E N V I E
I N T E R I O R S
ENVIED M AR CH
2 01 9
featuring Bahraini artist
SAR AH AR ADI
E D I T O R ’ S L E T T E R
At times I consider myself a desperate artist and I long for that natural ability to stand in front of a great canvas and paint on my soul… but alas I'm no such thing. I do still have love for the act and often pick up a paintbrush and have a go, but I'm realistic in realising I’m no Picasso. This is not to say I have no artistic merit, but my skill is Interiors. My passion for Art is an extension of this and of great importance when decorating a interior and why I am dedicating an entire issue of ENVIED to ART As ever, I always want to encourage considering unconventional thought, so my first feature looks at how to display art, with a difference! My muse this issue is born of dirty work, I claim architecture as the superhero of the arts and question the personality of Bahrain ’s newest hip hotel! However, as exciting as the above already is, this issue contains a feature which, beyond my own predictions, challenged me to the core. Our cover star, Sarah Aradi, paints bold, bright, beguiling and bewitching portraits. I am incredibly honoured that Sarah agreed to meet with me and chat about not only her work, but as much about herself. This interview is real, raw and revealing, and I agonised whilst writing it (my first ever interview piece) because I wanted to be sure to relay her voice as she deserves. My respect and admiration for Sarah certainly increased after our chat, and I truly hope you can find a moment to meet Sarah through my story and appreciate this exceptional woman! with love,
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Me, gazing in wonder at, ‘The Sho
e Knight of the Long Knives I’, Athi-Patra Ruga, 2013 owing at the Zeitz MOCAA, Cape Town, South Africa 3
X H IB IT IONI ST
YO U ’ V E GOT A RT , N OW W H AT D O YO U D O W I T H
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Here, I created an intimate vignette by hanging this gypsy canvas near the side table 4
W O R K S H O P
As a renter myself, displaying art can be tricky if you want to ensure you get your deposit back, and therefore don ’t want to pepper the walls with nails or holes from misplacements Here are a few examples of how I have decorated with pieces at home and in projects At times, I like to be creative with the display and not go for the obvious, centre of the wall, above sofa. Having to be mindful within a rental and sometimes not having all the money to frame pieces, has led to imaginative ways of showcasing favourite pieces and create a more unique interior
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This glass table with shelf lends itself perfectly for an interesting moment of display, as I did with this framed print 6
I collect postcards on my travels as they are perfect miniature artworks and mementos of places I have visited. I adore the simplicity of grouping them together and simply sticking them to the wall, in an unexpected position. Because it’s a little weird more people are drawn to wanting to see what they are!
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For this seaside snug, we had a small corridor that needed animating. I didn’t want to distract from the serene ambiance and opted to gallery hang a couple of palm photographs to one side of the corridor wall. This would allow for the pieces to still be appreciated from within the snug and leads the eye into this space
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Leaning art is a charming and understated way to display. To continue the laid back feel of this room we opted to lean this large print onto the brass console table. This created a connection between the pieces, and though bold, this moment has a relaxed vibe due to its casual set up
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A little symmetry also goes a long way. Above this pair of wooden benches we repeated the concept with a pair of framed photographs
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B UY YO UR ART LIK E YO U WO ULD A P AIR O F SHO ES! CURATED BY T HE SPECI ALIST GALLERY W IT H AN EXTEN SIV E R AN GE O F AFFOR DABLE O PT ION S. HER E AR E A FEW P IE CE S FROM WITHIN T HE 5 00 TO 1 00 0 USD B RACK ET FROM S AATCHIART .COM
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H A ND JOB There is nothing more sensual than clay at the hands of a seasoned potter. Forming curves by forceful yet such gentle caress I find this art form eternally endearing. To watch objects take shape from what is nothing more that dirt, spinning the same stories for thousands of years Pottery in its raw state is where I feel most connected. When the evidence of the material is still palpable. Before any decorative carving, pressing, painting or glazing has effected its final figure The A’Ali district in Bahrain is famed for making the local pottery, a craft that has an ancient presence on this island. I was easily enamoured by the basic facilities in which the artisans sit in sunken spots before manual wheels, churning out hundreds of small wares, each within the blink of an eye! Bahraini clay is too fragile to be glazed and therefore most pieces are left raw or plainly painted. I honour this restraint and will you all to be seduced by the authenticity of this art 17
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‘EVERY POT THAT IS CR AFTED R EQUIR ED HANDS TO BE SPOILT ’ CORAL JAIN
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Sarah Aradi - portrait photo by Pascale Arminjon
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Unveiled By art
BUT ALSO BY PASSION, PERSEVERANCE, PROGRESS AND POSITIVITY SARAH ARADI SPEAKS THROUGH HER PAINTINGS, BUT HAS MUCH MORE TO SAY AND A VOICE PRIMED FOR THE CHALLENGE W O RD S: PA SCA LE A RMIN J ON
If only the walls could speak! Well they most definitely do from Sarah’s paintings. This conversation started from a pavement in the boho quarter of Bahrain. Not knowing what to expect when I first arrived to the middle east a phrase which packs all sorts of pre-conceived connotations - street art that would stop me in my tracks, was not one of these expectations. As an avid IGer with #instahusband in tow, I posed before this prominent female portrait and posted on stories, with no clue at the time, as to who the artist may be. Eventually I started recognising like images and posts of these murals and became aware of Sarah Aradi. It isn't until I saw her work at the 2018 Bahrain Across Borders exhibition {ARTBAB} that I really clocked who this was and clicked with her work. I have since followed her IG page and scrolled with interest at her past and present pieces, which are of a beguiling nature, always intriguing, and if you allow yourself in, captivating. Having now met Sarah, I may describe her person to be much of the same! So how did I come to meet her? As I was putting together an ART themed issue and would obviously include a Bahrain contingent, I had to ask if she would be interested in being featured. I sent off an email request and hoped for the best. Sarah kindly obliged and a few days later we met at an exhibition she was currently showing at. I was truly nervous, as I’m no journalist and have no clue as to how to interview anyone… actually, I’ve never interviewed anyone before! I suppose my common sense kicked in and I knew I had to at least be prepared with things to talk about. To keep this as authentic as I could, I asked myself, ‘Pascale, what do you want to know about her?’ and from there wrote a list of questions to at least guide me in the direction of getting to know Sarah. Thankfully, I also had the foresight to record our chat, which you can hear in full (and in all my amateur glory) via each of our websites saraharadi.com and envieinteriordesign.com 27
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Wow! I was captivated by her art, but the interview is immensely inspiring! I opened with every artist's choice question… what is your favourite colour? Yep… Sarah’s quick response already unveiling a poise and confidence I instantly admire, in my head I’m thinking, must step up my game…! This seemingly naïve first question was, in fact, my lead into her use of colour in her painting, is it emotional or decorative? Sarah, with little hesitation expresses that, ‘Everything is emotional for me, even the strokes, even the
lines, even the empty spaces {…} nothing I do has anything to do {with being} decorative, it's always a personal experience, it's like a diary.' For someone who quotes black as their favourite colour, Sarah's canvases are most often filled with strong hues, corralled by her signature black outlines,
'Usually it’s a specific feeling or emotion that I'm trying to convey through that specific art piece, {…} is it making me feel how I'm supposed to feel? {…} the colours are just a tool to make you feel a specific way.’ In relation to this topic Sarah interprets the dual use of red in her current show piece 'Pride', as signifying the sense of pride and arrogance emitting from the character, but being cloaked in this bold hue also hides pain and sorrow from view. The story within the painting alludes to that of a warrior or matador who has been successful in his recent venture, which he wears in his expression and strong stance. However, masked beneath the fine fabric he has tossed over his shoulder, are the hidden pains and scars, which Sarah portrays via the symbolic use of red, to reference blood, flesh and the perils of war.
‘ . . . T H E C O LO U R S A R E J U S T A TO O L TO M A K E YO U F E E L A S P E C I F I C WAY . ’
‘Pride’, Sarah Aradi
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I throw out another seemingly random question, Sunlight or Moonlight? Sarah coo's to the moonlight, recharging during the full moon and practices common rituals such as the laying out of crystals. When I follow this question with, what would you do if this was your last day on earth, her response affirms her grounded presence, 'I would just look and I would just sit and I would just take it all in
because I think the trees, the flowers, just the air, the music of nature is so…{sic} we don't even have time to appreciate it and I think once you're in sync with this whole symphony that's called life, you just don't want to do anything, you just want to be there, like a rock {…} it's like a painting and you're just in your place!' These intimate scenarios reveal Sarah’s authenticity in being herself.
Being authentic, is an attribute that requires self-realisation. To connect and understand who one is at the core, so as to instinctively emit this state of authenticity. This need for authenticity, is paramount to Sarah, for any given piece in progress. She mentions that they may take months in the making, as she needs to be sure of what it requires to deliver her message, whether it be a specific colour, or the composition, 'It's the process of sitting and literally looking at it and telling
yourself, what do I need to make it speak, what is it missing, what do I need to balance it out visually, so the viewer gets what I mean without being distracted?'
This process occurs within Sarah's 'place', her studio, which is in the home she shares with her husband and two young children. I anticipated that this would be the answer to my question as to which room is her favourite at home. I was then delightfully surprised at her revealing that she worked very hard to instil an ambiance within her studio that helps her create, rather than it simply being a functional white box of a room, as we may assume of artists. This obviously resonates with my interior design soul, and Sarah continues to describe that it is a space where the light, the music system, even the sofa, is as she needs it to be, so it is working visually for her, 'It is like a zen place for me {…} I spend a lot of time
there not just painting, but just being, appreciating what I've been creating.’
With such importance placed on her studio interior, I asked if she would consider moving home if the space was not right? Her answer redeems the details of the specifications she required when house hunting, from the ceiling heights to the source of natural daylight, a pact agreed with her husband when viewing potential properties. This, of course, then begs to question would she consider a studio away from home, perhaps in the future? Her honest response, driven by her current situation of being a mother of young children, is in an aim to not make art her guilty pleasure, having her studio at home allows for it to be included in her day-today. It brings her comfort instead of guilt, allows for more family time, encourages the kids to be in the studio with her, where they sit and watch or paint, and are at ease in this space which is as much a part of their home. 30
‘Odyssey’, Sarah Aradi
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‘SAR AH'S ART HAS A GR AFFITI VIBE THAT ALLOWS HER WORK TO REACH A MULTITUDE OF AUDIENCES’ ‘’Duality’, Sarah Aradi
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From within the studio where the canvases are conceived, to murals around Bahrain, Sarah's art has a graffiti vibe th work to reach a multitude of audiences. I ask her what her preference is when displaying her creations? Is it in the gal streets or in personal homes? The reply is intelligent and telling of her mindset and confidence in where she wants future. Exhibiting within the large shows both nationally and internationally - Sarah was invited to display with the Sa and Sotheby's in London last year - is where she can reach a larger audience, through the vast channels these sh Essentially attaining new admirers and supporters of her craft is as important to her reason for painting. The peop purpose for maintaining her momentum in creating. Sarah encourages interaction with her followers and openly app compliments as these fuel her passion. I ask her if inspiring people is key to her fulfilment? ‘I need something to loo Candy Apples say that'sdressed what I want to be. Whenever I see a high achiever, whenever I see someone who is so creative that they in roasted blow my mind, I need that, it's fuel for me. So, I do spend a lot of time searching for that fuel, searching for what almond flakes, searchingcrushed for that pistachio artist that I just found on Instagram, who is somewhere across‌ {sic} wherever, from his little inspired me, black I need that.’ nuts, sugar and gold powder
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hat allows her lleries, on the s to go in the aatchi Gallery hows provide. ple provide a preciates their
ok at {…} and y completely t inspires me, room he just
‘Art will Survive’, Sarah Aradi
It's a notion I don't think we appreciate enough. What I took from this, is we are all in search of inspiration and it can be an exchange which fulfils both parties. We agree it's a shared energy of positivity between two people, one being brave in showing vulnerability, awe towards someone they admire, always with the consequence that it may not be reciprocated or received with gratitude. This quickens the pulse and emits adrenalin transformed into courage, a pillar of a positive mindset. The receiver whether egotistical, or not so much, is consoled from fear of failure, gains accomplishment and adds to their quota of courage. A quote from one of Sarah's recent IG posts eloquently sums this up, ‘It is those who I have
inspired and are not shy about letting me know, who make the difference… little do they know the difference they make in my journey.'
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Candy Apples
‘THERE MAY BE A FAINT FROWN OR R AISED EYEB COMPOSITION, BUT OTHERWISE THE STARE IS O 36
Trio ‘Rebirth’, Sarah Aradi
BROW, TO POSITION THE FEATURES WITHIN THE OPEN TO BE INTERPRETED BY THE ONLOOKER’ 37
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‘Gibran’s Muse’, Sarah Aradi
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Evidently, I need to know if there are other artists that inspire Sarah and the response may be surprising…! At first, Sarah refrained from being specific. We agree as an artist or creative there are endless inspirations, and certain influence you for specific reasons. However, Vincent Van Gogh has a special place in Sarah's heart. His story, over his technique, connected with her, the pain and trauma he survived, left behind in a body of work we revere today, but alas, he was never to taste the success. This sentiment of failure, possibly due to lack of confidence, is something Sarah endeavours to remove from the young minds she nurtures, 'I try to give that confidence to that little girl, or
little boy, that you are good enough!'
Sarah possesses natural qualities of care and gentility, ideal for her regular role as a teacher. She is also very passionate about her charity work, something she is frequently involved in. This would be her alternative career choice and whenever the opportunity allows Sarah will make herself available to participate, in particular, to any women's and children’s charities, ‘I think I
do have the energy to actually give and support and just love back, and not require something back.’
As we delve deeper into sentiment I ask, are you in love? A bright smile and girly giggle accompanied this joyful answer, 'I'm very much in love, absolutely
overwhelmed in love! {…} The state of love is something very necessary for me, I need to always be in a state of love to be able to create.' As you may gather from the interview so far, Sarah is not meaning this solely as a relationship status, her expression of love comes in many guises, as she expands on the notion of having love for yourself, for life, for family, for a favourite movie. It is the core from which every other emotion manifests,
'I always put love at the centre and they {other emotions} are all around it.’ For Sarah this variety of emotion; anger, calm, passion, disappointment, etc. are all expressions of love within her art, 'I connect them all and I value them,
however they come and that is how I create.'
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As an artist who is renowned for her females being the prime subject of her body of work, her more recent pieces have been replaced with, as Sarah considers them, ‘… our mirror, our counterpart…’ in the male. A path that she is only now taking with confidence because she feels she has finally endorsed loving herself and by association her tribe. With this came a commitment to support and champion all the women who play a part in her life. A role she takes on with extreme care and gratitude and extends to within her own classroom of all girls, visual arts students. Her message is clear as she describes, 'One thing I do when I
stand in front of my girls, my students, I say, we will do this, you will do this!'
Sarah exudes compassion, but with authority, from which I can imagine her students, and really anyone who meets her, can take great confidence, 'Women need to stand up for themselves, they need to shine, this is their time, they need to be there and they need to know that they are the achievers.' As a self-proclaimed feminist, Sarah is a steady voice amidst this global discourse that is simmering to a boil. A role model of the Bahraini women, Arab women, Muslim women, who are part of the revolution and expressing themselves with a poise and determination, I am proud to experience and encourage, by engaging with the society I am currently a part of. In this new found peace with her integrity to womanhood, Sarah started to explore, '… the female in the male…' Interestingly, Sarah's males have a strong resemblance to her females and even to herself, a comment she has heard on several occasions. This is Sarah's intention, to unite the reflections, to signify that both sexes are of one, the feminine permeates the masculine and vice versa.
This similarity is evident in Sarah's identifiable characteristics within her portraits, the treatment of the eyes and their profound gaze which pulls the viewer into the piece. These eyes are mostly pale in colour, at times empty and I ask Sarah why this is? 'I think when I work with eyes I want to see and I want that space to go
in, with dark colours I feel blocked. It’s like a theory or philosophy {…} Usually my areas are always empty. It’s there, the silhouette, the outline, but it's not {…} because I try to stay away from those blocks of sharp, dark colours that just block you. I need you to breathe into the painting and breathe out and I need you to read the emotion instead of the colour.' An attribute that has evolved over time as Sarah experimented with ways in which to imbue her paintings with feeling. This is the exceptional talent that I recognise in her, an ability to express a tangible connection, story, feeling, from the strokes that create the socket, which forms the clear well in which the viewer can dive into.
An arresting aspect of her portraits is they are also void of obvious expression. There may be a faint frown or raised eyebrow to position the features within the composition, but otherwise the stare is open to be interpreted by the onlooker. I see them as submissive but not weak, alluring, joyful, present. It’s as if they are each saying, ‘… here I am, I have nothing to hide, if you are prepared to look straight into me… ’ and this is the significance of the clear or empty path into the eyes. But Sarah has also pre-empted this perception, 'The face has to be the solid part of all of my works, because I will not allow any of my
personalities to either show weakness or overdramatic emotion {…} that emotion it has to be very elegant. Yes, I am dealing with it, but I am fine. Yes, it is there but I am perfectly collected.' This strength, recognised by her supporters, Sarah attributes to the eyes, 'To have only the eyes speak for you {…} is a very beautiful challenge that I enjoy achieving through every painting ,because I don’t like eyebrows moving and lips, no, stay collected and calm.' 40
'WOMEN NEED TO STAND UP FOR THEMSELVES, THEY NEED TO SHINE, THIS IS THEIR TIME, THEY NEED TO BE THERE AND THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT THEY ARE THE ACHIEVERS.'
‘Exit’, Sarah Aradi
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‘I THINK PAIN IS BEAUTIFUL, I THINK HURT IS BEAUTIFUL. I THINK PEOPLE NEED TO RESPECT THAT EMOTION AND LOOK AT IT WITHOUT LETTING IT AFFECT THEM…’
My final question to Sarah, to round off my curiosity, is are there any other subjects or themes she wants to explore more of alongside her portraits? This reveals another depth to her story, 'A long time ago I was very much involved
in pain and I was really willing to give it a platform and the sad part {…} is the fact that the galleries are not that excited, the curators are not that excited. I had a couple of paintings that were very strong with that emotion. I think everything is beautiful. I think pain is beautiful, I think hurt is beautiful. I think people need to respect that emotion and look at it without letting it affect them, looking at the beauty of it.' Sarah tells of the struggles with the galleries to show pieces that were perhaps deemed too gory for their audience. This has only spurred her on to one day have the freedom to show such pieces with a message that, 'You are not trying to make people feel pain, you
are trying to show them the beauty in it. You are trying to show them that all emotions should get an equal platform. Feelings are valid.'
Sarah's mission is unravelling in the manner that she wants it to. She is not hurried or pressurised by external factors, instead she is focused on making the most of the opportunities to hand. Her art is unveiling emotion, forcing the encounter, leading the way in facing truths no matter how uncomfortable they may be, with a promise to support the beauty it can reveal. As much as Sarah appreciates the 'celebrity' aspect of becoming a recognised artist, it means little to her if you are not using this stage to also speak out and voice your concerns. Her experience as a teacher, her vast knowledge base, her passion for being human, support and fuel an internal energy, brooding within, waiting to explode. That voice, primed for the challenge, has the words ready to deliver an eloquent, endearing and emotional message of her own volition, and I will be all ears and eyes in anticipation of her future endeavours.
Interview undertaken Sunday 3 March 2019 For the full unedited discourse tune in to the link via the saraharadi.com and envieinteriordesign.com websites
@saraharadi_art
‘Weaved 2’, Sarah Aradi
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D E S I G N
F E A T U R E
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CHITECTURE
We design it, build it, live in it, photograph it, frame it and hang it… is architecture the absolute expression of human creation? If we consider that it is; necessary, pragmatic, industrious, engaging, uplifting, creative, challenging, ambitious, shaping, political, divisive, thought-provoking and awe-inspiring, what more could any other art form supply? It appeals to everyone, offering a vast variety of forms and functions to satisfy any taste. It ’s art that we get! Unlike fine art, we don’t stand in front of it and question it’s purpose, meaning or motivation. For the most part, it houses a practical obligation Architecture is also often the highest form used, in almost all cultures, to symbolise praise, power and protection. Consider the likes of the Pyramids, cathedrals, Versailles, fortresses such as the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal, the Parthenon, Hagia Sophia and the Burj Khalifa, a few amongst a plethora of built structures created to express these sentiments Perhaps this attraction is unavoidable due to the binding relationship we have with these sculptures for survival. Our entire lifetime will be involved with many varieties of architecture, making it an extension of ourselves, with the only closest relative to this being fashion, as another man-made structure we are unable to live without This feature is simply a moment to appreciate the art that is architecture, as one of the most popular subjects we display, whether it be as a memory of a past home or holiday or because we just like the look of it. I suppose that is the other attraction, there is no judgement placed on what type of architecture you choose to align yourself with, therefore it could also be considered an inclusive form of art 44
Bo Kapp District, Cape Town, South Africa
‘ I T I S T H E R E F O R E I N D I S P U TA B L E T H AT T H E LIMB S OF A RCHI T ECT UR E A R E DER I V ED F ROM THE LIMBS OF MAN.’ MICHAELANGELO
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Zeitz MOCAA, Silo Building, Cape Town, South Africa
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‘ A RCHI T ECT UR E IS THE T R IUMPH OF H U M A N I M A G I N AT I O N O V E R M AT E R I A L S , M E T H O D S , A N D M E N , TO P U T M A N I N TO P O S S E S S I O N O F H I S O W N E A R T H . I T I S AT LEAST, THE GEOMET R IC PAT T E R N OF T HINGS , OF LIFE , OF T HE HUM A N AND S O C I A L W O R L D . I T I S AT B E S T , T H AT M A G I C F R A M E W O R K O F R E A L I T Y T H AT W E S O M E T I M E S TO U C H U P O N W H E N W E U S E T HE WOR D OR DER . ’ FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT
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Zeitz MOCAA, Silo Building, Cape Town, South Africa
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Bishopsgate, London, UK
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‘ARCHITECTURE IS LIKE A MYTHICAL FANTASTIC. IT HAS TO BE EXPERIENCED IT CAN'T BE DESCRIBED. WE CAN DRAW IT UP AND WE CAN MAKE MODELS OF IT, BUT IT CAN ONLY BE EXPERIENCED AS A COMPLETE WHOLE.’ MAYA LIN
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Musée du Louvre, Paris, France
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‘THE ARCHITECT'S ROLE IS TO MAKE T H E M Y T H I C R E A L . ’ SOTIRIOS KOTOULAS
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‘ A RCHI T ECT UR E IS A L E A R NED G A M E , CO R R E C T A N D M AGN I F I C E N T , OF FOR MS ASSEMBLED IN THE LIGH T . ’ LE CORBUSIER
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S i t u a t e d o n t h e b or d e r o f t h e b u s t l i n g B a b A l B a h r a i n s o u q , T h e M e r c h an t H o u s e H o t e l h a s raised it’s flags of awnings, buffed the brass and s t a n d s a t a t t e n t i o n , w i t h a p r a c t i ce d
poise, born
o f t h e e x p e r i e n ce o f t h e e s t a b l i s h me n t t h a t r u n s i t O p e n i n g i t ’ s d o o r s e a r l y t h i s y e a r , i t ’ s a w e l c o me addition
as Bahrain’s first boutique hotel. It
f u l f i l s a l l t h e e x p e c t a t i o n s a s e a s o n e d t r a v e l le r w o u l d c o m e t o a n t i c i p a t e f r o m s u c h , a n d w i l l be t h e a t t r a c t i o n o f t h e s p r in g f o r l o c a l s a s t h e c u r r e n t n e w b ie A s a s a i d l o c a l , I c ur i o u s l y f o l l o w e d i t s I n s t a g r a m t e a se r s ah e a d o f o pe n in g a n d e ve n t u a ll y p o p p e d along for a drink to check it all out! W i t h m y p a s s i o n f o r i n t e r i o r s , a n d be i n g f or t u n a t e t o h a v e l i ve d i n o r t r a v e l le d t o c o u n t r i e s w h i c h o f f e r m a n y v a r i a t i o n s o f t h i s t h e me , I a p p r e c i a te t h i s t y p e o f q u i r k y d e s i g n , p e r f e c te d b y t h e S o h o H o u s e o r F i r m d a l e H o te l g r o u p s , w i t h t h e ir w h i m s i ca l , e c le c t i c , m o d e r n t r a d , f i t o u t . H e r e i s m u c h t h e s a me a p p r o a c h , w h i c h m a y n o t h i t t h e s t e l l ar s t y l e o f t h e a f o r e m e n t i o n e d h o t e l h o t t ie s , b u t f o r B a h r a in i t b r e a k s a m o u l d I t h a s b e e n i n te r e s ti n g d i s c u s s i n g t h e d é c o r w i th o t h e r i s l a n d b a se d c r e a t i v e s . O p i n i o n s a r e m i x e d as
we
see
this
through
our
own
c o n t r o l le d
a e s t h e t i c s an d n o on e w i s h e s t o c o m p r o m i s e t h e ir s e n s i t i ve t a s te s W e l l , I d o n ’ t c a r e f o r t h e o p i n i o n s o f sh e e p a n d I a p p l a u d T h e M e r ch a n t H o u s e f o r f i l l i n g i t ’ s w a l l s with all the art they could get their hands on!
58
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D E S I G N
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Canvases populate any potential e m p t y w a l l s p a c e , in a s e e m in g l y haphazard the
manner.
de s i g n e r s
In
addition
e m br a ce d
what
I
f e e l h e r e i s a n o pe n n e s s t o d a r e . As you walk in to the lobby you a r e i m m e d i a te l y f o r c e d t o g i ve t h i s g r a f f i t i t h e r e sp e c t i t e x p e c t s! M e a n w h i le ,
th e
remaining
c o l u m n s h a v e be e n l e f t s t r i p p e d t o t h e i r h a r d c o r e co n c r e te s k i n s It is a world of contrasts and c l a s h e s , wh i c h w an t s t o b e l o o k e d a t a n d a p p r e c i a te d , b u t w i l l i t b e ? For me, something is at odds in this
space…
It’s
kinda
l i ke
s o m e o n e i n a n e c ce n t r i c o u t f i t b u t o n c o n v e r s in g w i t h t h e m t h e y a r e placid, polite, even bland I
feel
b e in g
a
boutique
hotel
should give you a spontaneity to m a n i f e s t u n p r e d i c t ab l e e ve n t s I suppose
it’s purpose
will
be
fulfilled with guests, and hope t h a t t h e r e a r e f u t u r e e ve n t s t o give
it
more
of
an
e d ge
in
c h a r a c te r a s i t ’ s t r y i n g w i t h i t s décor
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D E S I G N
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Peering round to the library area. Stocked full of creative titles with waiter to hand to take your gin order 63
D E S I G N
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Wouldn’t you want to meet an attractive architect here, order some whisky sours, flick through beautiful books, falling for each other beneath these blossom walls?
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L U S T L O V E L I V E
LIFE DRAWN
THIS ISSUE IT’S NOT ABOUT A POSSESSION IT’S ABOUT AN AMBITION, TO BE A MUSE TO AN ARTIST AND LAY BARE BEFORE THEIR BRUSH FOR NOW I LUST AFTER KRISTEN GIORGI’S CONTEMPORARY NUDES NG C OL L EC TI VE. C OM 66
NEXT ISSUE
JUNE 2019
IMAGE CREDITS COVER ART Courtesy of Sarah Aradi EDITORS LETTER Photo: Phil Taylor EXHIBITIONIST Photos: Pascale Arminjon -Taylor ART SALE Photos courtesy of Saatchiart.com MUSEBOARD Photos: Pascale Arminjon -Taylor COVER STORY: UNVEILED Portrait photo: Pascale Arminjon -Taylor Pgs. 22-33 images courtesy of Sarah Aradi ARTCHITECTURE Photos: Pascale Arminjon -Taylor EAT, SLEEP, ART, REPEAT Photos: Pascale Arminjon -Taylor LUSTLOVELIVE Images courtesy of ngcollective.com CREDITS PAGE Courtesy of Sarah Aradi
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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