Arts & Collections: Volume 2, 2023

COLLECTIONS

Contents FEATURES

16 ALICE SPRINGS - IN A TIGHT FRAME

A retrospective of photographer June Newton, who worked under the name Alice Springs, celebrates her insightful work in the centenary year of her birth

20 THE STYLIST OF TROPICAL MODERNISM

Can interior design be adapted to face the challenges of climate change? Carola Pimentel of Assure Interiors champions a style she calls ‘tropical modernism’

24 SURREAL FASHION AND MISS ANIELA

We look at the amazing work of Natalie Dybiaz, the surrealist photographer better known under her pseudonym of Miss Aniela

26 LA COLOMBE, A HIDDEN GEM

A newly opened boutique hotel in Switzerland’s smallest canton is setting new standards in timeless beauty and understated elegance

28 ASIAN ART ON THE LA STREETS

Curator and film-maker Yiwei Lu decided the best way to champion Asian art was to open her own gallery. Arts & Collections visits her Los Angeles space

32 TEFAF - ART IN RECOVERY

Arts & Collections correspondent Jörg Zutter picks some highlights from TEFAF Maastricht, and we preview the New York show

37 THE QUEEN’S CHÂTEAU

Situated near Aix-les-Bains, Château Brachet is a boutique hotel with a fascinating history - and a refuge from bustling modern life

38 THE FLAVOURS OF TENERIFE

How Tenerife hotels such as the GF Victoria can give visitors a taste of the island’s exotic cuisine

40 BANK OF AMERICA - REIMAGINING ACCESS TO ART

Brian Siegel of Bank of America tells Arts & Collections how the financial institution brings art to its local communities

42 TIME FOR A PORSCHE

Legendary for its engineering and design, Porsche is now applying the principles behind its sports cars to custom-built Swiss timepieces

46 STRESS PREVENTION

Inner wellbeing is a matter of both physical and mental balance. But is oxidative stress the most pressing issue?

51 THE GOOD IN THE WOOD

Cask whisky investment is an exciting opportunity to get in on a growing market, if you have some expert advice

54 THE ART OF BARBADOS

The colourful vibrant culture and landscape of Barbados give rise to some of the most attractive art in the world

5 7 INSPIRATION AND THE ART OF INVESTMENT

We look at some of art advisor Morgan & Brooks’ roster of featured artists, including Ivorian contemporary painter Aboudia

59 EUROPEAN MAGAZINE OF THE YEAR

Arts & Collections magazine has won top awards in two categories in the prestigious European Magazine of the Year Awards 2023

60 FESTIVALS OF FLAVOUR

Italy’s wines are celebrated by festivals throughout the year. We round up some of the most unmissable events

64 PASSION IN JEWELLERY

A new form of jewellery with a very practical purpose has been invented by Fullord. How did founder Sandrine Thibaud come up with the idea?

67 THE BUNGALOW OF THE FUTURE

The bungalow may be a historical invention, but it’s also uniquely suited to the universal living concept of modern architecture

68 A MEASURE OF INDEPENDENCE

Independent whisky bottlers remain essential to a healthy industrybut how can the connoisseur enjoy their product?

70 LOST AND FOUND

Insuring an art collection is vital, but so is keeping track of items that go missing - which is where the Art Loss Register comes in

72 LUXURY IN THE SKY

Private aviation is no longer the preserve of the super-rich - it’s a luxury that pays for itself in convenience and flexibility

74 THE LAST V-12

Rolls-Royce’s Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow marks the end of production of one of the famous marque’s most transformative models of motor car

82 THE ARTS OF MALTA

A popular holiday destination, Malta is also a hub of arts and culture, exemplified by the contemporary art space Blitz

Contents REGULARS

8 IT FIGURES

This issue’s most amazing items and events summed up in handy facts and figures

9 EDITORIAL

Will Artificial Intelligence be the death of art? Recent developments suggest a controversial future

10 HAPPENINGS

All the must-see events, exhibitions and shows, from the Royal Portrait Society to fashionable hats, and the Helsinki Biennial to Sean Scully in the open air

12 AUCTION HIGHLIGHTS

Our comprehensive roundup of some of the more amazing items to come to auction, from a Winged Victory in bronze to a portrait of Gregory Peck

48

SOTHEBY’S PRIVATE SALES

Amazing items for sale through Sotheby’s Private Sales, from Andy Warhol’s print of Jane Fonda, to another amazing pair of globes

78 BOOK REVIEWS

The most fascinating volumes to read and display, from Sorolla to studio ceramics, and David Bowie to Linda Evangelista

80 WHERE TO SPEND IT

Our round-up of luxury items worthy of your investment, from artistic handbags to cosmic furniture, and smart suits to gorgeous guitars

DAMSON MEDIA

Publisher & CEO

Kevin J. Harrington

Editor Chris Jenkins

Staff Writer

Manny Berhanu

Features Writers

Richard Benson

Victoria Hood

Matthias Harder

Jörg Zutter

Design

Joanna Harrington

Production

Ray Walsh

Digital Manager

Chi Uzomah EDITORIAL

Arts & Collections

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United Kingdom

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

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

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

It Figures...

2

The number of European Magazine Publishing awards won by Arts & Collections this year

Page 59

14

The number of points awarded to La Colombe Boutique Hotel by the Gault & Milau Guides

Page 26

19

The number of colours of yarn available on the leather strap of Porsche Design Timepieces

Page 42

270

The number of exhibitors at TEFAF in Maastricht in March Page 32

12

The number of RollsRoyce Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow V-12 coupes made Page 74

800m

Cover image: Alice Springs, Charlotte Rampling, Paris 1982, copyright Helmut Newton Foundation. See page 16.

The number of litres of whisky produced annually in Scotland

Page 51

Editorial

AI - THE DEATH OF ART?

Aphotographer is refusing a prestigious award after admitting to being a “cheeky monkey” and generating the prize-winning image using artificial intelligence (AI). German artist Boris Eldagsen revealed on his website that he was not accepting the prize for the creative open category, which he won at the Sony World Photography Awards. His winning entry in the creative open category is a black-and-white image, Pseudomnesia/The Electrician, apparently showing a young woman standing in front of the camera while an older woman stands behind her.

In a statement on his website, Eldagsen, who studied photography and visual arts at the Art Academy of Mainz, conceptual art and intermedia at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, and fine art at the Sarojini Naidu School of Arts and Communication in Hyderabad, said he “applied as a cheeky monkey” to find out if competitions would be prepared for AI images to enter. “They are not,” he added.

“AI is not photography. Therefore I will not accept the award. We, the photo world, need an open discussion,” said Eldagsen. “A discussion about what we want to consider photography and what not. Is the umbrella of photography large enough to invite AI images to enter – or would this be a mistake?

“With my refusal of the award I hope to speed up this debate.”

STUNT

The stunt draws attention to the intense debate over the use of AI systems which create nothing original, but generate images by mashing together the existing works of artists, using key-words

to define a theme. Google’s chief executive, Sundar Pichai, said concerns about AI had kept him awake at night, and warned that the technology can be “very harmful” if incorrectly deployed. Certainly in the art world, there is feverish controversy over whether an AIgenerated work can be considered to be ‘art’ at all.

“We recognise the importance of this subject and its impact on image-making today” said a spokesperson for the Sony World Photography Awards, adding, “While elements of AI practices are relevant in artistic contexts of image-making, the awards always have been and will continue to be a platform for championing the excellence and skill of photographers and artists working in the medium.”

After the debate over NFTs - whether something intangible can count as an artwork - the next battleground seems certain to be over AI. How long will it be before a ‘brilliant young artist’ whose works sell for millions, is discovered actually to be a bundle of software?

Artists in Colorado are up in arms over the first-prize winner at the annual state fair’s art competition: a digital collage made by artificial intelligence. The work, titled Théâtre D’opéra Spatial, is attributed to ‘Jason Allen via Midjourney’, citing the name of the program used to blend different images, and the artist who entered the resulting work into the competition.

Meanwhile, Coca-Cola has invited digital artists to participate in a new campaign, generating AI artworks based on its brand assets for a chance to be featured on digital billboards at London’s Piccadilly Circus. We haven’t heard the last of this... 

Chris Jenkins

Happenings

Arts & Collections has selected a mix of the most unmissable artistic, cultural and entertainment events coming up in the summer

PORTRAIT FORMAT

The Royal Society of Portrait Painters has released details of its 132nd Annual Exhibition to be held at Mall Galleries, London in May. The prestigious and historic show (the first being held in 1891), which is the largest and most significant celebration of contemporary portrait painting in Europe, will feature around 230 beautiful portraits which have been expertly curated by artist members of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters (RP). Many of the portraits to be shown will be available for the public to buy and visitors will also be able to commission their own portraits by exhibiting artists.

www.therp.co.uk

NEW DIRECTIONS

Helsinki Biennial 2023 features 29 international artists and collectives participating in its second edition, New Directions May Emerge, curated by Joasia Krysa and produced by HAM Helsinki Art Museum. Opening to the public on 12th June, an annual Helsinki Day celebration in the Finnish capital, the biennial comprises around 50% new commissions and site-specific works which engage with some of the pressing issues of our time, encompassing environmental damage, political conflict and the impact of technology. This year, the biennial’s central location of Vallisaari Island in the Helsinki archipelago will have a particular emphasis on outdoor artworks, while artworks and the wider biennial programme sprawl across mainland venues including HAM Helsinki Art Museum, Helsinki Central Library Oodi, Stoa and Caisa Cultural Centers, other public spaces in the city, and online.  www.helsinkibiennial.fi

Above: Ahmed Al Nawas and Minna Henriksson, Teuvo Kanerva

Below, clockwise from top left: Wendy Barratt, Grief; Kevin Di, Mama; Florence Houston, Bella; Frances Bell, End of Lockdown

CURATED CRAFTS

London Craft Week (LCW) returns for its ninth edition with a rich and varied programme of events taking place across the capital from 8th-14th May. The festival will feature over 400 curated workshops, immersive experiences, pop-up stores and original exhibitions, and showcase works by more than 700 artists, designers and makers from around the world. Spanning the fields of craft, art, design, luxury, fashion and accessories, LCW showcases the best of craftsmanship, the latest developments in material innovation, treasured heritage techniques and some of the world’s most intricate and beautiful objects. 

www.londoncraftweek.com

WANT TO GET AHEAD?

The Culture Trust, Luton, is presenting Hats Made Me, a major exhibition that explores the significance of headwear. Comprised of more than two hundred exhibits drawn from the Trust’s extensive collection, along with loans from contemporary milliners and local communities, it is the largest presentation of its type. Appropriately it is being staged in Luton, the Bedfordshire town that dominated the British hat industry from the 19th century to the post-war period, at the Stockwood Discovery Centre, London Road, until 10th December 2023.  www.culturetrust.com

MAQUETTE TO MONUMENTAL

This spring one of the world’s most celebrated artists, Sean Scully, will take over the grounds and historic interiors of Houghton Hall in Norfolk for an exhibition that will showcase the full range of the artist’s sculpture. In the Hall and Contemporary Gallery, the artist will also show a significant group of paintings and works on paper. Several new works will be included in the exhibition including stacks made of sandstone, wood, glass and marble. The sculptures range in scale from small maquettes to monumental open structures in steel, such as Crate of Air, and a new Wall of Light sculpture, constructed from locally sourced limestone. Sean Scully at Houghton Hall –Smaller Than The Sky runs until 29th October 2023.  https://ropac.net

Left: Peter Hayes, Raku Boat, image courtesy Art Workers Guild and London Craft Week 2023

Above: Sean Scully, Crate of Air, courtesy of the artist

Below: Courtesy of Vesna Pesic and Paul Hine

HIGHLIGHTS Auction

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

BY RICHARD BENSON

VICTORY LAP

This winged Victory in gilded bronze by Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848-1907) is inscribed AVGVSTVS SAINT GAVDENS / FECIT M·CM·II and COPYRIGHT BY A H SAINT. GAVDENS. / 1912 along the marble base. Measuring 42½ in. (107.8 cm.) high on a 4¼ in. (10.8 cm.) marble base, it was conceived in 1892, and this example cast circa 1912. It sold for $1,168,400 on an estimate of $500,000-$700,000 at Sotheby’s auction The Spirit of America: The Wolf Family Collection, highlighting the connoisseurship of Erving and Joyce Wolf and their keen eye for collecting American art and objects across all time periods and genres. This evening sale featured the finest selection of American paintings, bronzes, 20th century design, furniture, Chinese export ceramics and silverware. 

ROMAN RELIC

A Roman gold ring found among a group of jewellery sold at auction for 450 times its original estimate of £150-200. The garnet intaglio ring, possibly depicting Emperor Augustus, who ruled from 27BC until 14AD, sold for £90,000 (£117,000 including fees) at specialist jewellery auctioneers Fellows’ bi-monthly Fine Jewellery auction. Set in gold, the ring features an intricate intaglio of a man’s head in profile. Intaglio is the term used to describe the technique of carving into a gem or metal to leave a hollow impression, often used for sealing documents. The auction featured 10 other intaglio pieces, one dated to 1AD. All 11 pieces sold extremely well, surpassing the auctioneer’s expectations, and a carnelian fob achieved £12,870. 

PORTRAIT OF THE ACTOR

This 30”x24” giclee portrait of Gregory Peck by Everett Raymond Kinstler was painted from sketches made in 1984 when the actor was the guest of honour at The Player’s Club in New York City. The original painting is housed in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institution, National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. Housed in a wooden frame measuring 31.5” x 25.5” and accompanied by a typed letter signed by the artist to Veronique Peck, dated March 2010, indicating he was sending her the artwork, the portrait sold for $11,250 at Heritage Auctions’ sale of the estate of Veronique and Gregory Peck. 

MIRÓ, MIRÓ ON THE WALL

Presented at the Hôtel Drouot by the auction house of Kalck et Associés, in conjunction with the experts of Cabinet Perazzone & Brun, was an auction of the estate of Madame Bernadette Belime, featuring works executed in the 1920s and 1930s, including paintings by Fernand Léger, one a previously unknown canvas, and a work by Miró, until then unknown to the Association pour la Défense de l’oeuvre de Miró. Painted by Joan Miró in 1926, and offered for sale with an estimate of €350,000 - €400,000, the work belongs to Miró’s dreamlike period, when he abandoned fantastic realism from 1925 to 1927 in favour of automatism - the golden rule of surrealism. The 22cm high painting was sold for €407,000 (hammer price) to the modern art collector David Nahmad.  Joan MIRÓ (1893-1983) Composition, 1926, © Successió Miró/ ADAGP, Paris, 2023

ELEMENTARY

Published by Affiches Louis Galice of Paris c. 1908, this fullcolour linen-backed poster for the French version of William Gillette’s play, Sherlock Holmes, measuring 15 x 21”, sold for $4,800 on an estimate of $1000-2,000 on Invaluable from Potter & Potter of Chicago. This very rare poster shows light rubbing and a single vertical and horizontal crease, but is otherwise bright and fine. Sherlock Holmes is a four-act play based on Conan Doyle’s character. As the plot was largely taken from Doyle’s canon, with some dialogue directly lifted from his original stories, Doyle was credited as a co-author, even though Gillette wrote the play. After three previews it premiered on Broadway in 1899, at the Garrick Theatre. Gillette’s Holmes is widely credited with being the first to utter “Elementary, my dear Watson”, a phrase that never appears in Conan Doyle’s stories, and with introducing the calabash pipe as a trademark Holmes prop. 

VENETIAN LUXURY

French auction house Artcurial (which sold the content of Hôtel Ritz Paris, Hôtel Plaza Athénée, and Tour d’Argent among others) presented iconic objects and furniture pieces from the legendary Hotel Bauer Palazzo in Venice in four physical auctions in April and three online sales from April to May. Since its inauguration in 1880, the Bauer Palazzo, one of Venice’s most acclaimed Grand Canal hotels, has embodied Venetian luxury. The iconic, family-owned five-star hotel closed its doors in November 2022 to undertake a renovation project and enlisted Artcurial to orchestrate the sales of 10,000 items of furniture, Murano glassware, tableware, silks, and textiles organised in 4,000 lots. Commissioned by the Bauer from the most established Venetian and Italian manufacturers over the years including the luxury textile houses Rubelli and Bevilacqua, the upholsterer, Alessandro Vianello, the Italian furnituremaker Bussandri, and the Venetian master glassmaker Seguso Vetri d’Arte, the pieces celebrate Italy’s magnificent traditional craftsmanship and reflect the hotel’s rich past. The hotel is being remodelled by Venice-based architect Alberto Trosello and interior design group Bar Studio and reopens in 2025. 

VAN EXTRAORDINAIRE

The freedom of the roads can come at an extraordinary price, as this desirable 1963 Deluxe 15-Window version of the iconic VW Microbus showed when it sold for $67,200 at Broad Arrow’s Amelia auction. Coming from 22 years of enthusiast ownership, the combi features a period style Oak Devon Camping interior, seating, and fold-down table, with period options and accessories including opening Safari windows. Verified by Volkswagen Zertifikat, it boasts a 2007cc engine and 12-volt conversion, performance suspension and EMPIstyle wheels, and German CSP vented front disk brakes. 

PLEASE PLEASE ME

A Höfner 500/1 Violin Bass, signed by Paul McCartney formerly of Wings, sold for $8,890 at Sotheby’s Rock’n’Roll sale in New York in April. In sunburst finish, with a bound maple body, spruce top, maple neck, 22 -fret bound rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays, two pickups, selector switch for each pickup, control plate with two rotary controls and three switches, ebony bridge, nickel-plated metal tailpiece and imitation mother of pearl pickguard, signed on the pickguard in black marker pen by Paul McCartney, with a black hardshell contour case, the instrument is the type Paul McCartney has played for 60 years - though it’s not his original instrument, which was lost, or his current one. The item failed to reach its high estimate of $10,000. 

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

Treasures

London-based Anabela Chan claims to be the first fine jewellery brand in the world to champion laboratorygrown gemstones with high jewellery design and artisanal craftsmanship, with a focus on ethical and sustainable innovations.

Founded in London in 2014 with awards from Vogue Talents and The British Goldsmiths’ Craft and Design Council, Anabela Chan was awarded Walpole’s British Luxury Brand of Tomorrow in 2020, and included in the 2022 50 Most Influential People in British Luxury.

Anabela Chan’s creations are worn by celebrities including Beyonce, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez and Taylor Swift, and presented at some of the most exclusive boutiques in the world including Harrods London, Lane Crawford Hong Kong, Luisa Via Roma Florence and Moda Operandi New York.

Raised in London and Paris, and trained at the Royal College of Art and Gemmological Association of Great Britain, Anabela launched her eponymous label in 2014, opening her first standalone boutique in London the same year.

She finds her inspirations from her extensive travels to the orient, collecting gems and treasures along the way from local markets.

Every design such as the Ariel earrings above begin by being hand-carved in wax before casting in parts, then assembling, polishing and engraving in meticulous detail. Every jewel is handcrafted individually by skilled artisans, combining Anabela’s love affair with gemstones and an obsession to detail and perfection, to create magical treasures of infinite colours and sparkle that are loved, worn and collected alike.

Anabela Chan says: ‘Jewellery is empowering, it brings joy, inspires emotions and elevates the spirit like no other. I also love its longevity to transcend generations - it is timeless, it does not decay or go away, it is a chance to hold onto the past and at the same time reach out to the future, and I find that endearingly romantic.”

Anabela’s work is on show at this year’s London Craft Fair. 

Left: Alice Springs

- Rupert Everett, Miami 1999 © Helmut Newton Foundation

Right: Alice SpringsSelf-portrait with Sirpa Lane, Paris 1970s © Helmut Newton Foundation

ALICE SPRINGS - In a Tight Frame

Photographer June Newton, working as Alice Springs, often collaborated with her husband Helmut. Matthias Harder looks at her retrospective solo show

Photographer June Newton, who worked under the name Alice Springs, would have been 100 this year. She died in 2021 after a celebrated career working solo and with her husband Helmut Newton, and is now the subject of a solo exhibition, Alice Springs. Retrospective, at the Helmut Newton Foundation, Berlin.

Taking her pseudonym from the town in the land of her birth, June Browne, an award-winning actress, met Helmut Newton when he was working in Melbourne. They married, and moved first to London, then to Paris, where Helmut’s photography career flourished; but June found difficulty landing acting work due to the language barrier. But her acting career was put on hold when her talent for photography developed.

Director and curator of the Helmut Newton Foundation, Matthias Harder, relates the story of June Newton’s career as Alice Springs.

“June Newton began working as a photographer in 1970 under the pseudonym Alice Springs, with a focus on portraiture. On several occasions, Alice Springs and Helmut Newton presented their work together, most notably in their joint project Us and Them, which was also on view at the Helmut Newton Foundation in Berlin. In 2010 and 2016, the foundation realized major Alice Springs exhibitions, each accompanied by a monographic publication.

PORTRAITURE

Alice Springs worked in three genres: portraiture, nude, and fashion/commercial photography – just like her husband, but to differing degrees. In particular, her incomparable portraits continue to resonate today with their authenticity and intensity. In celebration of the 100th birthday of June Newton aka Alice Springs, this newly conceived retrospective features over 250

photographs throughout the foundation’s main exhibition space.

Extensive research conducted in the inhouse archives, including the entire collection from the Newton residence in Monaco, which was only recently brought to Berlin,

provided new insight into the work of Alice Springs. The surprising results will now be seen for the first time as vintage, late, or exhibition prints, shown in combination with the iconic images that Alice Springs is known for. These include her portraits

of fellow photographers Richard Avedon, Brassaï, Ralph Gibson, Jacques-Henri Lartigue, Sebastião Salgado, and Robert Mapplethorpe, as well as celebrities like Nicole Kidman, Audrey Hepburn, Isabelle Adjani, Christopher Lambert, and Claude Chabrol, to name a few.

The photographic career of June Newton aka Alice Springs was sparked by a bout of the flu that left Helmut Newton temporarily unable to work. June stepped in, had her husband teach her to use the camera and light meter, and in 1970 she shot an advertising image for the French cigarette brand Gitanes in Paris. Her portrait of the smoking model was the first photograph in the new career of the trained theatre actor, who could not get acting work in France because of the language barrier.

Subsequently, José Alvarez, who ran an advertising agency in Paris at that time, arranged commissions for her to shoot

promotional images for pharmaceutical companies. A major campaign in the 1970s became particularly famous: her photographs for the legendary Parisian hairdresser Jean Louis David, which were published for years as full-page ads in numerous magazines. From the midseventies on, the product photographs were increasingly joined by portrait commissions.

AURA

In 1983, Alvarez – now as the founder of publishing house Editions du Regard –released the first compendium of Alice Springs’ work featuring many of her iconic portraits, depictions full of empathy. In her celebrity photographs, Alice Springs succeeded not only in capturing the outer appearance of her subjects but also their aura. They convey the blend of compassion and curiosity about her contemporaries that makes Alice Springs’ work so fascinating

to this day. The wordless dialogue that led to these extraordinary portraits seemed to be based on a kind of spiritual kinship shared between the photographer and the photographed.

Social status was not a decisive factor for Alice Springs, even if most of her protagonists counted among the cultural ‘jet set’. Besides prominent actors, directors, and writers, her work includes equally compelling portraits of people from other walks of life – including members of the Hell’s Angels, the punk scene in Los Angeles, and dancers backstage at the Crazy Horse cabaret in Paris.

We therefore meet not only images of the rich and beautiful, but also the bohemians that caught the eye of Alice Springs. Concentrating her gaze mainly on their faces, she often kept her subjects in a tight frame, in a bust or three-quarters length, accessoryfree. Studio shots are rare; her usual settings

are public spaces or inside or in front of the person’s home, using natural light. In her portraits – taken quickly, spontaneously, and with simple camera techniques – we encounter a range of expression, from vain poses to natural self-confidence and open or shy faces.

COMMENTARY

The result is a visual commentary, an interpretation of the sitter without the pretension to expose or criticize them. Although Alice Springs got closer to her subjects and responded more spontaneity to unexpected situations than other photographers, she consistently captured the individuality of every one of them. In doing so, she contributed new and surprising images, free of clichés, to the familiar trove of celebrity depictions. Possibly it was her solid grounding in acting that enabled her to look simultaneously at and behind

the facade of human expression with her lens. One exceptional work in her oeuvre is her portrait of Ricardo Bofill, in which the photographer focuses almost exclusively on the Spanish architect’s radiant smile through the use of strong shadows on the left and right parts of the image. The result evokes the experimental theatre of Samuel Beckett, who premiered his monologue Not I in New York in 1972 on a nearly pitch-black stage with a single light illuminating only the mouth of the female speaker.

Rarely did Alice Springs use light as radically as in this motif, characterized by its intense contrast of light and shadow and formal minimalism. Her black-andwhite portraits were frequently published in the large-format French magazine Egoïste starting in 1977, and often featured on its cover. The magazines Elle, Stern, Vanity Fair, and Marie Claire also booked Alice Springs for portrait sessions, although many of those

photographs remained relatively unknown until now. Her last advertising campaign, for a deodorant brand, shot in colour in 2004, is exhibited for the first time in this retrospective.

The self-portraits and portraits of her husband occupy a special position here; they were often taken during Helmut Newton’s work sessions. They complement the joint project Us and Them, which the Helmut Newton Foundation has featured in various formats. This exhibition comes full circle several times: the life and work of Helmut and June Newton were connected in myriad ways and now meet again. The one is inconceivable without the other – and vice versa.”

Alice Springs. Retrospective runs from June 3rd – November 19th, 2023 at the Helmut Newton Foundation, Museum für Fotografie, Jebensstrasse 2, D –10623 Berlin. 

https://helmut-newton-foundation.org

From Left: Alice Springs - Liam Neeson for Marie Claire, 1990; Advertisement for Deodorant, Los Angeles, 2004; Isabelle Adjani, Paris, 1980: Helmut as a nun, Jean Louis David, Paris, 1970s; all © Helmut Newton Foundation

The Stylist of TROPICAL MODERNISM

Can interior design be adapted to face the challenges of climate change?

Carola Pimentel of Assure Interiors champions ‘tropical modernism’

Victoria Hood was immediately drawn to Carola Pimentel’s work when she was approached by a mutual friend to help with social media and public relations. Carola’s careful use of natural light, neutral colour palettes, and layering of statement art and vintage finds from Europe reminded her of time spent in Sao Paulo, Brazil as a teenager.

The homes and restaurants Victoria visited blended a certain modernism (perfect for the Brazilian climate) with a layering of European history brought by years of influence by immigration from Portugal, Italy, and Holland.

Assure Interiors is a Miami-based practice specializing in residential projects across the US and the Caribbean region. Established by Carola Pimentel, the studio bridges modern and timeless design delivering highly personal interiors. Assure‘s visual language expressed through well-considered interior architecture, natural materials and subtle color schemes incorporates bespoke elements with contemporary art and collectible design.

The studio’s international clientele

includes many repeat clients and often younger generations of one family. Clients who come mostly via word of mouth, appreciate Assure’s discretion and cultural sensitivity.

The principal and her associates source furniture and accessories from across the US and internationally with Spanish, French, and Japanese dealers and up-and-coming Miami, New York and California galleries a particular focus. Bespoke elements including custom upholstery and cabinetry as well one-of-akind pieces in acrylic are key in achieving a unique vision for clients.

Known for their confident design approach imbued with a spirit of collaboration and fun, Assure creates distinct homes that meet each client’s unique vision.

Assure’s approach to design often channels the lifestyle of places such as Florida, California and especially Rio, Sao Paolo and Angra dos Reis in Brazil, subtly blending indoors and outdoors.

Known for their fresh and respectful approach to historical buildings, the practice is regularly commissioned to

Above: Carola Pimentel - “I love art and I get a lot of inspiration from my own collection”

Opposite: Cocoplum Residence, Coral Gables

Below: Coconut Grove, Florida, 1925 house

create interiors in buildings by some of the world’s top architects ranging from Rem Koolhaas and OMA to Foster + Partners. The look, which could be called Midcentury Brazilian design, and its cousin ‘Tropical Modernism’ are Carola’s inspirations. To dig deeper into what defines these two similar styles, Victoria sat with the Caribbean-raised and Miamibased designer to discuss her careful and thoughtful approach to creating a home.

Growing up in the Caribbean, what inspired you to pursue your studies and career in interior design?

My parents, contemporary and Latin American art collectors, introduced me to the world of architecture and décor when they took me to see a hotel they were developing together. They always tried to incorporate interesting art into their projects. I was very young, perhaps seven or eight years old, but I remember

loving every minute of watching them create, alongside architects and builders, wonderful spaces. By High School, I knew I didn’t want to be an architect or engineer, but I wanted to somehow be a part of building and design.

During a college fair I luckily learned of the opportunity to pursue my studies in Interior Design at Ringling College in Florida. You could say that an enjoyment of art-filled homes, as well as my parents’ involvement in the interiors and hospitality industries, prepared me for my career.

Your heroes include Oscar Niemeyer, Lina Bo Bardi, and Luis Barragan –all key examples of Latin American modernist architects. What do you love about their approach to planning, layout, and décor?

First and foremost, I live in a tropical climate and design for clients who often have homes in various tropical locations. It is therefore a practical choice to favour a clean aesthetic and distinctive structure that lets in plenty of ventilation and light. To clarify, I don’t design with tropical patterns and colours like a palm tree printed wallpaper. Instead, I design with durable materials, such as rich woods, cool stones, and warm leathers. I also pay a lot of attention to the surrounding geography and nature as they inform my choices in paint tones, wallpaper patterns, texture of fabrics, etc.

I understand that you collect contemporary art. How do your favourite artists, their styles, and their works inform your approach to colour, texture, and form?

Yes, I love art and I get a lot of inspiration from my own collection of contemporary Latin American and European works. Some of my favourite artists include Uruguay’s Pablo Atchugarry and Carlos Capelán, as well as Brazil’s Ernesto Neto, to name a few… I am particularly drawn to small scale sculpture and wall mounted installations, and attracted by the 3D quality and impact the pieces create in the context of a room. For me, art is a very important element of an interior as it gives a room character.

Left: Bal Harbour, Florida apartment

You have developed Assure’s aesthetic and style. Could you elaborate on the studio’s sensibility and point of view?

Since I founded my studio in 2000, my priority has always been my clients, delivering interiors where they always feel like home. I have been very lucky to learn from my own curiosity as well as my clients’ passion for art and collecting. We often incorporate vintage elements found on sourcing trips to Europe and Latin America and mix these with exciting designs from galleries such as Ralph Pucci and Cristina Grajales. We design rooms that acknowledge and respect these beautiful and unique objects, and then choose lighting, furniture and fabrics that beautifully complement them. The interiors

that we create for our clients are modern, practical, functional, and elegant.

Assure gravitates towards calming hues and an earthy palette of sky and ocean blues, emerald and apple greens, and neutrals in stone and sand. Great thought goes into the influence of colour on mood and well-being. The studio in partnership with clients customizes colours for different rooms to enhance usage, enjoyment, and function.

Signature materials include white oak, walnut, natural stone, porcelain tiles and terrazzo selected to add warmth and visual interest. Great consideration is given to climate and appropriateness in response to each client’s needs.

What future projects are you most excited about?

We have several interesting residences across Florida and the Bahamas that will be ready in the next few months. However, what excites me the most about being an interior designer is the opportunity to start from the very beginning and to work alongside the architects on designing and planning the layout of a brand-new home. I love every minute of it from start to finish, including details like plumbing, lighting, and finishes. At Assure Interiors we are incredibly handson and create highly nuanced, timeless and liveable homes. 

https://assureinteriors.com

Above Left: Coconut Grove, Florida, 1925 house Above: Bal Harbour, Florida apartment

SURREAL FASHION and the Art of Photography

We look at the amazing work of Natalie Dybiaz, the surrealist photographer known as Miss Aniela

Natalie Dybisz, known as Miss Aniela, is part of a new breed of photographers circumventing the traditional path to success in the world

of fine art photography by utilising photo sharing/social networking sites like Flickr to build a career.

Natalie’s images, many of them self

portraits, are unique products fusing classical with modern, and fashion with fine art, to create an intricate balance of contemporary creativity. With clients

ranging from Nikon, Yakult, Random House and Microsoft to the British Hairdressing Awards, her work has been recognised by the Aesthetica Art Prize 2021, in photography anthology Future Now, and in the ND Awards Photographer of the Year 2020, for her series Birth Undisturbed.

SURREAL

Named a Saatchi Art One to Watch artist in 2013, Natalie is perhaps best known for her series Surreal Fashion, which depicts contemporary models with a reference to Renaissance and Dutch masters, shooting in stately home settings across Europe and US. Larger-than-life characters preside over a dreamlike tableaux of chandeliers, taxidermy and four-poster beds; motifs for a utopian past world we long to inhabit.

Miss Aniela’s work has been exhibited by the Saatchi Gallery, House of Parliament, Waldermarsudde Museum Stockholm and Vogue Italia in Milan; and in numerous media including BBC, Daily Mail, Yahoo, El Pais and NY Arts. Natalie has also published two books, Self Portrait Photography (2010) and Creative Portrait Photography (2011), both from Ilex/Pixiq. Find out more about Natalie and Miss Aniela at www.missaniela.com, and buy prints at www.zenofineart.com 

Opposite Page: Away With the Canaries

Above: Storm Door

Left: White Witch Awakening

A HIDDEN GEM

A newly opened boutique hotel in Switzerland’s smallest canton is setting new standards in timeless beauty and understated elegance

Despite the famous quote from The Third Man, there’s a lot more to Switzerland than the cuckoo clock - or even traditional Swiss products such as chocolate, pocket-knives and luxury watches. Switzerland has some of the most incredible landscapes in Europe, from the natural wonder of the glittering Alps to the tranquillity of the idyllic lakes, along with its medieval villages and bustling cities. In the heart of Central Switzerland and right in the middle of Europe within easy reach of Zurich lies the canton of Zug, and here we find the La Colombe Boutique Hotel.

In the dreamy old town of Zug lies this hidden gem, boasting exquisite rooms designed with elegance and lightness of touch. Opened in 2022, the hotel in its historic building transports guests to a world of grandeur and sophistication, with every detail carefully crafted by the hoteliers, Aline

Sigrist and Giovanni Melis. Nine top-quality, simple and elegant rooms are available, some with balconies overlooking the lake. The owners have taken great care to preserve the building’s historical and original elements, such as the exposed wooden ceiling beams, 13th-century brickwork, arched windows and an antique tiled stove, complementing them with ultra-modern bathrooms, where timeless design meets the highest quality and sustainability is key.

DINING

In the hotel’s own restaurant, already awarded 14 points by the prestigious Gault & Millau Guides, gourmets will find a creative menu heavily featuring regional and seasonal organic products. The kitchen team under lively head chef Giovanni Melis prepares an exciting variety of meat, fish and vegetarian dishes. ‘Gio’, a native of Sardinia, has had his

own TV show, and has served as Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana’s private chef. At La Colombe, he serves up Mediterranean cuisine with a creative twist. From spring to autumn, guests can enjoy food and drink on this unique location’s idyllic lakeside terrace, with stunning views of the water.

Other facilities in the hotel include a fitness studio with premium Technogym equipment, a personal trainer and a spectacular view of Lake Zug, the hotel’s own paddleboards for guests to explore the beautiful lake under their own steam; and of course, all the sights, art and cultural institutions in the historic old town can be booked through the hotel.

It’s fair to say that a stay at this delightful hotel on Lake Zug and a visit to the charming little town of Zug won’t disappoint. Whether for business or pleasure, guests will feel refreshed and revitalised, taking home memories to last a lifetime. 

TIMELESS BEAUTY AND SIMPLE ELEGANCE

In a time when everything is fast paced and lingers on the surface, recollection has a deeper meaning. La Colombe Boutique Hotel nestled in the charming old town of Zug, Switzerland right on the lake invites you to find the time.

ASIAN ART On the LA Streets

Curator and film-maker Yiwei Lu decided the best way to champion Asian art was to open her own gallery. Arts & Collections visits her Los Angeles space

Situated in Venice Beach, California, Yiwei Gallery was established with the mission of championing the works of female and culturally diverse artists, bridging the gap between the East and the West, and promoting cultural exchange and understanding through art.

Yiwei Lu was born and raised in China before moving to Los Angeles to study film production at Loyola Marymount University, later pursuing a Master’s degree in Visual Anthropology from the University of Southern California. As a fine art photographer, she experienced firsthand the limited opportunities available to Asian female artists seeking representation in the LA art world. The realization inspired her to create a space for underrepresented artists to showcase their work and share their voices.

Yiwei Gallery was founded in 2019 to provide a platform in Los Angeles for Asian artists and other under-represented artists. In the first two years, the gallery mainly organized pop-up exhibitions in LA and

participated in art fairs before finding a permanent home in Venice Beach in 2021.

The gallery’s focus on inclusivity and diversity remains unwavering as it continues to showcase exhibitions at our Venice Beach location and host pop-up exhibitions globally by collaborating with other galleries, curators, art fairs, and institutions.

REPRESENTATION

But is under-representation still an issue?

“Yes! Undoubtedly!” says Yiwei. “Female artists have long faced a significant lack of representation and recognition in the art market. This underrepresentation manifests in many ways, including fewer opportunities for exhibition and lower prices paid for their artwork, especially when compared to male artists. One clear example is Venice Beach, where my gallery is located. The area has a rich history of artists living and working there, but the well-known names of Venice artists are predominantly male.

“After moving my gallery to Venice, I have had the pleasure of working with several

amazing female artists from the community, such as Lynn Hanson, Catherine Ruane, and Corinne Chaix. These women have lived and worked in the community for decades, contributing just as much to its history and culture as their male peers. However, I’ve noticed that their work often isn’t as recognized or valued, and they are often overshadowed by the famous male artists. Fortunately, there is growing awareness of this imbalance and concerted efforts to address it in recent years in the art world.”

The times may be changing, as, for instance, Michelle Yeoh’s Oscar win may help to promote the Asian artistic viewpoint. But there is a lot to do: “For example, many Westerners only associate Chinese art with traditional ink paintings and porcelain works, with very little recognition of contemporary Chinese artists” says Yiwei.

Generalization about the contribution of Asian and female artists is impossible,

Opposite page: (L) Yiwei Lu in her Venice Beach gallery with (R) Jesse Liu Above: Yiwei Lu: “Empowering and inspiring”

says Yiwei, because each brings something different to the table. “A particular artist who has had a profound impact on me is Jo Ann Callis” she says. “Having experienced domestic life herself as a housewife before pursuing fine art, Jo Ann produced a striking series of work in the 1970s that delved into the psychological undercurrents of the domestic sphere. In 2020, during the tumultuous period of the Covid lockdown, I collected one of her images, which proved to be a source of inspiration and solace for me every day.”

PERCEPTIONS

Another artist recently given an exhibition at Yiwei Gallery is Jesse Liu. “What I find so fascinating about Liu’s work is her deep

curiosity about the nature of memory” says Yiwei. “She questions whether our memories of the past are truly accurate, or if they are a distorted reflection of our own perceptions. Through her paintings, she creates a world that is both condensed and surreal, where imagined and real worlds come together to evoke powerful emotions and tell stories.”

Originally from Beijing, Jesse Liu spent her high school years in South Carolina and is currently based in California. She obtained her degree in Illustration from the School of Visual Arts in New York in 2022. Her artwork primarily utilizes oil-based mediums and is inspired by the intricacies of daily life, which she interweaves with her personal experiences. By skillfully utilizing vibrant colours and an interplay of light

and shadow, Jesse’s pieces evoke a range of emotions within distinct contexts. Her dynamic compositions prioritize storytelling and frequently create an air of intrigue and romance.

Other past and forthcoming projects for Yiwei Gallery include the Photo Fairs in Shanghai, exhibitions by Peruvian artist Christian Fuchs and local artist Charles Christopher Hill, and the exhibition, Let’s Talk Trash, curated by Denise Domergue, the founder of “Made of What?!” organization, showcasing works of art made entirely out of trash. “I have always had an eye on sustainable art, and I’m sure this is going to be an eye-opening and thought-provoking show” says Yiwei. “Following that, we are looking forward to presenting a show featuring female artists who work in the film industry. We believe it will be an empowering and inspiring exhibition highlighting the talents of these multifaceted artists.”

COLLECTORS

Yiwei notes a significant boom in the Californian art market, even in the midst of an economic downturn, though she’s not convinced by the quality of NFT works she has seen so far. “I personally have a lot of confidence in the Los Angeles market especially. It is emerging as a powerhouse in the art world, attracting both domestic and international artists, galleries, and collectors. The recent Frieze art fair in LA was a testament to this trend, with a great sales report.”

For aspiring collectors, Yiwei suggests an unusual way in. “I began my art collection journey with photography, as I found it to be more accessible in terms of both its content and price range. However, in general, the best way to learn and develop a deeper understanding of the art world is by attending exhibition openings, art fairs, and meeting with people. Keeping up with the current happenings is very important.”

Yiwei Lu describes her gallery’s core values as inclusivity and diversity, engagement with the rich cultural history of its vibrant community, and global reach. She says “Yiwei Gallery is more than just a space for art - it’s a community.” 

https://yiweigallery.com/

Left: By Jesse Liu, Clockwise from top left: Secret Garden, Moonrise, Gloom, Hide and Seek

ART IN RECOVERY

Arts & Collections correspondent Jörg Zutter picks some highlights from TEFAF Maastricht, and we preview the New York show

Albrecht von Horn, Nautilus Shell, c. 1650 (Kugel, Paris)

The condition of The European Fine Art Foundation, or TEFAF, has long been regarded as a good measure of the state of the art market generally. Its regular exhibitions in Maastricht in March and New York in May provide a real-world commentary on art trends, and on the economics that keep business turning over.

TEFAF’s return to its regular March slot in Maastricht was marked by significant sales to both private collectors and international museums including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Rijksmuseum, Louvre and Museum of Fine Arts Houston. Over 250 institutions were represented bringing with them directors, curators and patrons to explore 9,000 years of art history. Amongst a 270-strong exhibitor portfolio, a packed program of talks and events and an expanded Showcase section dedicated to emerging galleries and dealers, TEFAF’s 36th edition symbolized a welcome return to normality, attracting over 50,000 art lovers with visitors including European, fashion and sporting royalty.

Jörg Zutter writes: The wide corridors

and open spaces gave enough room for movement and relaxation, inviting critical conversations, and creating a cheerful ambiance, embellished with a sublime floral decoration at the entrance hall, featuring silvery gypsophila and cascading pink florets throughout the entire fair.

Of particular interest at the show was the proportion of dealers of Old Master paintings, sculptures, objets d’art or prestigious collectibles, on the one hand, and of modern and contemporary art on the other: the first group included almost 150 participants, among them 50 specialised in Old Masters, plus around 20 more exhibitors of works on paper, prints, rare books, manuscripts, maps etc. and many antique dealers.

PERSPECTIVE

The second section uniting modern and contemporary art encompassed a group of 50 dealers situated in the centre of the East hall. The inclusion of modern and contemporary art is certainly beneficial not only commercially but also for welcoming a new and younger clientele, and last but not

least for adding a new perspective on the Old Masters and 19th-century artists as well as making the more traditional visitors of TEFAF familiar with the present-day art.

The idea of rebranding old with new art, and vice versa, has also captivated auction houses. The remix model is certainly one solution, given the general slowdown and absence of potential consignors, and it helps, too, to expand into the primary market (albeit perhaps to the detriment of many galleries).

This year’s contemporary section featured: White Cube and Lisson from London with branches in other capitals, Sean Kelly from New York and Los Angeles or Continua from San Gimignano (Italy) with subsidiaries worldwide. These galleries were complemented by: Templon, Kamel Mennour, Karsten Greve (all from Paris etc.) and Fergus McCaffrey (from New York and Tokyo), the latter showing a stunning group of works by the Japanese female artist active in Berlin, Leiko Ikemura, as well as two staggering paintings by the Japanese

Below: TEFAF’s floral entrance hall

Right: TEFAF New York: Jorge Pardo, Untitled (Mountain Bar), 2005, Plexiglas, MDF, vinyl, fluorescent lights (Petzel Gallery, New York)

Left: Giovanni Lanfranco, Judith with the Head of Holofernes (Rob Smeets, Geneva)

abstract expressionist Kazuo Shiraga, an early member of the post-war Gutai collective (of 1991 respectively 1973, $1.3m and $2.2m).

Among the pleasing number of Italian galleries representing predominantly artists of the post-war abstraction generation, a spatial sculpture stands out, which is formed out of a brass sheet and a fine wire mesh by Fausto Melotti (€290,000) at Sprovieri (London).

Mazzoleni (London, Turin) presents a canvas of a large post-futuristic sunset in an urban setting by the Turin painter close to the Arte Povera movement, Salvo (€380,000). At White Cube a colourful concrete canvas (based on the visual translation of digital processes) of the Beijing-based painter and sculptor Liu Wei catches the eye (€350,000).

TRIBAL

The section of so-called ‘tribal’ art from the Africa and Pacific region was also rewarding. Many of these works, in primarily sculptures, masks, artifacts etc. rank within 20th-century art history, since they have decisively influenced artists of the Cubist and Surrealist movement (from Picasso to Giacometti). The increasing interest in tribal art among young collectors is certainly a consequence of this phenomenon. There is also growing attention for contemporary art by black artists or artists from a mixedrace background such as, for example, the Chicago-based artist, Theaster Gates, whose black tear painting stood out at White Cube.

Asian art has its own highly cultivated audience, a group of art lovers which is very different, perhaps also more discrete and sophisticated than the collectors of tribal art.

The traditional fair of Old Master paintings and corresponding fields all reflect Western cultures, dominated by outstanding works mainly from Italy, the Netherlands and Belgium and, of course, from France.

Regarding Flemish and Dutch painting: the popular subjects of the Brueghel family of painters were impossible to miss, especially at De Jonckheere where there were many excellent examples of them, for example Pieter Brueghel the Younger’s, Winter Landscape with Bird Trap (€2m).

A beautiful Saint Jerome by the Flemish Caravaggist Abraham Janssen enthused many collectors (Altomani & Sons, Milan).

DECORATIVE

A part of the fair which should not be overlooked, includes artistic genera and media which are often inaccurately summarised as ‘applied’ or ‘decorative’ arts. It is a real advantage and asset of TEFAF that these many wonderful works are included. Consequently, the experienced collector could trace exquisite rarities, among them a Nautilus Shell by Albrecht von Horn from Augsburg, dated ca. 1650 (Kugel, Paris) and, on the other hand, a tapestry from the southern Netherlands, an opulent garden scene, Large Leaf Verdure with Pergola, Balustrade, Animals and Flowers, ca. 1550 (De Wit, Mechelen, €235,000). Indeed, all unique artifacts, which will hopefully inspire the successful buyer to create his proper artistic environment, building his own precious ‘kunstkammer’, a safe way to escape – at least for a private moment – from

an ever more technologically advanced and anonymous world.

(Illustrations from the galleries and the author, prices without guarantee or subject to change)

TEFAF NEW YORK

An esteemed list of 91 dealers with 13 new exhibitors this year will present museumquality objects across modern and contemporary art, jewellery, antiques, and design to the vibrant art community at TEFAF New York, running from May 12th–16th. The fair offers art enthusiasts, collectors, design professionals, and museum curators the opportunity to see and experience new dialogues between artworks 

www.TEFAF.com

Above: TEFAF Maastricht: Simone di Bianco, Head of an Idealised Man (Tomasso, London)

The Queen’s Chateau

Situated near Aix-les-Bains, Château Brachet is a boutique hotel with a fascinating history - and a refuge from bustling modern life

Château Brachet, a stone’s throw from Aix-les-Bains, is the historical residence of Doctor Leon Brachet, dubbed “the Doctor of Kings”. A favourite of Queen Victoria, Aix-les-Bains is an attractive base for exploring the peaceful shores of Lac du Bourget in the Savoie region, and Brachet cut quite a figure among upper-class Aix society at the end of the 19th century. Thanks to Victoria’s patronage, 19th-century Aix-les-Bains became known as the “English spa town”, where the European elite came ostensibly for thermal cures, but really to gamble and have affairs.

The Queen, then in her dotage and grieving her Scottish manservant John Brown, was instead drawn by the Alpine landscape and peaceful shores of the Lac du Bourget, France’s largest natural lake, and wrote in her diary: “Savoie, like Scotland, seems a country charged with history... The beautiful Lac du Bourget

reminds me of Loch Lomond, with a chain of mountains on each side and the highest, most imposing summits covered in snow.”

Encouraged to visit by her daughter Beatrice, whose arthritis was treated by the town’s forward-thinking doctor Brachet, Victoria visited Aix three times, in 1885, 1887 and 1890. She visited the château in 1890, describing it as “a small picturesque house with its old-fashioned charm”. The King of Greece, Prince Philip’s grandfather, also visited, and Aix remained fashionable, rivalling the French Riviera as a playground for the rich and famous, until a decline after World War II.

RENOVATED

When the current owner, Jean-Michel Belin, discovered Brachet’s house in 2008, it was a wreck, uninhabited since 1933. Now on the initiative of private investors, Château Brachet has been restored to its former glory, and renovated in line with

modern ecological imperatives.

Nestled in a six-hectare park, Château Brachet (www.chateaubrachet.com) features 15 rooms and suites, a gastronomic restaurant and terrace artfully trimmed with lush gardens that goes by the fitting name of “La Broderie”, and an 18-metre long outdoor swimming pool. Guests can also unwind on the Tennis and Padel, Pétanque, Croquet, Badminton and Volleyball courts, and take advantage of the “Executive Golf” training facillity covering more than a hectare, suitable for beginners as well as experienced players. A solarium is also available, as an invitation to relax in the peaceful setting of the “Terrasse aux Poissons”.

The revived Château Brachet is a place designed for people who want to get a taste of what life was like for those on a Grand Tour of Europe, but with all the luxury of a modern hotel. Queen Victoria would surely have approved. 

The Flavours of TENERIFE

Known for its golden beaches and luxurious hotels, Tenerife is also the place to go for exotic cuisine

Blessed with fertile soil and an abundance of seafood, Tenerife offers an eclectic sampling of dishes and wines for you to enjoy. The largest of the Canary Islands off the coast of northwestern Africa, Tenerife is a sun-and-sand hotspot where the cuisine showcases a unique cultural tapestry that stretches from the island’s original inhabitants to 20th century incomers from Latin America.

Hotels such as the GF Victoria can showcase these delights in many ways, from the haute cuisine of its Donaire Restaurant, led by Francisco Expósito, with its local, authentic and innovative menu, to the Chaboco Buffet Restaurant, the main restaurant, with different areas and outdoor spaces, offering an international culinary journey. Then there’s the Amaina Restaurant, with its pool views, fresh products and grilled cuisine, as well as an extensive local, national and international wine list.

So what foods can you expect to enjoy in Tenerife? Mojo sauce is the Canary Islands’ unofficial condiment, paired with just about everything, including the famous papas arrugadas (wrinkled potatoes, boiled then roasted and crusted with salt).

VARIETIES

Local varieties of cheese include Fresco (fresh) goat cheese, barely a few days old, as well as cured and smoked cheeses from the Anaga region. Some cheeses are covered with pepper or Gofio (a type of flour made with roasted grains), and can be enjoyed fresh, grilled (queso a la plancha) or fried (queso asado).

Of course fish are a common ingredient in dishes on Tenerife, with sardine, pollock, grouper, sama, mackerel and other fresh fish available grilled, fried, stewed or as tartare. Atún en adobo (marinated tuna) is popular among the locals - it’s made by marinating

fresh tuna with herbs and spices overnight before frying.

Ropa Vieja is a Cuban dish popular throughout the Caribbean - the version in Tenerife uses chickpeas, and to the pot are added meats such as sausages, beef, chicken, trotters or ribs, as well as herbs and spices. Finally Conejo al salmorejo (rabbit stew) with a generous pinch of paprika is very popular - rabbit is marinated in oil, wine, vinegar, paprika, chilli pepper, garlic, vinegar and herbs like rosemary and thyme overnight, fried, then simmered with the sauce over low heat.

The best-kept secret of Tenerife is its wine, as the island’s mountainous landscape and mineral-rich soil produce excellent dry and acidic white, and easydrinking red. A number of wineries on the island such as Bodegas Monje and Bodega Reveron offer wine-tasting tours that are not to be missed. 

Reimagining ACCESS TO ART

For more than 50 years, Bank of America (BofA) and our predecessor institutions have been collecting art as way to enhance our corporate offices and to demonstrate our connection with the local communities we serve. Today, that collection has grown to more than 30,000

works of art, including paintings, fine prints, photography, sculpture and more.

Since the early days of the collection, we have maintained the belief that companies should collect art so that it can be appreciated - not to simply to watch it appreciate. We believe art is something to

be shared and celebrated and, in that spirit, we not only use the collection throughout our many offices and financial centres, but we also lend artwork from our collection to

Brian Siegel, Global Arts, Culture & Heritage Executive, Bank of America, tells Arts & Collections how the financial institution brings art to its local communities

Above: Peter Paul Rubens, The Judgement of Paris, one of many artworks restored through the Bank of America Art Conservation Project

museums through a program called Art in our Communities®

Established in 2009, the Art in our Communities program has loaned complete exhibitions at no cost to more than 170 museums and nonprofit galleries around the world. Currently there are a more than a dozen different exhibitions available including Andy Warhol Portfolios: A Life in Pop, which includes rare complete portfolios and individual prints by Warhol, starting with iconic works from the mid-1960s to the series of monoprints Vesuvius, created in 1985; Luces y Sombras: Images of Mexico, more than 100 photographs spanning more than 85 years of Mexican culture and history; The Wyeths: Three Generations, exploring 74 paintings and drawings by artists from three generations of the Wyeth family; and Vision & Spirit: African American Art, composed of more than 100 paintings, prints, drawings, photographs and mixedmedia works by 48 artists born in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries; among others. We also have exhibitions focused on the environmental movement, and a wonderful collection of portraits of artists developed by other artists.

EVOLUTION

Art in our Communities helps institutions generate revenue while offering the public an opportunity to experience important works of art. But it’s about more than just making the artwork available. By incurring shipping and other costs, we enable organizations to retain any revenue generated through the presentation of these exhibitions.

For example, last summer the Denver Art Museum hosted our Modern Women/ Modern Vision exhibition, which celebrates women’s bold and dynamic contributions to the evolution of photography in the 20th century. Thousands of museum visitors were able to view and engage with the exhibition during its tenure, and we are proud to have been able to partner with the museum to make this special opportunity happen.

Equally important as sharing our collection is making sure it reflects the rich and diverse nature of our employees and the communities we serve.

Like many museums and institutions, we have begun the process of identifying artwork that can be sold so that we can redirect those funds to enhance our collection with new works. Moving

forward, our focus will be on continuing the conversation between the many post-WWII artists represented in the collection and subsequent generations. Priority will be given to acquiring unique, contemporary art by emerging, mid-career, and underrecognized artists. In the past year alone, we have added representation from Korean, Argentinian, African American, Native American, and Jamaican artists.

RESTORATION

In addition to lending art, we also focus on promoting cultural sustainability by funding the conservation and restoration of important works of art as part of our Art Conservation Project (ACP). Established in 2010, the ACP program has provided funding for more than 225 projects in 40 countries on six continents. By investing in the preservation of these important cultural treasures, we celebrate the heritage and shared experiences that unite us all. Last year, we were privileged to support the restoration of an artwork by one of the world’s most renowned and fabled artists: Michelangelo. A team in the British Museum in London has been using cutting-

edge technology to repair damage on the Epifania (1550-1553), a cartoon executed in black chalk on 26 joined sheets of paper. The piece is one of the great treasures of the British Museum’s Prints and Drawings Department, and once the conservation is completed, the artwork will be part of a major exhibition.

As stewards of one of the world’s largest corporate art collections, we have a responsibility to not only care for the works of art we own but also to share them with our communities so that they can be celebrated and appreciated.

We believe in helping cultural institutions thrive and in supporting them as they seek to educate and enrich the lives of their visitors.

And, we are called upon by our values and our commitment to diverse communities to continue building a collection that honours and recognizes all people, cultures, and traditions. 

www.bankofamerica.com

Above: Brian Siegel: “Art is something to be shared and celebrated”

Time for a PORSCHE

Legendary for its engineering and design quality, Porsche is now applying the principles behind its sports cars to a range of custom-build Swiss timepieces

The design and manufacture of sports cars and luxury watches have many aspects in common; among them the highest engineering standards, the demand for ultimate precision, and the urge to provide a satisfying experience for the customer.

No surprise then that Porsche, globally renowned for its sports cars, has turned its attention to the world of mechanical wristwatches, through its exclusive lifestyle brand subsidiary Porsche Design.

The revolutionary program is based on

production principles utilized in Porsche sports car manufacturing, aiming to take the creation of exclusive Swiss wristwatches to the next level.

CONFIGURATOR

With the custom-built Timepieces program, the concept of a fully customized timepiece, perfectly tailored to match one’s dream Porsche, entered into production for the first time.

Ingeniously, the online configurator for watch design takes its overall look and

feel from the well-established Porsche car configurator for models such as the Porsche 911 range. Using the configurator, the watch is digitally visualized down to the smallest detail to provide customers with a realistic depiction of their dream timepiece. Features including pricing for each configuration are displayed in real time.

The first step in the virtual timepiece configurator is to select the case, choosing from a 42mm glass-bead-blasted natural titanium case or black titanium case coated in titanium carbide. “Titanium and black-

coated titanium cases are what Porsche Design timepieces have become known for. This originated with the designer of the Porsche 911, Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, and we will never change anything about it,” Rolf Bergmann, Managing Director of Porsche Design Timepieces AG explains.

The legendary design by F. A. Porsche has found its contemporary interpretation in the cases of the custom-built timepieces that are based on the Chronotimer Series 1.

MOVEMENT

The movement of the custom-built timepieces is the caliber WERK 01.100, which features a 48-hour power reserve. The highlight of this COSC-certified movement is the customizable winding rotor, featuring the wheel designs of the latest-generation Porsche 911.

There are nine rotor types available based on Porsche wheel designs from the classic 911 Carrera rim, including the two-tone Porsche Crest in the centre of the rotor, to the 911 Carrera Exclusive Design with a gold badge at its centre. The colour on the rotor edge can also be customized using the original Porsche colour palette.

The rotors on the new watches correspond to a 1:22 scaled-down version of the original rim, adapted to the geometry of the timepiece, with the Porsche Crest, which measures around 50 mm on a vehicle rim, a mere 3.3 mm wide and 4.4 mm high on the winding rotor cover.

Metal and leather watchbands are available in three sizes. Metal bracelets

are made of skin-friendly titanium and all versions feature individually screwed-down links. Again they are available in glass-beadblasted natural titanium or black-coated titanium carbide, with a choice of closing mechanisms - a folding clasp with pushpieces or fine adjustment. Leather straps are crafted from the same hides used for Porsche automobile interiors and come in the 14 official interior colour options of the Porsche 911. For the stitching on the leather strap, a total of 19 different colours of genuine Porsche yarn are available, giving endless configuration possibilities.

The dial is personalized via inlaid coloured rings, featuring minute markers in the style of the design-defining classic speedometer developed by F. A. Porsche, with 27 Porsche

911 exterior colours to choose from. Additionally, customers can personalize the ring on the watch face with historic and iconic Porsche colours including Gulfblue, Rubystar, and Mintgreen – vivid shades from the 1990s that have gained cult status among Porsche fans. The watch’s bezel can feature either traditional minute markers or a tachymeter for tracking speed or distance.

PERSONALIZED

The watch hands can be personalized, with a choice of classic Essence in black or sporty Performance hands in mattewhite with red tips. The timepieces can be individualized with laser engraving on the back of the case, up to 12 characters, for instance the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of the owner’s 911. Engraving can also be applied to the watch box, and corresponding car visuals requested for the emblem on the timepieces’ box, with the fonts and lettering featured on the rear of the customer’s car applied as well.

A basic custom-built Timepiece starts at $5,500 USD and, depending on the options selected by the customer, can range up to $12,500 including up to three additional leather straps. Orders are placed online and through Porsche dealers. 

www.porsche-design.com/custom-builttimepieces

Opposite Page, Above and Below: The Timepieces program is based on the production principles used in Porsche sports car manufacturing

Stress Prevention

Inner wellbeing is a matter of both physical and mental balance. But is oxidative stress the most pressing issue?

Many healthcare professionals now take a holistic approach to wellbeing, stressing the relationship between the mind and body. But one insufficiently understood condition, oxidative stress, can affect both. What is it, and how can it be managed?

This is where it gets a bit technical. Oxidative stress is an imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants in the body, which can lead to cell and tissue damage. It’s a natural occurrence, and contributes to the ageing process, but can also contribute to the development of chronic conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

So, what are free radicals and antioxidants? Free radicals, natural products of the human metabolism breaking down nutrients, are chemicals with an unpaired electron (we know, still a bit technical), such as single molecule oxygen, hydrogen peroxide and hydrogen anions. Because electrons love to go around in pairs, free

radicals look for another atom or molecule to become stable, and in doing so can cause damage to cells.

Exercise can increase free radical formation, causing temporary oxidative stress in the muscles, but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as the free radicals formed during physical activity are needed to regulate tissue growth and stimulate the production of antioxidants.

ANTIOXIDANTS

Antioxidants are also part of the normal metabolism, acting to neutralise free radicals. If the two are in balance, fine; but factors such as poor diet, environmental issues such as pollution and radiation, exposure to ultraviolet light and some aspects of the body’s natural immune response can also trigger “oxidative stress” temporarily. This often results in mild inflammation, but if uncontrolled can accelerate the ageing process as well as contributing to the

development of a number of conditions.

You can improve your balance of free radicals and antioxidants by controlling your diet; for instance fresh berries and other fruits contain high levels of antioxidants such as vitamins A, C, and E.

Mild oxidative stress may be beneficial, helping to protect the body from infection and diseases such as melanoma; it’s only long-term oxidative stress that damages the body’s cells, proteins, and DNA, contributing to ageing and the development of a range of conditions such as chronic inflammation, neurodegenerative diseases and cardiovascular conditions such as high blood pressure and chronic fatigue.

A comprehensive medical check-up, assessment of physical condition and stress levels, and a nutritional consultation leading to a personalised diet plan are a good start towards tackling oxidative stress; awareness of the issue is, though, the first step to destressing your metabolism. 

FAMOUS FACES

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

Whether you are a seller looking to realise the value of a cherished item, or a buyer hoping to add a special piece to enhance or complete your collection, the private sales team from Sotheby’s is always ready to assist.

ANDY WARHOL

Jane Fonda

Screenprint on Lenox Museum Board

Executed in 1982, this impression is one of 25 trial proofs aside from the numbered edition of 100 plus 25 artist’s proofs, with the blindstamp of the printer, Rupert Jasen Smith, published by Friends of Tom Hayden. Measuring 40 by 32 in. (101.6 by 81.3 cm) it is signed in pencil and inscribed TP 3/25. Jane Fonda, a celebrity sex symbol of her time who remains part of American pop culture, rose to fame in the 1960s for her roles in Cat Ballou (1965) and Barbarella (1968). Later she devoted much of her time to political activism. In 1982, Warhol offered this print as part of a fundraiser for Fonda’s then husband, Tom Hayden. The image is reminiscent of Warhol’s earlier portraits of movie stars, Liz Taylor and Marilyn Monroe. A similar item sold at Christie’s in 2018 for $32,500.

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

public gaze of the auction room, Private Sales are discreet and select, with prices agreed between seller and buyer. You can see the items currently available at www.sothebys.com/en/buy/private-sales Prices not stated here are on request.

SIR WILLIAM BEECHEY, R.A.

Portrait of Mrs. Simeon, Standing in a Landscape, with a Dog by Her Side Oil on canvas

By family descent at Highnam Court to T.M. Gambier Parry, this painting came up for anonymous sale in London at Christie’s in 1972, and was exhibited at Agnew’s Neo-Classical Paintings on October of that year. Mrs Simeon, née Harriet Parry, was the daughter of Thomas Parry, a director of the East India Company between 17851816. Beechey’s style perfectly suited the conventional taste of the royal family, and in 1793, he was commissioned to paint a full-length portrait of Queen Charlotte and subsequently named as her official portrait painter. That same year, he was elected as an associate member of the Royal Academy.

NIKE/LOUIS VUITTON

Air Force 1 Friends and Family University Blue sneakers Size 9.5

Designed in 1982, the Air Force 1 is arguably Nike’s most iconic and successful sneaker. In 1988, on the album It Takes Two, DJ E-Z Rock was immortalized wearing a Nike Air Force 1 basketball sneaker altered by Dapper Dan with a Swoosh adorned in the Louis Vuitton monogram. In early 2022, news broke of “The List”: a rarefied group of designers, athletes, musicians and others including LeBron James, DJ Khaled and Eminem receiving exclusive “Friends and Family” pairs of Louis Vuitton Nike Air Force 1s from a lineup of eight select colourways, featuring a solidcoloured upper debossed with LV Monogram print. This pair is on sale for $71,000.

NORMAN PARKINSON

‘Apollonia van Ravenstein’, Crane Beach Hotel, Barbados

Chromogenic print

Signed, titled, dated and numbered 2/21 in red ink by Carrie Kania in the Norman Parkinson archive stamp on the verso. Image: Height 18.62 in. / 47.2 cm Width 18.12 in. / 46 cm. Norman Parkinson CBE (1913-1990) was an English portrait and fashion photographer. His work revolutionised British fashion photography, as he moved his subjects out of the studio and used outdoor settings. Apollonia van Ravenstein (b. 1954) is a Dutch model and actress, now retired. She attained success in the 1970s as a fashion model and appeared on the cover of various Vogue magazines. As an actress, she had roles in the films Seraphita’s Diary (1982), Nothing Lasts Forever (1984), and Flodder (1986).

JOHN & WILLIAM CARY, LONDON

21-inch terrestrial and celestial library globes

Dated 1800 and 1815

With an overall height of 120cm/3ft. 11 1/4 in, on brass mounted mahogany stands with reeded legs joined by turned stretchers with printed paper compasses, marked LONDON: Made & Sold by J & W Cary, No.181 Strand. Having moved to 181 Strand in 1791, J & W Cary had established themselves as one of London’s foremost globe manufacturers along with two other notable family firms, Newton and Bardin. John Cary’s two sons John (c.1788-1859) and George (1791-1852), trading from the same address, continued to produce globes of the highest standard.

ASTON MARTIN

2020 DBS Superleggera

OHMSS Edition

Announced in 2019 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the James Bond classic On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera

‘OHMSS’ Edition paid homage to one of the greatest Bond cars of all time, the 1969 Aston Martin DBS that starred in the sixth on-screen outing for Ian Fleming’s dashing secret agent. This limited-edition model, one of seven thought to have been delivered to the US, has just 3,600 miles on the clock. With just one example built for each year that has passed since the film’s release, making for a total production run of just 50 cars, it is one of the rarest models of Aston Martin.

THE GOOD IN THE WOOD

Cask whisky investment is an exciting opportunity to get in on a growing market. But you’ll need some expert advice to make the most of it

The market for Scotch whisky has long outgrown the domestic arena, with whisky now outselling tequila in Mexico and cognac in France. Yet only around 800 million litres of whisky are produced annually in Scotland, and around 40m litres retained as single malt, an amount which seems small compared to the 500m whisky (or whiskey) consumers worldwide. There will always be a demand for Scotch single malt while this imbalance of demand and supply remains.

This makes cask whisky the ideal ‘alternative’ investment - a tangible asset offering more nancial security than stocks and shares, and with a guaranteed increase in its value as it matures. Scotch Whisky typically delivers returns of 15 percent p.a., and is among the safest assets you can hold.

But why invest in cask whisky rather than in bottles? The auction market for collectable bottles of whisky is strong, with world records being set regularly; but it is subject to the vagaries of taste and fashion, and it is difficult to get hold of items which will give a guaranteed return. This isn’t the case with cask investment, where good advice from an investment specialist will guarantee you results.

ADVISOR

An advisor with a good track record in portfolio selection, asset management and client care can guide you towards investing in a cask which will give you the best return, and at the same time offer different ‘exit options’.

Unlike wine, whisky doesn’t mature in the bottle, so the trick is to find a whisky which will be matured, for perhaps 10 years or longer, in a cask. Buying a cask or a share in a cask guarantees you a product that will improve and develop over time, and the longer it matures, the more it becomes worth. This approach also avoids the higher tax on bottled whisky - there is no duty charged on the whisky as it’s maturing in a bonded warehouse.

Your advisor will help you to choose a cask - they can come in all types, from 200l ex-bourbon barrels to sherry, wine and tequila casks, all of which bring their

own flavours to the spirit. A 200l cask will yield 271-285 70cl bottles, or 253-266 75cl bottles. By understanding what flavours are released after a certain amount of time in a specific type of cask, a distiller can build up an even greater range of complexity in the final bottling.

The first step in the ownerhip process is to speak to a cask broker and make a decision on what to buy, then to complete payment and formalities such as ID and anti-money laundering documentation. You then get a receipt, a unique cask number and details of the HMRC regulated bonded warehouse holding your cask. If you buy remotely there’s a ‘cooling-off’ period.

DISTILLERY

Your certificate of ownership will include all the technical details about your cask, such as the wood type, the distillery of origin of the liquid, and the ABV (alcohol by volume) value of the whisky, together with your unique cask number.

Then it’s a matter of sitting back and waiting as your investment matures!

A portfolio manager will maintain contact with you, advising you on developments with your investment and the whisky market in general, and your cask will be insured against damage or theft for the duration of your investment, with the cover being adjusted automatically as value increases.

Then there’s the matter of choosing an ‘exit strategy’.

Theoretically, you could go and collect your whisky cask whenever you like, but you become liable for any customs and excise duty and VAT due from that point onwards, not to mention the challenge of storing it in compatible conditions. In most cases you would choose to leave the cask in its bonded warehouse until you decide to exit the investment.

Typically, you can choose to exit your investment and cash in at a number of stages; in some cases you may be invested in a fund rather than in a specific whisky cask. You can exit when this fund reaches a particular value; if you own a cask, when your specialist advises it is a good time to re-trade it; or when it is bottled. In some cases, perhaps if you have a business of your own, you can even be involved in the bottling process, helping to design labels and find retail or gifting outlets (though this requires a good deal of commitment and has tax implications).

With demand for premium casks increasing year on year, it is rarely difficult to find an exit strategy, and usually it can be executed within a few days. Your investment advisor will have access to a network of traders, collectors and international auction platforms, so you are guaranteed to make the best of your cask investment. 

THE ART OF BARBADOS

The

colourful vibrant culture and landscape of Barbados give rise to some of the most attractive art in the world. We look at some of the highlights

Barbados, the island country in the West Indies, is world famous for its stunning landscapes and luxurious holiday villas, such as the Casablanca in Sandy Lane estate, but is perhaps less well-known for its art. Yet the art scene on the island is lively, using local techniques as well as taking influences from all around the region.

Batik is a wax-resist technique for producing designs on a white or light coloured fabric. It is one of the most widely known techniques of fabric decoration extensively used in Indonesia, Java, China, Japan, central and eastern Asia and Africa.

“Tjap” describes batik where the wax is applied by a copper stamp by that name, while “Tulis” designates the type of batik where a Tjanting tool is used to apply wax to fabric. Unlike the copper stamp, the Tjanting allows the artist the freedom of drawing by hand, producing a more personal, unique and expressive piece of work.

Henderson Reece (www. batikartbarbados.com) is well-known among art lovers for his fresh, vibrant and cheery batik creations, and excels at capturing familiar local scenes and iconic elements in this globally treasured medium. He offers workshops for BB$400 for an entire day under his tutelage, which includes all materials and lunch. His protégés-for-aday leave with a batik of their own design

which they can proudly mount and frame in their homes.

The art of Catherine Forter Chee-a-Tow, wife of the Honorary Consul of France to Barbados, is very decorative, Caribbean in its essence, vibrant in its colours and movement. Characters depicted are bubbly, rich in Caribbean antics and apparels. Keenly sought after, Catherine’s art may be seen at Tides Restaurant in Holetown, Tapas Restaurant on the Hastings Boardwalk and Gallery of Caribbean Art in Speightstown.

GALLERY

The Gallery of Caribbean Art is the only Gallery in the region committed to promoting the art of the entire Caribbean, from Haiti, Cuba and Jamaica in the north to Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana in the south. This prestigious facility hosts numerous exhibitions throughout the year, highlighting the work of the region’s finest artists, sculptors and photographers.

Art on display is not limited to mounted paintings but includes a wide variety of media, from sculptures in metal, clay or wood to silk painting and batiks. Monthly individual and group exhibitions are held which attract local interest as well as visiting collectors and art enthusiasts. Explore the website at www.artgallerycaribbean.com to see what is currently on show. 

Right from Top: Henderson Reece, of Batik Art Barbados; Jeena Chatrani, Paul Riley, Mario Holder, from Gallery of Caribbean Art

Discover the world of art investment

“Blue-chip artwork has outperformed the S&P 500 by more than 250% since 2000.” investing.com

Our Consultants and Advisors have the knowledge required to make informed decisions on the best positions for each of our clients based on budget, risk level, current market trends and the best performing artists. All of these factors play a high importance to how your portfolio will perform.

Download our FREE investment guide by visiting our website or scan the QR code.

INSPIRATION and the Art of Investment

We look at some of art advisor Morgan & Brooks’ roster of featured artists, including Ivorian contemporary painter Aboudia

If your aim is to build up a satisfying and financially rewarding art collection, an advisory company such as Morgan & Brooks is an essential. With their fingers on the pulse of the international art market, and able to promote the most promising new artists, an art advisor will steer you towards building up a coherent collection which acts as a sound investment.

In 2022, UK-based art saw its highest growth since 2009, exceeding the rest of the world including China at +213%. This reinforced predictions from art advisors looking for a strong recovery after the pandemic, and presented a great opportunity for buyers to invest in an ever-growing market. Last year Morgan & Brooks clients saw an average of 21.3 percent realised profits from their investments.

EXPERTS

At Morgan & Brooks, valued experts guide you through the process every step of the way, starting with a consultation with an advisor to evaluate the best course for your investment based on your budget, artistic preferences and your risk appetite. As a client you will have your own preferences on how your art collection should be retained, whether in your home or in secure storage, so you will be offered a private courier service for delivery or a place in a bespoke storage system

Your advisor is committed to making the best investment decisions for you, advising you on when to sell based on current market conditions, demand for certain individual artists and up-to-date sales performances of similar pieces. Morgan & Brooks can then market piece for you at an agreed price.

Post-War and Contemporary Art was the largest sector of the fine art auction market in 2020, as it had been for the previous six years, with a share of 55 percent of the value of global fine art auction sales.

The question is, of course, in which artists to invest? Apart from established

names like Roy Lichtenstein and Edwin Landseer, Morgan & Brooks is promoting a number of exciting contemporary artists, some new to the market, others well established.

Alan Davie (1920-2014) was a Scottish artist, born in Grangemouth, near Edinburgh and studying at Edinburgh

College of Art. In 1948 he saw the work of the American Abstract Expressionists, and impressed by their intensity and freedom abandoned traditional methods of composition and subject matter and sought to free his art from premeditated decision-making. His work has been offered at auction multiple times, with realised prices all the way up to $196,344.

Ian Davenport, (born 1966) is an English abstract painter and Turner Prize nominee, many of whose works are made by pouring paint onto a tilted surface and letting gravity spread the paint over the surface. His work has been compared to that of Bridget Riley, Helen Frankenthaler and Callum Innes, and his sale record is $113,402 USD for Poured Lines: Dark Cobalt Study, sold at Christie’s London in 2021.

INSPIRATION

Young artist Aboudia Abdoulaye Diarrassouba, known as Aboudia, has made the streets of his hometown in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire both his subject and his studio. Influenced by the civil conflict in 2011, Aboudia’s work captures the ghostly faces of soldiers and mourners and caskets marked ‘enfants,’ all executed in the artist’s signature, frenetic style, influenced by Jean-Michel Basquiat.

He still draws his major inspiration from the children of his home country. “It’s not the street that makes children [who they are]” he says - “children, for me, are the pillar of a country. Children for me are the nation; children for me are education, schooling. And when one is young, if education and schooling fails, the whole country fails [in that respect].

“In these themes I work for the children by telling their parents to remove the children from the street, to put them in school, to put them in classrooms and in playgrounds, but not on the street because on the street there are a lot of not-so-nice things that could happen.

“People at one point called me a painter of war” says Aboudia - “But I am not a painter of war; I was just painting at a time when there was a war.” 

www.morganandbrooks.co.uk

SOTHEBY’S, MORGAN & BROOKS

Right: Aboudia, Untitled Below Right: Aboudia gallery show

ARTS & COLLECTIONS Wins in European Magazine of the Year Awards

Arts & Collections magazine has won top awards in two categories in the prestigious European Magazine of the Year Awards 2023

This magazine, Arts & Collections, published by Damson Media in the UK and distributed internationally, has won two awards in the prestigious European Magazine of the Year competition. The magazine won in the Lifestyle, Fashion and Beauty and the Cover Concept categories of the European Publishing Congress’s annual awards.

The Awards jury, including Melanie Amann, member of the editorial board of Der Spiegel, Jan Blender, Managing Director Germany of Readly, and Malte von Bülow, Chief Product Officer Publishing Germany of Bauer Media Group, described the quarterly magazine as having a “Special and distinctive approach to timeless luxury

and arts collections – excellent design, professional presentation.”

Described by its publisher as being aimed at a readership of high net worth individuals, and distributed quarterly through a network of blue chip institutions, the magazine has digital support through newsletters, social media and its website.

Chris Jenkins, Editor of Arts & Collections, said: “We’re very honoured to have received these awards from such a prestigious European publishing organisation.”

The awards will be presented at the European Publishing Congress which takes place from June 14th to June 15th, 2023 at Palais Niederösterreich in Vienna.

Below: Last year’s European Publishing Congress

FESTIVALS OF FLAVOUR

Italy is of course famous for its food and wine, but what is most important to note is that in both there are regional variations which offer a breadth and variety of experience which is unmatched.

At every time of the year there are Italian wine festivals, or Sagre Del Vino, but in the wine-growing regions, the season tends to start in September. Each event has its own special atmosphere and customs, with the larger ones attracting thousands of visitors, while the smaller village festivals have their own unique charm and flavour.

Perhaps the most famous Italian wine event is Vinitaly (www.vinitaly.com), a four-day international competition and exhibition held every April in Verona, in the north-east of the country. With an average of 4,000 exhibitors from all the countries and wineries around the world, Vinitaly is over 50 years old and holds special events such as conferences with experts, unique shows with sommeliers and prestigious tastings of wines and typical regional food.

Il Bravìo delle Botti is an annual race held in Montepulciano, a beautiful medieval town in Siena, Tuscany, every last Sunday of August. Each of the eight districts or contrada has its own team of two “barrel pushers” or spingitori, competing over a painted banner, “Il Panno”, by rolling a wine barrel weighing 80kg through the town’s streets, on an uphill path almost two kilometres long. The event ends on the Sunday with a parade through the city to the Sanctuary of St. Agnes for the Holy Mass, then it’s time to enjoy some of the local vintages.

MARINO

The little hill-top medieval castle town of Marino is 40 minutes from Rome and is in the Castelli Romani wine-growing region, famous for its Frascati. The area also produces several reds including Merlot del Lazio.

Like many of the towns and villages in the wine-growing regions, Marino has a Sagra Dell’uva celebration. This famous grape and wine festival has been celebrated on the first Sunday of October every year since 1925, and the annual event attracts thousands of people from all over the region. The city’s main fountain and the balconies of local houses are decorated with colourful flowers and lights, and wine instead of water flows from the public fountain - a unique way to enjoy the flavours of Italy’s famous wines. 

Italy’s wines are celebrated by festivals throughout the year. We round up some of the most unmissable events

Top of Page: Vinitaly, Verona’s annual wine festival

Passion in JEWELLERY

A new form of jewellery with a very practical purpose has been invented by Fullord. How did founder Sandrine Thibaud come up with the idea?

Like all the best inventions, the ‘Fullord’, a combined necklace and scarf ring, came to the mind of its founder, Sandrine Thibaud, to solve a practical issue. With her family’s background in the nautical industry, she spent a lot of time at sea, where the necessities of wearing a scarf to protect from the wind presented practical diffi culties in keeping the headwear in place. The solution was the Fullord, a combination of the French “foulard” for scarf and “or” for gold - giving a name not only to the patented jewel Sandrine created, but to the brand as well.

Fullord has always aimed to be a luxury lifestyle brand, so to complement the Fullords, Sandrine designed a full collection of earrings, bracelets and rings developing a distinctive design and choice of materials. A natural accompaniment was the creation of a collection of scarves, designed in-house in the Geneva headquarters of Fullord and produced in France and Italy offering the highest level of craftsmanship.

The Fullord range is completed by a selection of niche fragrances, lending the brand a distinctive olfactory signature.

CREATIVITY

The products under the Fullord brand are united by the passion and creativity of founder and designer Sandrine Thibaud. Born and raised in Africa from a French family, she travelled around the world for 25 years in her role in the nautical industry, and is now based in Geneva, returning to her fi rst love of luxury jewellery. She says that every Fullord product tells a story, coming from a memory of a smell, the colour of the land, or the feeling that place can give. “There is always something very personal and emotional in creating something” says Sandrine.

A key example is the Masai collection inspired by the traditional spear of the tribe. In paying homage to this ancestral culture, Fullord is setting in gold the symbol of life and protection, the Masai spear used to defend the tribe and obtain food. Reduced to its minimal and essentials lines, with a sharp three-dimensional tip juxtaposed to a smooth polished gold body, the jewels are designed by Sandrine herself.

From its Geneva fl agship store to the a global presence in the EMEA area through a strategically placed network of selected retailers, Fullord is confi rming its place in the luxury fi ne jewellery landscape, “A space where exquisite and contemporary design together with outstanding service could deliver an extraordinary luxury experience” says Sandine Thibaud. 

Opposite and right: The ‘passion and creativity’ of Fullord’s luxury jewellery Below: The Fullord combined necklace and scarf ring

The Bungalow of the Future

Originating in Bengal, India, bungalow-style homes are typically one- or one-and-a-half story buildings sharing some common characteristics, such as low-pitched roofs with gables or eaves, large, covered front porches, and large interior spaces, often designed around a fireplace.

Bungalows originated in Bengal, India during the mid-1800s - coming from the word “bengala,” “bungalow” means “of Bengal” - where colonial ambassadors needed homes which could be built quickly and cheaply. But bungalows soon became popular throughout the world, particularly in the United States, where the common disadvantage of European bungalowslimited interior space - was offset by the ability to spread the floorplan across wider areas of cheap land.

In the US, mail-order “kit” home manufacturers like Sears began to

sell ready-built bungalow homes - all prospective homeowners had to do was order their bungalow kit from their manufacturer of choice, and with the help of some carpenters and labourers, they could build a charming family home on their plot of land. Many veterans returning from World War II used their G.I. Bill funds to purchase bungalow-style homes, particularly in states like Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and parts of Southern California.

There are many variations in bungalow design, including ‘craftsman’ bungalows featuring gabled windows, shingled roofs, and dark, wooden elements; California bungalows, using redwood and stucco as building materials; and Tudors, often having roofs with much steeper pitches and highly elaborate chimneys.

Prairie bungalows take design notes from the prairie houses designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, focussing on a large porch

supported by simple, wide columns.

But the bungalow is not limited to traditional designs, or to the tradition ‘retired couple’ owners; with modern bungalows retaining the traditional features such as low-pitched roofs and open living areas, but utilizing modern building materials, like glass, concrete, and brick. Huf Haus of Germany (www.huf-haus.com) for instance, champions an ‘infinitely variable living’ concept, where the age of the building owners plays no role, with both young families and older couples able to appreciate the advantages of single-storey home and modern bungalow designs.

With features ranging from access to the garden from the entirety of the ground floor, flat or pitched roofs and inner courtyards, to glazed underground garages and smart functionality, Huf Haus designs show that the bungalow concept is a historical idea, but with a bright future. 

The bungalow may be a historical invention, but it’s also uniquely suited to the universal living concept of modern architecture

A MEASURE OF Independence

Independent whisky bottlers remain essential to a healthy industry - but how can the connoisseur enjoy their product?

While the big names in whisky manufacture dominate the market, it can take yearsdecades even - for them to respond to trends in the market which independents can embrace more readily. The role of an Independent Bottler, or IB, is to buy whisky casks from distilleries and bottle it for sale, a craft in itself which demands years of tasting and blending experience.

Variations in the production process can extend from extending the maturation time, to moving the liquid into different types of casks, allowing the IB to concentrate on the quality of the finished product rather than its international sales potential. Once a cask has been bottled, it can never be exactly reproduced, so for connoisseurs, the output of the IBs represents an exclusive pleasure.

Fortunately, the economics of producing whisky - which has to be matured for at least three years - dictates that many distilleries

will sell their output to independent bottlers in order to generate cash flow.

Some of these distilleries have gained legendary status in themselves. Ben Nevis, for instance, sitting at the foot of Britain’s highest mountain, just outside the highland town of Fort William, was built in 1825 by Angus McDonnell before being sold to the infamous ‘Long John’ MacDonald six years later. ‘Long John’ knew the value of publicity, sending a cask of his whisky to Buckingham Palace as a twenty-first birthday present for the Prince of Wales. Passing through various hands over the years, Ben Nevis was finally reopened in 1991 by the Nikka Whisky Distilling Company, which exported around 70 percent of its production back to Japan for use in its blends.

MATURING

With direct access to high-quality casks sourced from distilleries, individuals,

and industry contacts such as these, independent bottlers such as Limited (www.drinklimited.com) can carefully select and taste each cask, deciding which are ready to bottle, and which need more time or may be re-racked into different casks for finishing. The result is that the company can offer limited edition single malts to be proud of.

The latest from Limited, for instance, is a 1996 distillation by Ben Nevis, a sweet, tropical single malt which has been soundly maturing in Cask No 1726, an exceptional bourbon hogshead, for over 26 years before being bottled at cask strength. Making up a bottle run of 120 and selling at £300, it’s described as having “a very long and lush finish, that goes on to highlight both the sweet and spice influences of the oak.” As a limited edition with a unique appeal, this is just the sort of thing to tempt the most discerning drinker, or investor. 

UNFORGETTABLE SINGLE MALT WHISKIES

Art LOST AND FOUND

Insuring an art collection is vital, but so is keeping track of items that go missing - which is where the Art Loss Register comes in

If you have a valuable art collection, it’s essential to have it insured, using not a standard home and contents policy, but one which recognises the unique value of a collection.

Specialists such as Castleacre Insurance, for instance, will write a Fine Art Insurance policy that offers important additional cover refl ecting the value and originality of your collection.

A specialist will understand the particular issues that surround Fine Art insurance, considerations ranging from claims for defective title, and protection for paired works of art, to emergency removal in the case of fi re and fl ood.

If a work of art is lost or stolen, you can call on the help of the Art Loss Register (ALR), which holds the world’s largest private database of lost, stolen and looted art, antiques and collectibles, currently

listing more than 700,000 items. Items are added to the database on behalf of the victims of looting or theft, insurers, police forces and others, and the database is then used to offer a ‘due diligence’ service to clients in the art market who wish to ensure that they are working with items to which no claim will arise.

ARCHIVE

The ALR’s origin was The International Foundation for Art Research (IFAR), a notfor-profi t organisation based in New York. In an attempt to deter international art theft, IFAR established an art theft archive in 1976 and began publishing the “Stolen Art Alert”.

The Art Loss Register (ALR) was established in London in 1990, its founding shareholders including major businesses from the insurance industry and art market. Satellite offi ces were subsequently opened

in New York, Cologne, Amsterdam and Paris to cater to growing client bases in these countries, and in January 2010, the regional offi ces were consolidated into one central, international offi ce, run from London.

The ALR provides an invaluable risk management tool to searching clients, and makes it possible to identify stolen items and other claimed works as they move through the art market, and hopefully to secure their recovery for the claimant.

Through its three services, to search, register and recover works of art, the ALR, which offers all its services free of charge to law enforcement agencies and nation states, provides a valuable service to the art world. But it’s the responsibility of the owner to make sure that items are insured, because if the unthinkable happens, insurance is your fi rst safety net. 

Left: One of the Temple Newsam snuff boxesrecovered by the ALR after a 2021 burglary

Mr KD

LUXURY in the Sky

Private aviation is no longer the preserve of the super-rich - it’s a luxury that pays for itself in convenience and flexibility

If you were glued as we were to the final series of HBO power drama Succession, you will have envied the ease with which the Roy family was able to flit around the world, with a private jet or helicopter always waiting to whisk them to the next board meeting or takeover bid.

Business magnates like the Roys don’t indulge in private flying just for fun; for many high-net-worth individuals, the one asset they are short of is time. The convenience of private flying means that hours spent queuing at check-ins or commuting from outlying airports are a thing of the past. Private flying pays for itself in terms of the time it saves, and the flexibility of small aircraft in terms of destinations. Small

charter aircraft can land at thousands of small airports, cutting out transfer times from the major hubs.

Owning an aircraft is a huge expense, so a benefit of aviation charter rather than ownership is a cost saving. But charter also offers a level of support which takes most of the responsibility of aircraft ownership, such as fuelling, training, maintenance and deprecation, away from the charter customer, putting it in the hands of expert service providers.

OPTIONS

What’s more, private aviation can also be tied in with options such as private concierge services, so aspects such as

limousine transfer, hotel accommodation and personal services can become part of the private aviation package.

Jetex, a trailblazer in the realm of executive aviation, has earned a distinguished reputation for providing its customers with unparalleled trip support solutions. As a global leader, the company is lauded for its commitment to flexibility and excellence, which is reflected in its array of services, ranging from private terminal services to aircraft fuelling, ground handling, and global trip planning. Jetex’s clientele comprises owners and operators of business jets who engage in corporate, commercial, and personal air travel, so all requirements are covered.

With an unwavering focus on customer satisfaction, Jetex ensures that its services are of the highest quality, consistently surpassing industry standards.

The company’s private terminals, or Fixed-Base Operators (FBOs), are situated strategically across the globe, providing premium lounges for passengers to unwind and prepare for their flights in style and comfort. One of Jetex’s latest FBOs is its London facility, situated a mere 12 miles from Canary Wharf and 15 miles from Central London. Jetex London presents an unrivalled modern gateway to the British capital, the location allowing for swift helicopter and limousine transfers, making it the ideal choice for travellers seeking to minimize their commute time.

Another aspect of private aviation which is of immense benefit is the level of security and privacy it offers. Jetex London boasts a state-of-the-art 1,900 sqm VIP terminal that features a multitude of private lounges, ensuring that the privacy and comfort of its guests are prioritized. The terminal’s

award-winning hospitality services cater to the most discerning of clients, offering unparalleled bespoke experiences.

The facility further distinguishes itself by providing a suite of world-class amenities for both passengers and crew members, including on-site UK Border Force and Customs control services, ensuring a seamless travel experience for international clients. The attention to detail exhibited by Jetex in its provisions serves as a testament to the company’s dedication to maintaining exceptional standards.

SUSTAINABILITY

Jetex’s commitment to sustainable development is a strategic priority, closely aligned with the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA’s) 2050 aim to reduce the industry’s carbon emissions by 50%. In 2022, Jetex developed the world’s first pure ‘green’ FBO and invested in cutting-edge technologies to drive efficiency.

The company has secured partnerships to support the development of sustainable

aviation fuel and carbon capture and is now looking forward to the delivery of the first all-electric aircraft. Jetex also supports the development of hydrogen as an alternative fuel source, with the goal of achieving zero emissions on short-haul routes by 2050.

At Jetex Le Bourget in Paris, the operation’s carbon footprint is reduced by utilizing a 100% electric refuelling truck for aircraft fuelling. This sustainable approach exemplifies Jetex’s dedication to environmental responsibility and a greener future for the aviation industry.

The success of Jetex can be attributed to its philosophy of placing customers at the forefront of its operations. Providing bespoke services catering to the unique needs of each client, Jetex has set a new benchmark for luxury, convenience, and environmental stewardship in executive aviation. As the industry evolves, Jetex’s commitment to delivering best-in-class trip support solutions remains unyielding, setting the stage for a bright and promising future for private charter aviation. 

THE LAST V12

Rolls-Royce’s Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow marks the end of production of one of the most transformative motor cars in the marque’s history

Abespoke masterpiece, RollsRoyce’s Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow, limited to just 12 examples worldwide, is the last V12 coupe Rolls-Royce will ever make, as it embarks on its bold new electric era. You can admire, but you can’t buy one - all 12 motor cars in the Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow Collection have been allocated to clients around the world.

“Wraith is one of the most significant and influential cars we have ever made at Goodwood” says Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. “Its extraordinary power, performance and presence opened the Rolls-Royce brand to an entirely new group of clients. It created its own following within contemporary culture and then expanded that further in its alternative Black Badge guise.

“As the last examples of this landmark motor car get ready to leave Goodwood, we commemorate Wraith’s status as the last series V12 coupé we will ever make. Both Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow and

its inspiration, the V12-powered land speed record-holding Thunderbolt of the thirties, represent the culmination of many long years of achievement, and the end of their respective eras.

“This magnificent final V12 coupé Collection captures both the significance and spirit of Wraith through the marque’s hallmark and peerless Bespoke capabilities. A fitting finale for this transformative motor car.”

PERFORMANCE

Launched in 2013, Wraith is one of the most important and influential models ever designed and built at Goodwood. More performance-focused than its predecessors Phantom and Ghost, Wraith fundamentally altered perceptions of Rolls-Royce and brought new, younger customer groups to the brand for the first time. Its wider cultural significance is underlined by countless references to the Wraith in music, cinema, art and fashion.

Wraith’s dramatic ‘fastback’ silhouette signalled the motor car’s dynamic intent, which was further amplified in 2016, with the introduction of Black Badge Wraith: a potent, subversive and even more powerful expression of this transformative motor car, offering some of the highest levels of performance ever achieved by a V12powered Rolls-Royce.

Yet when considering how best to mark the end of the Wraith era, Goodwood’s designers and engineers took inspiration for the Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow Collection from an equally significant V12 in Rolls-Royce’s long and storied legacy. In 1938, Captain George Eyston – whose bold, brave endeavours encapsulate the Black Badge spirit – set a world land speed record of 357.497 mph (575.335 km/h) with Thunderbolt, a seven-tonne, eight-wheeled leviathan equipped with two Rolls-Royce V12 ‘R’ Series aero engines. The outbreak of the Second World War in the following year ended Eyston’s endeavours; all subsequent

records have been set with different engine types and configurations, enshrining Thunderbolt in perpetuity as the fastest V12powered motor car ever built.

RECORD

Thunderbolt’s record attempts took place on the legendary Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. Against the glare of the brilliant white surface, and under a blazing desert sun, the reflections from the car’s polished aluminium body made it almost impossible to tell precisely when it passed the timing equipment. Eyston’s simple but ingenious solution was to paint a large black arrow on the car’s sides, incorporating a yellow central circle motif that could be seen clearly even at high speed. This is what gives today’s Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow Collection both its name and unique historical context.

Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow’s exclusive bespoke finish features a full colour graduation between two tones – Celebration Silver and Black Diamond, achieving a striking motion blur effect from front to rear. The realisation of this extraordinary finish required the marque to undertake 18 months of surface testing and development. Contrast to the gradient paint is provided by bright yellow bumper inserts and bespoke wheel pinstripes.

Black Arrow’s coach doors are lined with open-pore Black Wood, in a complex design comprising over 320 multi-directional and lasered marquetry pieces that mimics the cracked, irregular surface of the Bonneville Salt Flats, while the interior is provisioned with a new material type developed specifically for the Collection, with armrests, seat gussets, transmission tunnel, door detail, door panniers and lower dashboard panel all finished in ‘Club Leather’ – its intentional greater sheen and even deeper black colouration provide a subtle contrast to the matte Rolls-Royce natural-grain black leather.

Inspired by the analogue instruments of the 1930s, the fascia clock bezel references the raw, technical aesthetic of Thunderbolt’s interior, while an exclusive Bespoke plaque is mounted on the engine cover to signify this as the last V12 ever to be fitted to a RollsRoyce coupé. Machined from a single piece of polished metal, the plaque is inscribed with the V12 monogram in Bright Yellow, and the legend ‘Final Coupé Collection’ in black.

It may be the last of the V12s, but the Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow will certainly leave its mark on automotive history. 

www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com

Opposite page and below: The Rolls-Royce Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow: “Extraordinary power, performance and presence”

World Leading Provider of Preventative Health Assessments

Established 15 years ago at the heart of Harley Street with the sole purpose of saving lives through early detection, Echelon Health brings together 30 years of clinical expertise, the most advanced imaging technology and unparalleled client service to offer some of the world’s leading health assessments available today which enables them to capture tumours as small as 1-2mm and detect up to 92% and 95% of the causes of preventable death among men and women respectively.

Echelon Health’s Preventative Health Assessments are carried out with the sole purpose of (i) detecting disease at its earliest stage (usually before any symptoms) to maximise the chances of effective treatment and avoid early death, and (ii) to allow their clients to establish a baseline for the condition of their health and recommend an appropriate onward lifestyle plan.

Echelon Health is unique in that not only do they look under the ‘bonnet’ to see inside You in incredible detail, but they also recognise that no single scanner can assess for all diseases. Utilising a combination of the most advanced MRI, CT and Ultrasound technology, alongside comprehensive

Disease detection before it becomes symptomatic has never been easier thanks to advancement in imaging technology.

blood tests such as tumour markers, every client receives a highly comprehensive set of results.

“The bottom line is that I was diagnosed with a cerebral fistula in my brain, a condition from which I was suffering no symptoms and would have been completely undetectable in a normal medical.”, said N.F., CEO.

He is one of many lives they saved through innovative preventive health assessments. N.F. was diagnosed with a cerebral arteriovenous fistula in his brain. Post diagnosis N.F. was immediately referred by Echelon Health to one of the best specialists in the country and underwent a successful procedure a few days later.

“I do hope that others will treat themselves to the full preventative maintenance regime by Echelon Health, which can potentially be lifesaving.” Says N.F.

Their friendly and extremely attentive staff enables every client to experience a stress free, comfortable day. Echelon Health pride themselves on their excellence in client care. Safety, wellbeing, and comfort are prioritised in their service approach.

Clients undergoing a Platinum or Gold health assessment benefit from the use of their own private suite throughout the day. Offering a private and tranquil base to be used in-between tests and scans, the suite ensures the day of assessment is as relaxing as it is efficient. The suite is meticulously furnished with select pieces by renowned designer David Linley and reminiscent of the 1950s art deco style.

Echelon Health offer additional assessments which are bespoke to their clients’ needs.

Echelon Health benefits from having an in-house Medical Advisory Committee. On the Committee sits medical specialists who are amongst the very best in their chosen field. They regularly guide Echelon Health on best practice and provide knowledge on the most up-to-date medical science, enabling Echelon Health to remain at the forefront of preventative medicine.

“The service they are providing at present is, in my opinion, the best that can be achieved in current practice with existing knowledge.” Dr David Wilson, Past President British Institute of Radiology.

For a complementary private conversation with one of our experts please call 02075807688 / 07375791713, email info@echelon.health or visit www.echelon.health

BOOK REVIEWS

From set design to rock photography, jewellery to NFTs and ceramics to supermodels, we present our selection of mustread volumes for your coffee table or bookshelf

SOROLLA: A VISION OF SPAIN

Cristina Carrillo de Albornoz, foreword by Blanca PonsSorolla I Assouline, £85 I www.assouline.com

Taking us through Joaquín Sorolla’s unique journey, from his early career in Spain to the completion of his life’s most prominent work for the Hispanic Society in New York, this volume examines what made the artist’s use of light so singular, why he was so keen on painting in the outdoors and how he transformed unexpected sources of inspiration into famous canvases. Introduced by the words of the painter’s greatgranddaughter, this book presents more than a hundred artworks and narrates all there is to know to get a grasp of the Spanish master’s extensive oeuvre, from his internationally acclaimed canvases to his more fortuitous pieces worth rediscovering.

STUDIO CERAMICS

Alun Graves I Thames & Hudson, £65 I thamesandhudson.com

Providing a definitive historical introduction to studio ceramics in Britain from 1900 to now, and a detailed reference to the life and work of 300 artists whose work is represented in the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collection, this book features contemporary ceramicists working in Britain, including Rachel Kneebone, Grayson Perry, and Edmund de Waal, as well as a broader international group of artists experimenting and radically reinventing with clay, considering how it intersects and works in dialogue with other art forms and with culture at large. Alun Graves, Senior Curator at the V&A, provides all lovers of ceramics – collectors, practitioners, historians and those interested in modern and contemporary art and crafts – with historical context, documenting the medium’s shift into an expressive, and sometimes interventionist, art form.

YEWN: CONTEMPORARY ART JEWELS AND THE SILK ROAD

Juliet Weir-de la Rochefoucauld I ACC Art Books, £75 I www.accartbooks.com

This detailed study of contemporary artist and jewellery creator, Dickson Yewn, renowned as the designer worn by the likes of Michelle Obama, focuses on Yewn’s inspirations, influences and the integral place of Han Chinese culture in his work. A first-of-its-kind art book narrating worldly and philosophical Han Chinese culture in the language of jewellery art, it features informative background research on Yewn’s creative process, bolstered by stunning high-quality photography from museum archives and text by Juliet Weir-de La Rochefoucauld, renowned jewellery historian, and layout by artistic and creative director Dickson Yewn.

DAVID BOWIE: ROCK ’N’ ROLL WITH ME

Geoff MacCormack I ACC Art Books, £30 I www.accartbooks.com

Geoff MacCormack’s remarkable photographic memoir charts his lifelong friendship with David Bowie. The images bring MacCormack’s stories to life, showing the places he and Bowie inhabited, the people they met and the adventures they shared, beginning at Burnt Ash Primary school in the mid-1950s. The book contains nearly 150 photos taken by MacCormack throughout the years, some never seen before: from touring the Ziggy Stardust and Aladdin Sane shows and sailing to New York on a world tour, to Bowie’s fi rst major fi lm The Man Who Fell to Earth and the recording of Station to Station, and his Thin White Duke persona. A rare insight into a friendship and the real life of an enigmatic superstar.

INTERNET ART - THE FIRST 30 YEARS

Omar Kholief I Phaidon, £29.95 I www.phaidon.com

This landmark title explores how the most significant mass medium of our time has fostered new possibilities for artists across a range of media, both analogue and digital, presenting trailblazing artists who have engaged in networked culture over the last three decades. Dr Omar Kholeif, author, curator, broadcaster and leading commentator on art and digital culture, interweaves the story of the internet with personal recollections and encounters, taking readers on a behind-the-scenes tour of an art world grappling with the ascent of the online world: from museum boardrooms, artist studios and biennials around the globe to cyberspace, the metaverse and beyond.

LINDA EVANGELISTA PHOTOGRAPHED BY STEVEN MEISEL

Introduction by William Norwich I Phaidon, £100 I www.phaidon.com

Evident from their first photoshoot in 1987, legendary photographer Steven Meisel’s images of Linda Evangelista, one of the original ‘supermodels’ of the 1980s, are the result of a remarkable creative symbiosis between photographer and muse. Featuring more than 180 images shot over the course of twenty-five years, this long-awaited book chronicles Meisel’s constantly evolving vision of Evangelista, pictured in a vast range of imaginative narrative contexts. Art directed by Jason Duzansky, the book includes an introduction by fashion editor William Norwich, which tells the story of their friendship and situates it in the wider context of the fashion industry.

THE KEN ADAM ARCHIVE

Ken Adam, Sir Christopher Frayling I Taschen, £850 I

www.taschen.com

A giant of production design, Sir Ken Adam was the architect of Cold War satire with Dr. Strangelove and the inspiration behind the sinister lairs of James Bond’s adversaries. Featuring an unmatched wealth of material from his archive of sketches, concepts, and photographs held by the Deutsche Kinemathek, this signed edition honours a remarkable, decorated career. The book recalls, through a series of illuminating interviews between Adam and author Sir Christopher Frayling, the highs and lows of his close but tumultuous collaborations with Stanley Kubrick alongside many more standout moments from his career. Steven Spielberg called the War Room “the best set in the history of the movies”. Collector’s Edition of 1,200 numbered copies, each signed by Sir Ken Adam, with acrylic, engraved bookstand.

Where to SPEND IT

From an artistic bag to an iconic speaker and a classic guitar to a supercar, we present some of the most desirable luxury collectables and technological marvels for you to buy and enjoy

BAG FOR LIFE

AndReal handbags by Andrea Benahmed Dijali are designed to “help art and handbag lovers achieve what they want so they can enjoy and wear their favourite art”. Andrea says she helps women to “get the best outfit with my matching handbag and accessories designs - art is a meditation for me - when I design and create my soul starts to heal.” Each handbag is hand cut, hand dyed, and made with special techniques such as marbling on leather. These ‘portable art galleries’ “can do wonders for your mood and confidence - the kind of handbag that has the ability to make my consumer stand out from the crowd”. Prices start from around £500. andrealdesign.co.uk

COSMIC EXPERIENCE

3 1 2

Under the umbrella of HOUSE OF HOMMES at Salone del Mobile, HOMMÉS Studio of Portugal, alongside Tapis Studio, ACH Collection, and Gallery Design Store revealed NEOCOSMOS, a cosmic indoor space and futuristic outdoor experience marked by the selection of the highest level of furniture from the Studio’s collection. NEOCOSMOS showcased a range of incredible home decor and designer furniture, wallpapers with hypnotic patterns, astounding ceramics, cushions with elegant fabrics, emotional scent candles and home diffusers, to rugs with exciting designs. Featured were the classic Tropez daybed, the Lunarys Center Table, made in travertine stone and ideal for indoor or outdoor projects, and the Elektra, a multifunctional parasol in travertine marble and nero marquina that can transform to a side table.

https://hommes.studio

NEXT GENERATION

Bang & Olufsen has launched new generation Beosound A9 and Beosound 2 speakers, available in new Black Anthracite, Gold Tone, and Natural finishes. The two speakers join Bang & Olufsen’s range of futureproof products on the celebrated Mozart software platform. The heart of Bang & Olufsen’s Mozart platform is a replaceable module able to receive software updates and features, so any technology that becomes obsolete can be replaced. The circular Beosound A9 features the timeless circular design and buttonless controls, while the Beosound 2 is a powerful multi-room speaker that matches a unique high-design aesthetic with stand-out sound.

www.bang-olufsen.com

AXE HEROES

Gibson, the iconic American-made, and leading instrument brand, has a legacy of making world-class instruments since 1894 when Orville Gibson was crafting archtop mandolins. As a natural extension of Gibson’s passion for its unique instruments and the stories they tell, Gibson is launching the history-making Gibson Certified Vintage program, which offers collectible vintage guitars authenticated, and certified directly by Gibson, to new owners with a lifetime warranty and certificate of vintage authenticity. Gibson Certified Vintage guitars will be sold via the Gibson Garage in Nashville, Tennessee. www.gibson.com/en-US/Certified-Vintage

SPIDER MAN

Unveiled at Goodwood in April, the Gordon Murray Automotive T.33 supercar, named after the automotive genius behind Brabham and McLaren F1 cars of the past as well as the legendary McLaren F1 road car, and limited to 100 examples, is already sold out, but we can dream. The timeless design of the £1.37m supercar is built around a newly developed carbon and aluminium superlight architecture, weighing less than 1100kg overall. The two-seater supercar is powered by a specially reconfigured version of the Cosworth GMA T.50 3.9-litre V12 engine, revving up to 11,100rpm. Also available is this Spider model with removable roof panels at around £2.25m. www.gordonmurrayautomotive.com

MAKETH THE MAN

Soho style meets Savile Row as Sartoria Studio and Scabal announce a partnership. The downtown New York City men’s made-to-measure store has become the English clothier’s new tailoring partner, offering U.S. consumers access to some of the world’s finest English cloth and the highest standards of Savile Row tailoring tradition. The chic Soho style lab and haberdashery offers a range of curated sample garments, premium ready-to-wear clothing, and exclusive accessories, and now partnering with Scabal further underlines the Sartoria Studio commitment to offering New York City’s most extensive menu of garment customisations and quality fabrics in the made-tomeasure category.

www.sartoriastudio.com

The Arts of MALTA

Situated in Malta’s capital Valetta, Blitz was founded in 2013 as a grassroots, artist-run contemporary arts space. It’s housed in a four-level, typical Valletta townhouse, which was originally the family home of founder Alexandra Pace’s grandparents. After standing empty for over 30 years, the building slowly started returning to life through a dedicated and steady restoration process. Now, Blitz is a reference for contemporary art in Malta, and each of its floors shines in its full former glory with a project space for public programmes and workshops, an in-house artist residency and the exhibition galleries.

Blitz has formed prominent collaborations with institutions such as Royal College of Arts (London), Central Saint Martins University of the Arts (London), the European Graduate School (EGS) and the annual Network of European Museum Organizations conference (NEMO). In 2015, Blitz launched the Residency Programme which invited artists from Berlin, London, Wroclaw, Athens, Kuwait, Paris and Istanbul to participate via open calls with more than 200 applicants.

CULTURE

In 2018, curator Sara Dolfi Agostini joined the artistic team of Blitz Valletta. Today, Blitz’s international programme reflects the institution’s commitment to support and showcase Malta-based artists abroad, in high-profile international platforms dedicated to non-profit art spaces. Its exhibition and public programmes focus on introducing the Maltese community to the practice of established international artists such as Cory Arcangel, Rossella Biscotti, Sara Cwynar, Simon Denny, David Claerbout, Adrian Paci, Simon Fujiwara, Marinella Senatore, Amalia Ulman, and Tobias Zielony, to name a few. Many of these artists have never been exhibited in Malta before, but their works resonate with Malta’s unique history, culture and social landscape as much as with the major challenges of our present society. For Blitz, Malta is an inspiring artistic laboratory offering a bridge between past and future, from the Megalithic temples, Baroque churches and masterpieces by Caravaggio, to the growing internet, gaming, blockchain, and new media industries.

Blitz also operates online with the new platform OPEN, and throughout the city of Valletta, exploring the possibilities of a shared, public space for collective arts thinking.

You can find out more about Malta’s thriving arts scene, as well as about the cultural events, nightlife, sports activities, gastronomy and history of the island by visiting www.visitmalta.com 

A popular holiday destination, Malta is also a hub of arts and culture, exemplified by the contemporary art space Blitz

Top: Kane Kali, Human Construct

Middle: Aaron Bezzina, Reinventing the Wheel

Bottom: Bonamy Devas, Libby Heaney, Anna Ridler, Sensory Apparatus