sedile, built in 1540 but ex-

the composer Egidio Romualdo Duni, who

available everywhere you go. With that

panded and renovated in 1779, is situated in

was born in Matera in 1708. Considered the

in mind, I would recommend a very

Piazza Sedile and is an important civic build-

cultural centre of Matera, the Palazzo del

nice casual eatery called Hemingway’s

ing in the city. It has two bell towers, one

Sedile houses a modern auditorium with

Bistrot, where Matera bread, topped

with a sundial and the other with a clock.

seating for 450 and is a lively venue through-

with smoked salmon or prosciutto cotta,

Overlooking the square are statues of the

out the year. While having a drink or a meal

accompanied by a glass of the local Mos-

patron saints of Matera, Saint Eustace and

in one of the bars or restaurants around the

cato Secco is a treat indeed. A perfect

Madonna della Bruna, while the entrance is

Piazza Sedile, one can often hear the strains

venue for a relaxed lunch.

guarded by the four cardinal virtues: Justice,

of music from the classrooms.

For dinner, the excellent Ristorante Baccanti, situated deep in Sasso Caveoso, served the best evening meal we tasted during our recent visit.

We stayed in Hotel Il Palazzotto directly below the Duomo in Sasso Barisano. We were very happy with the accommodation and breakfast provided.

The tourist office in Matera, situated in Piazza Vittorio Veneto (tel: +39 0835 680254) is full of maps and information to help you to find your way around this unique and beautiful city.

How to get there: fly into Bari from Dublin or into Brindisi via London.

top left: Overlooking Sasso Barisano with newly renovated Hotel Il Palazzotto in the left foreground. below: Baroque Church of the Purgatory; its theme is death

above: Palazzo dell’Annunziata, now the headquarters of the Provincial Library. right: The two bell towers of Palazzo del Sedile, home to the Conservatory of Music

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CARLO LEVI The Carlo Levi Rooms at Palazzo Lanfranchi in Matera

W

Levi used the black and white photographs

by Mario Carbone for his huge painting now hanging on the wall of Palazzo Lanfranchi

hether or not you have read the remarkable Italian classic Christ Stopped at Eboli (1945) by Carlo

Levi, the exhibition of his work at Palazzo Lanfranchi in Matera is sure to fascinate.

In 1935, Carlo Levi, artist, doctor and activist, was exiled to the town of Aliano in Basilicata to while away a year in exile because of his anti-Fascist views. This is where he is now buried, just 85kms from Matera.

Levi’s huge painting was done to mark the centenary of the unification of Italy.

The Carlo Levi room on the first floor of Palazzo Lanfranchi is dedicated to portraits of people he knew during his Carlo Levi spent a year in the remote region, helping the locals with their medi-

time in Aliano.

Carlo Levi died in Rome in 1975.

cal problems and integrating with the rural community of Aliano. His remarkable book

If you are lucky enough to have the

recounts the daily hardships of his time

opportunity to visit Matera, make sure

there, living in isolation and great poverty.

to visit Palazzo Lanfranchi and explore

Spread through two large rooms, the ex-

the exhibition of his works: Palazzo

hibition is devoted to his painting Lucania 61

Lanfranchi, Piazzetta Giovanni Pascoli, 1,

(Lucania is the ancient name for Basilicata),

75100 Matera MT. Open every day

and is accompanied by black and white pho-

except Wednesdays from 09.00 to

tographs taken by Mario Carbone in 1960.

20.00. Tel: +39 0835 256211

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See Exquisite Pieces of Crystal

Waterford Castle Hotel & Golf Resort - The Island - Waterford - Ireland Tel: +353 (0) 51 878 203 - info@waterfordcastleresort.com

manufactured before your eyes www.waterfordcastleresort.com

“It’s crystal clear” A factory tour where you can almost rub shoulders with the artisans as they produce beautiful objects.

Why not visit the factory located in the centre of Waterford city which welcomes over 180,000 visitors a year, and take the opportunity to witness the manufacture of these and many other Waterford crystal products.

The factory tour is a unique and captivating experience that enthrals visitors of all ages, both national and international. The guided factory tour – which takes approximately one hour – allows visitors to understand each stage of production.

“Great Tour of Waterford Crystal” Great history, very close to the process and really beautiful items.

They witness how Waterford Crystal pieces are crafted from initial design right up to the final engraving of the piece. Every year the House of Waterford Crystal melts more than 750 tonnes of crystal, using traditional and cutting-edge manufacturing techniques. On completion of the tour, visitors can experience over 12,000 sq. ft. of crystal heaven in the largest retail and brand showcase of Waterford Crystal in the world.

For further details on the tours visit www.waterfordvisitorcentre.com

No.1 of 53 attractions in Waterford

+353 (0) 51 317000 houseofwaterfordcrystal@fiskars.com www.waterfordvisitorcentre.com

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