AIR NasJet Dec'13

Page 1

Produced in International Media Production Zone

IS SU E THIRT Y ONE | DECEMBER

2013

Jude Law GOLDEN GREAT Looking back on 50 thrilling years of McLaren cars

ISABELLA BLOW The life and times of fashion’s most famous muse

RENE REDZEPI The modern day gastro genius on how success imposes limitations

GO WITH THE GLOW Why now’s the best time in a decade to catch the Northern Lights show

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CONTENTS / FEATURES

Managing Director Victoria Thatcher Editorial Director John Thatcher Business Development Director David Wade david@hotmediapublishing.com Editor Leah Oatway leah@hotmediapublishing.com Contributing Editor Hazel Plush hazel@hotmediapublishing.com Senior Designer Adam Sneade

Credit: Philip Treacy and Simon Periton, A/W 1999. Model: Xiao Wen Ju at IMG. Š Nick Knight

Designer Andy Knappett

Sixty Two

Stranger Than Fiction

Illustrator Vanessa Arnaud

,UDTL ÂżOPPDNHU 0D\VRRQ Pachachi won big at last \HDUÂśV 'XEDL ,QWHUQDWLRQDO Film Festival. AIR takes up WKH VWRU\ VLQFH

Production Manager Chalitha Fernando Advertisement Manager Rawan Chehab rawan@hotmediapublishing.com

Sixty Six

Hey Jude $V KH KLWV IRUW\ $,5 PHHWV D UHĂ€HFWLYH -XGH /DZ DQG ÂżQGV RXW ZK\ WKH VFULSW IRU KLV FXUUHQW ÂżOP LV WKH IXQQLHVW KHÂśV HYHU UHDG

Advertisement Manager Sukaina Hussein sukaina@hotmediapublishing.com

Seventy Two

Blow Your Mind As a new exhibition looks back on the importance of ,VDEHOOD %ORZ WR IDVKLRQ we speak to those who felt her impact the most.

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CONTENTS / REGUL ARS Twenty Two

Radar How to make the most RI \RXU ZLQWHU PRQWKV LQ WKH PDUYHOORXV 0DOGLYHV

Forty Two

Timepieces :LWK 6,++ RQ WKH KRUL]RQ we take a sneak peek at what will be unveiled.

Forty Seven

Jewellery )UDQFRLV *UD̆ &(2 RI KLV IDPLO\ EXLOW HPSLUH RQ WKH allure of rare diamonds.

Fifty Four

Interiors 6DUD &RVJURYH ¿QGV FUHDWLYLW\ DOLYH DQG ÀRZLQJ in New York.

Eighty

Fifty Eight

Motoring

Art & Design

AIR looks back on a golden \HDUV RI 0F/DUHQ FDUV and looks ahead to the P1.

$,5 PHHWV WKH 'XEDL EDVHG 6\ULDQ DUWLVW RXW WR make a political statement.

Eighty Six

Gastronomy +DV WKH VXFFHVV RI 1RPD¶V head honcho reached its boiling point?

Ninety Two

Travel ,I \RX¶UH \HW WR VHH WKH 1RUWKHUQ /LJKWV FORVH XS QRZ¶V WKH WLPH WR GR VR

Ninety Six

Tel: 00971 4 364 2876 Fax: 00971 4 369 7494

What I Know Now

Reproduction in whole or in part without ZULWWHQ SHUPLVVLRQ IURP +27 0HGLD 3XEOLVKLQJ LV VWULFWO\ SURKLELWHG $OO SULFHV mentioned are correct at time of press EXW PD\ FKDQJH +27 0HGLD 3XEOLVKLQJ GRHV QRW DFFHSW OLDELOLW\ IRU RPLVVLRQV RU errors in AIR.

0LFKHOLQ PDQ *DU\ Rhodes reveals his life lessons learned. - 14 -

%LEGANCE IS AN ATTITUDE 3IMON "AKER

#ONQUEST #LASSIC

The most powerful drive: instinct. The New Flying Spur. Emirates Dubai Tel: 00971 4294 4492 Emirates Abu Dhabi Tel: 00971 2222 2445 Doha Tel: 00974 4411 4411 Bahrain Tel: 00973 1723 8822 Kuwait Tel: 00965 2473 5199 Beirut Tel: 00961 161 3670 Jeddah Tel: 00966 12606 7323 Riyadh Tel: 00966 1121 73838 Al Khobar Tel: 00966 13814 4443 Oman Tel: 00968 2457 3798 New Delhi Tel: 0091 11241 21616 For further enquiries please call 00973 1619 8827 The name ‘Bentley’ and the ‘B’ in wings device are registered trademarks. © October 2013 Bentley Motors Limited. Model shown: New Flying Spur.

NASJET

December 2013

WELCOME ONBOARD

We return from a successful Dubai Airshow and judging by the $200 billion airline orders, aviation in the Middle East is growing at an unprecedented rate. It’s evident; the region has become a dominant global aviation player and will generate exciting employment opportunities for the aviators of tomorrow. I’d also like to take the opportunity to sum up our year and thank you for your unwavering support. In 2013, NasJet’s revenue increased by 40% to SAR700m compared to SAR500m ODVW \HDU RXU FKDUWHU DQG IXOO\ PDQDJHG ÀHHW ÀHZ RYHU KRXUV WR YLUWXDOO\ HYHU\ part of the globe and we proudly delivered a stunning factory-new BBJ3 to the managed ÀHHW $ QXPEHU RI XQLTXH SURJUDPV WR further enhance our on-board services also VWDUWHG ZLWK D VSHFLDO IRFXV RQ ¿QH GLQLQJ DQG DGYDQFHG ÀLJKW HQWHUWDLQPHQW 1DV-HWœV TXDOL¿HG DQG SURIHVVLRQDO FUHZ FRQWLQXHV WR UHGH¿QH ¾VXSUHPH OHYHOV RI TXDOLW\ VHUYLFH œ 2XU GHSWK RI H[SHUWLVH HQODUJHG ZLWK ¿YH new internal senior executive appointments; including Capt. Khalid Al Hamdan-Chief 2SHUDWLQJ 2̇FHU 7XUNL $O -DZLQL &KLHI &RPPHUFLDO 2̇FHU &DSW 0XKDPPDG Al Gabbas-Executive Director of Project Management and Donald Perkins - Director of Flight Centre. 2014 starts with an assertive push by the dedicated aircraft management team WR H[SDQG WKH FXUUHQW VWURQJ ¿[HG ZLQJ PDQDJHG ÀHHW ZLWK WKH LQWURGXFWLRQ RI D factory-new Gulfstream G650 and G450. The ÀHHW ZLOO GHYHORS WR LQFOXGH (PEUDHU /HJDF\V and the Challenger 600 series. /RRNLQJ IRUZDUG WKH H[SHFWDWLRQV UHPDLQ positive as industry forecast predicts 9,250 new business jets, worth over $250 billion, entering into service globally from now through 2022. As a market leader for aircraft management and charter, we expect to see many of the long-range, wide-body aircraft operated by NasJet. I hope you will enjoy the December issue and as always we look forward to welcoming you onboard. Ghassan Hamdan &KLHI ([HFXWLYH 2̇FHU

Contact Details: clientservices@nasjet.com.sa nasjet.com.sa T. +966 (0)11 217 2070 - 17 -

NASJET NEWS

NasJet forecasts 40% increase in revenue As the year draws to an end, a highly successful year for the company sees Nasjet forecasting revenues of SAR700M for 2013, an increase of 40% compared to 2012. “Our unwavering commitment to deliver an exceptional level of service and an unrivaled operational capability, positively contributed to the overall growth of the business� said NasJet CEO Ghassan Hamdan. “We started the year cautiously optimistic, since parts of the region remain unsettled; however we are fully prepared for a return to normality, particularly in Egypt-one of our core markets�. A recent industry new aircraft delivery forecast, highlighted 9,250 new business jets worth over $250 billion, entering into service globally from now to 2022. NasJet expects to see many of the VIP commercial and wide-body aircraft to be based in the Middle East,

NasJet launches ‘Corporate Aviation Program’ at the Euromoney Egypt conference in Cairo

a market segment specialized by NasJet. “We’ll continue to innovate in our core businesses of aircraft management and charter, with a number of new SURGXFWV DGGHG WR WKH Âľ:RUOG RI ([SHULHQFHVÂś FROOHFWLRQ which currently consists of the Honeymoon, Summer and Hajj & Umrah Jet Cards. NasJet is the only operator in the region providing fractional ownership DQG ZH IRUHFDVW D LQFUHDVH LQ Ă€RZQ KRXUV IRU 2014â€?, commented CCO Turki Al Jawini. 1DV-HWV FOLHQW PDQDJHG DQG FKDUWHU DLUFUDIW Ă€HHW ZLOO H[SDQG UDSLGO\ LQ WR LQFOXGH (PEUDHU /HJDF\ÂśV and Challengers. “Our competitive advantage is our blue-chip track record in safety, service and being able WR GHOLYHU VLJQLÂżFDQW Ă€HHW GLVFRXQW FRVW VDYLQJV RQ RXU FXUUHQW PDQDJHG DQG Ă€LJKW VXSSRUW DLUFUDIW ´ VDLG COO Capt. Khalid Al Hamdan.

NasJet recently exhibited at the Euromoney Egypt Conference in Cairo supporting the mission to economic recovery. The company showcased VRPH RI WKH XQLTXH SURGXFWV and services available to companies based in Egypt, to maintain their dynamic growth and increase productivity. NasJet launched the Âľ&RUSRUDWH $YLDWLRQ 3URJUDPÂś at the Euromoney Egypt Conference, highlighted Regional Director Sherif

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Soliman. A simple one-year aircraft lease with a 90-day trial, low capital investment, guaranteed availability and no ferry charges in the Middle East i.e. clients are only charged when they are on-board, not when an aircraft is on the way to pick them up or returning to EDVH DIWHU GURS R̆ Head of Sales AbdAllah Al Cherry commented “NasJet has been working with leading Egyptian conglomerates and corporations since 1999 and has considerable experience and resource focused on meeting their exacting demands. Our clients are able to move fast, access remote locations, run Ă€H[LEOH VFKHGXOHV DQG VHOHFW from a range of aircraft typesGHSHQGHQW RQ WKHLU VSHFLÂżF missionâ€?. As the largest and one of the longest established private aviation company’s in the Middle East, NasJet has been closely working with advisory professionals for the past decade and the Euromoney Egypt Conference presented the ideal opportunity to further strengthen relationships with OHDGHUV LQ ÂżQDQFH

NASJET NEWS

NasJet has taken delivery of a factory-new, fully managed Boeing Business Jet 3 (BBJ) and plans for a Gulfstream G650 and G450 in 2014. These aircraft join D UDSLGO\ H[SDQGLQJ Ă€HHW RI Âż[HG ZLQJ DLUFUDIW FXUUHQWO\ XQGHU PDQDJHPHQW DQG Ă€LJKW VXSSRUW The aircraft will be operated using 1DV-HWÂśV VLJQLÂżFDQW LQIUDVWUXFWXUH including 120 full-time crew and maintenance teams based in the region. “We are pleased the owners have selected NasJet, a decision which was based on our depth of international and regional aircraft management experience, which spans 14-years. We were also able WR GHPRQVWUDWH VLJQLÂżFDQW FRVW VDYLQJ EHQHÂżWV RQ ODUJH RSHUDWLRQDO expenses, including fuel, insurance, maintenance and crew trainingâ€?, FRPPHQWHG &KLHI 2SHUDWLQJ 2̇FHU Capt. Khalid Al Hamdan.

“At this echelon of aircraft type, a supreme level of safety, service and professionalism is a given. This is only achievable if you have the in-house capability to deal with the unexpected day-to-day issues, be able to proactively manage the operating costs and have valuable experience in operating VIP aircraft in extreme climates�, highlighted Executive Director Project Management Capt. Mohammed Al Gabbas. - 20 -

7KH WHFKQRORJLFDO VSHFL¿FDWLRQV on these aircraft are exceptional; cabin space in the BBJ, for example, H[FHHGV VT IW LW has the reliability of a commercial airline and dependable world-wide manufacturer support. BBJ and Gulfstream are currently the most popular aircraft types in the Middle (DVW 1DV-HW PDQDJHV DQG ÀLJKW supports ¿YH BBJs and has the ODUJHVW ÀHHW RI *XOIVWUHDPV LQ WKH Middle East.

,PDJHV *XOIVWUHDP $HURVSDFH &RUSRUDWLRQ

Three new, wide-body, long-range aircraft join current list of 65 managed aircraft

RADAR

Yachts the big idea? New for this winter, Edmiston will have two yachts available to charter around the Maldives. Of the two, Anastasia (pictured) is the largest, and arguably one of the most highly specified super yachts in the world. Her six double cabins pack in a split-level master suite and a main saloon that is fully equipped to transform the space into the yacht’s own club. It’s yours, with a dedicated crew, for €650,000 per week.

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RADAR > Devotees of Ferrari will want their library to stock this new, weighty tome that documents the brand’s most beautiful models through stunning photography, from the 166 SC all the way up to the current Supercar LaFerrari. It’s available as a collector’s edition, limited to 100 copies, and delivered in a clamshell box. teneues.com

> Antiquorum’s December 11 auction in New York – which you can bid at over the phone – sees a superb line up of rare Patek Philippe and Rolex watches under the hammer. Chief among them is an extraordinary Patek Philippe Ref. 5207 Tourbillon Minute Repeater Perpetual Calendar with honey gold dial in platinum. First sold in 2009, this exceptionally rare and important timepiece features a one-minute tourbillon regulator, instantaneous perpetual calendar and moon phases. It is presented in a mahogany fitted box, comes with a Certificate of Origin, and is expected to realise $650,000-850,000. - 24 -

RADAR

POISED FOR

SUCCESS It has been a momentous year for New York City Ballet, which celebrated its 65th birthday and half a century’s residency at the iconic Lincoln Center. It was founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and balletomane Lincoln Kirstein, with the aim of “build[ing] an American

Clockwise, from top: Serenade, 2013; Apollo, 2012; Nikolaj Hübbe and Darci Kistler in Duo Concertant, 1995

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RADAR ballet tradition”. The duo were famed for their high-profile collaborations: Igor Stravinsky penned music for the company’s first ballet, Orpheus, while British ballet royalty Sir Frederick Ashton created two one-off ballets for the company. On stage, feted dancers have included Nikolaj Hübbe and Peter Martins, who took on the role of Co-Ballet Master in Chief after Balanchine’s death. Clockwise, from top left: Balanchine rehearsing Stephanie Saland for Apollo, 1979; Jewels (Rubies), 2011; Jewels (Diamonds),1977

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The main residence: The estate has two entrances, both with impressive remotecontrolled wrought-iron gates. The main mansion - reached via a long driveway graced with old oak trees - is a stylish and symmetric building of impressive proportions that was built entirely from reclaimed bricks from the castle that originally stood on this site. The castle villa consists of 5 different levels that are connected by an elevator, and the very best materials and craftsmanship are apparent throughout: several types of marble, an imposing staircase with hand carved ornaments, castle-size fireplaces, unique leaded glass windows, and a beautiful indoor swimming pool complete with a whirlpool tub and a steam bath and sauna. The entrance offers a central and monumental hall, covered by a double art deco glass dome. It is equipped with the most advanced and sophisticated equipment available for central heating, air and water treatment, air conditioning, solar energy, audio and video facilities, central vacuum system, video security monitoring and alarm security system, among others.

The Guest houses: Two inviting guest houses provide additional accommodations. The first is a charming villa in a wooded area near the riding school. It was completely renovated in 1996 and features its own indoor swimming pool with sauna. The second guest house adjoins a part of the stables. The riding school: This fully restored farmhouse features a professional 50 metre indoor riding rink equipped with modern lighting, sound, heating and irrigation systems, and adjoins the second part of the stables and the outdoor arena. The first floor offers a grand balcony overlooking the rink as well as a bar, and restaurant. The estate is located on a National Park, just 10km from the Belgian-Dutch border and 15-20 minutes from the airport of Antwerp, and approximately 20-25 minutes from historic Breda of Holland. Both cities feature wonderful shops, galleries, and restaurants. Within two hours you can be in the heart of London by plane, and in two and a half hours you can be in the heart of Paris by train. A fantastic estate that is particularly suitable for horse lovers.

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CRITIQUE

Film Frozen

Dir: Chris Buck Desperate to end her Snow Queen sister’s icy spell on the kingdom, Anna enlists the help of brave PRXQWDLQ PDQ .ULVWR̆ and his reindeer Sven in this animated comedy adventure. AT BEST: “This smartly dressed package injects a traditional fairy tale with contemporary attitudes.” Hollywood Reporter AT WORST: “Proves longer on striking visuals than on truly engaging characters.” Variety

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Dir: Ben Stiller Ben Stiller plays a daydreamer who escapes his anonymous life for a world of fantasy. AT BEST: “Though Stiller can be funnier, the emotional dimension PDNHV WKH ¿OP IHHO PRUH substantial.” Variety AT WORST: “Too airless, too perfect, a dream.” The Guardian

Getaway

Nebraska

Dir: Courtney Solomon Ethan Hawke plays a disillusioned race-car driver forced to get behind the wheel when his wife is kidnapped. To save his wife, he must listen to the voice of a guy watching his every move. AT BEST: “Rather fun in its preposterousness and bargain-basement style.” Chicago Reader AT WORST: “Made 89 minutes feel like 89 hours.” Rolling Stone

Dir: Alexander Payne A tempestuous father is convinced he has won a million dollars and forces his son on a road trip to Nebraska to claim his winnings in this black-andwhite drama. AT BEST: “Probably Payne’s most poetic work yet, a quiet, subtle study of the highs and lows of family life” The List AT WORST: “A whimsical addition to Payne’s canon” Entertainment Weekly - 33 -

CRITIQUE

Art 7KH LQĂ€XHQFH RI OHIW ZLQJ SROLWLFV on art through the ages is under the spotlight at the Tate Liverpool until February in Art Turning Left: How Values Changed Making 1789–2013. The display ranged from the LQĂ€XHQWLDO ZRUN RI DUWLVWV VXFK DV Jacques-Louis David’s The Death of Marat during the French Revolution to Cildo Meireles’ Insertions into Ideological Circuits series (1970), which suggested dissent against Brazil’s then military dictatorship, and many things in between. Alastair Smart, of The Telegraph, enjoyed the works on display but was unsure about the exhibit’s format. “The point is to stress the boundary between art and life being blurred, when the former is taken outside its traditional setting of the museum or gallery. Yet, herein lies WKLV VKRZÂśV IXQGDPHQWDO Ă€DZ LWÂśV being held inside a prime example of just such a gallery. Precisely where the interventions, performances and happenings it recounts were breaking out from.

“This show covers much interesting ground, but it really would have worked far better as a lecture. As an exhibition, it leaves you not so much ‘turning left’ as Ă€RXQGHULQJ ZLWKRXW GLUHFWLRQ /LNH poor Marat in the bath.â€? Writing in the Guardian, Laura Cumming has mixed feelings about this “thorny, chaotic, ill-selected, badly presented but undeniably interesting showâ€?. Âł&DQ DUW D̆HFW everyone, does it matter whether we know the artist’s name, does equality change how art is made? Art Turning Left covers the subjects, WLFNV R̆ WKH artists, ploughs diligently through its themes. Sometimes it comes up with a work of real power, but generally it is that most dismaying of art - 34 -

experiences: a doctoral thesis in the guise of an exhibition.â€? While visiting northern Uganda in 2010, Martina Bacigalupo came across Gulu Real Art Studio, a shop where she found lots of portrait photographs missing faces (they had been cut out). It was the studio’s way of preventing customers who only wanted one passport picture having to use a machine that charged automatically for four. Bacigalupo (an Italian photojournalist on assignment with the Human Rights Watch), with permission from the studio owner Obal Denis, took dozens of the faceless shots home and expanded on them by means of interviews with sitters, some of whom had experienced the civil war there. More than 70 appear in Gulu Real Art Studio at The Walther Collection Project Space in New York until February 8, 2014. “Ms. Bacigalupo doesn’t match WKH LQWHUYLHZV WR VSHFLÂżF VLWWHUV and voices we hear on tape are not those of the interviewees, but of other people reading their words,â€? explained Holland Cotter of The New York Times. “But even with this distancing, the poignancy of the stories comes through, and the presence of the original speakers, even in faceless photographs, is strong.â€? William Meyers, writing in The Wall Street Journal, agrees. “We get a strong intimation of the sitters. The clothes they wear, the postures they assume and the backdrops they select tell us a lot about them.â€?

CRITIQUE

Books 'DYLG )LQNHOœV ¿UVW OLWHUDU\ WULXPSK The Good Soldiers, followed a EDWWDOLRQ RI VROGLHUV WKURXJK WKHLU GHSOR\PHQW LQ %DJKGDG LQ Unlike other literature of the VDPH JHQUH 7KH :DVKLQJWRQ 3RVW MRXUQDOLVW DQG HGLWRU SHUKDSV XQVXUSULVLQJO\ RSWHG IRU D IDFW driven narrative of each soldier’s H[SHULHQFHV PDNLQJ WKH VWRU\ DOO WKH PRUH KDUURZLQJ DQG SRLJQDQW

Finkel’s latest release, Thank You for Your Service, picks up the men’s story as they arrive back in the United States post-deployment, the “after-warâ€? as he calls it. *HR̆ '\HU ZULWLQJ IRU WKH *XDUGLDQ LV D ELJ IDQ Âł,W ZDV relatively easy – for a writer of )LQNHOÂśV FRXUDJH GHGLFDWLRQ DQG skill – to describe combat in The *RRG 6ROGLHUV 7KH VDPH JRHV IRU WKH DIWHU H̆HFWV RI LQMXULHV LQ 7KDQN <RX IRU <RXU 6HUYLFH Âľ6RPHZKHUH in his sealed-up eye socket is his H\H D XVHOHVV UDLVLQ RI D WKLQJ Âś %XW KRZ WR FRQYH\ WKH LQQHU ZRUNLQJV RI UDYDJHG PLQGV" %\ PRYLQJ DOPRVW inevitably, towards the novelistic.â€? Âł7KH HVVHQWLDO WKLQJ IRU WKH ZKROH XQGHUWDNLQJ ´ KH DGGV ÂłLV WKDW LWÂśV WKH VXEMHFWV 6FKXPDQQ LQ WKLV FDVH ZKR WDNH XV GRZQ D JLYHQ URDG RI

expression, not the writer, not the ZULWLQJ OHDGLQJ XV XS WKH JDUGHQ path of rhetoric and‌ poetry. The VWURQJHVW SDVVDJHV SUHVHQW PHQWDO XQUDYHOOLQJ DV UHSRUWDEOH IDFW ´ .HQ $UPVWURQJ RI 7KH 6HDWWOH 7LPHV ZDV VLPLODUO\ PRYHG “Finkel’s book is, in every sense, exceptional — exceptional for its commitment, its compassion and LWV H[HFXWLRQ ,W LV SXEOLF VHUYLFH D book built on extraordinary access, ZLWK UHSRUWLQJ VR UHOHQWOHVV DQG ZULWLQJ VR ÂżQH DQG VSDUH WKDW RXU XQGHUVWDQGLQJ RI ZDUÂśV HQGXULQJ FRVW LV IRUHYHU FKDQJHG )RU \HDUV WKH FULPH VROYLQJ DELOLW\ RI ,DQ 5DQNLQÂśV PDYHULFN 'HWHFWLYH ,QVSHFWRU 5HEXV KDV enthralled readers worldwide. Fans will be pleased to know their IDYRXULWH FULPH ÂżJKWHU LV GHÂżQLWHO\ out of retirement for Rankin’s latest edition, Saints of the 6KDGRZ %LEOH which delves into the murky past of Rebus’ former FROOHDJXHV and tests his LQWHJULW\ Kirsten Tranter, for 7KH $XVWUDOLDQ HQMR\HG WKH IUHVK blend of old and QHZ FKDUDFWHUV “The contest of old school v new school embodied by the two men is even more central to this new instalment in what promises to be a fresh series, framed E\ WKH WULDQJOH of Rebus, Fox DQG 'HWHFWLYH ,QVSHFWRU - 36 -

Siobhan Clarke, Rebus’s former SURWpJp ´ &ORVHU WR 5DQNLQÂśV KRPH %ULDQ Morton of The Herald, Scotland, is enthralled with Rankin’s storyWHOOLQJ DOEHLW ZLWK VRPH VOLJKW UHVHUYDWLRQV Âł8VLQJ DOO KLV XVXDO techniques of banter and prosaic GHVFULSWLRQV WKDW UHDG OLNH D WUḊF ZDUGHQÂśV QRWHERRN Âą Âľ7KDW HYHQLQJ 5HEXV GURYH WKH IXOO OHQJWK RI $UGHQ 6WUHHW VHHNLQJ D SDUNLQJ SODFH HQGLQJ XS LQ 0DUFKPRQW &UHVFHQWÂś 6DLQWV 2I 7KH 6KDGRZ %LEOH LV H[HFXWHG ZLWK WKH VZDJJHU RI D SUR However, it also shows a certain ZHDULQHVV SHW SKUDVHV DSSHDULQJ WRR RIWHQ DQG 5DQNLQ NHHSLQJ KLPVHOI amused as much as the reader, one VXVSHFWV LQ KLV FRQVWDQW XUJH WR WHOO XV ZKDWHYHU WUDFN LV SOD\LQJ RQ WKH car radio, or on Rebus’s turntable.â€?

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CRITIQUE

Theatre It wasn’t the production of Twelve Angry Men at the Garrick Theatre, London that sat uncomfortably with the Guardian’s Michael Billington, nor the performances, just the story itself. “Reginald Rose’s script has had an incredibly long life,â€? he wrote. Âł,W ÂżUVW VXUIDFHG RQ $PHULFDQ 79 LQ ZDV ÂżOPHG E\ 6LGQH\ /XPHW LQ 1957, and in 1964 began its lengthy theatrical career. But, although it remains a humane and highly ḢFLHQW SLHFH RI HQWHUWDLQPHQW LW LV also beginning to show its age. “That is not simply because it presents us with an all-male, allwhite jury (perfectly plausible in the 1950s). The real problem lies with the character of the virtuous architect who, alone among a group of jurors, refuses to automatically render a verdict of guilty on a 16-year-old boy accused of killing his father‌ The fault lies in the FRQFHSW DQG ÂżQH DFWRU WKRXJK KH LV QRW HYHQ 0DUWLQ 6KDZ FDQ TXLWH expunge the character’s aura of enlightened holiness.â€? -DQH 6KLOOLQJ RI 7KH 7HOHJUDSK however, felt Christopher Haydon’s production saved it from oversentimentality. “The subtlety of Haydon’s direction, which maintains a constant, restless movement of minds and bodies within the claustrophobic room, and Michael 3DYHONDÂśV H[TXLVLWHO\ LQWHOOLJHQW design, which places the jury table on an imperceptible revolve, shifting the audience perspective as the jury’s view of the case slowly changes, sets up its own insidious TXHVWLRQLQJ FRXQWHUSRLQW ´ ,Q WKH 6WDWHV PHDQZKLOH Tennesse William’s dark comedy The Mutilated has been exuberantly revived at the New Ohio Theater. It’s Christmas Eve and Celeste Delacroix *UL̇Q SOD\HG E\ 3HQQ\ $UFDGH KDV just been released from jail to be met less than warmly from those who know her, particularly former best

IULHQG 7ULQNHW 'XJDQ 0LQN 6WROH The New York Times’ Charles Isherwood was pleasantly surprised by the performances. “My fears that this would prove to be an XQSURÂżWDEOH ELW RI VWXQW FDVWLQJ TXLFNO\ HYDSRUDWHG RQFH WKH GLUHFWRU Cosmin Chivu’s production roared into life, with the happily tooting horns of a live Dixieland jazz band,â€? he wrote. “Neither actress has much experience in traditional theater, but these two inhabit the scarred souls of their contrasting characters with DQ LQWXLWLYH FRQÂżGHQFH EULQJLQJ WKHVH FRPLF JURWHVTXHV WR VFDEURXVO\ funny life.â€? There are more laughs to be had, IRU WKH ULJKW UHDVRQV LQ 6\GQH\ DW the Theatre Royal’s production of 'LUW\ 5RWWHQ 6FRXQGUHOV 7KH ZHOO known story of two men competing to swindle an American heiress out of thousands of dollars, successfully

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re-written for theatre in 2005, is played out here by leading men 7RQ\ 6KHOGRQ IUHVK IURP %URDGZD\ success with Priscilla, Queen of the Desert) and Matt Hetherington, under the direction Roger Hodgman. And ‘not so rotten’, is the verdict of The Australian’s Deborah Jones. “It’s impossible to over-estimate the LPSRUWDQFH RI FDVWLQJ 6FRXQGUHOV and here it’s spot on. There could so easily be a sour taste to this H[DOWDWLRQ RI DFTXLVLWLYHQHVV “The neat ensemble has attractive dance from Dana Jolly, pretty dresses by Teresa Negroponte and *X\ 6LPSVRQ FRQGXFWV D WHUULÂżF band notable for its generous size. Loads of undemanding fun.â€? :KLOH IRU -RKQ 6KDQG RI WKH 6\GQH\ 0RUQLQJ +HUDOG WKH production provided evidence that PXVLFDO WKHDWUH LV ÂłQRW TXLWH GHDG LQ the water yetâ€?.

AIR PROMOTION

The Art of Craftmanship The second series in Vacheron Constantin’s Métiers d’Art Les Univers Infinis collection celebrates the art of tessellation, an infinite vision of space

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‘The desire to perfect the detail in each timepiece is remarkable’

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TIMEPIECES

FREDERIC WATRELOT

Christie’s watch specialist reveals the sales trends of 2013

I have just returned from our most recent series of watch sales, held in Geneva, and what a season it turned out to be: a ten-hour watch auction marathon which made $43.9 million and set a new record for any series of watch sales. Before the sales, the pieces had travelled on exhibition to Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, New York and Dubai, and this is a measure of how truly international the buying in this category is. This trend was further demonstrated by a fiercerthan-ever competition in the saleroom itself, generated by both experienced and new international bidders, in the room, on the telephone and online. Patek Philippe and Rolex were the stars, confirming that rare timepieces have to be considered as true worksof-art. Repeatedly interrupted by the applauding audience, the last exciting session of the week was crowned by a standing ovation. As I left for Geneva, I was still a little overwhelmed with the success of our first watch auction for several years in Dubai. It was a great evening where nearly every watch sold, and a strong indication that collectors in - 42 -

our region are desperate to acquire great pieces from the leading watch brands of the world – buyers at the sale were predominantly from the Middle East. So finally I have a chance to reflect on this year’s sales and to consider what trends I see emerging from this flourishing international market. For me, the brand that continues to attract attention is Rolex. A special sale dedicated to the Daytona, on the 50th Anniversary of this iconic model, was the highlight of the Geneva sales and perhaps this helped to focus my attention. The sale was kept small but was perfectly formed with that all powerful combination, so irresistible to our top buyers: excellent condition and impeccable provenance. My collectors were also particularly drawn to the classic Stella dials used by Rolex – the term used to describe the dials made of coloured lacquer. Vintage Panerai was also in hot demand by buyers and my particular favourite this year was a very rare A. Lange and Söhne stainless steel watch (pictured), rare as this model is usually made in platinum. It sold for $501,769 against a pre-sale top estimate of around $200,000. We believe that in 2007, the brand wished to introduce this model with a much lighter case, resulting in the creation of this one stainless steel prototype. However, the plans never went beyond the trial stage making this model unique. The most alluring of terms for any serious collector.

AVENUE AT ETIHAD TOWERS is dedicated to exclusive luxur y and home to the world’s most desirable brands. Immerse yourself in Abu Dhabi’s most sophisticated boutique retail destination and indulge in the joy of living and shopping. w w w.AvenueAtEtihadTowers.ae

TIMEPIECES > With UAE National Day upon us, it was always likely that brands would try to entice collectors with models adapted to celebrate the occasion. Quick off the mark was TAG Heuer, which has just released a limited edition (250 pieces) Carrera Calibre 5.

Overt design nods to the UAE include the national flag emblazoned at 6 o’clock and handapplied rose gold plated indexes at 12 and 2 o’clock, referencing December 2. You’ll also find the words ‘UAE Edition’ inscribed on the case back. tagheuer.com

Next month, collectors and connoisseurs will gather in Geneva for SIHH and the unveiling of next year’s new models by some of the world’s finest watch brands. But you don’t have to wait that long for a sneak peek at what’s in store. New from Vacheron Constantin comes the Malte Tourbillon Collection Excellence Platine, which bears all the hallmarks of the Manufacturer’s watchmaking prowess – and the Hallmark of Geneva to prove it – but we’re particularly taken with the detail attributed to its strap: the dark blue Mississippiensis alligator leather has a saddle-stitched finish, hand-sewn with

ALL IN GOOD TIME silk and 950 platinum threads. It’s limited to 50 numbered pieces. From Cartier, meanwhile, comes an updated version of its classic Tortue watch, on which the domed case of the original model (first introduced in 1912) has been reshaped to emphasise its feminine elegance. It’s available in small and medium sizes, with versions in white, pink gold, or set with diamonds. - 45 -

JEWELLERY Rainbow Bright Sparkle in precious, party-friendly earrings…

> This Melo necklace and matching earrings come courtesy of Japan’s pearl maestro Mikimoto. Unique and understated, they’re perfect for this season’s festivities. The Melo pearl is extremely rare, and this shade is among the most sought-after; in this necklace its colour pops against 16.24cts of diamonds, set in platinum. mikimoto.co.uk

Robert Coin Fantasia Sapphires, amethysts and rubies

Bulgari Mediterranean Eden 18k gold, amethysts, turquoises, diamonds and pave diamonds

Chopard Haute Joaillerie 18k white gold, two sapphires, brilliant-cut diamonds

> If you thought showing your festive side was tacky, think again. Prove the cynics wrong and indulge in some souluplifting holiday joaillerie courtesy of Tiffany and its fabulous white gold mistletoe brooch of tsavorites, diamonds and cultured pearls. - 47 -

JEWELLERY

CUTTING it FINE

Have you ever held anything worth $50 PLOOLRQ"´ )UDQFRLV *UD̆ asks with a grin, his hands spread wide as if weighing the diamonds that would command such a price. I suspect it’s a rhetorical query, in response to my rather obvious question: Does he get a kick out of buying some of the world’s most expensive diamonds? “Oh, it’s amazing. I mean, it’s an unbelievable feeling. Not so much because what they’re worth, but because they’re so rare and beautiful.â€? :HÂśUH DW WKH ODXQFK RI *UD̆ 'LDPRQGVÂś Dubai Mall boutique: the second in the UAE, and one of a string of new openings across the Middle East and Asia. The new arrival is placed among some of the KLJKHVW SURÂżOH luxury marques on the planet, but its pieces and pedigree already set it apart from the crowd.

Do you know this man? If you do, chances are you’re top of your game. Meet Francois Graff, charismatic CEO of his father’s eponymous diamond empire Words: HAZEL PLUSH

7KH ZLQGRZV JOLWWHU ZLWK RQH R̆ creations: timepieces laden with doubledeckers of diamonds, tiaras and Alice bands heavy with multi-hued sparklers, and – of course – the most dazzling necklaces, FX̆V DQG FRFNWDLO ULQJV 7KH count of carats is dizzying; the stones as big as my everwidening eyes. )RU 0U *UD̆ KRZHYHU WKLV is just an average day in WKH ṘFH +HœV LQ WKH HDUO\ throes of a tour of new boutiques: next stop it’s Macau, followed by Hong Kong, Taipei, Seoul and Osaka.

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Asia’s emerging markets are as rich with diamond-hungry customers as their Middle Eastern counterparts, it seems. “The whole OX[XU\ DUHQD KDV FKDQJHG ´ VD\V *UD̆ Âł7KH world has become so much wider, and in the last ten years we’ve added another potential 1.4 billion consumers in China.â€? The precarious state of the economy in the rest of the world has also changed the dynamics of investing – one of the main PRWLYDWLRQV RI *UD̆œV ELJ FOLHQWV Âł/HDYLQJ PRQH\ LQ WKH EDQN LVQÂśW D JRRG ÂżQDQFLDO proposition today, because you get no interest – and it isn’t that exciting. If you’re lucky enough to acquire wealth in your lifetime, it’s not that easy to spend it. I’m serious. Yes, you can acquire a few things here and there – a home, a bit of this, a bit of that – but what can you acquire that’s super-valuable, in the millions? That you can be passionate about, that will hold its value?â€? Diamonds, it seems, aren’t just a girl’s best friend. *UD̆ 'LDPRQGV ZDV HVWDEOLVKHG LQ E\ /DXUHQFH *UD̆ Âą IDWKHU RI )UDQFRLV $IWHU cutting his teeth as a jewellery apprentice LQ /RQGRQ *UD̆ 6HQLRU RSHQHG KLV ÂżUVW ERXWLTXHV LQ /RQGRQ LQ WUDGLQJ VWRQHV and creating pieces for the upper echelons

‘Recently, Graff recreated its 1970s Hair and Jewel campaign, but this time with half a billion dollars-worth of rocks’ of British society. In search of opportunities overseas, he took to the road, setting up a MHZHOOHU\ FRQFHVVLRQ LQ 6LQJDSRUHÂśV 5RELQVRQÂśV 'HSDUWPHQW 6WRUH LQ DQG YLVLWLQJ FOLHQWV LQ WKHLU UHVLGHQFHV DQG ṘFHV ,Q WKH EUDQG RSHQHG LWV ÂżUVW Ă€DJVKLS VWRUH LQ .QLJKWVEULGJH /RQGRQ DQG /DXUHQFH *UD̆ DFTXLUHG WKH 6WDU RI %RPED\ D JROGHQ KXHG FDUDW GLDPRQG DQG WKH ÂżUVW of many iconic stones to pass through his hands. Ever ingenious, he also created one RI WKH ÂśV PRVW WDONHG DERXW DGYHUWLVLQJ FDPSDLJQV WKH Âľ+DLU DQG -HZHOÂś FRL̆XUH million of diamonds and gems were styled into the elaborately-looped hair of a young model – Âł,W ZDV DOO DERXW VKRFN DQG DZH ´ DGPLWV *UD̆ -XQLRU ZLWK D VPLOH It did the trick. Business was booming, and )UDQFRLV *UD̆ Âą MXVW D IHZ \HDUV ROG Âą ZDV - 49 -

JEWELLERY enthralled by his father’s tales. “Just like any other family, we’d sit round the dinner table and our dad would tell us what had happened to him that day. The stories were wild. There was an explosion of wealth from the oil boom, and people from all over the world were coming to this emporium in Knightsbridge. There were unbelievable stories of what happened there, of what people bought, of who they were‌ And he’d show us the things he hadn’t sold that day to the Sheikhs, royal families, businessmen.â€? Venturing into the family business seemed a natural step – “I don’t think I ever had a thought about not joining my fatherâ€? – and LQ )UDQFRLV *UD̆ HPEDUNHG RQ KLV ÂżUVW major business trip, to the UAE. “I came here for a very important meeting with one of the royal family members, and I ended up being here for several weeks. They bought some fabulous pieces from me.â€? Even today, with over 600 people working for the company and a turnover approaching ELOOLRQ /DXUHQFH DQG )UDQFRLV *UD̆ VWLOO make personal trips to their most important clients. The business remains independent and family-run, with father and son joined E\ 5D\PRQG *UD̆ EURWKHU RI /DXUHQFH (Manufacturing Director), and his son Elliott (Operations Director). “Every decision we PDNH LV FRPPXQDO ´ VD\V *UD̆ Âł:KHQHYHU ZH purchase a new stone, we have a mini board meeting, and go look at them together. In fact, there isn’t one stone in this company’s history that I haven’t held in my hand and had a strong opinion about at one stage or another.â€? I think back to that $50 million diamond he LPDJLQHG HDUOLHU :DV LW WKH FDUDW *UD̆ &RQVWHOODWLRQ WKH ODUJHVW URXQG ' FRORXU LQWHUQDOO\ Ă€DZOHVV rock to be graded by the Gemological ,QVWLWXWH RI $PHULFD" 2U WKH carat Delaire Sunrise, a whopping VTXDUH HPHUDOG ZKLFK WRRN *UD̆œV Master Cutter over a year to complete? ,Q WKRVH HPHUJLQJ PDUNHWV *UD̆œV half century of heritage is priceless, with many clients investing in historical pieces, or those inspired by the archives. Just a few months ago, the company recreated the ‘Hair and Jewel’ campaign that HQWUDQFHG LWV V FOLHQWV EXW WKLV WLPH ZLWK half a billion dollars-worth of rocks. *UD̆ LV D YHUWLFDOO\ LQWHJUDWHG EXVLQHVV with control of everything from production to retail. Roughly 20,000 carats of diamonds

pass through the cutting facilities in Botswana and South Africa every month, EHIRUH EHLQJ WUDQVSRUWHG WR WKH /RQGRQ workshops. Here, the pieces come together, after months – or years – of planning, design DQG ORJLVWLFDO DFUREDWLFV EHIRUH EHLQJ Ă€RZQ to boutiques all over the world. It’s hard not to be swept up in the romance, the thrill of it all – the idea of spending millions of dollars on a single stone, and transforming it into a piece (or pieces) of WUHDVXUH %XW OLNH DQ\ WUDGHUV DUH *UD̆ DQG his father merely the middlemen? “Yes, we are,â€? he laughs, “We’re the facilitators.â€? It’s a position to be proud of, of course – only attainable with their years of experience, and the clout of the family name. Still, it’s clear WKDW *UD̆ WUHDVXUHV KLV ZRUN Âł,WÂśV OLNH D OLIH seeing it all the way through. Seeing the stone being born, seeing it mature into a piece of jewellery, and seeing it be transported around the world – and eventually end up with a client who will treasure it. It will be sitting here in the world for another million years, well after we’ve all gone.â€?

‘I first came to the UAE for a very important meeting with the royal family. They bought some fabulous pieces from me...’

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18K gold and diamonds

DRIZZLE WITH BRILLIANCE

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INTERIORS inspiration, new ideas and a whole QHZ HQHUJ\ 0DQ\ VWRUHV WKDW , YLVLWHG KDG DPD]LQJ VFXOSWXUDO UXVWLF HOHPHQWV LQ WKHLU YLVXDO PHUFKDQGLVLQJ WKDW ÀRZHG WKURXJK WKH RYHUDOO VW\OLQJ DQG GHVLJQ RI WKH VSDFH In fact, a number of furniture stores were made up completely from WKLV LQGXVWULDO GHVLJQ GLUHFWLRQ 2QH RI WKH furniture collections that really stood out was a new contemporary UDQJH IURP 5DOSK /DXUHQ LQ D PRYH away from their XVXDO HOHJDQW style; the pieces were created in beautiful, GLVWUHVVHG ¿QLVKHV complemented with beaten metal and FRQFUHWH OLNH GHWDLO This tone was also translated in the more industrial-style VKDSHV IURP /LJQH 5RVHW particularly in their sofas ZKLFK ZHUH PDGH XVLQJ XQXVXDO IRDP SDGGLQJ ZKLFK ZDV YHU\ FRRO to look at and, more importantly, ZDV DFWXDOO\ UHDOO\ FRPIRUWDEOH $QRWKHU LQWHUHVWLQJ WDNH RQ WKH Industrial Chic trend was the use of PL[HG PDWHULDOV VXFK DV FRPELQLQJ SHUIRUDWHG PHWDO ZRUN LQ OLJKWLQJ GHVLJQ DV VHHQ DW FROOHFWLRQV IURP 7RP 'L[RQ DW $%& +RPH The head of interior design at Harrods highlights NYC’s signature style 7KHVH XQFRQYHQWLRQDO OLJKWLQJ GHVLJQV ZHUH FRPSOHPHQWHG E\ VRIW As part of my continual research for $ WKHPH RIWHQ OLQNHG ZLWK WKH JULWW\ upholstery in a clash of materials WKDW ZRUNHG UHDOO\ ZHOO 2QH RI GLYHUVH YLEH RI 1HZ <RUN DQG RQH new ideas and trends for interiors, I P\ IDYRXULWH VWRUHV DQG WKH JR WR WKDW LV HYLGHQWO\ VRPHWKLQJ RI DQ RIWHQ ¿QG P\VHOI WUDYHOOLQJ WR VRPH international trend at the moment is VKRSSLQJ GHVWLQDWLRQ IRU LQGXVWULDO of the most incredible destinations GHVLJQ ZDV 5HVWRUDWLRQ +DUGZDUH µ,QGXVWULDO &KLF¶ DQG UHFHQWO\ , ZDV OXFN\ HQRXJK WR on Broadway which represented The abundance of furniture WDNH D WULS WR WKH µ%LJ $SSOH¶ ZKHUH , a complete lifestyle solution in an VKRZURRPV DQG OLIHVW\OH VKRSSLQJ was immersed in a world of brands ,QGXVWULDO &KLF ÀDYRXU GHVWLQDWLRQV WKDW , YLVLWHG GXULQJ and accessories for the home… 5HFUHDWH WKLV 1HZ <RUN ORIW VW\OH P\ WULS GLG QRWKLQJ WR GDPSHQ P\ As you would expect, New York GHVLJQ ZLWK D VHOHFWLRQ RI ,QGXVWULDO VSLULWV 1HZ <RUN KDV DOZD\V EHHQ D ZDV DZDVK ZLWK GHVLJQ LQVSLUDWLRQ WKULYLQJ GHVLJQ KXE DQG D IRXQGDWLRQ &KLF SLHFHV WKDW UHÀHFW \RXU RZQ ZKLFK JRW P\ FUHDWLYH MXLFHV IRU RWKHUV WR UHVHDUFK IRU QHZ LGHDV OLIHVW\OH ,W¶V D IXQ ZD\ RI EUHDNLQJ ÀRZLQJ DQG ¿OOHG PH ZLWK UHQHZHG away from the ordinary… ,W ZDV UHIUHVKLQJ WR GLVFRYHU QHZ HQWKXVLDVP IRU WKH FRPLQJ VHDVRQ

SARA COSGROVE

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> It’s not every day you’d think to showcase art in the kitchen, but then Kate MccGwire’s feather sculptures are not everyday works of art. Having begun collecting feathers from a pigeon shed near her home, today she creates beautiful sculptures like Evacuate, 2010 (pictured) that adorn homes and galleries. allvisualarts.org

SITTING PRETTY Chairs don’t get more special than this 22-carat-gold BRYCLA Royal chair. The British-manufactured chair, fit for a king, is the first of its kind, comes with authentication certificates and is a must for VIP weddings, international events and the like. And its flexi back means it’s comfortable too. brycla.com

> Canadian ceramicist Hugo Didier has turned his substantial creative talent to contemporary technology. The result? A sublime collection of modern household items with traditional ceramic elements. Fastidious dedication to handmade work means the pieces he has created so far: coat hooks, an iPhone station and lamps, are already highly sought after. hugodidier.com

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Discover Luxury

The largest selection of 19th Century French antiques in the region, 19th Century Antiques specializes in rare furniture, bronzes, paintings, clock sets, and vases of exceptional quality and taste.

JUMEIRAH EMIRATES TOWERS, BOULEVARD | DUBAI, UAE TEL: +971 4 3887000 FAX: +971 4 3887111 | WWW.19CENTURYANTIQUES.COM

ART & DESIGN

S

ylvester Stallone: actor, screenwriter, director‌ artist? Yes, according to The Russian Museum in St Petersburg, where an exhibit of the Hollywood heavyweight’s daubings is now on display. It seems when Stallone was not writing Oscar-nominated scripts or starring in blockbusters, he was busy perfecting his brush strokes. He’d studied art before his acting career had begun and has had exhibitions in Switzerland and at Art Basel Miami Beach in 2009. This show, entitled: Sylvester Stallone. Art. 1975-2013, features works the 67-year-old produced during the past four decades. “I think I’m a much better painter than an actor,â€? he told reporters at the exhibit’s unveiling. “It’s much more personal and I’m allowed to just do what I want to do. Quite often in acting you have to play a certain part, you cannot speak as much as you want to speak. I suppose the heroes don’t talk much, you have to be very stoic.â€? The decision to show the Rocky DFWRUÂśV ZRUN DW RQH RI 5XVVLDÂśV ÂżQHVW art museums, given the anti-Soviet theme of some of his earlier work, did not go down well with some echelons in Russian society. But the museum defends its decision, considering the works emotive and important personal statements. “The thing one most needs in order to interpret Stallone’s work is

THE

UNEXPENDABLES One of Hollywood’s biggest stars reveals his hidden artistic talent‌

The characters and images represented in Stallone’s work represent events in his life. Bright FRORXUV DQG IUHQHWLF IRUPV ¿OO WKH large-scale paintings, which are

Courtesy the Russian Museum

‘Stallone’s paintings can seem beautiful or savage, skillfully done or not’ to understand that they arise out of an inner necessity that stems from when the amount of accumulated knowledge, sensations and feelings demand to be materialized and transitioned to a new reality,� states its website. “Painting�, according to Stallone, “is the fastest and most exact way to process and translate your subconscious.�

sometimes accompanied with words, letters and symbols painted across the canvas. Las Vegas casino kingpin Steve Wynn bought one of his pieces for a reported US$40,000. “Stallone’s paintings can seem beautiful or savage, skillfully done or not, but they do not leave viewers LQGL̆HUHQW DV ZLWKLQ WKHP OLYHV WKH mystery of experience,â€? a museum - 57 -

ṘFLDO VDLG Âł7KH\ H[SUHVV WKH SRZHU RI KXPDQ GHVSDLU VX̆HULQJ and hope, which is given a “voiceâ€? in painted form and comprises the positive side of the work of Stallone as an artist.â€? The exhibition, which runs until January 13, 2014, sees several pieces on display at the Ludwig Museum, featuring alongside works by other modern contemporary artists such as Andy Warhol. No accident, the museum states: “Sylvester Stallone is an artist who both knows and highly regards the artistic output of his contemporaries, especially JeanMichel Basquiat and Andy Warhol. Works by both of these artists, among others, were donated to the Russian Museum by Peter Ludwig.â€?

ART & DESIGN

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the

art of war

This month, the emotive work of Dubai-based Syrian artist Tammam $]]DP JHWV LWV ÂżUVW VROR 8. VKRZ

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even months into the Syrian revolution, artist Tammam Azzam ÀHG KLV KRPH LQ 'DPDVFXV IRU 'XEDL ZLWK KLV IDPLO\ LQ RUGHU WR avoid army conscription. Following the outbreak of FRQÀLFW $]]DP ¹ D SUROL¿F SDLQWHU DW WKH WLPH ¹ XVHG KLV DUWLVWU\ WR H[SRVH WKH ZRUVHQLQJ situation at home. Fleeing Syria meant abandoning his studio. In the months that followed, Azzam discovered other mediums, mainly digital media and street art, both of which are powerful means of protest that authorities often struggle to suppress. They

in his turmoil. It was just one striking piece in a series of works that saw Azzam use iconic Western art works within images of devastation in Syria. The Ayyam Gallery London said the images “serve to focus attention on the destruction of Syria’s cultural heritage and to juxtapose the creative capacity of humanity with the damage LW LV DOVR FDSDEOH RI LQĂ€LFWLQJ ´ They’ll be on show in London, as well as a new body of work, Bon Voyage, which makes use of digital collages to “highlight the fragility of political structures in the wake of revolutionâ€?. Brightly-coloured balloons carry

‘Azzam’s Freedom Graffiti was a massive hit on social media’ have subsequently featured in his work. 7KLV PRQWK VHHV WKH ÂżUVW VROR 8. H[KLELWLRQ of Azzam’s work, at Ayyam Gallery in London. 5XQQLQJ EHWZHHQ 'HFHPEHU DQG January 30, 2014, it coincides with a show of his work at Ayyam Gallery in Beirut between 'HFHPEHU DQG -DQXDU\ At the start of this year, Azzam’s SKRWRJUDSKLF ZRUN )UHHGRP *UḊWL ZDV D PDVVLYH KLW RQ VRFLDO PHGLD LW ZDV ‘shared’ 14,000 times and ‘liked’ by 20,000 SHRSOH LQ MXVW ÂżYH KRXUV +H VXSHULPSRVHG *XVWDY .OLPWÂśV 7KH .LVV RQ D EXOOHW ULGGHQ EXLOGLQJ LQ 'DPDVFXV WR KLJKOLJKW WKH FRXQWU\ - 59 -

ZDU WRUQ EXLOGLQJV IURP 'DPDVFXV RYHU WKH world’s political landmarks, which are also on the brink of destruction: the UN headquarters in Geneva is portrayed at risk of disappearing down a sink hole, while a whirlpool threatens WR VZDOORZ WKH 8.ÂśV +RXVHV RI 3DUOLDPHQW Syrian Olympic, a 2013 piece, enables Azzam to question the lack of international support for his country’s people by repeating the word “unitedâ€? through a series of lightboxes called United Nations, United States and United Russia. He uses the colours UHG EODFN DQG JUHHQ Âą ÂłWR SURSRVH D QHZ Ă€DJ order for a free Syriaâ€?.

ART & DESIGN

S

he is one of the most exciting contemporary artists to emerge from the Far East in recent years, her colourful commentary on Chinese society having caught the attention of the fashion and art set alike. Now, following a sell-out London show in 2012, Ye Hongxing’s QHZHVW ZRUNV (DVW RI (GHQ Âą YLEUDQW mosaic-like art featuring animals and SODQWV FRH[LVWLQJ ZLWK KXPDQV Âą DUH RQ display again at the British capital’s Scream Gallery. Hongxing, who began painting as a child in Guangxi, describes her latest exhibition as “joyfulâ€? and “pleasant and dazzling compared to what I was working on last yearâ€? KHU 3KHQRPHQRQ RI WKH (DUWK VHULHV focussed on the not so bright break GRZQ RI PRUDO YDOXHV LQ VRFLHW\ ,QGHHG 0HOLVVD 'LJE\ %HOO 6FUHDP Gallery’s creative director, recognises a playful and youthful quality to the latest works. “What makes her work so unique is her imagery is entirely composed from children’s stickers,â€? she says. “The works have a jewel-like mosaic quality and really dazzle and glitter in front of you. The compositions are highly detailed and complex and you see something new each time you look at them.â€?

‘What makes her work so unique is her imagery is entirely composed from children’s stickers’ Hongxing’s use of colour, art forms and themes also caught the attention of shoe designer to the stars Christian Louboutin, who in May this year showcased her work at his famous Wyndham Street store in London WR FRLQFLGH ZLWK $UW %DVHO +RQJ .RQJ 7KH DUWLVW LV 'LJE\ %HOO H[SODLQV ÂłD relevant voice of her generationâ€?. “This is Ye Hongxing’s second solo show at Scream and Ye continues to be inspired and influenced by the changing landscape of China. Her work references pop culture, mainstream media, architecture, nature and the industrial advancements in the region.â€?

Hongxing’s story begins in 1972, a time of great social, political and economic change in China. Having obtained her 0DVWHUœV 'HJUHH IURP WKH &HQWUDO $FDGHP\ RI )LQH $UWV LQ %HLMLQJ DUJXDEO\ &KLQDœV WRS DUW DFDGHP\ LQ +RQJ[LQJ VRRQ saw her works displayed at various China galleries before being selected, in 2006, as one of the country’s top 20 emerging painters by a distinguished group of internationally UHQRZQHG SDQHOOLVWV DW WKH 'UDJRQDLU Emerging Chinese Artist Awards. More success followed, with showings in Europe at Art Cologne, in Miami, and later New York, before she caught the attention of Louboutin, who showed her work in Miami first in 2012. - 60 -

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London’s Scream Gallery is unsurprisingly delighted to be hosting Hongxing’s work yet again. “Particularly in Beijing, where Ye Hongxing is based, there is a growing community of artists so it’s exciting to witness the upcoming generation finding a voice and being able to communicate creatively with a JOREDO DXGLHQFH ´ VD\V 'LJE\ %HOO Âł7KHUH LV a wonderful heritage of craft and skill from that region and it’s interesting to see how this generation are developing this further, using new and unusual mediums. There is a lot of work out there that conforms to a certain aesthetic, but what makes Ye Hongxing really VWDQG RXW LV KHU GLVWLQFW VW\OH DQG LPDJHU\ Âą she’s really carving a niche for herself.â€?

Fine

China

Ye Hongxing’s latest exhibit at London’s Scream Gallery promises a colourful commentary on life in China‌ - 61 -

an ambitious but admirable premise: VHW LQ %DJKGDG LQ D SHULRG of extreme sectarian violence, the script focuses on the everyday lives of the city’s regular citizens, and WKHLU VWUXJJOH WR FOLQJ WR UHDOLW\ 1RZ 3DFKDFKL LV EDFN LQ /RQGRQ KHU DGRSWHG KRPH FLW\ ZRUNLQJ RQ EULQJLQJ WKH SURMHFW WR OLIH , UHDFK

WKH PRQH\ WR HGLW LW %XW WKLV LV D YHU\ GL̆HUHQW SURFHVV DQG LWÂśV WDNLQJ PXFK ORQJHU ´ 3DFKDFKLÂśV script delves into the relationships IRUJHG GXULQJ FRQĂ€LFW WKH HYHU\GD\ VWUXJJOHV Âą WKH IUHHGRP RI ÂżFWLRQ DOORZLQJ KHU WR SUREH PXFK GHHSHU into personal intimacy than a GRFXPHQWDU\ HYHU\ FRXOG Âł,ÂśYH

STRANGER

A feature film set in Baghdad? It’s no mean feat. Meet Maysoon Pachachi, a documentary maker who’s making her debut fiction work in the city from which she was forced to flee

7+$1 ),&7,21 Words: HAZEL PLUSH

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his month, Dubai International Film Festival marks its tenth anniversary: a star-studded decade of applauding ¿OPPDNLQJ DFWLQJ DQG VFULSWZULWLQJ excellence, celebrating the business’s ¿QHVW PRPHQWV DQG SHUVRQDOLWLHV ,W KDV DLGHG ÀHGJOLQJ FDUHHUV ODXGHG established ones, and inspired hundreds of international attendees ODVW \HDU LW ZHOFRPHG RYHU GHOHJDWHV 7KRXVDQGV RI ¿OPV DQG scripts are submitted each year, competing for accolades in a handful of categories: Best Emirati Director, Best Arab Film, Best AsiaAfrica 6KRUW WR QDPH EXW D IHZ ,W WDNHV DQ exceptional talent to stand out from WKH FURZG /DVW \HDU D ¿UVW WLPH ¿FWLRQ ¿OPPDNHU GLG MXVW WKDW 0D\VRRQ Pachachi, an Iraqi director, editor and producer, received the IWC *XOI )LOPPDNHU $ZDUG ¹ WKH QHZ DFFRODGH VSRQVRUHG E\ ZDWFKPDNHU ,:& 6FKD̆KDXVHQ 3DFKDFKLœV VFULSW IRU 1RWKLQJ 'RLQJ LQ %DJKGDG ¹ KHU GHEXW ¿FWLRQ IHDWXUH SURMHFW ¹ FDXJKW WKH H\H RI D VWDU VWXGGHG MXU\ SDQHO ZKLFK LQFOXGHG FHOHEUDWHG DFWUHVV &DWH %ODQFKHWW DQG 'LUHFWRU RI $57( )UDQFH &LQHPD 2OLYLHU 3qUH ,W ZDV

her on the phone: she’s knee-deep in funding proposals and budgets Âą DQG RQ WKH IRXUWK UH ZULWH RI WKH VFULSW Âł,WÂśV PXFK PRUH FRKHUHQW PXFK WLJKWHU ´ VKH VD\V Âł7KH ,:& SUL]H FDPH ZLWK D UHZDUG EXW LWV UHDO YDOXH KDV EHHQ SULFHOHVV ,W PDGH WKH SURMHFW YLVLEOH ,W ZDV WKH ÂżUVW SLHFH RI SURGXFWLRQ IXQGLQJ ZH received, and it really helped to have WKLV NLQG RI ḊUPDWLRQ IURP VXFK D KLJK SURÂżOH MXU\ ´ 3DFKDFKL PD\ EH QHZ WR WKH ÂżFWLRQ ÂżOP ZRUOG EXW RYHU WKH SDVW years she has built a strong career as DQ LQGHSHQGHQW GRFXPHQWDU\ PDNHU +HU ZRUN KLJKOLJKWV WKH KXPDQLW\ of the Arab region, focusing on the SOLJKW RI LWV PDUJLQDOLVHG ÂżJXUHV WKH VLOHQFHG WKH LQMXUHG WKH H[LOHG +HU ÂżOPV KDYH EHHQ FHOHEUDWHG at documentary festivals all over WKH ZRUOG LQFOXGLQJ WKH .DODPDWD International Documentary Festival and the Arab Film Festival 5RWWHUGDP DQG 6PRNH KHU FROODERUDWLRQ ZLWK /XFLD 1RJXHLUD LV QRZ LQ /RQGRQÂśV 7DWH *DOOHU\ Nothing Doing in Baghdad is, KRZHYHU XQFKDUWHUHG Âą DQG XQFHUWDLQ Âą WHUULWRU\ Âł:LWK WKH ODVW IHZ GRFXPHQWDULHV ,ÂśYH PDGH ,ÂśYH MXVW WDNHQ P\ FDPHUD VKRW ZKDW , QHHGHG DQG WKHQ IRXQG - 62 -

WULHG WR H[SORUH WKH H̆HFWV RI ,UDTÂśV layers and layers of history on the individual and collective psyche,â€? VKH VD\V Âł7KH ZD\ WKDW SHRSOH KDYH WR FRSH ZLWK WKH GHVWUXFWLRQ DURXQG WKHP ZKHWKHU WKH\ÂśUH QXPE RU JDOYDQLVHG E\ LW ´ 3DFKDFKLÂśV ÂżFWLRQ KDV LWV URRWV LQ UHDOLW\ KRZHYHU Âł0\ FR ZULWHU LV ,UDGD $O -DEERXUL D QRYHOLVW ZKR lived in Baghdad through the intense XQUHVW RI WKH HDUO\ V 6KH IRXQG herself creatively paralysed: amid WKH YLROHQFH VKH ZDV XQDEOH WR ZULWH Âą HYHU\WKLQJ IHOW OLNH D OLH ´ $O Jabbouri found herself documenting the extraordinary scenes of life in %DJKGDG Âą WDNLQJ KHU GDXJKWHU WR school, teaching at the university, EX\LQJ YHJHWDEOHV Âą ZULWLQJ GRZQ HYHU\WKLQJ VKH VDZ DQG KHDUG Âł, ZDV GRLQJ D VLPLODU WKLQJ ´ VD\V 3DFKDFKL ÂłDOEHLW IURP /RQGRQ :H FROODWHG DOO RI WKLV PDWHULDO ZKHQ ZH GHFLGHG WR PDNH WKH ÂżOP :H extracted characters from it, and certain scenes, and then completely H[WUDSRODWHG IURP WKDW ZLWK RWKHU FKDUDFWHUV DQG VWRU\OLQHV ´ 3DFKDFKL ZDV XVHG WR YLHZLQJ ,UDT IURP DIDU 7KH GDXJKWHU RI $GQDQ Pachachi, Iraq’s former Foreign 0LQLVWHU DQG 5HSUHVHQWDWLYH WR WKH 81 VKH JUHZ XS RQ WKH PRYH DQG

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ZDV HGXFDWHG LQ WKH 86$ DQG 8. Âł,ÂśP OLNH D SHUVRQ ZKR OLYHV RQ D EULGJH ´ VKH VD\V Âł0RYLQJ DURXQG D ORW DV D FKLOG DQG WHHQDJHU ZDV XQVHWWOLQJ EXW DIWHU D ZKLOH \RX MXVW JHW XVHG WR LW ,ÂśP D ELW RI D VWUDQJHU HYHU\ZKHUH EXW LQ VRPH VHQVH , FDQ DOVR EHORQJ HYHU\ZKHUH ´ 3DFKDFKLÂśV HDUO\ ZRUN UHĂ€HFWHG KHU GLVWDQFH IURP ,UDT IRU KHU documentary Iraqi Women: Voices IURP ([LOH VKH LQWHUYLHZHG ,UDTL ZRPHQ ZKRÂśG Ă€HG WR WKH 8. IRU VDIHW\ ,W ZDV DLUHG RQ &KDQQHO RQH RI WKH 8.ÂśV SUHPLHU FKDQQHOV DQG PHW ZLWK RXWVWDQGLQJ UHYLHZV Âł9LYLG DQG HPRWLRQDO ´ ZURWH 7KH 6XQGD\ 7LPHV Âł0RUH UHDOLVWLF and believable than many images provided by the media,â€? said /RQGRQÂśV 7LPH 2XW %XW GHVSLWH her physical distance from Iraq, 3DFKDFKL ZDV QHYHU HPRWLRQDOO\ HVWUDQJHG Âą DQG UHPRWH UHSRUWLQJ KRZHYHU ZHOO UHFHLYHG ZDV QR ORQJHU SRZHUIXO HQRXJK $IWHU \HDUV DZD\ IURP Baghdad, Pachachi returned in DUPHG ZLWK D YLGHR FDPHUD DQG D IHZ KD]\ PHPRULHV RI KHU FKLOGKRRG %XW WKH FLW\ WKDW VKH UHPHPEHUHG ZDV JRQH Âł0\ SRLQWV RI reference had

EHHQ GHVWUR\HG Âą H[FHSW IRU WKH ULYHU %XW , UHPHPEHUHG WKH W\SH RI light, for example, and the sound RI WKH ELUGVRQJ LQ WKH DIWHUQRRQ 7KRVH VHQVRU\ PHPRULHV WKDW \RX FDUU\ ZLWK \RX IURP FKLOGKRRG ´ ,Q DQ H̆RUW WR UHFRQQHFW ZLWK WKH FLW\ she sought out some old friends ZKR ZHUH VWLOO LQ WKH FLW\ DQG WDONHG to random people in the hospitals, VFKRROV DQG PDUNHWV Âł3HRSOH ZRXOG DVN PH ZKHUH , ZDV IURP DQG , ZRXOG VD\ Âľ,ÂśP IURP KHUH Âś DQG WKH\ ZRXOG ODXJK 0D\EH , ZDV GUHVVHG VOLJKWO\ GL̆HUHQWO\ RU KDG D GL̆HUHQW VWDQFH $QG WKHQ VWRULHV ZRXOG SRXU RXW RI WKHP Âą LW ZDV OLNH WKH\ ZHUH WDONLQJ WR D UHODWLYH ZKRÂśG EHHQ RXW RI WKH FRXQWU\ IRU D ZKLOH DQG ZDQWHG WR NQRZ ZKDW ZDV JRLQJ RQ ´ 7KDW ÂżUVW UHWXUQ WULS JDOYDQLVHG Pachachi to give her home country D YRLFH WKURXJK KHU ÂżOPPDNLQJ to express the sense of KXPDQLW\ WKDW ZDV overlooked by WKH QHZV

Ir a nia nJ ou rn ey (20 ) 00

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UHSRUWHUV 7KH UHVXOW ZDV 5HWXUQ WR WKH /DQG RI :RQGHUV ZKLFK ÀLWWHG EHWZHHQ WKH SHUVRQDO DQG SROLWLFDO ³,Q DOO WKRVH \HDUV RI ZDWFKLQJ ,UDT RQ WKH QHZV LQ /RQGRQ , QHYHU VDZ D UHDO ,UDTL SHUVRQ , WKLQN WKDW VRUW RI WKLQJ PDNHV ZDUV PRUH SRVVLEOH because you don’t have to think of WKRVH SHRSOH DV KXPDQV ¹ \RX GRQœW UHDOLVH WKH\œUH MXVW OLNH \RX 0DNLQJ D ¿OP DERXW WKH FRXQWU\ ZDV P\ ZD\ of reconstructing something that KDG VKDWWHUHG ,WœV D ELW OLNH VRPHRQH you care about being ill, and it’s not SRVVLEOH WR ZDON DZD\ IURP WKHP ,I PHWDSKRULFDOO\ speaking, my country ZDV ZHOO P\ VLJKWV ZRXOG

Op en Sh ut te r sI ra 20 q( ) 09

probably EH HOVHZKHUH ´ Pachachi has since started a training centre in Baghdad for aspiring ¿OPPDNHUV 7R GDWH LWV VWXGHQWV KDYH SURGXFHG VKRUW ¿OPV mostly mirroring Pachachi’s urge to document life in the city, and KDYH ZRQ DZDUGV EHWZHHQ WKHP +HU PRVW UHFHQW FRPSOHWHG ZRUN KRZHYHU LV JHRJUDSKLFDOO\ HVWUDQJHG from Iraq, although the country’s LQÀXHQFH UXQV GHHS ,Q ¶V 2SHQ 6KXWWHUV ,UDT VKH IROORZV D JURXS RI ,UDTL ZRPHQ RQ D SKRWRJUDSK\ FRXUVH LQ 6\ULD 2QFH DJDLQ 3DFKDFKL LQVSLUHV WKH FRQ¿GHQFH RI KHU VXEMHFWV ZKLOH WKH\ FDSWXUH

Damascus RQ ¿OP WKH ZRPHQ RSHQ XS to her about the horrors of their experiences DW KRPH 7KH ZRUN UHFHLYHG D 6SHFLDO -XU\ 0HQWLRQ DW WKH Arab Film Festival Rotterdam; ³$GPLUDEOH DQG WLPHOHVV ´ ZURWH %HLUXW¶V 'DLO\ 6WDU QHZVSDSHU

Documentaries DUH QDUUDWLYHV ± EXW ¿FWLRQ FDQ EH PXFK PRUH SHUVRQDO ´ )RU QRZ ZKLOH ZRUNLQJ on Nothing Doing in Baghdad, Pachachi’s task is less artistic, more ORJLVWLF 7KH SURFHVV RI SURGXFLQJ D ¿FWLRQ IHDWXUH ¿OP LV SURYLQJ PXFK more complex than her documentary SURMHFWV ³, GRQ¶W NQRZ ZKHUH ZH¶OO ¿OP LW ´ VKH VD\V VLJKLQJ ³7KH situation in Baghdad is so bad right QRZ ,W¶V LPSRVVLEOH WR JHW LQVXUDQFH IRU D ¿OP SURGXFWLRQ LQ D ZDU ]RQH ´ 7KH FXUUHQW SODQ LV WR ¿OP LQ WKH backstreets and houses of Basra,

‘Making a film about Iraq was my way of reconstructing something that had shattered’ Dubai International Film Festival ZDV D ZDWHUVKHG PRPHQW IRU 3DFKDFKL $IWHU \HDUV RI VWURQJ grounding in documentaries, the ,:& DZDUG EHVWRZHG WKH HVVHQWLDO recognition she needed to break into ¿FWLRQ ± DQG H[SORUH KHU PDOLJQHG FRXQWU\ PRUH GHHSO\ WKDQ HYHU ³,Q ¿FWLRQ WKHUH¶V D GL̆HUHQW NLQG RI WUXWK ´ VKH VD\V ³,W¶V PRUH WR GR ZLWK SHRSOH¶V LQWHUQDO ZRUNLQJV - 65 -

then shoot essential city scenes in %DJKGDG ,W¶V LURQLF WKDW RQ PDNLQJ her professional return to the city, Pachachi may be exiled by her VXEMHFW %XW WKHQ WKDW¶V QRWKLQJ QHZ ³:KHQ \RX¶UH ZRUNLQJ LQ WKH 0LGGOH East, it’s vital to have a contingency SODQ ´ VKH VD\V ³,W¶V JRLQJ WR EH D ZRQGHUIXO ¿OP EXW WKHUH¶V FHUWDLQO\ QRWKLQJ HDV\ DERXW LW %XW WKHQ ZKDW LV OLIH ZLWKRXW D FKDOOHQJH"´

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hey

Jude The British actor tells AIR why, at 40, he is enjoying acting more than ever… Words: LEAH OATWAY

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‘No aspect of my private life was safe from press intrusion, including my children’ “I was thrilled to be there with this LQGHSHQGHQW ¿OP WKDW LV YHU\ FORVH WR P\ KHDUW ´ KH UHFDOOHG IRQGO\ ³,W >IHOW@ WKDW ZH DEVROXWHO\ KDG FRPH WR WKH ULJKW SODFH , KDYH EHHQ FRPLQJ WR 7RURQWR RQ DQG R̆ IRU DERXW >PD\EH@ \HDUV ZLWK ¿OPV RI DOO GL̆HUHQW VL]HV DQG VKDSHV DQG TXDOLWLHV ,W ZDV VR H[FLWLQJ WR GULYH WR RXU SUHPLHUH SDVW TXHXHV RI FLQHPD JRHUV DQG LW¶V H[DFWO\ D SODFH OLNH WKLV WKDW WKH ¿OP VKRXOG >KDYH EHHQ@ ODXQFKHG $ ¿OP WKLV VL]H LV ¿JKWLQJ DJDLQVW ¿OPV WLPHV ELJJHU ´ While many actors shy away from watching WKHLU RZQ ZRUN SRVW SURGXFWLRQ /DZ VHHV LW DV DQ LPSRUWDQW SDUW RI WKH ¿OPPDNLQJ SURFHVV ³*HQHUDOO\ , NLQG RI ZDWFK P\ PRYLHV RQFH DQG WKHQ , OHDYH LW DORQH EXW , GR ZDQW WR ZDWFK ZKDW ,¶YH GRQH EHFDXVH , IHHO WKHUH LV DOZD\V D SLHFH RI WKH MLJVDZ WKDW LV ORVW ,W¶V JRRG WR VHH KRZ LW FDPH RXW ´ 7KH VFUHHQLQJ LQ 7RURQWR ZDV WKH ¿UVW WLPH /DZ KDG VHHQ KLV SHUIRUPDQFH RQ WKH ELJ VFUHHQ ³, ZDV JRLQJ WR VLW GRZQ IRU ¿YH PLQXWHV DQG WKHQ OHDYH EXW , UHDOLVHG WKDW , KDGQ¶W VHHQ LW ZLWK DQ DXGLHQFH VR LW ZDV QLFH WR VLW LQ IURQW RI SHRSOH HPEUDFLQJ WKH PRYLH WKH ZD\ , KDG ³,W¶V QHYHU IXOO\ VDWLVI\LQJ ZDWFKLQJ \RXUVHOI <RX FDQ¶W KHOS EXW VHH \RXU RZQ PLVWDNHV DQG WKLQJV WKDW \RX FRXOG KDYH GRQH EHWWHU $OVR I tend to remember what was going on when we were making the movie, so it’s more of a nostalgic moment, thinking, ‘Oh, yeah, that ZDV WKH GD\ ZH ZHUH GRLQJ WKDW ¶ RU µ<HV WKDW ZDV IRXU R¶FORFN LQ WKH PRUQLQJ LW ZDV UHDOO\ - 69 -

and I liked the challenge, it seemed enormous. It was a blurry but wonderful experience, and it was the first scene that took my breath away the most. It didn’t really let up beyond that.� Law is evidently content and seems genuinely happy at work. “Yes,� he affirms. “Acting gets better with age. I am really enjoying the work that I have done in the last few years. Parts can get more and more interesting, more and more challenging – well, it depends on what you are taking, but with mine the last few years there have been a few more interesting roles available.� And energy levels on set are no issue either. “There’s a sort of overall energy of any one person you meet: you meet people and they have an outward energy or an inward energy, an aggressive energy, an embracive energy, positive or negative, and if you can tap into that and create the energy for the character you are playing, then you just sort of mainline that for the period of time required. “I am not someone who takes my characters

‘It’s never fully satisfying watching yourself. You can’t help but see your own mistakes’ home particularly, but I do enjoy kind of purveying that energy for a consistent amount of time while you are making the film. And then turning off and sleeping for a couple of weeks afterwards to recover.� Despite more than 25 years in the business and numerous interviews with co-stars who wax lyrical about how much they’ve learnt from him, the Brit insists he too is still learning. “I think every actor you work with, you learn something from. It’s an extraordinary experience, acting opposite someone, and if you have never acted or never done it then it’s a hard one to explain. It’s like dancing with someone: you don’t get to dance with many people, but you always pick up something from them: it’s a very intimate experience, and it’s an amazing experience of trust. It’s always shocking: you see something of them that you don’t see if you just sit and meet and have a cup of tea, it’s an extraordinary exchange and you can’t help but walk away and, sometimes subconsciously, you learn what never to do and sometimes you learn what you want to do.�

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Text: Leah Oatway Images: Corbis / Arabian Eye; Supplied

cold’ – it’s not the same experience I hope that you expect to [have at] one of my movies. But this time, being there at the end of one of the screenings, with real people, it was like doing stage theatre... in a movie theatre.â€? 6WDJH ZDV /DZÂśV ÂżUVW ORYH DQG WKH FDWDSXOW for his career. Having joined the National Youth Music Theatre in 1987, in 1995 he landed a role in Indiscretions alongside Kathleen Turner, Roger Rees and Cynthia Nixon on Broadway. His performance led to a Tony nomination and international fame beckoned. +HÂśG DOVR Ă€H[HG KLV DFWLQJ PXVFOHV RQ television, starring in a British soap opera for two years, before landing a part in the 1994 crime drama Shopping with Sadie Frost, who he would later marry. /DZÂśV ÂżOP FDUHHU WRRN R̆ EXW KH UHWDLQHG a presence in theatre. Asked today which he SUHIHUV KH VWLOO ÂżQGV LW LPSRVVLEOH WR FKRRVH Âł)LOP DQG VWDJH WKHDWUH DUH YHU\ GL̆HUHQW ´ he said. “I can only liken them, I think, to a musician that goes on the road and plays live, to a live audience, and gets that wonderful IHHGEDFN (DFK QLJKW LV D GL̆HUHQW JURXS DQG D GL̆HUHQW YHQXH DQG WKHUHÂśV DQ LQFUHGLEOH and intoxicating high you get from that relationship, that sort of leap of faith that we are going to gather together and you are going to join me in this creative, imaginative spell. “Film is like a musician going in and creating an album: you play each musical instrument separately and you get to go back and add a little and echo it and do all of this wonderful, technical work. So they are really GL̆HUHQW WKH\ DUH ERWK MXVW DV H[KDXVWLQJ ´ he laughs. 7KH UROHV PD\ EH WLULQJ EXW VWLOO ÂżW DQG fabulous at 40, with age appears to have come greater breadth in the types of roles available to the southeast Londoner. It is impossible to watch Dom Hemingway without feeling compelled to acknowledge that Law is no longer simply a pretty British actor: not least because he’s sporting mutton chops and a bit of a belly, which you get to see close up thanks to a revealing opening scene. Âł7KH ÂżUVW WLPH , UHDG WKH VFULSW , KDGQÂśW read anything that made me laugh as loudly and shocked me quite as much, and in a world where we watch and take in endless content, I suppose it was quite a surprise to be as shocked, and laugh as much as I did, from this brilliant piece of writing. “The character was immediately a contrast of everything awful and yet also endearing,

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Isabella Blow, 2002 Š Diego Uchitel

The late Isabella Blow found and championed some of the most pioneering fashion designers of modern times. But her own style was every bit as original. Philip Treacy and Nick Knight speak to Claudia Croft about the new exhibition that demonstrates her influence

Words: CLAUDIA CROFT

BLOW YOUR M I ND - 73 -

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Hat — Philip Treacy, S/S 2003. Cut out mouths pop art hat, paper, silk and wire. Dress — Chalayan, S/S 1999. Cream folded pleat dress, silk. Model: Xiao Wen Ju at IMG. © Nick Knight

ot all extraordinary people look extraordinary, but Isabella Blow dressed how she lived. She was fearless, provocative, hilarious, eccentric and impossible to ignore, and her clothes followed suit. As fashion director of The Sunday Times’ Style magazine and, later, Tatler, as patron and mentor to some of her generation’s most interesting designers, Blow’s surreal plumage — a crystal-encrusted lobster hat, antlers in place of shoulder pads, one-legged trouser suits, extravagant brocade frock coats — were exhilarating fashion theatre. Her eccentricity ZDV DPSOL¿HG E\ D IDEXORXVO\ ¿OWK\ ODXJK DQG a signature smear of red lipstick that ended up all over her teeth as well as her mouth. Now her wardrobe, bought in its entirety in 2010 by the heiress Daphne Guinness, is JRLQJ RQ GLVSOD\ IRU WKH ¿UVW WLPH DW 6RPHUVHW House. Ever since her death in 2007, the fascination with Blow has grown — Lady Gaga has dedicated songs to her, she’s been WKH VXEMHFW RI VHYHUDO ERRNV DQG HYHQ DQ R̆ Broadway play — so it’s no surprise that ticket VDOHV IRU WKH /RQGRQ H[KLELWLRQ DUH À\LQJ 3XW together by some of her closest supporters, the exhibition has become, in the words of her great friend Guinness, “a bittersweet event. Isabella Blow made our world more vivid, trailing colour with every pace she took.”

‘Isabella’s life in clothes is one of the finest examples of the power of fashion’ Isabella Blow: Fashion Galore! showcases more than 500 pieces, and provides an intimate portrait of a woman known for her extravagant taste and passionate approach WR OLIH ² PDQ\ RI KHU VSHFWDFXODU RXW¿WV DUH smeared with lipstick stains and scarred by cigarette burns, a testament to the good times she had in them. The exhibition also documents a gloriously creative period in fashion. Blow was a famed talent-spotter and patron of young designers, as Julien Macdonald, just one she championed, attests: ³,VDEHOOD ZDV OLNH D EXWWHUÀ\ 6KH ZRXOG À\ around, land on somebody, help them out, WKHQ À\ RQ WR VRPHRQH HOVH ´ - 74 -

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Many designers are represented — from Galliano to Viktor & Rolf and Hussein Chalayan — but the star exhibits are pieces from Alexander McQueen’s 1992 graduate collection, which Isabella loved so much, she bought the lot. There are also many of KHU IDPRXV 3KLOLS 7UHDF\ KDWV 6KH EHFDPH a mentor and muse to Treacy after he made a medieval headdress for her wedding to Detmar Blow in 1989. “Isabella wore my hats as if she wasn’t wearing a hat at all, so unselfconsciously,� Treacy says. He recounts the time he saw her in extravagant headgear one morning at the Standard Hotel in Los

Alexander McQueen and Isabella Blow: Burning Down The House, 1996, London Š David LaChapelle Studio, Inc.

‘She’s been the subject of several books and even an off-Broadway play’ Angeles, when she said to him, “I don’t understand, everyone keeps saying, ‘Where’s the party?’ “ “To her, it was normal daywear,â€? Treacy says. “Not only did she look completely GL̆HUHQW EXW VKH WKRXJKW FRPSOHWHO\ GL̆HUHQWO\ WR HYHU\ERG\ HOVH , PHDQ \RX experienced her. She made fashion interesting for us and she made it fun. She didn’t take fashion — or herself — too seriously. She wasn’t sucking up to anybody.â€? The exhibition catalogue, as collectable as Isabella’s clothes, brings together some of her favourite creatives. Nick Knight shot the pictures, some of which you see here, while Amanda Harlech styled and Guinness artdirected them. The models, including Liberty Ross, were chosen with Isabella in mind. “She would have wanted the most beautiful, HQLJPDWLF JLUOV ZH FRXOG ÂżQG ´ .QLJKW VD\V “They were the kind of girls she would have been excited to see in her clothes.â€? For the shoot, everybody headed up to Doddington Hall in Cheshire, in the north of England, Isabella’s family seat, which was sold by her grandfather Sir Jock Delves Broughton WR SD\ R̆ KLV JDPEOLQJ GHEWV +H GHFDPSHG to Kenya and became the chief protagonist in the White Mischief scandal.) Isabella grew up in a cottage in the grounds, but always dreamt of living in the big house, which became a boarding school but is currently uninhabited. The pictures have a ghostly quality that is not

Text: Claudia Croft Images: Supplied

Isabella Blow and Philip Treacy, 2003 for Vanity Fair Š 5 Donald McPherson

accidental. “I don’t believe in the afterlife, but there was a certain amount of paranormal activity going on,â€? says Knight of the shoot. In one windowless room, deep in the servants’ quarters, he says they found a vial of purple liquid next to a book opened at a chapter with Ghost written on it. “It felt at the time that maybe Issie was playing with us,â€? he says. “We travelled through Isabella’s life in cloth at Doddington,â€? Harlech says. “She was everywhere — in a purple bleed of light in the corner of the most potent shots. We noticed it as we looked at each day’s work on the screen. It was the colour of her ink.â€? For her, the experience was an emotional one. “Often, what we leave behind in the backs of drawers says more about us. A shoe tells of a life of dance, a cigarette burn or stain marks a moment in time. It is very moving to feel her energy, her relentless passion, her sense of history, but her romantic heart is there to see on every sleeve.â€? For Shonagh Marshall, who co-curated the exhibition with Alistair O’Neill, the most striking thing about the collection is how well worn it is. “These clothes were her babies, she loved them, but for her to put them on a pedestal was not what she was about. She was going to wear them until they got ripped. I love all the mashed-up shoes.â€? The exhibition also features Isabella’s eyelashes with the glue still on them, and stubs of her signature red lipstick. “She’d set ÂżUH WR P\ KDWV ´ 7UHDF\ UHPHPEHUV ÂłDQG JHW them caught in taxi doors, lose them, put them down so someone would sit on them. She always referred to them in the third person. She’d come back after a night out and say, ‘She had the most amazing dance at Annabel’s!’ — meaning the hat.â€? Isabella died after drinking a bottle of weedkiller. Diagnosed with ovarian cancer DQG VX̆HULQJ GHSUHVVLRQ LW ZDV KHU VHYHQWK suicide attempt in 14 months. But Treacy GRHVQÂśW ZDQW KHU WUDJLF HQG WR GHÂżQH KHU Âł6KH was the least tragic person I knew,â€? he says. Instead, he wants people to look at her clothes and feel the passion that drove her. “She taught me that fashion is about beauty and elegance — not marketing, as it is today.â€? “She was always teaching me things,â€? Macdonald says. “She’d bring books and poems. She did that for McQueen, too. Highland Rape was her idea,â€? he says of the controversial AW95 McQueen collection. He recalls one weekend spent at Hilles, Detmar’s grand Arts and Crafts mansion. “It was a Sunday morning and we were going for a - 79 -

walk. I came down the stairs and there she was in tartan kilt, 18th-century frock coat, Dr Martens boots and a gun slung over her shoulder. The frock coat, the tartan and the gun? That was Highland Rape.â€? 'HVSLWH KHU KLJK SURÂżOH ,VDEHOOD DOZD\V VWUXJJOHG ÂżQDQFLDOO\ +HU IDWKHU KDG OHIW KHU only ÂŁ5,000 pounds sterling of his estimated ÂŁ6m pounds sterling estate and her tastes were extravagant. At Tatler, the company credit card she’d been given was quickly removed after she used it for a spree in the McQueen store. She once even tried to put a VWDWHO\ KRPH RQ H[SHQVHV WKH UHTXHVW ZDV declined). “She never had any money — I used to make her things for free,â€? says Macdonald. “I saw her once on a Monday morning at High Street Kensington Tube. I was going to the Royal College and I saw this thing coming down the stairs. It was Isabella wearing Look 5 from the black-and-yellow-stripe McQueen show — the KDW WKH VKRHV WKH ZKROH RXWÂżW 6KH VDLG VKH was going for a job interview at Russian Vogue and didn’t have the money for a taxi.â€? She didn’t get the Vogue job. Instead, in 1997, she was made fashion director at Style. “She needed a job,â€? says Jeremy Langmead, Style’s editor at the time. “It’s lovely to be a muse and a patron, but it doesn’t pay the bills and no one had taken her seriously jobwise. “The pages of the magazine became a powerful platform for Isabella to promote the roguish young designers of the day. McQueen, Jeremy Scott, Macdonald and, of course, Treacy all featured heavily. “Our fashion shoots before Isabella were about six ways to wear a cardigan. Almost overnight Issie transformed it,â€? Langmead says. “She always wore what she was about to photograph. She’d walk through The Sunday Times with giant Jeremy Scott fur shoulder pads with antlers, and then happily sit in the canteen with the printers and have roast beef and potatoes.â€? For Knight, Isabella’s life in clothes is one RI WKH ÂżQHVW H[DPSOHV RI WKH SRZHU RI IDVKLRQ “Fashion is 100% the best art form, because it is the one that is successful. Only a few people can paint, but everyone dresses and dressing is how we express ourselves. It is this thing that everybody does and everybody can do. It’s totally democratic and is, therefore, one of the greatest art forms that there has ever been.â€? Isabella would agree wholeheartedly with that. Isabella Blow: Fashion Galore!, Somerset House, London WC2, until March 2 somersethouse.org.uk

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GASTRONOMY

GREAT DANE Rene Redzepi is head chef at Noma in Copenhagen, among the world’s greatest restaurants. But as Oliver Thring learns, it’s not easy at the top

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late night and an early start mean that by the time Rene Redzepi arrives, half an hour late for our interview, I’ve drunk so much coldEUHZ FR̆HH ² ELWWHU DQG FUHHSLQJO\ VWURQJ ² ,ÂśP WZLWFKLQJ ZKHQ ZH sit down. The chef looks good, a lot better than he has for a while, with bright, brown hedgehoggy H\HV D WULP EHDUG Ă€RSS\ IULQJH and a leather jacket. Ignoring my frazzled demeanour, he semiapologises for halving our allotted time. “If you do me on Saddurday, my kids hold me up,â€? he says in his VOLJKWO\ $PHULFDQLVHG VHOI H̆DFLQJ Danish drawl. “I cook them Danish SDQFDNHV ZLWK U\H Ă€RXU DQG EDFRQ That’s my jahb.â€? Well, at least he’s seeing them. Redzepi, who may be the world’s best living chef, has just published a book DERXW WKH VHOI LQĂ€LFWHG SUHVVXUH

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GASTRONOMY RI VXFFHVV ² LWV HPRWLRQDO FRVW LWV WHQGHQF\ WR VWLĂ€H LQYHQWLRQ LWV impact on his family (understanding, EDUHO\ HYHU VHHQ DQG KLV VWD̆ (harried, sore, stumbling from triumph to disaster). In 10 years, almost singlehandedly, Redzepi invented a new way to eat. Nordic cuisine sourced REVFXUH IRUDJHG LQJUHGLHQWV ² VHD JUDVVHV PRVVHV ZLOG EHUULHV ² DQG the deep-dredged creatures of rimecold seas from a vast area including Scandinavia, Iceland and Greenland. ,W VRXJKW WR EULQJ EDFN Ă€DYRXUV WKDW had been forgotten for generations, combining them in invigorating new forms. In 2003, when Noma opened, Redzepi says the locals asked him: “What are you, seal f******? They didn’t understand what type of restaurant we were.â€? The venue had no precedent: smart restaurants in Denmark were French or Italian. People soon realised that not only could Nordic cuisine exist, but that the region had a culinary variety and wealth to rival almost anywhere. What it lacked was the tradition and FRQÂżGHQFH WR VKRZ WKHP R̆ :LWKLQ ÂżYH \HDUV 1RPD KDG been awarded two Michelin stars; its lack of a third highlights the

staid uselessness of the Red Guide. In 2010 it leapt to No 1 on WKH LQĂ€XHQWLDO :RUOGÂśV %HVW Restaurants list. “I took the whole VWD̆ ´ VD\V 5HG]HSL ÂłDQG ZH huddled in a circle like a soccer team and said, ‘Let’s just enjoy this, because there’s only one way now.’ “They stayed there for three years before falling to second place this year. How did that feel? “I knew it would happen. You could feel the momentum changing.â€? Weren’t you

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disappointed? “No, not at all. I’d had a vacation and because of writing the journal I didn’t feel the pressure.â€? Ah, the journal. Redzepi’s new book, A Work in Progress, is really three books: a cookbook, a brief Instagrammy volume of photographs and the chef’s own diary of a year, 2011, at the restaurant. The journal seeks to understand where creativity comes from, what forges it, and it explains with a hot, angry honesty the punishing brutality of success. “When I started out, we were young and my dream was: can I just have my own little place where I cook my food, make guests and survive,â€? he says. “And then life and success happened. The irony of success is that it limits you.â€? Dishes, which can take months WR FUHDWH RVVLÂżHG RQ WKH PHQX %UDLQZDYHV ² OHWÂśV GHK\GUDWH everything, let’s ferment whatever ZH FDQ JHW RXU KDQGV RQ ² OHG WR countless failures and setbacks in the test kitchen. Relationships VX̆HUHG Âł:HÂśG ORVW WKH IXQ $QG every second day I could have a WDQWUXP OLNH D OLWWOH FKLOG ² OLNH a stupid, spoilt, arrogant gnome.â€? (Later, I speak privately to a PHPEHU RI WKH UHVWDXUDQWÂśV VWD̆

‘The irony of success is that it limits you’

They tell me Redzepi can still “get pretty physicalâ€? but that he has calmed down.) Of course, creativity counts for nothing if you lack the resources to pay for it. The book shows how Noma, despite being one of the world’s most famous restaurants, full every night and booked out months in advance, was losing money. “We could have paid >FXVWRPHUV@ WR VWD\ DZD\ ´ VQL̆V RQH of the chefs in the book. Redzepi had two choices: raise prices or ÂżUH SHRSOH $ GULQNV FRPSDQ\ ² KH DGPLWV WR PH LW ZDV &RFD &ROD ² R̆HUHG him money to cook with its recipes. Imagine it: surgically sourced ingredients, prepared with great care and skill, and then sloshed in Âż]]\ V\UXS IDPRXV IRU WDVWLQJ WKH same across the planet. He tells me privately how much Coke wanted WR SD\ KLP ² DQ DVWRQLVKLQJ VXP “There was one day when I’d decided we were going to do it,â€? he says. “It would have done everything: made us money that year, with more for next year. But then I thought: people here are on minimum wage ZRUNLQJ WKHLU DVVHV R̆ IRU H[DFWO\ the opposite of that.â€? Eventually, and it may be brave of him to put this in the book, he raised prices and reduced the number of dishes. The tasting menu now costs DERXW SHU SHUVRQ EHIRUH ZLQH for which you get 20 courses instead RI RU 1RPD ZDV QHYHU PHDQW to be a bargain, and it’s a long way from cheap, but it’s still one of the world’s most exciting places to eat. The caravan of food faddism PD\ KDYH WURRSHG RQ ² ODUJHO\ WR 6RXWK $PHULFD ² EXW WKH PRYHPHQW Redzepi founded will outlast him and his restaurant. Noma remains a masterclass in the importance of terroir and the surprises of the earth. Amid the increasingly homogenised landscape of the global food system, it teaches us that some of the best and most exciting Ă€DYRXUV OLH QRW IDU IURP RXU RZQ doorstep.

Text: Oliver Thring Images: Supplied

GASTRONOMY

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‘Every second day I could have a tantrum like a little child, like a stupid, spoilt, arrogant gnome’

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TRAVEL

Trip the

LIGHT FANTASTIC This month is the best chance you’ll get to see the Northern Lights in more than a decade…

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R

eports of dramatic light displays in the skies above the Nordic countries are already reverberating around the world. It’s that time of the year again: time for the Northern Lights. The naturally occurring phenomena has been happening for centuries,

of course – it was named the Aurora Norealis by French astronomer Pierre Gassendi in 1621, Aurora after the Roman goddess of dawn, and Borealis after the Greek name for the north wind. But this month Nasa scientists claim is the best time to see the green and yellow light in the northern hemisphere for more than a decade. Granted, they said the same thing last year, but that’s

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TRAVEL

2.

because of the ‘twin peaks’ pattern of the Solar Maximum (the normal period of greatest solar activity in the 11 year cycle of the sun). The Northern Lights are the UHVXOW RI VRODU Ă€DUHV DQG JHRWKHUPDO storms in the upper atmosphere. The debris particles enter the earth’s atmosphere, combusting as they fall, and the ensuing gases create the colourful mirages: oxygen produces green and yellow light, while nitrogen burns blue.

While you can see the Lights throughout the northern hemisphere the best viewing points are the Nordic countries, Alaska and Canada. The remote northernmost regions of Russia also see good shows, but quality accommodation is KDUG WR ÂżQG They have long fascinated man. Roman philosopher Seneca (believed to have been born between 8 and 1 BCE) queried their existence in his ÂżUVW ERRN 1DWXUDOHV 4XDHVWLRQHV - 94 -

1. Aurora bubble 2-5. Icehotel

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season: as the name suggests, it’s made from ice, but it’s surprisingly WRDVW\ <RX FDQ KHDG R̆ IRU D WKUHH course dinner under the stars in a wilderness camp that’s reached by snowmobile, with experts from the Swedish Institute of Space Physics on hand to explain what’s happening above you. Meanwhile, over in Iceland, you can up the glamour stakes by waiting

‘The best viewing points are the Nordic countries’

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while Aboriginal Australians reportedly believed the auroras ZHUH ¿UHV RI JKRVWO\ VSLULWV DQG during the American Civil War the Confederate Army is said to have taken the Lights’ presence as a sign that God was on their side. The Lights, which are expected to cast their eerie shades over earth IRU WKH QH[W IRXU WR ¿YH PRQWKV are famously unpredictable, so the longer you’re able to spend on a trip to view them, the better and

be aware that it’s impossible to guarantee a sighting, even with the most experienced guide. Finland’s Aurora Bubble (theaurorazone.com) gives you front row tickets to the show: view the Lights from your glazed bedroom pod. Whether or not you see the Lights, the view from bed of the stars and landscape is pretty special. Digs don’t get much cooler than Sweden’s ICEHOTEL (icehotel.com), which has just been rebuilt for the - 95 -

for the Lights show from a hot tub or a special Northern Lights Lounge ZLWK ÀRRU WR FHLOLQJ ZLQGRZV DW the ION hotel (ioniceland.is). Education is the order of the day at Norway’s Lyngen Lodge (lyngenlodge.com), a peaceful spot near the Lyngen Alps National Park and fjords. You’ll feel better prepared for what you’re about to see after an informal seminar on the Lights and their cultural value. And up in Canada, nestled deep within Yoho National Park, Emerald /DNH /RGJH FUPU FRP R̆HUV D chance to feel at one with nature: WKLQN WLPEHU ORGJLQJV ORJ ¿UHV DQG ZDNH XS FDOOV IRU WKH /LJKWV VKRZ

LIFE LESSONS

WHAT I KNOW NOW

Gary Rhodes

Michelin Star chef, founder of Rhodes 44, St Regis Abu Dhabi

I hope I never lose my passion. I never want to retire. I’ve always said that if I retire I think I’ll die young. This is my life. It’s so important to bring your personality to your work, to make it your own. I thrive on experimentation – so much of what I do is a game. Everything I do, I believe in 100% that’s important in all aspects of my life, just not cooking.

I never told anyone I wanted to be a chef – I said I wanted to be a policeman. At 16, I broke the news to my best friend Steve that I was going to catering college. He told me he’d been going to ballet classes for the past 10 years and hadn’t told anyone that either. He went on to the Ballet Rambert and London Festival Ballet. So you never know what anyone has got up their sleeve.

Troisgros brothers, who were the most famous chefs in France. I still have the letters from them saying ‘No thanks’. Since 1986 I’ve had six Michelin Star restaurants. It’s been more than a dream.

When I graduated I wanted to work abroad. I wrote to the likes of Paul Bocuse, Michel GuĂŠrard and the

You can never demand respect – it has to be earned. You’ll never get the best out of anyone if they’re scared

It doesn’t matter how well you do in life, so long as you have respect and good manners. If you have those, you’ll go a long way.

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RI \RX ,I \RXU VWD̆ LV RQ HGJH WKH\ won’t do the job properly. I’m not one of those swearing, shouting chefs. I don’t agree with that. The ¿UVW WKLQJ , GR ZKHQ , FRPH WR ZRUN is shake hands with everyone – even the washing up guys. When something has your name on it, you can’t let go of it. I don’t understand how so many chefs can open up restaurants and then leave them to their own devices. Everything that has my name on, I am with 100%.

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