T Qatar 14th Issue 2012

58 fantasy fashion from the land of plenty. emilio pucci shirt, QR20,000. viktor & Rolf dress (worn over shirt), price on request. Oscar de la renta earrings, QR1,600. at capitol, Charlotte, N.C. fenton necklaces, from QR1,820. go to barneys.com.

32 Remix Qatar 06 Contributors 08 remix

The New York Times Style Magazine summer fashion 2012

Is your home a banger? By Rory Coen.

34 TALK QATAR

34 Diego Gronda explores materials

Styled to a T: Kati Nescher, Madeline Miller, Gotye and Kimbra. J.W. Anderson’s first prefall collection, timepieces with a twist, sexy (but modest) swimwear, a bevy of black boots, a primer on microprints, Brooklyn’s long-awaited luxury hotel, summer skin care, London’s lodging boom. William H. Macy waxes bromantic on his Harley, Joyce Maynard takes the short-hair plunge.

in the design process at Gordon Ramsay, St Regis Doha. By Sindhu Nair. 37 Life through the lens of Peruvian photographer Ana MarÌa Garcia Montero. By Nidhi Zakaria Eipe 43 Journeying to the Soul of the World with artist Sacha Jafri. 51 Antony Todd’s decorative fetish. By Cassey Oliveira.

54 SEEN QATAR

Exploring the reuses of human hair.

By Sindhu Nair.

Copyright © 2012 The New York Times

58 SALAD DAYS

Feast or fashion? With a little imagination, you can have your dress and eat it too. By Suzy Menkes.

Photographs by Richard Burbridge. Styled

by Robbie Spencer.

63 TALK

69 Place

A lake in Guatemala was the perfect refuge - until nature decided to take it back. By Joyce Maynard. 67 In Navajo land, the harmonic convergence of landscape and loom. By Guy Trebay.

72 MAGIC FINGERS

For his cult nail lacquers, the Chanel makeup maestro Peter Philips finds inspiration in unlikely places. By Sandra Ballentine. Photograph by Richard Burbridge.

74 NORTHERN LIGHTS

The future looks bright for Oslo and its model-movie star couple. By Gaby Wood.

Photographs by Boo George. Fashion editor: Vanessa Traina.

84 FARM FRAiCHE

In the French department of the Gers home of foie gras, Armagnac and one very odd bird - the pleasures of land and table abound. By Christopher Petkanas.

Photographs by Adrian Gaut.

The Italian island of Sicily has hit its sweet spot, balancing newfound slickness with scruffy charm.

71 UNCOMMON THREADS Artwork by Jacob Magraw.

On the cover Artist Sacha Jafri journeys to the Soul of The World

92 TIMELY

The designer Elisa Strozyk. By Andreas Kokkino. Photograph by Ronald Dick.

Copyright Š 2012 The New York Times

contributors Boo

George Gaby

Wood For ‘‘Northern Lights’’ (Page 74), the writer Gaby Wood, who is head of books at The Daily Telegraph in London, took her first trip to Oslo. She was taken by the city’s ‘‘elegant sobriety,’’ she says. ‘‘But I also mostly loved hearing Anders and Iselin talk about it in a way that made their own home seem strange to them. They would sort of giggle as they explained to a foreigner aspects of collective living, like car sharing or the former king taking a tram.’’

The Irish fashion photographer Boo George traveled to Oslo for ‘‘Northern Lights’’ (Page 74), our shoot with Norway’s ‘‘It’’ couple Iselin Steiro and Anders Danielsen Lie, who appears in the new film ‘‘Oslo, August 31st’’. ‘‘I had never been to a place where the people were so homogeneous,’’ he says of the Norwegian capital. ‘‘They were all so lovely.’’ George, who is based in New York and London, plans to house-hunt this summer on Sherkin Island, which is off the southern coast of Ireland. ‘‘It’s where my heart is,’’ he says of the isolated town. ‘‘The water is turquoise, there’s clean air and cows everywhere.’’

& editor-in-chief Yousuf Jassem Al Darwish chief executive Sandeep Sehgal executive vice president Alpana Roy vice president Ravi Raman

publisher

Nair Orna Ballout corresponden t Rory Coen Ezdihar Ibrahim Ali editorial coordinator Cassey Oliveira

editor Sindhu

fashion

&

lifest yle corresponden t

art director Venkat

Reddy Abu Saiam senior graphic designer Ayush Indrajith graphic designer Maheshwar Reddy photography Rob Altamirano assistant art director Hanan

manager– marketing Zulfikar Jiffry Assistant Managers - Marketing Chaturka Karandana Thomas Jose media consultant Hassan Rekkab

marketing research

& support

executiv e

Emily Landry

accountant Pratap Chandran

sr. distribution executive Bikram Shrestha distribution support Arjun Timilsina

Bhimal Rai

Suzy William H.

Menkes

Macy

In ‘‘High Off the Hog’’ (Page 22), the Oscar-nominated actor William H. Macy recounts a motorcycle trip up the Pacific Coast with his ‘‘Shameless’’ co-stars Justin Chatwin and Steve Howey. Macy, who owns two bikes, including the Softail Classic Harley he received after filming ‘‘Wild Hogs,’’ is no stranger to writing. He has penned film scripts with the director Steven Schachter, as well as an episode of his Showtime series in which his character’s mother turns up on leave from jail and in search of a former meth cook who owes her money.

Macy, who was just inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame with his wife, the actress Felicity Huffman, will next appear as a priest in the Sundance festival hit ‘‘The Surrogate.’’

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Qatar

published by

Oryx Advertising Co WLL P.O. Box 3272; Doha-Qatar Tel: (+974) 44672139, 44550983, 44671173, 44667584 Fax: (+974) 44550982 Email: tqatar@omsqatar.com website: www.omsqatar.com

In ‘‘Salad Days’’ (Page 58), Suzy Menkes, the fashion editor for The International Herald Tribune, considers the designers who have embraced fruit prints by the bushel. (‘‘Stella McCartney’s version for this summer is so joyous,’’ she says.)

Even though the British-born Parisienne is more of a Pucci-blouse-and-plain-pants girl herself, she appreciates this trend’s ‘‘green’’ message: ‘‘The idea of something that grows slowly and then flowers is rather beautiful.’’

remix styled to a t

The Trend

Show Some Shin. Slim, sober skirts that end midcalf — at Stella McCartney, Chloé and Giulietta — are a perfect match for the sturdy heels seen strutting the fall runways.

hair by damien boissinot at jed root. makeup by ayami nishimura at julian watson agency using make. manicure by akari at artlist. casting by noah shelley for am casting at streeters.

The Girl

10

The model (and mom) Kati Nescher, 27, was the queen of fashion weeks the world over, doing 63 shows, including opening Altuzarra and closing Marc Jacobs.

All this at an age when many of her cohorts are retiring.

The Look

A basic white tank lets this lanky wool gabardine skirt from Chanel be the star.

photograph BY karim sadli Fashion Editor: vanessa traina juicy couture top, QR138. chanel skirt, QR6,880. repossi earring and ring, prices on request. gaia repossi for alexander wang bracelet, price on request.

* All prices indicative. For availability & boutique details check Brand Directory on Page 90.

There may be no better barometer of a designer’s commercial success than retailers and consumers clamoring for those interim collections known as resort and prefall. So after four seasons of challenging pieces like patterned pajama sets and over-the-top quilted coats, the Northern Irish designer J. W. Anderson (far left) has come down to earth — at least a little — for his first prefall collection.

Alongside straight-leg pants, pleated skirts and jewel-tone turtlenecks (including one in blue with bright green sleeves), Anderson still offers plenty of quilting: a white A-line skirt, a red-andwhite checkerboard print jacket and two puffy bombers, one in black patent leather and another in brown with white sleeves and a shearling collar. ‘‘I like the idea of storytelling, and for me this collection was the prequel to my fall collection,’’ the designer says. ‘‘Both collections are for the same woman and for me all the pieces work together, but I definitely aimed to design clothes that were easier and more relatable.’’ That doesn’t mean Anderson has lost touch with the avant-garde. For fall expect vinyl suiting, pillow-top apron skirts and a curious take on the deerstalker cap. SARA MOONVES

Funny Faces You can’t stop time, so why not enjoy it?

Spring’s whimsical, wearable clocks dangle, drop and even disappear.

e d war d b arsam i an

From left: Coach Duquette charm bracelet, QR1,820. Movado gold and diamond ring watch, QR40,605.

Go to fd-inspired.com. Tiffany & Company watch charm, QR1,600. Go to tiffany.com. Verdura link bracelet, QR96,500.

Go to verdura.com. Fred Leighton antique diamond and platinum lapel watch, QR54,600. Georg Jensen pendant watch, QR3,000. Piaget Limelight ring watch, QR115,000.

portrait by ale x is armanet

top: fashion editor: sara moonves. j. w. anderson jacket, QR7,100, and pants, QR3,500. j. w. anderson shoes, price on request. fashion assistant: Wil Ariyamethe. hair by Hauke Krause at ArtList. makeup by Stevie Huynh at The Wall Group. casting by noah shelley for am casting at streeters. model: Maja Salamon. Bottom: coach, fd and fred leighton: jens mortensen.

easy does it

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remix

This summer, the seaside has a new version of the little black dress: swimwear by the French label Thapelo Paris. The 33-year-old Australian designer behind the line, Wil Ariyamethe, creates glamorous suits with throwback appeal like sleek but not skimpy bikinis, a Marilyn Monroeinspired number (below; QR1,450 at nancymeyer.com) and a one-piece that recalls Grace Kelly in ‘‘High Society.’’

Ariyamethe says she takes cues from ‘‘vintage European swimsuits from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s,’’ adding that ‘‘a woman doesn’t need to show everything to have sex appeal. Old World charm and elegance is sexy.’’ C. Z.

Dress for success

What’s the secret to a great dress? Sunhee Hwang (above left), a South Korean-born designer whose second collection won her an Ecco Domani prize this year, has this tip: ‘‘Before thoughts of fine fabrics, look for beautiful colors,’’ she says. ‘‘That’s what gets us into the dressing rooms in the hopes of finding winsome silhouettes and flattering lines.’’ Hwang certainly has a way with a frock herself: at the 1995 Fashion Institute of Technology graduation show, her tangerine gown attracted the attention of the Lanvin designer Alber Elbaz, then at Geoffrey Beene. ‘‘He said to me, ‘Your dresses are very beautiful. Why don’t you work for me?’ ’’ recalls Hwang, now 38. After stints at Beene, Anna Sui, Elie Tahari and Anne Klein, Hwang is back in the limelight with knockout Sunhee dresses, like an airy silk confection in maize yellow (right; QR3,000 at sunheeny.com) and a flirty salsa number in rich cobalt (QR1,450 at sunheeny.com). ‘‘When you look at beautiful clothes, it doesn’t matter who the designer is,’’ she says, citing Narciso Rodriguez’s color-blocked sheaths and Jonathan Saunders’s vibrant shifts as examples of smart fits in smashing colors. ‘‘As long as you look gorgeous and feel special, you will buy it. I’m just hoping it’s my dress.’’ chelsea zalopany

Built to Last If there’s anything

perennial in fashion, it’s a pair of black boots, and Robert Clergerie’s are as enduring as any out there.

Roland Mouret, the French-born, London-based designer known for his sculptural clothes, is now the creative director of the comfort-meetsbourgeois-chic brand. In addition to statuesque heels and brogues, he’s done several variations on the boot theme: Parisian motorcyclists, sinuous thigh-highs, sturdy jodhpurs (left; QR2,900 at barneys.com). ‘‘Women like Catherine Deneuve knew how to wear a really sexy yet practical shoe,’’ Mouret says. ‘‘And I think today’s women are ready for that again.’’ C . Z .

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Shape Shifters

Michael Olajide Jr., a former boxing champ, and Leila Fazel, a ballerina turned spa designer, discuss their gym, the ‘‘machine-free’’ Aerospace High Performance Center in downtown New York, in a video interview by Casey Spooner and Adam Dugas at nytimes.com/ tmagazine.

sunhee Hwang: anna bauer. still lifes: jens mortensen (3). Olajide Jr. and Fazel: casey spooner. thapelo paris: matthew kristall; fashion editor: rae boxer. phoenix roze necklace, QR1,000. fashion assistant: Sam walker. hair by Nelson vercher for rené furterer at agent oliver. makeup by valery gherman at defacto for diorskin.

Jaws Will Drop

remix the checklist

BUSY BODIES To wear the new microprints, you have to know when

to hold back (the accessories) and when to run with it (in stud-toed flats, for starters).

below: harry winston pendant, price on request. equipment top, QR760.

JA N E H E R M A N

prabal gurung clockwise from left: dean harris earrings, QR16,900. a.p.C. top, QR1,130. valentino garavani 50th anniversary loafers, QR2,900. stella mccartney skirt, QR5,800.

band of outsiders

Still Lifes: Jens Mortensen (9). band of outsiders: Go Runway.

right: proenza schouler dress, QR4,550. below: bottega veneta clutch, QR4,187.

left: rag & bone/Jean pants, QR680. above: ChloĂŠ POUCH, QR6,900.

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The Trend

Black and Blue. The pairing of two traditionally cool-weather colors for spring is getting attention at labels like Dries Van Noten and Bottega Veneta.

The Girl

In her debut novel, ‘‘The Song of Achilles,’’ the 33-year-old high school teacher and classicist Madeline Miller tackles an ancient story, reimagining the ‘‘Iliad’’ from Patroclus’s point of view.

The Look

photograph BY david armstrong Fashion Editor: vanessa traina carven dress, QR3,570. at bergdorf goodman. Finn jewelry necklaces, QR4,730 and QR4,800, and ring, QR9,200. minor obsessions by finn necklace, QR1,300. hirotaka bracelet, QR2,730.

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fashion assistant: Claudia codron. hair by ryoji at the wall group. makeup by daniel martin using lancôme at the wall group.

A stripe of black lace gives this blue silk cady smock by Carven a flirty edge.

* All prices indicative. For availability & boutique details check Brand Directory on Page 90.

remix books

BY STEPHEN HEYMAN

Hunger strike The Nobelist Herta Müller’s gulag novel hits close to home.

With her severe bob and heavy line of red lipstick, the author Herta Müller looks like she fell out of an Otto Dix painting. After Müller won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2009, one critic sniped that she should get a new haircut, lest foreigners assume that’s how all German women look. Other reactions to the Nobel news were more basic: ‘‘Herta who?’’

Now there is ‘‘The Hunger Angel’’ (Metropolitan Books, QR94), a translation of the novel that came out the year Müller won the prize. The original German title, ‘‘Atemschaukel,’’ is hard to translate but refers roughly to the act of breathing — something the book’s narrator, Leo Auberg, can no longer take for granted. He fears for his life, and with good reason: it’s 1945, and Leo is a gay ethnic German living in Romania, about to be packed off to a hard labor camp in Ukraine to help ‘‘rebuild’’ the Soviet Union. ‘‘The world is not a costume ball,’’ he says to himself, as he meticulously gathers his belongings: a burgundy silk scarf, melon-colored gaiters, a coat with a velvet collar. Once he

reaches the gulag, Leo is pressed into service at a coke processing plant and his daily concerns shrink to how much bread he needs to fend off starvation.

Müller herself is ethnically German and grew up in Romania, and her previous books drew on her firsthand experience of repression under Nicolae Ceausescu’s regime. This new novel skates onto slipperier moral ground. Leo and his family have too recently reaped the benefits of being German in a pro-Nazi-country to be easily considered victims. For them, the war years were marked by cold cucumber salad on the veranda and quietly disappearing Jewish neighbors.

Müller’s father was a member of the Waffen-SS, and in a terse afterword to ‘‘The Hunger Angel’’ she writes that her mother spent five years in a Soviet labor camp after the war and would rarely speak of the trauma. ‘‘My childhood was accompanied by such stealthy conversations; at the time I didn’t understand their content, but I did sense the fear.’’ RACHEL NOLAN

Patch Work

You know Chagall’s canvases, but what of his cottons? ‘‘Artists’ Textiles’’ (Antique Collectors’ Club, QR182) amasses works on fabric by 20th-century greats like Braque, Matisse, Calder and Warhol. The book begins in the 1910s with pathbreaking swatches by the British artist Roger Fry, who helped erase what he called ‘‘the erroneous distinction between fine and applied art.’’ Eventually, these art textiles were turned into commercial clothing: a Joan Miró dress, a Salvador Dalí tie. By the 1960s, Picasso was allowing his pictures to be printed on almost any fabric, save upholstery. The sofa was a line he wouldn’t cross, the book notes: ‘‘Picassos may be leaned against, not sat on.’’

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dalĺ

warhol

mirÓ

Müller: thomas lohnes/afp/getty images

bookshelf In ‘‘Prairie Fever’’ (W. W. Norton, QR100) Peter Pagnamenta documents the frequently humorous love affair that British aristos had with the American West, where they flocked in the 19th century to hunt elk, build polo stables and play tennis in the prairie. They made frontier faux pas, of course, like misidentifying cowboys as ‘‘cow-servants.’’ Paul Kasmin’s photo book ‘‘Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne’’ (Skira Rizzoli, QR218) catalogs not only the couple’s whimsical bronze sculptures but also the sublimely rusticated farmhouse outside of Paris where their creations come to life. Hal Rubenstein’s ‘‘The Gentry Man’’ (Harper Design, QR73) rediscovers a 1950s men’s magazine, which in its brief life excerpted Lao-Tze, championed Paul Klee and taught men how to build their own Finnish baths.

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borough inn Has Brooklyn finally gotten the hotel it deserves?

The QR117 million Wythe Hotel is a grown-up sanctuary on the Williamsburg waterfront and a chance for a local restaurant guru to spread his wings.

Also, you know, you get more space for your money. s t e p h en h e y man THE BONES The red-brick waterfront factory at 80 Wythe Avenue (below) began its life in 1901 as a cooperage that made barrels and casks. That original structure was gutted, its time-warped wooden insides salvaged and later used to make the beds and ceilings. The roof, offering King Kong skyline views, was topped off with a giant glass cube that lets onto an open-air bar. The result is a 72-room hotel that feels like Brooklyn in ways reassuringly old and refreshingly new: there’s bike sharing but also valet parking, loftily apportioned rooms but pre-gentrification rates, starting at QR650 per night.

THE EXTRAS The rooms (above) have walls of windows and floors of poured concrete that are heated from below.

THE FOOD The farm-to-table restaurant (top), Reynards, has an open-air kitchen centered around a wood-fired oven and grill (above).

(The waft of New Jersey oak reaches out to the sidewalk.) A staff butcher makes the most of locally raised animals, brought in whole; salt and pepper are the main seasonings. There’s no room service — a no-go in Brooklyn — but the restaurant serves all day.

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P H O T O G R A P H s B Y mark mahaney

THE BRAINS A team of partners conspired to birth the Wythe Hotel, including (near left) the Aussie hotelier Peter Lawrence and Andrew Tarlow, who is justly famous for luring the epicurious to Brooklyn with his hipster canteens Marlow & Sons, Roman’s and Diner. Tarlow has never pulled off a project this large, and asked what he will do with the boulder-sized kettle newly installed in the underground kitchen, or a sexy private room deep in the hotel’s cellar, he smirks and says, ‘‘We don’t know yet.’’ Stay tuned.

The Guy

‘‘Somebody That I Used to Know’’ established the Belgian-born, Australia-based singer Gotye (as in Jean Paul) in the States with its crossover pop appeal and a video with more than a hundred million hits.

The Girl

For the song, Gotye wanted to ‘‘take a left turn,’’ so he featured Kimbra, a New Zealander living in Melbourne who once covered his songs in pubs.

The Projects

Having just wrapped their first United States tour, the two are going solo: her American debut album, ‘‘Vows,’’ came out May 22, and he’ll be back home whipping up an ‘‘off tap’’ (Australian for ‘‘awesome’’) show.

photograph BY Tom Allen Fashion Editor: Ethel Park on Kimbra: Alexander Mcqueen dress, available by special order. belt, QR5,625. go to net-a-porter.com. 3.1 phillip lim shoes, QR1,900. on gotye: Burberry prorsum shirt, QR2,366, and pants, QR3,620.

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Fashion assistant: Mallory Schlau. Hair by Shin Arima using redken for Frankreps. Makeup by Asami Taguchi for Diorshow.

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* All prices indicative. For availability & boutique details check Brand Directory on Page 90.

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‘‘Belize is an incredibly special place to me,’’ says Alexandra Cousteau, granddaughter of the legendary French explorer Jacques Cousteau. ‘‘I taught my husband to dive there, and it’s where my daughter first went in the ocean. She went on her first expedition younger than I did.’’ This summer, Cousteau is teaming up with Coppola Resorts in the Central American country to lead guests on the same wilderness treks she and her husband, Fritz Neumeyer, made when scouting for their forthcoming documentary, ‘‘Expedition Blue Planet: Belize.’’ In this tropical climate, sunscreen is essential for Cousteau, who never steps outside without serious SPF. LILY NIMA

Burt’s Bees Sun Protecting Lip Balm SPF 8 ‘‘This all-natural balm provides both broadspectrum UVA and UVB protection, and keeps my lips hydrated.’’ QR15. At drugstores.

Alba Botanica

Very Emollient Body Lotion Daily Shade SPF 15 ‘‘My everyday moisturizer. I apply it straight out of the shower in the summertime.’’ QR55 for 12 ounces. At drugstores.

Neova DNA Damage Control Active SPF 43 ‘‘It really blends in well and doesn’t feel sticky or heavy.

I just apply it to my face, neck and chest, and I’m good to go.’’ QR167 for 3 ounces.

Hydrosport Spray SPF 30 ‘‘I spray this on myself and my husband before getting dressed to ensure we’re completely covered when in the water or on expedition.’’

QR36 for 5 ounces.

At drugstores.

Aveeno

Masters’ Chambers

California Baby Super Sensitive No Fragrance SPF 30+ Sunscreen Lotion ‘‘The sun never touched my 10-week-old daughter’s skin when she was in Belize. She was shaded in every possible way and protected with this.’’

QR73 for 2.9 ounces.

London’s Olympic-size hotel boom has resulted in about 10,000 new rooms in the last year and a half. First came the big boys — W, Renaissance, Four Seasons. Now come a flurry of elite, smaller-scale properties led by the 85-room Bulgari Hotel (right; 171 Knightsbridge; bulgarihotels.com; doubles from about QR3,000). The jewelry company’s first hotel in Britain, designed

by Antonio Citterio, opens next month on Knightsbridge’s glitziest row (right

by Harrods). Its rooms are clad in silk, and its underground pool is decked out in mosaics. Italian jobs aside, most newcomers are chiefly British. The Dorset Square Hotel (40 Dorset Square; firmdalehotels.com; doubles from QR873), opening next month near Marylebone, plays up English eccentricity with sash windows and old-fashioned washstands. And the Ampersand Hotel (10 Harrington Road; ampersandhotel.com; doubles from QR655) in South Kensington, opening in July, will take its Victorian design cues from nearby cultural institutions like Royal Albert Hall. emily mathieson For a look inside more of London’s new hotels — including Klasina, a smartly rehabbed Dutch barge that actually floats on the Thames — visit nytimes.com/tmagazine.

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Jungle Gym In the Costa Rican jungle near the village of Cabuya — past a bridge, through a series of wooden gates and up an unmarked trail — sits a new yoga retreat, the Sanctuary at Two Rivers (thesanctuarycostarica.com).

Founded by the actress Perrey Reeves, who played the very yoga-fit Mrs. Ari Gold on HBO’s ‘‘Entourage,’’ and Jeff Gossett, a restaurateur, the solar-powered resort was built completely by hand: no bulldozers, only shovels. ‘‘When you cook with a lot of love, you taste it; when you build with a lot of love, you can feel it,’’ Gossett says of their decade-long project. (And when you plant with a lot of love, evidently, you can smell it: the orchids blooming right outside the showers are no accident, he adds.) Visitors can either sign up for one of the Sanctuary’s regularly scheduled packages, like the weeklong Full-Moon Retreat, or rent out the entire 40-acre property for a private yogi gathering.

The ‘‘accessible, eco-conscious and peaceful’’ country of Costa Rica, Reeves says, was the only place where the pair considered breaking ground. ‘‘Plus, there are monkeys!’’

KATHRYN BRANCH

clockwise from top right: marcella dirks; courtesy of bulgari; lucas zarebinski (5); Bill Zelman.

Skin Deep Alexandra Cousteau on sun safety

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high off the hog William H. Macy

waxes bromantic on the Pacific Coast Highway.

he idea began in my kitchen when the cast of ‘‘Shameless’’ came over to watch our series premiere.

Steve Howey, who plays Kevin, and Justin Chatwin, who confusingly plays a character named Steve, both ride motorcycles, and I suggested we take a road trip from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Justin pointed out that it was wintertime. I said, ‘‘No, man, it’s California. It’s perfect riding weather.’’

We all agreed on a date and then Justin added, ‘‘Not to put too fine a point on it, but San Francisco is northern California.’’ Whatever.

On a Friday morning, we met at Coogie’s on the Pacific Coast Highway to begin our trip. Can I say I was nervous to ride with two young guys? They are half my age, stupidly good-looking and annoyingly talented. After a huge breakfast, we headed out to the bikes and mounted up. I ride a Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic, which looks like a vintage bike with lots of chrome, saddlebags and a windshield. Justin rides a Night Train with few creature comforts and Steve has a custom Wide Glide (both are Harleys, too). My bike has the stock muffler and is quiet for a Harley, but as 24

for the other two bikes: Rommel made less noise invading North Africa.

Justin’s handlebars are short and he has to lean forward, usually with his left arm on his knee, which gives him an ‘‘I couldn’t care less’’ look. Steve has ‘‘ape hangers,’’ which arch up over the bike so he has to keep his hands at about face level. He looks wicked cool. Before we did our pretakeoff fist bump, Justin lay in the road in front of the restaurant

P H O T O G R A P H B Y justin chatwin

and I took his picture. I don’t know why we did it or what it means, but I have a picture of Justin, apparently dead, in the front of every place we stopped.

Up the coast we went, in motorcycle formation — staggered so there’s time to stop short, but close enough together that a car couldn’t cut between us — and I felt excellent. I was with the boys, my tribe. We kept an eye on each other.

If the lead biker passed a piece

Desert storm The men of ‘‘Shameless’’ barreling down the open road.

justin chatwin

of detritus or a patch of rough road, he would signal to the rest of us. We saluted other bikes as they passed with the traditional vague sideways peace sign. (You only salute big bikes, never motor scooters. No offense.)

We left Highway 1 and took a small road through Los Olivos. I had worked out a complete itinerary with mileage, reservation numbers and sights of interest, and I made copies of this six-page document for each of us. Within three hours we decided to ditch the document and let ‘‘Linda’’ navigate. Justin can find his way around anywhere, and he says he’s guided by a voice in his head he calls Linda.

He can be really odd sometimes.

On our first night, we stayed in San Luis Obispo at the Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort. It’s a great old joint built in the late 1800s with terrific hot springs. We checked in, and the woman gave Steve and Justin their keys and pointed them to their rooms. She gave me a map and described how I would get to my ‘‘cabin.’’ The guys looked at their keys, and then at each other, and then at me. ‘‘I didn’t think you guys wanted to spend too much money,’’ I said sheepishly. ‘‘Mr. Macy?’’ the lady interrupted us. ‘‘Your massage is in half an hour so perhaps I should show you to your cabin?’’ Steve took the key from her and handed it to me, saying, ‘‘I think Mr. Macy can find his way.’’

Later, Steve and I sat in the bar while Justin soaked in one of the springs.

We talked about being actors and having actress wives. Steve’s married to Sarah Shahi, who was shooting ‘‘Fairly Legal’’ in Vancouver, and I’m married to Felicity Huffman, who was shooting the final season of ‘‘Desperate Housewives.’’ One of the challenges of being married to an actress is that there are often long periods of separation.

Steve and Sarah are suffering from that.

When my kids were young, I (like many men) freaked out about money and worked nonstop, and most of the work was out of town. And while I did some lovely films and made some money, I would face three pissed-off females each time I got home. So I found myself holding forth about how you have to work at marriage. I hate myself when I do that, but I keep doing it. ‘‘Seriously, man, you keep surprising them with delightful stuff, and they will give it back in spades. Women . . . are

like cats.’’ Good lord, I’m a jerk.

The next morning after breakfast, Steve told me to check my rear tire and sure enough it was almost flat. At a Harley dealer 15 miles away, the service guy said there were three bikes ahead of me. I said, ‘‘Look, I’m William H. Macy. Do you watch ‘Shameless?’ ’’ ‘‘What?’’ ‘‘It’s a TV show . . . uhhh, you see ‘Wild Hogs?’ ’’ He didn’t know what that was, either.

I said, ‘‘O.K., look, I tried to play the movie-star card, but we’re hoping to get to San Francisco tonight. Can you slip me in?’’ He said no, that around here he was a bigger star than me.

We finally hit the road three hours behind schedule. This delay meant we had to do the 101 — which was under construction — at rush hour, at night.

Justin pointed out that the temperature had dropped 20 degrees in 20 minutes.

We rode for about an hour and had to pull over we were so cold. Justin and I put on all the clothes we had, and Steve tried to buy pantyhose at a gift shop.

(Dear God, I wish they had carried them, as this would have been such a better story.)

Around 9:30 p.m., we rolled into San Francisco and roared up to the Fairmont hotel on Nob Hill. It’s a swanky old pile, and when we arrived there was some big shindig going on. Two pretty young things in little black dresses recognized me and squealed as they both gave me a hug on my bike. I found a lipstick kiss on my helmet later. Then they saw Justin and Steve, and one of them climbed on Justin’s bike and onto his lap. We three just sat there, frozen. Steve needed help lowering his hands from his ape hangers. We left our bikes sitting right in front of the hotel and limped into the lobby, where I offered the concierge any

amount of money for a massage. (Later, the doorman called and asked me to move my bike; it was blocking a RollsRoyce and a Lamborghini.)

The next morning, we set off early for Morro Bay, following Highway 1 out of town, and as we roared up those San Francisco streets our bikes set off car alarms. I don’t know why that tickles me so.

Highway 1 along the Pacific Coast has to be why God created motorcycles.

We had a glorious ride down to Santa Cruz, the kind that gets you thinking.

One of the odd things about riding is that when I hang around and talk about bikes with guys like Steve and Justin, I experience a camaraderie and closeness with men I can’t find anywhere else in my life. But when I actually hit the road, it’s a very singular, private experience. A long ride can become an athletic challenge, but it’s lovely to be alone with your thoughts. And sometimes the wind is at your back and you can really hear the engine humming along. I love that.

We decided to say our goodbyes at the last gas stop before Los Angeles. We fist bumped, and as I put on my gloves, I instantly regretted saying, ‘‘I love you guys.’’ But without skipping a beat, they told me they loved me, too.

When I finally pulled into my driveway, I had a message on my phone from Steve. ‘‘Hey Mace, you know how you said you have to keep doing delightful stuff for your wife? Well, I parked my bike at LAX and bought a ticket to Vancouver. I’m going to surprise Sarah at the gate.’’ n

“ ”

Sometimes the wind is at your back and you can hear the engine humming. I love that.

Pit stop William H. Macy (left) and Steve Howey on the Pacific Coast Highway. on the web For more photographs from the road trip, go to nytimes/ tmagazine.

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remix expert

The Body Whisperer One of the West Coast’s best-kept beauty secrets, the body ‘‘contourier’’ Megan Simon uses endermologie, sunless airbrush tanning, electrical currents, pet products and plain old good advice to make her celebrity clientele look slim, trim and cellulite-free.

Sandra Ballentine

Trade secrets Besides attacking clients’ cellulite with her endermologie machine, Simon makes their bodies look lithe by spraying an extra layer of sunless tan on thighs, sides of the waist and backs of the arms. An extra application around the jawline helps mask a double chin. Another useful illusion: Scott Barnes’s Body Bling in Original applied all over, with the Platinum shade on the fronts of the legs to streamline. She swipes Nars Illuminator in Copacabana on the bridge of the nose and across the forehead to create the look of a perfect nose. For sunless touch-ups, she recommends SunFx White Out. Find her at beautifulyoumc.com.

Food and supplements ‘‘Krill is the next big thing’’ Simon says. ‘‘It’s full of antioxidants and omegas.’’ She likes Nordic Light Krill & Fish Oil capsules.

The aesthetician eats kelp and shirataki noodles by the bucketful because ‘‘they’re a virtually calorie- and carb-free substitute for pasta.’’ Life Extension’s Optimized Resveratrol capsules ‘‘rev up your metabolism and slow the aging process.’’ According to the body guru, low-cal FRS (short for free radical scavenger) Healthy Energy Citrus Pomegranate drink is full of vitamins and ‘‘gives you that extra kick when you’re fatigued.’’

Simon uses her sister Melanie’s Circ-Cell Dew pH Perfector for crepe-y skin on arms, tummy and above the knees, and Deep KinetiCell’s Repair Crackling Body Mousse to reduce the appearance of cellulite. Pure Style Girlfriends Pick-Me-Up Breast Lift-Up Tape provides ‘‘the OMG factor’’ for backless dresses. She gives dry skin the one-two punch with drugstore scrub gloves and Brazil Nut Body Butter from the Body Shop. ‘‘Victoria Beckham uses it, too.‘’

Personal Best Many of Simon’s celeb clients visit We Care Spa in Desert Hot Springs, Calif., before shoots and red-carpet events. ‘‘The eight-day renewal package will have you detoxed and 10 pounds lighter.’’ Her pick for best treatment (besides her own) is Lift CVS Corps at Biologique Recherche’s spa in Paris. ‘‘A French girl scrubbed, massaged, moisturized and pinched my entire body for an hour, and lifted my breasts! I don’t know how she did it, but it’s true!’’ She calls the Santa Barbara-based Nina Lafuente ‘‘the best of the best of waxers. Nina’s Brazilians are done in 15 minutes flat.’’ If all else fails, Simon says, Christian Louboutin’s Very Prive platform in nude elongates the leg, making you look taller and slimmer.

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P ortrait B Y L uca trovato

Products: Jens mortensen (12); Nina Lafuente waxing: jill martin.

Product Placement

The kindest Cut After

23 years, Joyce Maynard faces her shorthair phobia.

U

ntil a few weeks ago, the last time I subjected my hair to a major cut was 1989.

At 35, I had been spending my summer at the bedside of my mother, who was dying of an inoperable brain tumor.

The cut turned out to be a good idea for reasons beyond aesthetics. This proved to be the summer when my losses included not only my mother but also my marriage. It seemed appropriate to shed my hair at such a moment.

Eventually my boy’s cut grew out, and in the 23 years since, I’ve kept my hair long, with no plan of additional revision. I even looked with a certain pity at the shaved necks and utilitarian bowl cuts I observed among a growing number of my female contemporaries, viewing the moment of lopping off one’s hair, for a woman, as a kind of death, or at least, further acknowledgement (if any more was needed) that youth and sexuality were over and cronehood was looming.

Not for me. My knees may ache and

my brow might appear lined (at least when the Botox wears off ), but so long as my hair hung past my shoulders, as it had when I was young, I could believe that some aspect of the girl I was at 18 still resided in my 58-year-old body.

This was my position until I found myself having coffee with a young friend of my daughter’s I’d known since her teenage days; she is now a fashion consultant. ‘‘All that hair’s weighing you down,’’ Karen said, her own hair barely grazing her earlobes. ‘‘You’d look great with a short cut.’’

No more short hair for me, I said.

But I could feel myself wavering. From

the moment I walked out of that cafe, I started studying the heads of shorthaired women. I followed one a whole block out of my way, just to get a closer look at the back of her neck.

Whereas in 1989 the lopping off of my braids had marked a monumental loss, the place I found myself in now was a happy one. At a period of less confidence, I might have felt the need for wavy tresses, but at this moment my sense of well-being did not reside on my head but in it.

Over the next days, I spent hours studying images of Michelle Williams.

Ellen DeGeneres. Victoria Beckham.

Clip art This photograph of Winona Ryder by Michael Thompson, in the June 2002 issue of W, served as inspiration for the author’s haircut.

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Joan of Arc. It’s not easy, assessing how good a short haircut may be, when the person sporting it is Audrey Hepburn, who would look beautiful bald. But one style she wore, around 1967 (the movie was ‘‘Wait Until Dark’’), merited particularly intense scrutiny. There was Hepburn’s neck, naked for the world to see, and her chin line, clear as the edges on a Richard Neutra house. The option of hiding behind your hair doesn’t exist if you don’t have much of it. This was both disconcerting and appealing. ‘‘Men don’t like short hair,’’ Karen told me, a fact later confirmed by the baffled looks I got from male friends

“ ”

The face in the mirror was still mine, but it was so different I hardly recognized myself.

28

to whom I announced my plan. Then again, should my hairstyle be dictated by the desire to please men or myself?

I considered a moderate position: cutting a few inches, leaving my hair above the shoulder. But this was a halfway measure. I was in or I was out.

I chose in. And I wanted the best person I could find. One name kept coming up in my research: Garren. ‘‘Garren’s a legend,’’ a fashionable New York friend said. ‘‘An artist.’’ And he prices his work accordingly. A haircut will set a person back $800.

Appointment booked, I flew to New York and checked into Garren’s salon in the Sherry-Netherland on Fifth Avenue.

I’ve visited a fair number of salons but no place like this. In the past, I might have been intimidated by the polished marble floor, the specially bottled Garren water, the shampoo chair with massage rollers. But Garren was easy to talk to, particularly about a subject of unfailing interest to him: hair.

We discussed the shape of my face, the relationship of my eyebrows to my hairline. We talked about my lifestyle and my neck. All of these were elements to be considered — and not lightly.

For reference I had a picture of Winona Ryder from 2002 that appealed to me, in a cut by Garren, I learned. It turned out that Winona and I had a few features in common: a very small head, a natural wave and no patience for maintenance.

Then, with less ceremony than I’d anticipated, the snipping (part scissors, part razor) began, and in under 30 minutes — too fast for me to register second thoughts — there was a pile of hair (eight inches) on the floor. The face in the mirror was still mine, but it was so different I hardly recognized myself.

The assistant, Francis, held up a mirror so I could study the back of my head: an architecture of layers that produced more volume and body than I’d known existed. And I could still feel a fringe of hair on my neck, which was reassuring.

Maybe the models whose hair Garren cuts respond with greater cool, but as for me: I threw my arms around him. I walked around in a kind of daze for 20 minutes — smiling at strangers and halfexpecting them to applaud as we passed on the street. Then I headed to Forever 21 to buy a bunch of big, cheap earrings to go with my expensive cut.

In the days that followed, I gave my

haircut a run for its money — riding in a convertible, sleeping in odd positions, swimming laps and exiting the pool with no time for a blow-dry. Through it all, Garren’s handiwork continued to look as good as it did the day I got up from his chair. The only time it didn’t was when I went to my favorite salon for my first post-cut shampoo and blowdry. And I learned, in the process, that the one thing not to do with a Garren cut is fuss over it. From what I can determine, the use of my blow-dryer is unnecessary, as is my hairbrush.

Sometimes I scrunch my mop of hair in one direction, sometimes another. I may use a little product for volume, but if I don’t, that’s O.K. too.

My children all weighed in with approval. Even some of the men who’d expressed distaste for any and all short haircuts on women seemed to come around. The one with whom I spend the most time developed a new saying, delivered several times a day: ‘‘Have I mentioned lately, I really like your hair?’’

A few days after my return home to California, I announced on Facebook that I’d cut my hair. Within a couple of hours, there were 97 responses, many of them lengthy meditations by women on the significance of a haircut.

One man — unknown to me previously — observed that I must be the most self-obsessed person he’d ever encountered, to give so much thought to a subject as shallow and meaningless as my head of hair. Most shocking of all, for some, was that $800 price tag.

It’s only hair, of course. Still, two weeks later, I observed in myself a marked elevation in energy, optimism, ambition and confidence. Last week, I set about learning to perform a cartwheel and tackled my first soufflé.

Three nights ago, I scored six points in a basketball game. Tonight I go line dancing. As for any possible links between sexuality and hair, I will simply say, a good haircut can definitely put a person in the mood for showing it off.

It is possible, I suggested to my Facebook critic, to care simultaneously about global warming, genetically engineered crops, world hunger, fracking and one’s hair. You can mourn your mother at the cemetery or in the beauty salon. You can mark the last gasps of your 50s by donating your miniskirts to Goodwill and giving yourself a sensible bowl cut, or . . . you can do something a little different. n

eric ray davidson. makeup by lisa aharon for chanel at kate ryan.

The big reveal Garren shows Maynard her new haircut — eight inches shorter.

remix Qatar

Exhibiting Excellence

Chloe’s first exhibition ‘Attitudes’

In celebration of its historic 60-year contribution to fashion, the Maison Chloe is treating the public to its very first exhibition ‘Chloe Attitudes’, taking place at the Palais de Tokyo, Paris.

Since 1952, its legacy of luxury pret-a-porter clothing has consistently defined how modern women live. The spectacular exhibition will give people an insight into Chloe’s spirit that spans seven decades.

From September 29 to November 18, the public will get the opportunity to see an exhibition of excellence showcasing signature pieces from each of Chloe’s nine key designers. The show takes a thematic path through Chloe’s creativity, pausing at its greatest moments in history – from progressive founder Gaby Aghion to present creative director Clare Waight Keller.

Iconic looks will be presented alongside lesser-known designs that are nevertheless equally influential.

Kildare Village announces John Minihan exhibition Kildare Village, one of the Chic Outlet Shopping(r) Villages by Value Retail recently announced that renowned Irish photographer John Minihan is returning to the Village with his new exhibition featuring 27 images spanning more than 50 years of film photography.

“Minihan -- A celebration of Film Photography” is now open and will remain open until Thursday 31 May. The exhibition features iconic photographic works from the world of fashion, art and film, from Andy Warhol to Yves Saint Laurent. John’s portraits capture each individual’s character and are all the more poignant because of the universal appeal of many of the people photographed.

This collection of truly iconic photography is the most comprehensive show of John’s work to date.

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remix Qatar

Timeless Classic To commemorate the 2012 Olympic Games, luxury watchmaker Omega is launching the Seamaster 1948 Co-Axial “London 2012” Limited Edition. Omega is the official timekeeper for the 25th time at the Olympic Games, and fittingly the brand was also responsible for the timekeeping at the 1948 London games where the very first Seamaster was launched.

The timeless redesign of Omega’s first Seamaster features a 39 mm polished and brushed stainless steel case. An 18-ct yellow gold medallion embossed with the London 2012 Olympic Games logo is fixed in the caseback. Only 1,948 pieces of the water-resistant watch are being produced, and will be presented in a special London 2012 presentation box.

Sharing Artistic Crafts Vacheron Constantin continues its passion to preserve the excellence of centuries-old expertise while encouraging innovative cultural projects with the creation of Cercle 250 – an association of corporate patrons with over 250 years of continuous activity to their name.

Throughout its history, the foundations of Vacheron Constantin have been built on five core values: the pursuit of excellence, support for creativity, openness to the world, the transmission of knowledge and the sharing of passion.

Cercle 250 intends to be a forum for exceptional encounters. Vacheron Constantin is open to creativity and deeply aware of the need to safeguard its material and immaterial heritage, and Cercle 250 is a place where truly original experience can be shared.

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Star Watch

Middle Eastern movie star Hani Salama recently visited the house of Parmigiani Fleurier in Geneva to meet with Jean-Marc Jacot, CEO of Parmigiani, and learn more about the intricacies of watch movements.

It wasn't the first meeting for the Egyptian actor and the Swiss watchmakers, as earlier this year Parmigiani Fleurier hosted Salama as their special guest at the International Hot Air Balloon Festival in Chateau d’Oex, in Switzerland’s Canton Vaud. The actor’s presence brought a touch of Middle Eastern glamour to the international balloon festival, which has been attracting enthusiasts and tourists since its opening in 1979.

“I was truly impressed with the atmosphere surrounding the balloon festival,” said Salama. “It was a fantastic experience for me to witness the spectacular sight of the colorful balloons soaring against the backdrop of crisp snow-clad slopes. I was also impressed with the spirit behind the festival and with my host, who is dedicated to supporting the promotion of Swiss culture and tradition,” Salama added.

A Parmigiani Fleurier watchmaker explains the complexity of the movement to Egyptian actor Hani Salama.

Hani Salama and Michel Parmigiani pose for a picture with the international media and VIP buyers at the International Hot Air Balloon Festival.

Home Style Bring your home to life with opulently romantic furnishings from The One that will help create a Parisian chic style. Fuse cream, girlie pinks and purples with plush textures, mirrored furniture and vintage accessories to achieve an effortlessly chic French feeling boudoir – one of the hottest styles for the home this season. To maximize the glamour, opt for vintage wallpaper featuring birds, a painted wood French dresser and an antiqued mirror.

Mohair throws and a fluffy rug soften this luxurious look even more; and accessorizing with vintage-inspired tassels, trinket boxes and frames will help personalize the space.

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BeoVision 4-103 surrounded

by BeoLab 5 speakers.

IS YOUR HOME A BANGER? We’re constantly

looking for ways to add quality to our lives and companies like Bang & Olufsen are always asking: “How can we improve this?” Rory Coen visited its HQ to get a sense of their desire never to reach their limit.

M

y home is an idiot. I won’t equivocate. It’s lazy and stupid. It struggles to come to terms with the depths of its own intelligence. It hasn’t quite got to the point where when I flip the light-switch the kettle turns on. For instance, when I move from my kitchen to my living-room, it would be a courtesy to switch the entertainment. I’m a good man – I vacuum and take out the trash regularly; I keep the rooms cool and air-conditioned and have air-fresheners to keep the air potent and crisp. But why can’t my home reciprocate?

The reason for my sudden diatribe against “home, sweet home” is that I recently spent a couple of days on the northwest coast of Denmark, where tech company Bang & Olufsen are perched. They have conceptualized modern living by fusing efficiency with high technology. A home becomes “intelligent” and can be customized to satisfy all requirements.

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Beo6

BeoSound 5 with BeoLab 3 speaker

As I watched their presentations, I suddenly empathized with my loquacious uncle who preferred nothing more than to ramble on about his salad days, when the family would huddle around a radio – the size of a washing machine – to listen to commentary. If anyone dared speak or cough at an inappropriate juncture, they did so at their own risk. Subsequent actions were treated with impunity by other members of the household.

His anecdotes didn’t seem so funny when I realized I was in a relative timewarp. Some day soon I would have to explain to my nephews how my generation had to change the channel on the television itself.

Modern Living So where have Bang & Olufsen taken us? What is modern living in 2012?

I got an early conceptualization of what it means by “modern living” when a group of us were ushered into a simulated living room at its “farm”. The BeoVision 4’s 103-inch plasma screen at the facing wall didn’t so much stand out as smack me in the face, while in each of the four corners stood a BeoLab 5 speaker. The adjacent wall hosted a BeoSound 5 system. We got ourselves comfortable on the sofas – which were centered in the room – and prepared ourselves for the imminent show. We were at the axis of awesomeness.

After some posturing, our guide whipped out a Beo6 – a remote control from the future – and simply pressed ‘DVD’. With my eyes wide shut, the doors gently closed behind me, the screen elevated a couple of feet off the floor to reveal a BeoLab 10 speaker and the lighting eased to eventually cloak the room in darkness. The room had transformed from a social room intended for light badinage with old friends into a modern cinematic environment. A menu appeared on the screen and our guide made her choice – a song called ‘Angels’, a 1998 track from Robbie Williams.

The androgynous sound that breezed thru the BeoLab 5 speakers – strong, yet blissful on the ears – lubricated my hammer, anvil and stirrup to a point where I felt my ears had taken leave.

Such was the clarity and overwhelming effect of the aural, I drifted off into a state of semiconsciousness before its brusque and untimely stoppage brought me back to earth with a thud!

“Now, enough of that,” she said hastily.

“We have to move on – there’s plenty more to experience.”

I slowly regained my senses amongst my peers and gave a fleeting evil and suspicious eye towards the speakers that had captured my attention for an unknown period of time. They stood there, with a countenance of innocence, like how a hypnotist betrays himself after one of his acts of public humiliation.

I followed the lady out the door and promised myself I’d duel with BeoLab 5 speakers again.

That night, I opened up B&O’s documentation – my rather humble decompression that afternoon had worried me a little.

Magical Experience As I read through the documentation, most of it was “blah, blah, blah” stuff. I filtered down through the fluff until I happened upon exactly what I was searching for.

Bang & Olufsen called what I had just experienced “magical”. I endeavored to find out why. “BeoLab 5 uses Acoustic Lens Technology and projects 2,500 watts - (2,500 watts!) - of pure digital power into your home, your space,” the brochure boasted. “You may not be aware of the potential of the acoustics in your room, but a BeoLab 5 is. With Adaptive Bass Control, the

system reads the room. It listens and learns. It measures the room – the subtle nuances – and performs its own tests, responding accordingly to optimise the sound.

“Whether you’re listening to an intimate Cajun concert in Louisiana or watching a 31st century metropolis under attack, you’ll be right there in the thick of the action,” it continued.

“The unsurpassed technology literally takes you from your living room to other places. But it isn’t just about the technology – it’s about the intense experience as well.”

So, I conceded, I had little hope against the captivating qualities of the BeoLab 5 speakers.

How about the television?

“A VisionClear picture engine on the BeoVision 4 corrects errors from compression or poor signal quality and has the ability to adjust to the light conditions of the room, while the Automatic Color Management system compensates for the inevitable effects of ageing in screen performance. It should perform to its peak for up to 100,000 hours.”

BeoLivinG – “Move the experience” What Bang & Olufsen’s BeoLiving concept is essentially doing is giving your home some manners. It trains it to understand your needs and requirements. If you flip the hall light switch after returning home, this one action can intuitively trigger a series of further actions, such as playing your favorite radio station in your kitchen and starting up the air-conditioner. Because you only need one BeoSound system for your home, if you move to an adjacent room the music experience can instinctively follow – falling over to the most appropriate speaker.

What’s more, all of these products can be controlled by the Beo6 remote control, from the proprietary products such as BeoVision and BeoSound to third-party ones such as air-conditioners, iPads and various sources of lighting. They can all operate in concert – the Beo6 being the conductor and, of course, the BeoLab 5s being first violin. The tiny BeoLink box, which is the central processing unit for the concept, need never be seen at all.

BeoLink is available from the App Store, so these controls can be performed on your iPhone as well. A B&O employee explained that with one personalized function, he can gradually wind down the entertainment in his living room and ramp it up in his bedroom as he prepares to retire for the night. He has dozens of varying functions for his capricious moods.

Bang & Olufsen have opened a shop on the first floor at Lagoona Mall in West Bay, Doha and have simulated the “living-room experience” for those who are tickled by the concept. Appropriately enough, the guys there allowed me to watch Transformers in 3D on the BeoVision 4-103 with surround sound on the BeoLab5s n 35

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What do you want, Brick?

Diego Gronda explores materials in the design process at Gordon Ramsay, St Regis doha.

In conversation with Sindhu Nair.

To express is to drive.

And when you want to give something presence, you have to consult nature.

And there is where Design comes in.

–Louis Kahn

hen Louis Kahn asked this loaded question, what he anticipated was to celebrate the material and honor it in the pure sense. An ideology that is no longer popular in the current design scenario.

And not a question that Diego Gronda, Managing and Creative Director of Rockwell Group, considered as he went about designing the two Gordon Ramsay restaurants at St Regis Doha.

Diego, who is also a big fan of the purist architect Kahn, recreated an abstract English landscape, a winter garden of sorts, in the interiors of a branded restaurant, housed in an Arabian-themed grandiose hotel premises.

Sounds surreal? Well, there is reasoning behind this too.

“The idea was to create a series of structures familiar to the British landscape in a very abstract way. We didn’t want to pursue a literal translation of that, as it did sound absurd to have a winter garden in Doha,” agrees Diego.

But the idea seems to have worked well, as the interiors of Opal (one of the Gordon Ramsay restaurants) entice you to take a complete journey of smells, sights and of course culinary expertise.

While there is no material being honored here, the space explains how designers hold the power to mold our senses and take us through a fantasy land of smells and sights and of perceptions, through the cold wet English countryside at Opal, in the pursuit of gratification, in simmering hot Doha! Not the great Kahn’s design principle for sure, but one that surely stands out and works well in this space.

“We were confronted with a complex problem as Gordon Ramsay requested two restaurants instead of one. And we had to create a series of rooms, a journey to really create two different

W Design Principles Design is all about subtle features that makes one want to come back for more.

kinds of dining.”

The challenge of having two completely different dining experiences is indeed massive, with two kinds of crowd visiting the two restaurants.

The solution was a common space, the breathtaking conservatory that serves as an open reception for both these dining spaces or just as a walk-through.

“The grand conservatory makes way to the main dining area called Opal for a casual experience and around its perimeter to the fine dining at one side.”

Diego and team at Rockwell are famous for their “wow” spaces, his earlier designs at the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower Hotel project had a similar focal point in the Wasabi restaurant, at the exquisite private dining room with a sculptural round table lit by an overscale custom fixture of hammered metal.

The stunning space here at Opal is the conservatory, a white and black creation, stark, not too much design ornamentation and yet striking in a way that makes you want to know more. When you think conservatory you would imagine plants, but Diego and team didn’t opt to take the literal meaning of the word while translating it into design, and used a complex material to make the subtle impact.

Diego has instead used pictures by renowned British photographer (of course) Rodney Smith of gentlemen standing on ladders, looking over hedges, or cutting hedges. The pictures are velvet printed on a metal mesh, the material (metal mesh) completely camouflaged by the velvet print of the gentlemen. These meshes are then placed on the perimeter of the conservatory. Kahn would have loved this, the play of materials, for it is certainly intriguing and entirely an offshoot from nature, but in a form of art that is subtle to the core. But then would he, as they are not what they seem?

“Some people understand it but some don’t.

37

The English Garden: The common room that takes the look of a British winter garden with a wire mesh spanning the periphery of the room; the conservatory are all formal and very British in design.

We love it that way. It is not just for the mystery.

It is fairly easy to create a ‘wow’ factor in restaurants but it is dangerous too. The guests arrive for the first time and love it but then the euphoria of the moment fades away after the first visit. The second time, there is never that wow factor, and then comes disappointment. We try to figure it from the guest’s point of view. We want to create layers in the design, so the discovery

“ ”

The constraint was the designed space available. But it is interesting how Diego worked around this problem.

“It was a very long space with an extended kitchen that runs along the passage to Opal. So we designed the passage with an analysis that all human beings are lazy by nature and when confronted with a long corridor are too lazy to go to the very end of it. So we needed to create a series of ‘innuendo’ experiences.

We created this through food, through the color of seafood, or the smell of the pizza, instead of using elements like water features or sculptural elements.

We decided that we would attract people through the smell of bread, for example, to the best parts of the restaurant, which are the fine dining area to the left of the conservatory and Opal at the end of the passage.”

“Walking through the aisle is an experience.

You have the exposed wine cellar, then you walk through the raw bar, going on to the pizza dining – with the pizza oven and high seating – and then you arrive at this hedge, and the cosy room with the views of The Pearl through the huge windows,” says Deigo, taking us through the experience.

Rockwell Group was involved in the master plan and refurbishment of the Taj Hotel in Mumbai when the September terrorist attack happened. The design process took a completely new turn with Ratan Tata wanting the product ready within a year of the attack.

“It was a question of pride, to give a sense of hope and also to infuse the message that life goes

It’s not about a design award but it is about how we touch the masses through our work.

keeps happening. A ‘sense of getting to know’ and ‘falling in love’ with the project slowly, along with a timeless classic look with a sense of place, is what we wanted to achieve here,” he says.

Aesthetically there was just a subtle discussion with Gordon Ramsay and the Alfardan clan but the design was mostly left to the discretion of the Rockwell Group, given their vast expertise in the hospitality sector.

“Omar Alfardan just wanted the best from us.

They did not want the restaurant to have an Arab feel,” says Diego.

A decision that was very wise, feels Diego, as they were within a hotel with a strong Arab influence and Alfardan wanted entirely different experiences in all the restaurants within St Regis.

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on even in the face of conflict, that Ratan Tata wanted to convey through the timely completion of the project,” he says.

Reminiscing on the personality of Tata and his never-say-no demeanor, Diego says: “You will rarely meet such a grand personality. This was an attack on his own house and a lot of people in his team had passed away and it was a personal loss for him. But the way he handled it stoically while infusing positivity to the team was amazing.

“It was a challenge for us to work in a short time frame in India but we took it upon ourselves, and exactly a year after the attack the restaurants opened.

“I felt so proud to be part of the healing process, of infusing hope. The way Tata reinforced the heritage of Taj through this brave step was mind-blowing. He used architecture to infuse energy into the project. But it was also a painful experience; it was no longer about designing the interiors but also about pride and hope.

“It gave us all a sense of accomplishment at the end of the project. It was the most intense experiences that I had gone through,” he says.

This project, for Diego, reinforced the power of healing in architecture.

“And that is the truth,” he says, glorifying F.L. Wright’s design sensibilities. “We see the design as an experience, as a way of engaging people at an emotional level. It’s not about a design award but it is about how we touch the masses through our work.

We strive to bring about that ‘something’ which transports guests to a better place of good food, superior lighting, comfortable ambience which makes it ‘their’ space. That ‘something’ is what we strive for.” n

Ana María García Montero, a renowned Peruvian

photographer, was in Doha recently to celebrate the opening of her exhibition

Andares , showcasing the iconic

'Shared Reflection'. The relationship between a challan (traditional rider) and his horse is forged on deep bonds of devotion and respect.

Peruvian Paso horse.

Nidhi Zakaria Eipe sat down with the candid artist to learn more about her life—through the lens.

Que Paso!

39

“I always tell this story,”

Montero says. She once came across the cover of a “National Geographic” magazine issue featuring three women in Africa—stark naked, toothless and thin as rails. “No food, no teeth,” she frowns.

“If you just see these women, you would say, ‘this is not beautiful’. But they were laughing—so nice and hard that when you looked at the image you forgot all that and you began to laugh. That’s what I am trying to do.” Montero credits it as the first time she realized that “photography needs to show you something, and everything and everyone has something to say”.

Montero has been a photographer all her life.

She still has the first photographs she took, when she was barely eight years old. “I stole the camera from my mother’s drawer,” she laughs, “because she didn’t want me to have it. Imagine an eight-year-old taking the only camera in the house!” Undeterred, Montero went to school and took photographs of all her friends, then got the film developed with her pocket money (and slipped the camera back in the drawer). Her early tryst with the camera matured into a formal course of study at the University of Lima. Starting out in investigative photojournalism, she later moved on to fashion, advertising, publicity and portrait photography. Her journey has taken her from Peru to Venezuela and from Florida to California—she now lives in San Diego, where she specializes in digital retouching and restoration.

Montero’s first exhibition showcased the work of her grandfather Ricardo Rodríguez La Rosa, a studio photographer in the 1920s, focused on family portraits. Montero didn’t know he was a photographer until a few years ago, when she inadvertently came across an old photograph he had taken. Montero asked around among her relatives for more photographs and finally ended up with a book from one of her aunts. The book was badly damaged and it was painstaking work to scan, restore and enlarge each image. But the results were captivating. “Nobody would have thought these small, damaged photographs would look so beautiful,” she smiles. Inspired by the beauty of the work, Montero wanted to share these images with the rest of her family. The result was “Nostalgia”, her first exposition, in her native Peru, 25 years after she had left the country.

Following up on “Nostalgia”, Montero wanted to do an exhibition on a series of photographs she had been working on. Titled “Serenidad y

40

Through the Looking Glass. Originating from Peru, the Paso horse possesses an imperial bloodline, descending from Arab, Spanish, Berber and Andalusian horses over 400 years ago.

Alegria”, the photographs depicted the twin expressions of joy and serenity in women. She approached the Director of Centro de la Imagen, a photographic academy in Lima, to pitch the idea—but he was not too keen on the theme. So Montero showed him her photographs of birds.

“All my life, I’ve been capturing images of birds.

It’s impossible for me to have a camera and not take pictures of birds. I love them,” she says simply. And looking at her photographs, you don’t doubt the strength of that love. Indeed, it was one of her stunning avian images of two Peruvian pelicans that won her a National Geographic photography contest in 2010.

Those pictures were enough to convince the Academy Director as well, and her second exhibition showcased a series of images from Ancón, a fishing village and popular beach resort in Peru whose biodiversity is being threatened by encroaching human populations. “I went with a fisherman out into the islands of Ancón,

and I found all these birds—they have the most amazing, unbelievable colors. I thought, Okay, let me show this to everybody,” she recalls. The show was a resounding success, particularly in creating awareness about the fragile ecological balance of the various species that inhabit Anćon.

Eight months later, Montero exhibited “Voces del Mar”— a more complete collection of bird photographs from all the places she had traveled.

Montero is quick to eschew the label ‘nature photographer’ that some choose to peg her with. “I’m a photographer first,” she asserts.

“The subject comes later.” She believes in going with the flow, which is incidentally how she encountered the subject of her current exhibition “Andares”: the Peruvian Paso horse. “I was with a group of friends and one of them asked, ‘Are you always going to be doing birds? What about horses?’ and I thought—Why not?” The challenge for her was to project a different angle on the Paso horse, a ceremonial show horse and

Ana Maria Garcia Montero at the opening reception of her exhibition 'Andares' at Katara Cultural Village, Doha.

When you do what you like, you don’t need patience—you enjoy it.

internationally recognized emblem of Peru’s cultural heritage. “In their show business, there are hundreds of photographs of these horses. I needed to do something different. I didn’t want to just show them doing their job.” So she chose instead to photograph the horses in their natural environment, visiting farms around the capital, Lima, but also in other Peruvian cities including Trujillo, the cradle of the Peruvian Paso horse.

The title “Andares” translates to ‘gait’, inspired by the Paso horse’s trademark stride: a natural, fourbeat, lateral gait known as paso llano.

I ask if it was at all challenging to make the switch from photographing birds to photographing horses, and whether it required a different behavioral approach. Montero reminds me that the horses she photographed were trained, and that she had a chalan (traditional rider) to guide her. “Birds are wild—they are always on the run. Horses…you have to make them run.” But as with any animal, Montero

says, you first have to gain their trust. “When you approach them in the first instance, of course they run away, but if you stay, sooner or later they come back. That’s the time when you begin to take photos.” Montero holds that the eye is the most expressive part of an animal, and many of her photographs emphasize the eyes, particularly as mirrors for reflection. “For me, it’s very important because the eyes don’t lie. Whatever you are feeling, your eyes are going to show it,” she says. “So I always look animals in the eye, always – that’s my way of approaching them.”

Montero is a firm advocate of the idea that a photograph cannot simply be beautiful; it also needs to send a message. Particularly when capturing the natural world, Montero believes that photographers have a responsibility to conserve and protect the species they document and to use their art to convey this sense to others.

She takes her responsibility as a photographer seriously, sometimes waiting for hours just to capture a certain expression, movement or look.

Would it be fair to call her an incredibly patient person? “I have another theory,” she says. “You need patience when you’re doing something you don’t like. When you do what you like, you don’t need patience—you enjoy it. That’s my theory, anyway,” she winks.

If that theory is anything to go by, she has certainly been enjoying her time in Qatar. While she was here, Montero took the opportunity to run an educational photography workshop, sponsored by Katara. Participants attended a theory workshop on the artistic elements

of photography and then took part in a field component at Umm Qarn, a private horse farm north of the capital. She later critiqued and evaluated participants’ images from the field session and offered tips to improve their photographic skills. She is full of praise for the hospitality, friendship and generosity extended to her during her six-week stay. “The experience I had here has been priceless, wonderful. It was a privilege to know and share with the Peruvian community in this beautiful city. The Qataris have been very special to me,” she adds.

Where to from here? Montero tells me that the “Andares” exhibit will be travelling on to Morocco and Dubai, under the auspices of the Peruvian Embassy in Qatar. She has also been commissioned to create an exhibit juxtaposing Arabian and Peruvian horses, for a summit between Middle Eastern and Latin American countries to be hosted in Peru in October.

Montero was invited to photograph the horses at Al Shaqab—His Highness the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani’s world-class equestrian venue—to include in this forthcoming exhibit. Personally, she wants to spend more time traveling and understanding different cultures.

“Every culture has something to give, and I’m very open to that.” Montero dreams about going to Africa and India, perhaps even creating a series of photographs on indigenous cultures, but for now she does not want to limit herself and is content to live the season, like a leaf in the wind.

Which is a good thing, because the breeze is definitely blowing her way n 41

‫سوف يسافر آنداريس إلى المغرب ودبي‪ ،‬وستجمع آنا بين‬ ‫الخيول العربية األصيلة وخيول الباسو بيرو من أجل قمة بين‬ ‫دول الشرق األوسط ودول أميركا الالتينية ستستضيفها البيرو‬ ‫في أكتوبر‬

‫الأ�صدقاء ف�س�ألني �أحدهم‪" :‬هل �ست�صورين الطيور‬ ‫طوال حياتك؟ ماذا عن اخليول؟" ففكرت َ‬ ‫مل ال؟"‪.‬‬ ‫وكان التحدي بالن�سبة لها يتمثل يف �إبراز زاوية‬ ‫خمتلفة لعامل احل�صان با�ســـوبيــــرو و�إبراز هيبة‬ ‫وجمـال احل�صان البريوفـــي با�سوبريو الذي ميثل‬ ‫قيمة معرتف بها دوليا للرتاث الثقايف الوطني‬ ‫جلمهورية البريو‪ .‬و�أ�ضافت �آنا‪" :‬توجد لهذه اخليول‬ ‫مئات من ال�صور الفوتوغرافية‪ .‬لكنني كنت �أريد �أن‬ ‫�أقوم ب�شيء خمتلف"‪ .‬لذا‪ ،‬قررت ت�صوير اخليول يف‬ ‫بيئتها الطبيعية‪ ،‬فزارت املزارع حول العا�صمة ليما‬ ‫ويف مدن �أخرى يف البريو من بينها تروخيو‪ ،‬وهي‬ ‫مهد خيول البا�سو بريو‪ .‬وكلمة �آنداري�س ‪Andares‬‬ ‫تعني "م�شية"‪ ،‬وهي م�ستوحاة من طريقة م�شي هذا‬ ‫النوع من اخليول‪ .‬و�س�أل ُتها عما �إذا كان التحول‬ ‫من ت�صوير الطيور �إىل ت�صوير اخليول ي�شكل حتديا‬ ‫يتطلب �إتباع نهج خمتلف‪ .‬ف�أجابت �آنا‪� " :‬إن اخليول‬ ‫التي �صورتها مدربة ولديها فار�س يوجهها‪ ،‬م�ضيفة‪:‬‬ ‫"�إن الطيور برية وهي تفر دائما يف حني �أنه يف حالة‬ ‫اخليول ينبغي على املرء �أن يجعلها جتري"‪ .‬لكنها‬

‫�أكدت �أنه كما هي احلال مع �أي حيوان �آخر‪ ،‬على‬ ‫املرء �أوال �أن يك�سب ثقة اخليل �إذ تقول‪" :‬عندما يقرتب‬ ‫املرء منهم للمرة الأوىل ف�إنها تهرب بطبيعة احلال‪،‬‬ ‫لكن �إذا بقي ف�إنها �ستعود عاجال �أم �آجال‪ ،‬وهذا هو‬ ‫الوقت املنا�سب لبدء التقاط ال�صور"‪ .‬ولفتت �آنا �إىل‬ ‫�أن العني هي اجلزء الأكرث تعبريا من احليوان لذا ف�إن‬ ‫العديد من �صورها تركز على العيون‪�" .‬إنه �أمر مهم‬ ‫للغاية بالن�سبة يل لأن العيون ال تكذب‪ .‬فمهما كان‬ ‫�شعور املرء ف�إن عينيه تف�ضح م�شاعره‪ .‬لذا �أنا �أنظر‬ ‫�إىل عيون احليوانات‪ ،‬وهذه هي طريقتي يف االقرتاب‬ ‫منها"‪ .‬و�آنا من �أن�صار فكرة �أنه ال يكفي لل�صور �أن‬ ‫تكون جميلة فح�سب و�إمنا ينبغي �أن حتمل ر�سالة ما‪،‬‬ ‫وعلى الأخ�ص عند ت�صوير عامل الطبيعة‪ ،‬فهي ترى �أن‬ ‫امل�صورين يتحملون م�س�ؤولية حفظ وحماية الأنواع‬ ‫التي ي�صورونها وا�ستخدام الفن لنقل هذه الفكرة‬ ‫للآخرين‪ .‬وهي ت�أخذ م�س�ؤوليتها كم�صورة بجدية‪،‬‬ ‫وتنتظر �أحيانا ل�ساعات اللتقاط تعبري معني‪� ،‬أو‬ ‫حركة معينة‪� ،‬أو نظرة ما‪ .‬لكن هل ميكن �أن نعتربها‬ ‫�شخ�صا �صبورا للغاية؟ جتيب‪" :‬لدي نظرية �أخرى �إذ‬ ‫على املرء �أن يكون �صبورا عندما يفعل �شيئا ال يحبه‪.‬‬ ‫لكنه عندما يفعل ما يريد ف�إنه ال يحتاج لل�صرب و�إمنا‬ ‫هو ي�ستمتع به‪ .‬هذه هي نظريتي‪ ،‬على �أي حال"‪ .‬و�إذا‬ ‫�صحت هذه النظرية ف�إنها بالت�أكيد ت�ستمتع بوقتها‬ ‫يف قطر‪ .‬ف�أثناء وجود �آنا هنا‪ ،‬اغتنمت الفر�صة‬ ‫لإجراء ور�شة عمل لتعليم الت�صوير الفوتوغرايف‬ ‫برعاية كتارا‪ ،‬ح�رض فيها امل�شاركون ور�شة عمل‬

‫نظرية حول العنا�رص الفنية للت�صوير ثم �شاركوا يف‬ ‫رحلة ميدانية يف �أم قرن‪ ،‬وهي �إحدى مزارع اخليول‬ ‫اخلا�صة الواقعة يف �شمايل املدينة‪ .‬وبعد ذلك قامت‬ ‫�آنا بتقييم �صور امل�شاركني يف الدورة يف وقت الحق‬ ‫وقدمت ن�صائحها لتح�سني مهاراتهم الفوتوغرافية‪.‬‬ ‫وتتحدث �آنا عن �إقامتها هنا التي ا�ستمرت ملدة �ستة‬ ‫�أ�سابيع قائلة‪" :‬لقد كانت جتربة رائعة ال تقدر بثمن‬ ‫بالن�سبة يل‪ .‬وي�رشفني �أن �أتعرف على جمتمع البريو‬ ‫يف هذه املدينة اجلميلة‪ .‬وقد كان القطريون رائعني‬ ‫�أي�ضا بالن�سبة يل"‪ .‬لكن �أين �ستتوجه �آنا بعد الدوحة؟‬ ‫جتيب �أن معر�ض �آنداري�س �سوف ي�سافر �إىل املغرب‬ ‫ودبي حتت رعاية �سفارة البريو يف قطر‪ .‬و�ستجمع‬ ‫�آنا بني اخليول العربية الأ�صيلة وخيول البا�سو بريو‬ ‫من �أجل قمة بني دول ال�رشق الأو�سط ودول �أمريكا‬ ‫الالتينية �ست�ست�ضيفها البريو يف �أكتوبر حيث ُدعيت‬ ‫لت�صوير خيول مربط ال�شقب للفرو�سية كي تعر�ض‬ ‫�صورها يف هذا املعر�ض املقبل‪ .‬وهي تريد �شخ�صيا‬ ‫�أن تق�ضي املزيد من الوقت يف ال�سفر وفهم خمتلف‬ ‫الثقافات �إذ تقول‪" :‬لدى كل ثقافة ما تقدمه‪ ،‬و�أنا‬ ‫منفتحة جدا على ذلك"‪ .‬وحتلم �آنا بال�سفر �إىل �أفريقيا‬ ‫والهند‪ ،‬ورمبا حتى �إبداع �سل�سلة من ال�صور حول‬ ‫ثقافات ال�شعوب الأ�صلية‪ ،‬لكنها الآن ال تريد �أن حتد‬ ‫من نف�سها‪ ،‬وهي �سعيدة مبا تفعله حتى الآن يف هذا‬ ‫املو�سم‪ ،‬فهي مثل ورقة يف مهب الريح‪ .‬وهو �أمر جيد‪،‬‬ ‫�سيهب ويوجهها بالت�أكيد نحو حمطتها‬ ‫لأن الن�سيم‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫املقبلة‪.‬‬ ‫‪42‬‬

‫تقول آنا‪:‬‬

‫نظرت �آنا مرة‬ ‫"�إنني �أروي دائما هذه الق�صة"‪ .‬فقد‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫�إىل غالف جملة نا�شيونال جيوغرافيك الذي كان‬ ‫ي�صور ثالث ن�ساء يف �أفريقيا عاريات وبال �أ�سنان‬ ‫وعلقت على ذلك قائلة‪" :‬ال طعام‬ ‫ونحيفات للغاية‪.‬‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫وال �أ�سنان‪� .‬إذا ر�أينا ه�ؤالء الن�ساء ف�إننا �سنقول �إنه‬ ‫لي�س بالأمر اجلميل‪ ،‬لكنهن كن ي�ضحكن‪� .‬إنها �صورة‬ ‫لطيفة وقا�سية يف الوقت نف�سه لدرجة �أنه عندما ينظر‬ ‫املرء �إليها ف�إنه ين�سى كل �شيء ويبد�أ بال�ضحك‪ .‬وهذا‬ ‫ما �أحاول القيام به"‪ .‬وبف�ضل هذه ال�صورة ف�إنها‬ ‫املرة الأوىل التي �أدركت بها �آنا �أنه "ينبغي للت�صوير‬ ‫�أن يظهر كل �شيء و�أن لدى اجلميع ما يقولونه"‪ ،‬كما‬ ‫تقول‪ .‬وقد عملت �آنا بالت�صوير طوال حياتها وما‬ ‫زالت حتتفظ ب�أول �صورة التقطتها عندما كانت تبلغ‬ ‫من العمر ثماين �سنوات‪ .‬وتقول �ضاحكة وهي تتذكر‬ ‫�رسقت الكامريا من درج والدتي‬ ‫تلك ال�صورة‪“ :‬لقد‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫لأنها مل تكن تريدين �أن �آخذها‪ .‬ولكم �أن تتخيلوا طفلة‬ ‫عمرها ثمانية �أعوام وهي ت�أخذ الكامريا الوحيدة يف‬ ‫يثن �آنا فقد ذهبت �إىل املدر�سة‬ ‫املنزل!”‪ .‬لكن ذلك مل ِ‬ ‫والتقطت �صورا جلميع �صديقاتها‪ ،‬ثم حم�ضت الفيلم‬ ‫أرجعت الكامريا �إىل الدرج‬ ‫من م�رصوفها اخلا�ص (و�‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫خفية)‪ .‬وقد ن�ضج حبها املبكر للكامريا من خالل‬ ‫درا�ستها لدورة حول الت�صوير يف جامعة ليما‪ .‬وقد‬ ‫بد�أت يف الت�صوير ال�صحفي‪ ،‬ثم انتقلت الحقا �إىل‬ ‫الأزياء والدعاية والإعالن‪ .‬ثم �سافرت من البريو �إىل‬ ‫فنزويال ومن فلوريدا �إىل كاليفورنيا‪ ،‬وهي تعي�ش‬ ‫الآن يف �سان دييغو حيث تتخ�ص�ص يف تعديل‬ ‫ال�صور رقميا وترميمها‪ .‬وعر�ضت �آنا يف �أول معر�ض‬ ‫لها �أعمال جدها ريكاردو رودريغيز ال روزا‪ ،‬وهو‬ ‫م�صور �أ�ستوديو يف الع�رشينيات من القرن املا�ضي‬ ‫ركّ ز على ال�صور العائلية‪ .‬ومل تكن �آنا تعرف �أنه‬ ‫عرثت عن‬ ‫كان م�صورا �إال قبل ب�ضع �سنوات عندما‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫طريق امل�صادفة على �صورة قدمية له من ت�صويره‪.‬‬ ‫طلبت من �أقربائها �أن يعطوها ما لديهم من‬ ‫عندئذ‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫�صوره الفوتوغرافية لتجد لدى �إحدى عماتها �ألبوم‬ ‫�صور من ت�صويره‪ .‬وكان الألبوم قد حلقت به �أ�رضار‬ ‫فبذلت جهودا م�ضنية يف م�سح �صوره رقميا‬ ‫بالغة‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫وترميمها وتكبريها‪ .‬لكن النتائج كانت �آ�رسة �إذ‬ ‫تقول وهي تبت�سم‪" :‬ال ميكن لأحد �أن يت�صور �أنه ميكن‬ ‫‪43‬‬

‫لهذه ال�صور ال�صغرية والتالفة �أن تبدو جميلة جدا"‪.‬‬ ‫وبوحي من جمال هذا العمل‪� ،‬أرادت �آنا �أن ت�شاطر‬ ‫بقية �أفراد عائلتها هذه ال�صور‪ ،‬وكانت النتيجة‬ ‫معر�ض "حنني"‪ ،‬وهو املعر�ض الأول لها يف البريو‪،‬‬ ‫وطنها الأم‪ ،‬بعد ‪ 25‬عاما من مغادرتها البالد‪ .‬وبعد‬ ‫معر�ض "حنني" �أرادت �آنا �أن تقيم معر�ضا على‬ ‫�سل�سلة من ال�صور التي تعمل عليها بعنوان الهدوء‬ ‫والفرح ‪ Serenida y Allegria‬ت�صور تعابري‬ ‫الفرح وال�سكينة لدى الن�ساء‪ .‬وعر�ضت على مدير‬ ‫�أكادميية �سنرتو دي ال �إمياجني‪ ،‬وهي �أكادميية‬ ‫الت�صوير الفوتوغرايف يف ليما‪ ،‬فكرة املعر�ض‪ ،‬لكنه‬ ‫مل يكن متحم�سا جدا للمو�ضوع‪ .‬لذا فقد �أرته �صور‬ ‫طيور التقطتها بنف�سها‪ .‬وتقول �آنا‪�" :‬إنني �ألتقط �صورا‬ ‫للطيور طوال حياتي ف�أنا �أحب ت�صوير الطيور‪ .‬ومن‬ ‫امل�ستحيل بالن�سبة يل �أن تكون لدي كامريا وال �أ�صور‬ ‫الطيور لأنني �أحبها"‪ .‬وال ميكن لأي �شخ�ص ينظر �إىل‬ ‫�صورها �أن ي�شك يف قوة هذا احلب‪ .‬فقد فازت �إحدى‬ ‫�صورها لطائري بجع يف البريو مب�سابقة ت�صوير‬ ‫نا�شيونال جيوغرافيك يف العام ‪.2010‬‬

‫وقد كانت تلك ال�صور كافية لإقناع مدير الأكادميية‪،‬‬ ‫لذا فقد عر�ضت يف معر�ضها الثاين �سل�سلة من ال�صور‬ ‫من قرية �أنكون‪ ،‬وهي قرية �صيد �أ�سماك على �شاطئ‬ ‫البريو يهدد تنوعها البيولوجي زحف الب�رش‪ .‬وتتذكر‬ ‫"توجهت مع �أحد ال�صيادين �إىل جزر‬ ‫�آنا ذلك قائلة‪:‬‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫�آنكون وقد وجدت هناك كل هذه الطيور التي لديها‬ ‫فكرت �أن �أريها‬ ‫�ألوان مده�شة وال ت�صدق لذا فقد‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫للجميع"‪ .‬وقد حقق هذا املعر�ض جناحا باهرا‪،‬‬ ‫وال�سيما يف خلق الوعي حول التوازن البيئي اله�ش‬ ‫بني خمتلف الأنواع التي تعي�ش يف قرية �آنكون‪.‬‬ ‫وبعد ثمانية �أ�شهر عر�ضت �آنا معر�ض �أ�صوات البحر‬ ‫‪ ،Voces del Mar‬وهي جمموعة �أكرث اكتماال‬ ‫من ال�صور الفوتوغرافية للطيور من جميع الأماكن‬ ‫�سافرت �إليها‪ .‬وال حتب �آنا �أن ُت�سمى "م�صورة‬ ‫التي‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫الطبيعة"‪ ،‬وهو اللقب الذي يطلقه البع�ض عليها �إذ‬ ‫تقول‪�" :‬إنني م�صورة �أوال‪ ،‬واملوا�ضيع ت�أتي الحقا"‪.‬‬ ‫وجدت‬ ‫وهي ت�ؤمن بال�سري مع التيار فبهذه الطريقة‬ ‫ْ‬ ‫مو�ضوع معر�ضها احلايل "�أنداري�س‪ :‬عامل احل�صان‬ ‫با�سو بريو"‪ .‬وعن ذلك تقول‪“ :‬كنت مع جمموعة من‬

‫الشغف بالتصوير‬ ‫زارت آنا ماريا غارسيا مونتيرو‪ ،‬وهي مصورة فوتوغرافية‬ ‫مشهورة من البيرو‪ ،‬الدوحة مؤخرا لالحتفال بافتتاح معرضها‬ ‫«آنداريس» الذي يصور عالم الحصان‬ ‫باسو بيرو الشهير‪ .‬التقى نيدهي زكريا أيبي معها وأجرى حوارا‬ ‫صريحا لمعرفة المزيد عن حياتها من خالل عدستها‪.‬‬ ‫‪44‬‬

Journeying to the

Soul of the World

Like Alice in Wonderland, or Neo in The Matrix, acclaimed artist

Sacha Jafri

invites us down the rabbit hole on a journey to the Soul of the World.

Nidhi Zakaria Eipe goes along for the ride.

45

It's hard not to be intimidated by the achievements of 34-year-old Sacha Jafri. It’s equally hard to say something about him that hasn’t already been said. He’s one of the world’s leading contemporary artists. He’s the current darling of critics and collectors. He’s the pioneer of ‘magical realism’ in art. He’s the youngest living artist, in the history of ever, to be offered an official museum-based 10-year retrospective. His clients read like a list of the world’s rich and famous, including Barack Obama, Sir Ben Kingsley, George Clooney, Bill Gates, Leonardo DiCaprio, Prince Albert of Monaco, David Beckham, Kate Moss and Madonna, to name a few. The Financial and New York Times have described him as being “a shrewd investment whose prices are set to soar”. His work typically sells for between $250,000 and $750,000. At Qatar’s Royal Gala Dinner for Reach Out To Asia (ROTA) in 2009, Jafri created a live painting to celebrate Qatar, the Museum of Islamic Art, and the children of ROTA. At the subsequent auction, his painting— along with a founder member ticket on a Virgin Galactic space flight and a week on Sir Richard Branson’s private island paradise—was bought

by Qatar’s Heir Apparent, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, for one million dollars.

But it turns out, thankfully, that my concerns were unfounded—Jafri is completely disarming and understated to a fault. The thing is—he’s not just a famous artist with formidable talent; he also has a heart of gold. Jafri has been fêted numerous times not only for his artistic work, but also for his services to humanity, which have won him accolades from international organizations including the United Nations and the 21st Century Leaders Foundation. He has personally raised over $14 million from the sale of his work for various charities around the globe. It is fitting then that Jafri lists as the three people who drive him not artists but humanitarians: Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa.

“Mandela single-handedly stopped what would have been the worst civil war in history. Mahatma Gandhi combated hate with love. Mother Teresa

46

gave the hand of love, of healing, of tolerance, which is such a powerful thing,” he reflects.

Jafri’s own humanitarian efforts are powerful things in themselves. The artist has just completed an epic journey spanning four years, five continents and forty-two refugee camps for his collection ‘Universe of the Child’. On May 9, 2012 Majid Al Futtaim Fashion hosted a private auction of two pieces from Jafri’s recent installation, which was launched during Art Dubai: ‘The Child Within Us – Untouched Beginnings and Expressions of the Soul’; and one commissioned piece, ‘Our Spirit – Mutual Expressions’. The installation featured a

combination of nine canvases created through the duration of Jafri’s journey, and a threedimensional pyramid representing the heart of the child. The auction raised significant funds, all of which were gifted to the Dubai-based Al Noor Training Centre for Children with Special Needs.

It also marked the end of Jafri’s journey, which came full circle after receiving initial inspiration working with children from the Al Noor center four years earlier.

While he calls England home, the chronically peripatetic artist—of Persian, Indian and French heritage—has been based in Dubai for the past six months while he works on his latest collection,

The artist poses alongside his three-dimensional pyramid, the centre-piece of his installation The Child Within Us – Untouched Beginnings and Expressions of the Soul.

‘The Middle East Before Oil’. The inspiration for the collection, which is nearing completion, came about in response to what he sees as a big identity crisis in the world today. “When you have a lot of war and conflict and extreme change, there is a big identity crisis in the way people relate to their past, present and future. Conflict exaggerates this crisis. It’s a very scary thing which leaves you vulnerable and questioning your identity,” he explains. Jafri traced his desire to address this crisis of identity in this part of the world through spending time with the people in each of 15 countries in the region and then creating a painting that expressed the truth of each country.

But he found that he couldn’t learn this truth through adults, because adults always have an agenda. “How do you find truth in an agenda?

It’s not possible.” So Jafri turned, once again, to the children. “Children are the closest things to creation itself—to purity, to spontaneity, to lyrical expression. They are not jaded by the world or by adult intervention. They have this extraordinarily powerful, raw and real understanding of the Soul of the World,” he explains.

Jafri repeatedly returns to this metaphor of the Soul of the World. Articulated by Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho in his bestselling novel “The Alchemist”, the Soul of the World is described as

an interconnected consciousness that links all of creation at the very core of being. Jafri profoundly believes in the power and purity of that idea and, over eight years, has evolved a process through which he can tap into and express that soul.

“Let’s say the world is like this grid that we live in, and we’re like the pieces that get pushed around in this grid, but every now and then we find a little hole we can dive down or a tree we can climb on, and we get out of it.” Jafri describes the place we arrive at as a transitional world, a place that we go to in our dreams every night—a state of all the accumulated expressions and experiences that exist on the margins of our conscious lives. “What 47

Exuberant colors and characters merge on canvas in 'The Next Chapter – the 42 stories of our childhood'

When you live as an artist,

when you dedicate your life to the craft,

your work becomes a byproduct of that existence.

48

'Cities merge at dusk'

'Rain Sweepers'

I do,” he explains, “is I put a huge blank canvas in my studio, and then I just stare at it.” Jafri will stare at this blank canvas sometimes for up to three or four hours straight. Eventually, what he identifies as a ‘pure emotion’ emerges: “An emotion will breathe onto the canvas, and then I’ll follow that with my eyes, and then it will turn into color, then into mark, and slowly the whole painting will start evolving in front of me.”

Jafri terms his unorthodox process ‘unleashing the subconscious’, whereby the creative impulse travels from the brain to the arm to the hand to the brush to the canvas, without any breaks of human intervention or decision-making. The process takes him into a deep meditative, almost trance-like state, where he will sometimes end up painting for fourteen or eighteen hours at a time. In order to stay true to his art and self, he consciously spends his life visiting as many people and countries—and expanding his subconscious by imbibing as many different

colors, vibes, smells, ethos and cultures—as he possibly can. He then returns to his studio to paint. “I purposely create only one collection— which is twelve paintings—every two years. Of course, when I paint, I create a lot more than twelve paintings, but only twelve will have hit that mark and said what I really want to say,” he notes.

Intense? For sure. Insane? Perhaps. Inevitable?

Absolutely. “When you live as an artist, when you dedicate your life to the craft, your work becomes a byproduct of that existence. You pay the price quite heavily, you make a lot of sacrifices along the way, because if you give yourself to something in that entirety, there’s not a lot left,” he admits.

Still, he pushes on. Jafri puts many of the urgent problems we are facing today down to the lack of two things: humility and humanity.

“Humility is about understanding that you are very small, insignificant in the larger scheme of the world,” he explains. The problem, Jafri counters, is that people have lost belief in being

part of something greater than themselves and what they should be trying to do is to feed that greatness, not to try and take it, overpower it, or gain from it, but to realize it is greater than us and to simply nurture it. “Humanity is understanding and reaching out to your fellow man. No one is more important than anyone else, and everyone needs to be treated with basic humanity.” Jafri’s father instilled that understanding in him when he was very young and it is something that he has carried with him ever since. “That sense of love and humanity is what is going to keep us in peace, away from war, hate, misunderstanding, and most importantly away from greed, which is one of the most destructive things on the planet.”

To counter these destructive forces, Jafri paints from the depths of his soul. Each painting tells the story of the journey of creation, which Jafri sees as being the higher purpose of art. “Art is an anthropological testimony. It’s an incredibly important part of our anthropological make-up, our zeitgeist—it’s a way of documenting our soul,” he affirms. Through his work, Jafri aims to remind us of the beauty, energy and spirit around us, to uplift us, and to transcend us somewhere else. “When you walk into an exhibition [of my paintings], I want the paintings to come off the wall. I want them to come alive.” Jafri sums up everything that he is trying to achieve as an artist in these words: “To enter people’s souls and leave a legacy hundreds of years after I’m gone that hopefully will stay with this world.” If his alchemical journey thus far is anything to go by, Jafri is well on his way—to finding his place both in history as well as in our hearts n

‫'‪Sacha Jafri: At '16‬‬

‫عندما يكون هناك‬ ‫الكثير من الحروب‬ ‫والصراعات والتغيرات‬ ‫المتطرفة تكون هناك‬ ‫أزمة كبرى في الطريقة‬ ‫التي ينسب بها الناس‬ ‫أنفسهم إلى ماضيهم‬ ‫وحاضرهم ومستقبلهم‬ ‫�أو القرارات التي ت�صدر من وعي الإن�سان‪ .‬ت�أخذه‬ ‫العملية يف �أتون حالة عميقة من الت�أمل �أو ما ي�شبه‬ ‫الغيبوبة التي رمبا يف بع�ض املرات جتعله ير�سم‬ ‫ملدة ‪� 14‬أو ‪� 18‬ساعة متوا�صلة دون كلل‪ .‬وحتى‬ ‫يبقى �أمينا مع فنه ونف�سه يق�ضي حياته الواعية‬ ‫يف زيارة �أكرب عدد ممكن من النا�س والدول لتو�سيع‬ ‫الوعيه عن طريق ت�رشب �أكرب قدر ممكن من الألوان‬ ‫والنغمات والروائح واملفاهيم والثقافات‪ ،‬ثم يعود‬ ‫�إىل الأ�ستوديو لري�سم‪ .‬يقول جافري‪" :‬من املفرت�ض‬ ‫�أنني ابتكر جمموعة واحدة تتكون من ‪ 12‬لوحة كل‬ ‫�سنتني‪ .‬طبعا عندما �أر�سم ف�إنني �أنتج �أكرث كثريا من‬ ‫جمرد ‪ 12‬لوحة ولكن ‪ 12‬منها فقط هي التي جت�سد‬ ‫تلك الر�ؤى وتعرب بالفعل عما �أريد �أن �أقوله”‪ .‬هل‬ ‫هذا ميثل العمق؟ بالت�أكيد‪ .‬هل ميثل اجلنون؟ رمبا‪.‬‬ ‫هل البد منه؟ بالت�أكيد‪ .‬ثم يوا�صل مقرا �أنه “عندما‬ ‫تعي�ش كفنان‪ ،‬عندما ترهن حياتك لفنك ي�صبح‬ ‫�إنتاجك عبارة عن منتج فرعي حلقيقة وجودك‪� .‬أنك‬ ‫تدفع ثمنا كبريا وتقدم ت�ضحيات كبرية �أثناء امل�سري‬ ‫لأنك لو رهنت نف�سك بالكلية ل�شيء لن يبقى منك‬ ‫الكثري بعد ذلك"‪.‬‬ ‫‪49‬‬

‫ومي�ضي جافري يف �رشح �أفكاره معلال العديد‬ ‫من امل�شاكل العاجلة التي نواجهها اليوم بالنق�ص‬ ‫يف �شيئني‪ :‬التوا�ضع واحل�س الإن�ساين‪ ،‬فيقول‪�" :‬أما‬ ‫التوا�ضع فيتعلق بفهمك حلقيقة �أنك �صغري جدا‬ ‫و�أنك ال ت�ساوي �شيئا يف املنظومة الكاملة للكون"‪.‬‬ ‫امل�شكلة هي كما يقول‪� " :‬إن النا�س قد فقدوا �إميانهم‬ ‫بكونهم جزءا من كل �أكرب كثريا من �أنف�سهم‪ ،‬و�إن ما‬ ‫يجب علينا �أن نحاول فعله هو �أن نح�س بتلك العظمة‬ ‫ولي�س �أن نحاول �أن ن�ستحوذ عليها �أو �أن نقهرها‬ ‫�أو �أن ن�ستغلها ولكن لنفهم �أنها �أكرب منا ونعمل‬ ‫بب�ساطة على رعايتها"‪ .‬وعن احل�س الإن�ساين يقول‬ ‫�أنـــه "يتعلق بفهـم �إخوانـك من بنـي الب�رش وحماولة‬ ‫التوا�صل معهم �إذ لي�س هناك فرد �أكرث �أهمية من �أي‬ ‫فرد �آخر‪ ,‬و�أن اجلميع يحتاجون �أن ُيعاملوا على الأقل‬ ‫مبقت�ضى احلدود الدنيا من املعاملة الإن�سانية"‪.‬‬ ‫ر�سخ والد جافري هذا الفهم يف نف�س جافري منذ‬ ‫�صغره‪ ،‬وظل جافري يحمل هذا الفهم طوال حياته‬ ‫منذ ذلك الوقت‪ ،‬حيث يرى �أن "ذلك الإح�سا�س باحلب‬ ‫وامل�شاعر الإن�سانية هو الذي �سوف يجعل ال�سالم‬ ‫ي�سود بيننا ويبعد عنا �شبح احلرب والكراهية و�سوء‬

‫الفهم و�أهم من ذلك كله اجل�شع الذي يعترب واحدا من‬ ‫�أخطر العوامل املدمرة يف كوكب الأر�ض"‪.‬‬ ‫ملواجهة هذه العوامل املدمرة يقوم جافري‬ ‫بالر�سم على قطع القما�ش من �أعماق روحه‪ .‬كل‬ ‫لوحة حتكي ق�صة رحلة اخللق التي يرى جافري �أنها‬ ‫الهدف الأ�سمى للفن‪ .‬وي�ؤكد �أن الفن "�شهادة �إن�سانية‪،‬‬ ‫وهو ميثل بدرجة ال ت�صدق جزءا من تكويننا الإن�ساين‬ ‫والب�رشي والع�رصي – �إنها طريقة لتوثيق �أرواحنا"‪.‬‬ ‫يهدف جافري من خالل �أعماله �إىل تذكرينا باجلمال‬ ‫والعنفوان والروح من حولنا‪� ،‬إىل رفع م�ستوانا‬ ‫ونقلنا �إىل مكان �آخر‪ ،‬حيث يقول‪" :‬عندما تتجول‬ ‫يف معر�ض ي�ضم لوحاتي �سوف تالحظ �أنني �أحاول‬ ‫�أن �أخرج اللوحات من اجلدران‪� .‬أريدها �أن تبعث �إىل‬ ‫احلياة"‪ .‬ثم يلخ�ص كل ما يريد �أن يحققه كفنان يف‬ ‫“�أن �أدخل �إىل �أرواح الب�رش و�أترك �أثرا يبقى ملئات‬ ‫ال�سنني بعد رحيلي على �أمل �أن يبقى ذلك يف هذا‬ ‫العامل �إىل الأبد"‪� .‬إذا كان لرحلته الأ�سطورية �أية‬ ‫عالقة بهذا الهدف ف�إن جافري بالت�أكيد يف طريقه‬ ‫�إىل حتقيق هدفه وب�أن يجد له مكانة يف التاريخ ويف‬ ‫قلوبنا على حد �سواء"‪.‬‬

‫�إيرادات كبرية منحت كلها ملركز النور لتدريب‬ ‫الأطفال ذوي االحتياجات اخلا�صة الكائن يف دبي‪،‬‬ ‫وكانت خامتة لرحلته التي �أكملت دائرة كاملة بعد‬ ‫�أن ا�ستقى �إلهامه الأول من املركز يف بداية رحلته‬ ‫قبل �أربع �سنوات‪.‬‬ ‫بينما يعترب �أن وطنه �إجنلرتا ظل جافري‬ ‫الفنان الرحال امل�شبع بالرتاث الفار�سي‪ ،‬والهندي‪،‬‬ ‫والفرن�سي يتخذ من دبي مقرا له خالل ال�شهور ال�ستة‬ ‫املا�ضية �أثناء عمله يف جمموعته الأخرية "ال�رشق‬

‫الأو�سط قبل البرتول"‪ .‬جاء الإلهام باملجموعة‬ ‫التي هي على و�شك االنتهاء نتيجة ملا يرى �أنها‬ ‫�أزمة هوية كربى يف عامل اليوم‪ .‬ي�رشح جافري‬ ‫ذلك قائال‪" :‬عندما يكون هناك الكثري من احلروب‬ ‫وال�رصاعات والتغريات املتطرفة تكون هناك �أزمة‬ ‫كربى يف الطريقة التي ين�سب النا�س �أنف�سهم �إىل‬ ‫ما�ضيهم وحا�رضهم وم�ستقبلهم‪ .‬وتعمل ال�رصاعات‬ ‫على مفاقمة هذه الأزمة‪� .‬إنه �أمر خميف جدا يجعلك‬ ‫غري �آمن وغري متيقن من هويتك"‪ .‬يتابع جافري‬

‫رغبته يف معاجلة هذه الأزمة اخلا�صة بالهوية‬ ‫يف هذا اجلزء من العامل من خالل ق�ضاء الوقت مع‬ ‫النا�س يف كل من اخلم�سة ع�رشة دولة التي زارها يف‬ ‫املنطقة ومن ثم خلق لوحة تعرب عن حقيقة كل دولة‪،‬‬ ‫ولكنه اكت�شف �أنه لن ي�ستطيع �أن يدرك هذه احلقيقة‬ ‫من خالل البالغني لأن البالغني يكون دائما لديهم‬ ‫�أجنداتهم اخلا�صة‪�" ،‬إذ كيف ت�ستطيع �أن جتد احلقيقة‬ ‫يف الأجندة؟ هذا م�ستحيل"‪ ،‬كما يقول جافري‪ ،‬لذلك‬ ‫اجته مرة �أخرى �إىل الأطفال‪ ،‬لأن الأطفال ح�سب‬ ‫ر�أيه "�أقرب ما يكون �إىل عملية اخللق نف�سها – �إىل‬ ‫ال�صفاء‪� ،‬إىل العفوية‪� ،‬إىل التعبري الغنائي‪ .‬فهم لي�سوا‬ ‫مكبلني بالقيود التي يفر�ضها العامل �أو تدخالت‬ ‫الكبار‪ ،‬وهم ميلكون ب�شكل غري عادي الفهم القوي‬ ‫اخلام واحلقيقي لروح العامل"‪.‬‬ ‫جافري يعود با�ستمرار �إىل الت�شبيه الذي‬ ‫�أطلقه على روح العامل والذي ابتدعه �أوال الكاتب‬ ‫الربازيلي باولو كويلهو ‪ Paulo Coelho‬يف روايته‬ ‫وا�سعة االنت�شار "كيميائي القرون الو�سطى ‪The‬‬ ‫‪ "Alchemist‬ب�أن روح العامل عبارة عن جمموعة‬ ‫من ال�ضمائر املتداخلة التي تربط جميع اخلالئق يف‬ ‫حمور الوجود‪ .‬يعتقد جافري اعتقادا جازما يف قوة‬ ‫نقاء تلك الفكرة‪ ،‬وظل على مدى ثمانية �أعوام يطور‬ ‫عملية ي�ستطيع من خاللها الولوج �إىل تلك الروح‬ ‫والتعبري عنها‪ .‬وي�صف ذلك مبا يلي‪" :‬لنقل �أن العامل‬ ‫ي�شبه هذه املنظومة التي نعي�ش فيها ونحن مثل‬ ‫القطع التي تدفع للحركة فيها ولكننا من وقت �إىل‬ ‫�آخر جند ثقبا �صغريا ن�ستطيع �أن نقفز منه �أو �شجرة‬ ‫ن�ستطيع �أن نت�سلقها لنخرج من املنظومة"‪ ،‬ثم ي�صف‬ ‫املكان الذي ن�صل �إليه ب�أنه عامل انتقايل‪ ،‬مكان‬ ‫نذهب �إليه يف �أحالمنا كل ليلة – حالة من تعبرياتنا‬ ‫وخرباتنا املتجمعة التي تعي�ش على هام�ش وعينا‪.‬‬ ‫"ما �أقوم به"‪ ،‬مي�ضي جافري �شارحا‪" ،‬هو �أن �أ�ضع‬ ‫قطعة كبرية من قما�ش القنب اخلالية يف اال�ستوديو‬ ‫اخلا�ص بي ثم �أكتفي بالتحديق فيها"‪ .‬يحدق جافري‬ ‫يف هذه القطعة اخلالية من القما�ش ملدة قد ت�صل �إىل‬ ‫ثالث �أو �أربع �ساعات متوا�صلة يف بع�ض املرات‪،‬‬ ‫ثم يظهر له ما ي�سميه "العواطف النقية" التي �سوف‬ ‫تتنف�س فيما بعد على قطعة القما�ش‪ ،‬ثم كما يقول‪:‬‬ ‫"�أتبع ذلك بعيني ليتحول �إىل �ألوان ثم �إىل عالمات‪،‬‬ ‫التكون �أمامي"‪.‬‬ ‫ثم ببطء تبد�أ اللوحة يف ُّ‬ ‫ي�سمي جافري هذه الطريقة غري التقليدية اخلا�صة‬ ‫به عملية "�إطالق الالوعي"‪ ،‬وهي العملية التي تنتقل‬ ‫من خاللها الدوافع الإبداعية من املخ �إىل ال�ساعد‬ ‫ثم �إىل اليد ثم �إىل الفر�شاة ومنها �إىل قطعة القما�ش‬ ‫دون �أية تدخالت �أو ت�أثريات من النف�س الب�رشية‬ ‫‪50‬‬

‫من‬

‫ال�صعب �أن تتجنب ال�شعور باخلطر من جراء �إجنازات‬ ‫�سا�شا جفري ذي الـ ‪ 24‬ربيعا‪ .‬وبنف�س القدر من‬ ‫ال�صعوبة ت�ستطيع �أن تتجنب �أن تقول �شيئا عنه مل‬ ‫يقال من قبل‪� .‬إنه �أحد �أبرز الفنانني املعا�رصين‪،‬‬ ‫حمبوب النقاد وحمبي جمع التذكارات‪ ،‬رائد‬ ‫"الواقعية ال�سحرية" يف جمال الفن‪� ،‬أ�صغر فنان على‬ ‫قيد احلياة يف التاريخ يح�صل على فر�صة لعر�ض‬ ‫�أعماله ملدة ‪� 10‬سنوات متوا�صلة يف املتاحف‬ ‫الر�سمية‪ .‬ت�ضم قائمة ال�شخ�صيات التي حتر�ص على‬ ‫اقتناء لوحاته �أغنياء وم�شاهري العامل مثل باراك‬ ‫�أوباما‪ ،‬و�سري بني كين�سلي‪ ،‬وجورج كلوين‪ ،‬وبيل‬ ‫غيت�س‪ ،‬وليوناردو ديكابريو‪ ،‬والأمري �ألربت �أمري‬ ‫موناكو‪ ،‬وديفيد بيكهام‪ ،‬وكيت مو�ص‪ ،‬ومادونا على‬ ‫�سبيل املثال ولي�س احل�رص‪ .‬و�صفته البي بي �سي‬ ‫ب�أنه "ا�ستثمار ح�صيف لتحقيق عوائد م�ضمونة"‪.‬‬ ‫كانت ح�صيلة مبيعات لوحاته ما بني ‪250،000‬‬ ‫و‪ 750،000‬دوالر يف حفل الع�شاء الأمريي اخلريي‬ ‫يف دولة قطر ل�صالح مبادرة �أيادي اخلري نحو �آ�سيا‬ ‫(روتا ) يف العام ‪ ،2009‬حيث خلق جافري لوحة‬ ‫حية ت�صور احتفاالت قطر مبتحف الفن الإ�سالمي‪،‬‬ ‫ومبادرة �أطفال �أيادي اخلري نحو �آ�سيا‪ .‬يف املزاد‬ ‫الذي �أقيم فيما بعد ا�شرتى �سمو ال�شيخ متيم بن حمد‬ ‫�آل ثاين ويل عهد قطر لوحته �إىل جانب تذكرة م�ؤ�س�س‬ ‫لرحلة فريجني غاالكتيك الف�ضائية‪ ،‬وق�ضاء �أ�سبوع‬ ‫يف جنة جزيرة ال�سري ريت�شارد برون�سون اخلا�صة‪.‬‬ ‫ات�ضح حل�سن احلظ ‪ -‬مع ذلك ‪� -‬أن خماويف كانت‬ ‫بال �أ�سا�س لأن جافري ي�ستع�صي متاما على اخلط�أ‪.‬‬ ‫وامل�س�ألة هي �أنه لي�س فنانا م�شهورا يتمتع مبوهبة‬ ‫ال ت�ضاهى فح�سب‪ ،‬بل �أي�ضا لديه قلب من ذهب‪ .‬لقد‬ ‫مت االحتفال بجافري وتكرميه عدة مرات وذلك لي�س‬ ‫من �أجل �أعماله الفنية فح�سب‪ ،‬بل �أي�ضا من �أجل‬ ‫�إن�سانيته التي �أك�سبته جوائز وتقدير من املنظمات‬ ‫الدولية مبا يف ذلك الأمم املتحدة وم�ؤ�س�سة قادة‬ ‫القرن احلادي والع�رشين‪ .‬جمع جافري �شخ�صيا �أكرث‬ ‫من ‪ 14‬مليون دوالر ملختلف اجلمعيات اخلريية‬ ‫من خمتلف �أنحاء العامل من بيع �أعماله‪ ،‬فكان من‬ ‫الطبيعي �أن ين�ضم �إىل قائمة ال�شخ�صيات التي ي�ستمد‬ ‫منها الإلهام والتي لي�ست من الفنانني بل من �أ�صحاب‬

‫‪51‬‬

‫املبادرات الإن�سانية وهم نيل�سون مانديال واملهامتا‬ ‫غاندي والأم تريزا‪ .‬يقول جافري عن ه�ؤالء الأعالم‪:‬‬ ‫"مانديال ا�ستطاع منفردا �أن يوقف ما كان ميكن �أن‬ ‫يكون �أ�سو�أ حرب �أهلية يف التاريخ‪ .‬واملهامتا غاندي‬ ‫حارب الكراهية باحلب‪ .‬والأم ترييزا قدمت مل�سات‬ ‫�شافية من احلب والت�سامح التي �أثبتت قوتها �أمام‬ ‫�أمرا�ض الع�رص"‪.‬‬ ‫مبادرات وجمهودات جافري الإن�سانية قوية‬ ‫يف حد ذاتها‪ .‬فقد �أكمل الفنان للتو رحلة ملحمية‬

‫ا�ستمرت ملدة �أربع �سنوات عرب خم�س قارات و ‪42‬‬ ‫مع�سكرا لالجئني لإجناز جمموعته التي �أ�سماها‬ ‫"عامل الطفل"‪ .‬ويف ‪ 9‬مايو ‪ 2012‬ا�ست�ضافت م�ؤ�س�سة‬ ‫�أزياء ماجد الفطيم مزاد خا�ص لقطعتني من �أعماله‬ ‫الأخرية �أثناء مهرجان الفنون يف دبي‪ ،‬وهما "الطفل‬ ‫فينا‪ ،‬البدايات والتعابري غري املطروقة يف روحنا "‬ ‫و "روحنا – التعابري امل�شرتكة"‪ .‬عك�ست املجموعة‬ ‫توليفة من ت�سع لوحات نفذها جافري �أثناء رحلته‬ ‫وهرم ذي ثالثة �أبعاد ميثل قلب الطفل‪ .‬حقق املزاد‬

‫الـرحلـة‬

‫إلـى روح العالــم‬

‫كما في رواية أليس في بالد العجائب أو رواية نيو في الماتريكس‬ ‫يدعونا الفنان الشهير ساشا جافري إلى الدخول في جحر‬ ‫األرنب في رحلة إلى روح العالم‪،‬‬ ‫ونيدهي زكريا إيبي يقبل الدعوة ويعود منها إلينا بهذه الحصيلة‪.‬‬ ‫‪52‬‬

Antony Todd:

A Decorative Fetish By Cassey Oliveira 53

t is a sweltering afternoon and I am headed to the Tanagra store at Villaggio Mall. The GCC’s leading art de vivre and gift boutique had brought internationallyacclaimed floral, event and interior decorator, Antony Todd to the region, and the master was to showcase his creativity to a private gathering at the store later that evening.

I am guided to the center of the store where a table is being set. There is a buzz of activity around the table, staff carrying crates of fruit and flowers in and out of the store, some holding parcels from adjacent stores, and some polishing the tableware. I spot beautiful bowls of pink litchis and dates on the table, a few exotic flowers bunched in a vase, handbags placed snugly at the corner and a pair of sunglasses among a myriad of chic cutlery and decorations that lend a subtle elegance to the ensemble. As I wonder how this eclectic mix would look on a table, I spot Antony Todd looking uber-cool in a checked shirt and striking red pants. Standing beside the table, he folds a scarf in half and places it just below the

sunglasses. And the table is set, with the potpourri and the effect – picture perfect!

Minutes later, we sit down to chat and Antony explains about the product he just worked on.

“I looked around the store to see what inspired me. There are flowers, fruits and soup bowls, but instead of soup, it is filled with flowers. This is a table with things that you can find in your cupboard or at the souq. It’s all about improvising, which I think is the key to design.”

Antony is not entirely sure about the theme as he tries to define it in words. He says: “There are suede handbags and safari-inspired sunglasses.

In a funny way, it’s a girls’ luncheon, but it’s not completely feminine. Maybe it’s ‘girls gone wild’ on safari.”

The second table, says Antony, will be a stark contrast. “A clean and simple white inspiration

using a beautiful dining set from Christofle and Baccarat – its simplicity complemented by the white tablecloth, candles, white mangos and white orchids.”

Early beginnings It was a brief visit to New York in 1992 that set the track for Antony’s career, when he was first offered a job as a florist. He recalls: “I sent a bouquet to a lady in Park Avenue. She loved it so much that the next week she ordered 20 more.”

He soon started his private flowers service company, which became highly popular at Park Avenue.

A good friend advised Antony to take his talent of setting things artistically to the next level of designing spaces. He soon met a couple who had just bought a home in Park Avenue and wanted to celebrate their 40th birthdays jointly, but had no furniture yet. They asked Antony 54

if they could fill it with some of his things. “All I did was just put in some white ottomans and water pools, which made such an impact with the guests that the couple called the next day, requesting me to design their home.”

Having studied film, theatre and opera design, Antony understands the concept of illusion well. “A party lasts for four to six hours, so you have to create things that are not going to last forever but have a lasting impact through the night,” he says.

But a panache for longer-lasting things made Antony venture into the furniture business.

He owns retail stores in New York City and Istanbul. He chose Istanbul because while London and New York were “saturated” with similar businesses, Istanbul offered something new and exotic to his creative soul. “It’s got a lovely mix of the Western and Middle Eastern world.”

Banquet Beauty Tables are set with an eclectic mix of chic cutlery and floral decorations.

His style... timeless From his cleverly decorated stores with a homely feel to the home interiors and event decorations that he occasionally dabbles in, Antony has often been lauded for his eye for detail, and a healthy

Antony is not into fads, nor does he like following trends. “I find them very boring,” he confesses. “I still haven’t seen the movie E.T. yet.

I tend to ignore everything that is too popular. It might be bad for business, but I would rather be true to myself.”

Antony’s refined aesthetic prowess has fostered an impressive clientele that comprises presidents, celebrities, socialites and many international clients.

“I don’t work for the money,” he says. “Of course it’s nice to be paid for what you do, but I work because I love to do what I do.

“I take up projects because I believe in my clients, I believe in the passion and cause of the project. It’s like having a relationship. We meet somebody new. We know the first few things and you know whether to say yes or no. You need to trust your instincts.”

Of course some projects come with unusual requests: one client wanted 24-carat gold flatware custom designed for his 50th birthday for each of his 1,000 guests. Another wanted baby sharks for their swimming pool, and to accommodate

mix of classicism and modernity. “I like to create work that is timeless,” he says. “I tend to buy and create things that can last forever. I create designs or forms with a function.”

His works have always been inspired by the cities he visits, the architecture of the place and the people he meets. “Inspiration is everywherethe sounds, colors, people, walking down the countryside, flying in an airplane to a new city – I am constantly inspired.”

that the pool was to have a clear plexi and steel structure over it!

While visiting clients at their homes, Antony often spots interior disasters: paintings hung way too high, too many lights fitted in the ceiling, disproportional scale of furniture, and too many pillows. Pillows? “I have four on my bed because I use four, but when you have 16 on your bed, you start throwing them all over the room because you have got to sleep.” n

Both stores house chic vintage furniture and an exciting mix of antiques from the 18th century, 40s French, mid-century modern and some contemporary pieces that are designed exclusively for his store. Organized into furnished vignettes, the store defines the aesthetic premise for the Antony Todd lifestyle brand: an affinity for classic forms, whether antique or modern, and large blocks of color, so that the finished result appears timeless. Back at home, his prized treasures include 18th century flatware from his godmother and several artworks from his father.

“I travel four to five times a year just to buy these pieces,” he says. Syria, London, Paris, Australia, Korea, Japan, China... the list is exhaustive. “I am now familiar with the secret back alleys of every city, where precious items are sold. I seem to have a nose for such things.”

Furnished vignettes His stores define the aesthetic premise for the Antony Todd lifestyle brand.

“ ”

It’s like having a relationship.

We know the first few things and you know whether to say yes or no.

55

hair art

You love your hair when it adorns your head or hate it as it falls to the ground, but what about hair accessories, wonders Sindhu Nair.

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f

rom pruning to straightening, to coloring and perming, to shaving it off for the shock factor, women all over the world have always given much attention to their crowning glory, their hair. Hidden from view by a hijab in Islamic countries, its significance doesn’t wane a bit. Look around and you can see how the hijab has transformed into a fashion statement, and then observe a hijab-clad woman and see her removing it and rearranging it back, tucking in

stray strands of hair, and repeating this action every few minutes.

And it is this unlikely body part that caught the attention of Rania Chamsine, who then decided to pursue human hair as a topic for her final-year thesis for the Masters in Design at VCUQ. In her thesis, titled “Lashes to Ashes, Abjection to Aesthetic: Exploring the Hidden Dimensions of Human Hair”, Rania explores the cultural and social contexts and reuses of human hair.

“There is so much significance for hair in our society. From cherishing the newborn baby’s lock of hair to a lover playing with his beloved’s tresses, to cutting it all off as a form

“ ”

accessories” in a country that shies from exposing human hair.

“The objective of the thesis is to explore the fine line between concept and utility that, in the context of such elusive material, could provide a fresh and novel rendition for this commonly ignored and forgotten (raw) material,” she says.

Once out of its original and natural setting (the epidermis), the perception of this innate natural resource changes; and what once could be perceived as a sign of beauty and seduction, a reflection of ethnicity and religion, or even a canvas for self-expression, suddenly, when removed from its corporeal origins, becomes no more than unwanted waste, evoking even disgust. But it is this very contrasting perception of allure and aversion that is being explored in her products, clarifies Rania. “Through my accessories I want to bring back its glory,” she says.

Rania explores through her audacious products the effects of covering the hair with another scarf, ironically made out of hair. Thus came about a scarf made with braided hair, where there is no pretence, where what you see outside is what is within, while in another product, she makes microscopic prints of the hair cells and uses this as a headscarf. Again a play of senses to give a distorted image of what is beneath the scarf: “I want to explore whether it is the hair or the perception of the hair that is loved or scorned.”

A hair divides what is false and true. - Omar Khayyam of punishment, there is an array of emotions and actions associated with human hair from love, relish, passion to downright hate and retribution,” she says.

“Even in Islam, Christianity and Judaism, there is a lot of significance given to hair.

And all these set me thinking,” says Rania, in her final months of pregnancy, looking a bit stressed as she wraps up her thesis before she heads home to Lebanon.

The significance of hair is not limited to being a female fixation, clarifies Rania, for men it takes another connotation, that of male machoism.

This fascination across genders, across religion and age, pushed her to explore all the emotions and capture them in accessories that are derived from the very source.

And Rania seems intent on playing with barriers as she experiments with her “hair

Beard-Crown-Necklace Another of Rania’s revolutionary products is a necklace that could be worn as a beard or as a necklace, “which questions the established gender roles and blurs the customary divisions separating masculinity and femininity”.

“It could be also worn as a crown, as in many cultures, a woman’s hair has tremendous importance and has many symbolic meanings

such as beauty and fertility,” she says. “There’s even an Arabic saying that a woman’s hair is her crown, which means that it is the most important thing for a woman.”

The project received varied reactions says Rania, from disgust to wonder.

“My husband thought it was disgusting as I had to collect real hair from my sponsors – the Franck Provost beauty salon – where hair was collected from different women. But some others were fascinated by the concept as there were some cultural and also some gender issues that were being questioned.”

The process was not entirely a beautiful experience; she had her “nauseating” moments too, she remembers. She gags recalling the odor. But another fascinating aspect to Rania was the fact that she was taking a small part of so many nationalities of women, from Arab to European, American and Asian, and creating something new.

“Another fascinating aspect was the braiding process, which I couldn’t do justice to, as the hair was getting difficult to manage. I enlisted the help of a Kenyan woman who did it professionally. She told me that this form of hair art was the only form of self-expression for a Kenyan slave, back in the 80s.”

The material was very difficult to work with and also not much experimented with before, and Rania tried mixing it with gold nano particles, plaster and even gum. She also tried camouflaging the material until she realized that she would be moving away from her concept, and kept to her principle of embracing the “real”.

“You involve the senses when the material is real. People always want to touch and smell the material and that is what you always want from your product.”

The “hairy venture” has been a quest that has evoked not many answers, but Rania is going to concentrate on the sublime for a while with the joys of motherhood beckoning her away from her artistic inclinations.

“At least for a while...” she maintains n 57

‫تويل الن�ساء حول العامل �شعرهن اهتماما كبريا على‬ ‫الدوام من اعتناء به‪ ،‬مرورا بتلوينه وجتعيده‪ ،‬وانتهاء‬ ‫حتى بحلقه ب�صورة كاملة كعن�رص مفاج�أة‪ .‬وحتى‬ ‫بالن�سبة للدول الإ�سالمية التي تتحجب فيها الن�ساء‬ ‫ف�إن �أهمية ال�شعر عندهن ال تقل عنها لدى غريهن‬ ‫�إذ يكفي �أن ننظر �إىل ن�ساء تلك الدول لرنى كيف �أن‬ ‫احلجاب قد حتول �إىل مو�ضة وكيف �أن الن�ساء التي‬ ‫ت�ضع احلجاب تهتم دائما بتعديل و�ضع حجابها‬ ‫لتدخل حتته خ�صالت �شعرها التي قد تكون فد خرجت‬ ‫من مو�ضعها‪ ،‬وتكرر هذا العمل كل ب�ضع دقائق‪.‬‬ ‫و�شعر الإن�سان هو اجلزء من اجل�سم الذي تهتم به‬ ‫َ‬ ‫رانيا �شم�سني التي قررت �أن تتخذ منه مو�ضوعا‬ ‫لأطروحتها يف �سنتها النهائية لنيل درجة املاج�ستري‬ ‫يف الت�صميم من جامعة فريجينيا كومنولث‪ .‬وحتاول‬ ‫رانيا يف �أطروحتها التي حتمل عنوان "من اجللد �إىل‬ ‫الرماد‪ ،‬ومن االحتقار �إىل اجلمال‪ ،‬ا�ستك�شاف الأبعاد‬ ‫اخلفية ل�شعر الإن�سان" ا�ستك�شاف ال�سياقات الثقافية‬ ‫واالجتماعية وا�ستعماالت �شعر الإن�سان‪.‬‬ ‫وتقول‪" :‬يكت�سب ال�شعر �أهمية كبرية يف جمتمعنا‪.‬‬ ‫وهناك جمموعة من العواطف والإجراءات املرتبطة‬ ‫ب�شعر الإن�سان‪ ،‬ابتداء من احلب وال�شغف‪ ،‬وانتهاء‬ ‫بالكراهية والعقاب وذلك من خالل ت�رصفات معينة‬ ‫يقوم بها الإن�سان‪ ،‬من قبيل االعتزاز بخ�صالت �شعر‬ ‫املولود اجلديد‪ ،‬ومداعبة احلبيب ل�شعر حبيبه‪ ،‬وق�ص‬ ‫ال�شعر كنوع من العقاب‪ ،‬وما �إىل ذلك"‪ .‬و�أ�ضافت رانيا‬ ‫التي هي يف الأ�شهر الأخرية من احلمل وقد اختتمت‬ ‫�أطروحتها قبل �أن تعود �إىل وطنها لبنان‪" :‬حتى يف‬ ‫الإ�سالم وامل�سيحية واليهودية‪ ،‬يكت�سب ال�شعر الكثري‬ ‫من الأهمية‪ ،‬الأمر الذي جعلني �أمتعن كثريا به"‪.‬‬ ‫و�أكدت رانيا �أن �أهمية ال�شعر ال تقت�رص على الإناث‬ ‫فقط‪ ،‬فهو ي�أخذ داللة �أخرى عند الرجل حيث يعرب‬ ‫عندهم عن الرجولة‪ .‬وهذا ال�سحر بني اجلن�سني وعرب‬ ‫الأديان والأعمار هو ما دفعها �إىل ا�ستك�شاف جميع‬

‫العواطف وامل�شاعر املرتبطة بال�شعر و�إ�سباغها على‬ ‫�إك�س�سوارات ال�شعر امل�صنوعة من ال�شعر نف�سه‪.‬‬ ‫ويبدو �أن رانيا عاقدة العزم على التالعب باحلواجز‬ ‫وجتربة "�إك�س�سوارات ال�شعر" يف هذا البلد الذي تفر�ض‬ ‫تقاليده �إخفاء �شعر الن�ساء �إذ تقول‪�" :‬إن الهدف من‬ ‫هذه الر�سالة هو ا�ستك�شاف اخلط الرفيع الذي يف�صل‬ ‫بني مفهوم هذه الإك�س�سوارات وفائدتها يف �سياق هذه‬ ‫املادة الفريدة واال�ستعماالت الفريدة واملبتكرة"‪.‬‬ ‫لكن عندما ينف�صل ال�شعر عن بيئته الأ�صلية والطبيعية‬ ‫(�أي الب�رشة)‪ ،‬ف�إن ما ُينظر �إليه على �أنه عالمة اجلمال‬ ‫والإغراء‪ ،‬وانعكا�س للعرق والدين‪� ،‬أو حتى تعبري عن‬ ‫ال�شخ�صية‪ ،‬يتحول فج�أة �إىل نفايات غري مرغوب بها‪،‬‬ ‫بل حتى تبعث على اال�شمئزاز‪.‬‬ ‫لكن هذا الت�صور املتناق�ض للجاذبية والنفور هو ما‬ ‫تبحثه يف منتجاتها �إذ تقول‪�" :‬أريد �أن �أعيد االعتبار‬ ‫لل�شعر من خالل هذه الإك�س�سوارات"‪.‬‬ ‫وت�ستك�شف رانيا من خالل هذه املنتجات اجلريئة‬ ‫ت�أثري تغطية ال�شعر بحجاب �آخر م�صنوع من ال�شعر‪.‬‬ ‫وهكذا هنالك و�شاح م�صنوع من �شعر م�ضفور‪ ،‬يف‬ ‫حني �أنها ت�ستخدم يف منتج �آخر طباعة جمهرية خلاليا‬ ‫ال�شعر ب�شكل حجاب للعب على احلوا�س لإعطاء �صورة‬ ‫مغايرة ملا هو موجود حتت احلجاب حيث تقول‪�" :‬أريد‬ ‫�أن ا�ستك�شف ما �إذا كان املرء يحب �أو يزدري ال�شعر �أم‬ ‫مفهوم ال�شعر"‪.‬‬ ‫قالدة التاج واللحية‬ ‫من املنتجات الثورية الأخرى لرانيا قالدة ميكن‬ ‫ارتدا�ؤها مثل حلية �أو قالدة حيث تقول عنها‪" :‬تثري‬ ‫هذه القالدة ال�شك يف �أدوار اجلن�سني التقليدية وتزيل‬ ‫الأعراف التي تف�صل ما بني الذكورة والأنوثة‪ .‬وميكن‬ ‫�أي�ضا ارتدا�ؤها كتاج‪ ،‬كما هي احلال يف كثري من‬ ‫الثقافات‪ ،‬فل�شعر املر�أة �أهمية كبرية وله معان رمزية‬ ‫كثرية مثل اجلمال واخل�صوبة‪ .‬وحتى يف اللغة العربية‬

‫ثمة مثل يقول �أن �شعر املر�أة تاجها‪� ،‬أي �أنه �أهم �شيء‬ ‫بالن�سبة لها"‪ .‬و�أ�ضافت �أن ردود الفعل جتاه امل�رشوع‬ ‫كانت متباينة ترتاوح بني اال�شمئزاز والت�سا�ؤل‪.‬‬ ‫وم�ضت قائلة‪" :‬يرى زوجي �أنه �أمر مثري لال�شمئزاز‬ ‫قمت بجمع ال�شعر احلقيقي من اجلهة الراعية‬ ‫فقد ُ‬ ‫يل‪ ،‬وهي �صالون فرانك بروفو�ست للتجميل‪ ،‬حيث مت‬ ‫جمع ال�شعر من عدة ن�ساء‪ .‬لكن بع�ض النا�س �أعجبهم‬ ‫هذا املفهوم لأنني بحثت يف بع�ض الق�ضايا املتعلقة‬ ‫بالثقافات وامل�ساواة بني اجلن�سني"‪.‬‬ ‫لكن العملية مل تكن جتربة جميلة متاما لأنها كانت‬ ‫ت�شعر "باال�شمئزاز" يف بع�ض الأحيان من الرائحة‪.‬‬ ‫غري �أن اجلانب الآخر الرائع لرانيا هو �أنها كانت‬ ‫ت�أخذ ال�شعر من ن�ساء من جن�سيات عديدة من عرب‬ ‫و�أوروبيني و�أمريكيني و�آ�سيويني لإبداع �شيء جديد‬ ‫حيث تقول عن ذلك‪" :‬ثمة جانب �آخر رائع يف عملية‬ ‫التجديل هو �أنه �أحيانا ي�صعب التحكم بال�شعر‪ ،‬لكن‬ ‫�ساعدتني على القيام بذلك ب�صورة مهنية امر�أة كينية‬ ‫حيث �أخرب ْتني �أن هذا النوع من فن التعامل بال�شعر‬ ‫كان هو ال�شكل الوحيد من �أ�شكال التعبري عن الذات لدى‬ ‫العبيد الكينيني يف الثمانينات من القرن املا�ضي"‪.‬‬ ‫والتعامل مع ال�شعر �أي�ضا �صعب للغاية وال�سيما لأنها‬ ‫مل تكن قد جربت ذلك قبال‪ .‬لذا فقد حاولت رانيا �أن‬ ‫متزجه مع جزيئات الذهب‪ ،‬واجلب�س‪ ،‬وحتى العلكة‪.‬‬ ‫أدركت �أن ذلك‬ ‫وحاولت �أي�ضا متويه ال�شعر �إىل �أن � ْ‬ ‫�سوف يبعدها عن مفهوم م�رشوعها ويجعل ال�شعر يبدو‬ ‫كما لو كان غري حقيقي‪.‬‬ ‫تقول رانيا‪�" :‬إن املرء ي�رشك حوا�سه عندما تكون‬ ‫املادة حقيقية‪ .‬فالنا�س يريدون دائما �أن يلم�سوا‬ ‫وي�شموا املادة‪ ،‬وهذا هو ما �أريده من منتجي"‪.‬‬ ‫ومل ي�صل "م�رشوع ال�شعر" �إىل الكثري من الأجوبة‪ ،‬لكن‬ ‫رانيا �سوف تركز على مباهج الأمومة لفرتة من الوقت‪،‬‬ ‫الأمر الذي �سيبعدها عن ميولها الفنية‪ ،‬لكنها �أ�ضافت‪:‬‬ ‫"على الأقل لفرتة من الوقت "‪.‬‬ ‫‪58‬‬

‫َ‬ ‫فن التعامل مع الشعر‬

‫إن المرء يحب شعره عندما يزين رأسه ويكره تساقطه‪ ،‬لكن ماذا عن‬ ‫إكسسوارات الشعر؟ سيندو ناير‬ ‫َ‬ ‫الشعر يميز ما بين ما هو زائف وحقيقي عمر الخيام‬ ‫‪59‬‬

60

Salad

feast oR fashion? with a little imagination, you can have your dress and eat it too.

days

text by Suzy Menkes photographs by RICHARD BURBRIDGE styled by ROBBIE SPENCER

Let’s call it Arcimboldo — with attitude.

Those fantastical combinations of fruits, flowers, fish and vegetables constructed by the Italian artist into portraits are as compelling now as they were in the 16th century.

The super surrealist Salvador Dalí loved the weird and wondrous work of Giuseppe Arcimboldo and passed his enthusiasm on to his friend Elsa Schiaparelli. We may remember the shoe hat by ‘‘Schiap,’’ but her 1939 botanical headgear, made as if from juicy purple grapes nestling in green leaves, was just as surreal.

This season fruit is back, in prints and patterns that are voluptuous in their rounded orange-and-apple combos, and fresh in their association of nature’s abundance with simple clothes. Whimsical and funky, this sweet message is also part of a deeper belief that style has moved too far into the concrete jungle of an urban setting; and that fast fashion needs to slow down, stretch out under an

apple tree in a grassy spot and linger.

It’s a reminder that ‘‘green’’ is now rooted in fashion’s soil — and soul.

Designers from Dolce & Gabbana to Trussardi have exalted healthy living and celebrated the pleasures of abundance by heaping their runways with fruits and vegetables.

Was there anything more inviting and sensual than the cherry-ripe shoes that Manolo Blahnik created for Ossie Clark in 1971? The foot was arched in a green slender-heeled shoe, straps climbing the leg like clinging ivy, finished off with a flourish of red cherries.

The surreal association of fashion with a vegetable garden is mostly just for fun. Maybe that is why shoppers went bananas over Miuccia Prada’s playful banana earrings. And maybe fashion needs that kind of joy. Just like now, the 1930s and ’70s were hard times and crazy was cool.

But imagination, stirred in with craftsmanship, can make a wacky idea just beautiful. n ‘‘Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations’’ will open at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York on May 10.

Tutti fruity Talk about juicy couture: dolce & Gabbana’s peplumed eggplant-print dress, QR9,000.

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queen of salsa ripe for the picking: a tomato red salvatore ferragamo blouse, price on request. dolce & Gabbana dress, QR13,000. al dente opposite: Rigatoni ruffles and fusilli fringe dress up missoni’s bikini (top shown), QR1,800. donna karan new york dresses (worn underneath), QR2,530 each. dolce & Gabbana earrings, QR1,620.

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reef madness the ultimate prawn cocktail is this Alexander m c queen dress, price on request, mask, price on request, and cape, QR63,973. for cape, carolee necklaces, QR218 each. fashion assistant: Jonathan Hamilt. hair and headpieces by rutger for bumble & bumble at streeters. makeup by francelle for nars cosmetics. manicure by bernadette thompson. set design by gary card at clm. models: julia nobis, hanne gaby odiele.

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paradise lost On

a lake in Guatemala, Joyce Maynard found her refuge — until nature decided to take it back.

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hirty-eight years ago, when I was 20 and traveling in Central America recovering from a broken heart, I met a middle-age American couple who invited me to come along with them to Guatemala on an orchid hunt. For the next several weeks we drove and hiked through the highlands in search of rare plants.

There was a war going on, in which our country’s involvement remained questionable, and no doubt this had something to do with the fact that on three separate occasions over the course of those days our tires were slashed.

One could have thought this might interfere with my affection for the place.

It did not.

We ended up at Lake Atitlán. This was rainy season, and the unpaved streets of Panajachel had turned to mud. The town was filled with more hippies than orchid searchers — young people on the run from the draft or the constraints of first-world life, or just in search of cheap and easily accessible pot. Still, looking out over the 50-square-mile expanse of blue, with

Heavy water The author swims off the dock of her house on Lake Atitlán.

P H O T O G R A P H B Y jim barringer

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Then and now The house in 2008, left, and in March, right; the stone steps and sauna are almost completely submerged in the rising water of the lake.

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those three volcanoes rising up around its edges — this was the deepest lake in Central America, they said — I was overcome not simply by the staggering beauty of the place but more so by the recognition that here was a spot on earth that seemed untouched by so much of the crowded, noisy, fast and increasingly contaminated world I inhabited north of the border. ‘‘El ombligo del mundo,’’ they called the lake: the bellybutton of the world.

What brought me back in the fall of 2001 was the departure, from home, of my third and youngest child. I was living in California at the time, my marriage long finished. My daughter had been studying Spanish in Guatemala. I had flown there to meet her just weeks after the towers fell.

The contrast was vast between the country I’d left and the one in which I found myself — the third world, my refuge from the devastation of the first. For the next 10 days, Audrey and I traveled all around the country on chicken buses, ending up at Lake Atitlán.

The war was over now, but the place had changed little over those 28 years.

I was overtaken again by that same feeling I’d experienced so long ago — a connection, or maybe a reconnection, with something primal: the night sky and morning bird song, the volcano looming over the water, illuminated by not a single electric light, the stillness.

I told Audrey I envied her for having had the opportunity to live in this

Here was a spot that seemed untouched by the crowded, noisy world I inhabited.

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place as she had those last two months. ‘‘What’s keeping you, Mom?’’ she said.

Twenty-four hours later I had canceled my return ticket and, for $300 a month, rented a little house on the shores of the lake in San Marcos La Laguna, a village in which the largely Mayan population coexisted in what appeared to be surprising harmony with a ragtag community of expatriates.

This was not the wealthy retiree crowd; the gringos of San Marcos had come there lured by the presence of a meditation center and a variety of shamans, local and imported, combined with the opportunity to live on very little and enjoy a slow pace of life while still waking up in one of the more spectacular places on the planet.

Many had largely disconnected, living in houses they built without need of building permits or plans, hanging out their shingles to sell organic chocolate or offer massage while they made jewelry or stained glass; or assisting the indigenous population in constructing eco-friendly toilets or birthing babies; or opening the kind of restaurant where nobody had to worry much about health inspections or a liquor license.

Over the next three months I settled into a quiet routine in my little bungalow: I spent a few hours every day at work on a novel. Twice a day I swam. And every afternoon I walked into the village to buy my vegetables and a box of cheap Chilean wine for that night’s dinner. I had no phone, no television, no radio, and the closest Internet was a half-hour boat ride away.

It is a part of this story that during this period I was attempting, not very enthusiastically, to make contact

with the stockbroker with whom I had entrusted the money that represented my small life savings, earmarked for my son Charlie’s New York University tuition, the next installment of which was now due. Three months into my time in San Marcos, I made a troubling discovery on one of my visits to the Internet cafe: without my authorization, the stockbroker had put every penny of my funds in risky margin investments.

My savings were gone.

Once, this would have represented a catastrophe, but having spent the previous months living more happily than at any other period in my adult life, I took in this news with more bemusement than horror. The decision I made (one that savvier types might question) was to refinance my already heavily financed house in California to extract, from my one remaining asset in the world, enough cash to buy a place in San Marcos. I would rent out my house to cover my mortgage and live, cheaply, on the shores of Lake Atitlán for a while, to see where that took me.

The house I found — price: $85,000 — was a simple adobe structure with a thatched roof whose doorway was so low that a person over 5-foot-9 had to duck upon entering. But it sat on a roughly one-acre piece of prime lakefront land, on a hillside overlooking Volcán San Pedro, with its own dock from which I could dive into those blue waters any time of day or night.

Over the years that followed, I bought textiles and orchids and masks and ceramics, rustic furniture and hammocks and an antique wooden ironing board that serves as my desk. I hired a local carver to make heads that I set into my stone walls and

from left: Daniel LeClair; jim barringer

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jim barringer

fence posts, along with tiles brought from Italy, painted with fish. I planted fruit trees and built a waterfall and a sprawling garden and terraced stone walls to contain it all. I built a sauna, and when a builder of restaurant pizza ovens from Maine showed up in San Marcos to help local people construct fuel-efficient stoves, I enlisted him to build a pizza oven in my garden. I built a treehouse and another little ranchito for writing, close enough to the water that I could hear it lapping against the support posts.

I established a writing workshop at the lake and started bringing students down. I came to the house with a man I loved and began to picture a life in which I might move to San Marcos full time. Solvent again, I spent every penny I’d earned renovating and building: a big kitchen with a dishwasher, a guest room, a bathroom, a large patio and a huge dock with stone steps going up to a stone arch. I installed a satellite dish for Internet access.

As I set out to impose my American hunger for more and bigger on my simple Shangri-La, nature weighed in.

In October of 2005 Lake Atitlán was hammered by a powerful hurricane called Stan that uprooted trees and boulders and created an entirely new tributary that divided one side of San Marcos from the other. Across the lake, the rain caused a side of the volcano to drop off onto the land below, burying the village of Panabaj and killing virtually all of its several hundred residents ­— asleep on their mats when the mud hit.

This provided my first real understanding of a fundamental difference between how the indigenous people of Guatemala view disaster and how a North American does. Here in the United States, I had always expected life to go well and considered it some kind of aberration when it didn’t. North Americans look for blame — and sue if possible. In San Marcos and Panabaj and all the other communities around the lake that suffered that hurricane, people got out their shovels.

In 2009, a different form of disaster hit the lake: a bloom of cyanobacteria (caused, scientists said, by a combination of runoff from chemical fertilizer, the absence of water treatment and septic systems, and deforestation) covered over two-thirds of the lake with an ugly growth, more than three feet deep in many parts, that left the onceblue water not simply unswimmable and

unfishable but possibly toxic.

Then the next year, a freak storm hit the lake with so much rain that the water level rose three feet within a matter of days. That fall, with the ground still saturated, record rains continued.

Friends in California, hearing my stories, thought I was crazy to love a place like this. They hadn’t swum on a night the fireflies were out, I said, or cut into a papaya, fresh from the tree.

The hard things that happened at Lake Atitlán did not occur in places like Miami Beach or St. Barts. But neither did the magic parts: the little boys on my dock, shimmying up the pole to execute their crazy dives; riding on the back of a truck past the coffee fields and watching the sun set over the volcano; the night of the annual town feria when, for the price of $23, my boyfriend and I purchased every ticket for the ancient rickety Ferris wheel they’d set up by the church, and every child in town rode free all night.

I was in California when I got the news — fall 2010 now — that a landslide had hit my property, wiping out half of my hillside, including the 100 stone stairs that led to my door, and depositing a mountain of mud at the base of my house. I wired down funds to build retaining walls and create a wall of sandbags at the poorly drained road at the top of my property. I researched varieties of bamboo to hold the soil in place before the next rain hit, and I prayed for a long dry season.

But over the next 18 months the lake rose 17 feet — a record. Houses and businesses were swallowed up. Farmland

washed away. Many more houses were now threatened, mine among them.

Many theories exist as to why this is happening: some people speculate that the residue of the cyanobacteria has closed off drainage openings that once existed in the bottom of the lake. If so, the best hope is an earthquake, they say, that might create a fissure. Some old timers (los ancianos, they’re called) speak of days, remembered or heard about, when the waters of the lake rose as high as the roof of the Catholic church in town. They speak of a 50- or 70-year cycle of rising and falling lake levels — a concept many of us had been dimly aware of but largely ignored over the years, though we noted the fact that the Mayan people built their homes high above the lake water we prized.

Then there is climate change and the increasing frequency of dramatic weather events around the planet. Time was, events like the tsunami in the Indian Ocean, the floods from Katrina, the Japanese earthquake, were distant tragedies I responded to by writing checks. My dream of living near water was undisturbed. Now I picture that water that I’ve swum in all these years swallowing not just my house but also whole towns well known to me, and the newspaper and television images of disaster take on a chilling relevance. ‘‘Thank God we are given time to

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The idea that any of what we have will last forever is a dream.

Vanishing act Surveying the damage caused

by Lake Atitlán, whose waters are mysteriously rising with no end in sight.

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get away,’’ a man named Luis told me this February. We were surveying the tourist cabanas he’d built in the nearby village of San Juan, with the dream of using the proceeds to fund a clinic there. ‘‘In Panabaj, they had no warning.’’

To many at the lake, what’s happening now is linked to a date significant to all in the Mayan world: the end of the Mayan calendar, on Dec. 21, 2012. Many say that date marks the end of life as we know it. ‘‘It’s a chain of destruction,’’ said Nana Maria, a shaman candle seller in San Juan.

She spoke of the cutting of the trees, the algae, the appearance of the black bass and the disappearance of the native ducks that used to be so plentiful, the landslide in Panabaj, the sudden arrival of grebes, and now the rising waters. ‘‘The planet is crying. People have disconnected from nature.’’

Now nature is connecting with us.

A year had passed after the big

storms before I went back to San Marcos. It was too sad to go. Over those months, the men who look after my garden, Mateo and Miguel, rebuilt my dock, then rebuilt it again two more times. When the water reached halfway up the entry gate, they moved that, too.

Now I saw for myself what happened to this place I’ve loved for almost 40 years, not simply the repository of my savings, but even more so my sanctuary.

It is one thing to know your dock is under water. It’s something else to pull up at that dock and look through the water (clear as ever now — the cyanobacteria have receded) and see, 18 feet below, the stone platform I once stood on, where children of the village used to come to drop their strings for catching crabs while I executed my sun salutations.

When a landslide hits, the hillside can be shored up and protected. But when a lake goes up, and your house sits close to it, there is not much to be done but stand and watch with a certain stunned acceptance, not altogether unlike what I experienced that day at the Internet cafe, 10 years ago, when I learned my savings were wiped out.

At the rate the water’s going up, the ground floor of my house — where the kitchen is — will be underwater in a year. Then goes the upstairs. Already my sauna’s submerged, and the ranchito I loved to work in is one good rainfall from being flooded.

I try to focus on what remains on the higher ground: banana trees and jocote, bouganvillea, huele de noche. This spring at the lake I swam day and night and slept with the windows open to hear the lapping of the water and the birds when the sun came up. Enjoy this place while it’s here, I told myself.

I have come to a surprising acceptance of

what’s happening. Surrender, maybe, is the better word for it. The idea that any of what we have will last forever is a dream.

On one of my last days at the lake, I took a boat around the water, driven by my friend Domingo, an indigenous man whose family has lost much of their property in San Pedro to the lake. Several times we pulled into one village or another and saw submerged buildings and flooded onion fields, or met people (local and gringo) who’d lost their bar or hotel or home.

We passed the showplace houses of the wealthy Guatemalan families — owners of Gallo beer, Pollo Campero — who have been rumored to be talking about bankrolling a giant drainage pipe.

Rumors only, most likely. ‘‘To the Mayan people, everything is about cycles,’’ Nana Maria told me. Rain comes down.

Plants grow up. The lake rises. The lake falls.

The lake rises again.

Later I shared a meal with Dave and Deedle Ratcliffe, a couple in their 40s (he’s American, she’s British) with two young sons, who run a diving center beside the dock in Santa Cruz, a town hit hard by the lake rise. Their restaurant

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I picture the water I’ve swum in swallowing not just my house but whole towns. is not likely to survive another rainy season, and once it goes they — like so many others I spoke with that day — have no idea what they will do. ‘‘Find religion? Find tequila?’’ Dave said. ‘‘At the end of the day, nature’s going to win. Meanwhile, we’ve had ourselves a big adventure.’’

Our conversation that day turned to an extraordinary archaeological discovery first located by a diver at the lake in 1996 and only recently explored. Called Samabaj, it is a ceremonial site dating from over 2,000 years ago — with intact stelae, bowls, sculptures and five stone docks — submerged under 115 feet of water near Cerro de Oro. ‘‘It’s not just us that this happened to,’’ Deedle said. ‘‘That place sat on dry land once, too.’’

It’s spring now. The rains have started. Back in California, I watch the weather reports from Guatemala. An image comes to me: of a diver, some day far in the future, excavating the lost village of San Marcos and coming upon a set of stone steps underwater and a stone arch — the puzzling presence of Italian tiles and carved stone faces set into the rock. Somewhere, a little ways from that — housing a school of fish, perhaps — he finds a pizza oven. n

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dream weaver In Navajo land, the harmonic

convergence of landscape and loom. By Guy Trebay

‘S

Rock of ages In Canyon de Chelly, a National Monument since 1931.

tart up the quirky dream machine in your head,’’ is how the horoscope read.

I scanned it one cold March morning at a Denny’s in Gallup, N.M., the one off Interstate 40, where the highway elbows above Route 66. As I looked out toward a red anvil mesa, patched white with snow from an overnight storm, it struck me that the quirky dream machine had not kicked over for some time.

Wasn’t that why I’d come here? For as long as I can remember I’ve headed to the desert southwest whenever my head felt unlevel. And after a winter of sudden and permanent departures and grief that hung around like a

stubborn fog, I’d booked a flight to Albuquerque and a big S.U.V. that sat high and rode so silently you barely knew you were doing 90 until you checked the speedometer.

For much of my adult life I’ve made pilgrimages to Navajo land, an area encompassing more than 25,000 square miles, a landscape formed as if from a John McPhee reader: slot canyons, cap-rock plateaus, sandstone escarpments, cartoonish buttes and peach colored sand deposited in the Paleozoic era in a vast desert of Pangaea, the supercontinent.

It is a place where, in modern terms, the corners of four states (Arizona, Utah, New Mexico and Colorado) were surveyed to fit together like puzzle pieces; a region of fivestore towns and a population so widely dispersed as to seem invisible; a territory where the unobstructed heavens widen vision, open the mind. Tucked into this landscape are hidden canyons, plunging declivities formed by water and wind, spots the novelist Denis Johnson once referred to as the P H O T O G R A P H B Y jesse chehak

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Into the weft The monthly rug auction in Crownpoint, N.M., is a source for Navajo carpets like the ones above.

Below: the White House Ruin in the Canyon de Chelly.

‘‘secrets of the horizons,’’ and today I am heading for one.

Since 1931 Canyon de Chelly (pronounced ‘‘d’Shay’’) has been a National Monument. For centuries before that, it was a sacred place and one of refuge for the Diné — or ‘‘The People,’’ as the roughly 300,000 Navajo call themselves.

Archaeological evidence shows that it has been a place of human habitation for nearly 5,000 years, and the reasons why should be clear to anyone. It is no mystery, either, why this extensive canyon system figures importantly in Navajo mythology. Cut from the earth, it swallows the sky, its high plateaus serving as a threshold between the two. Like the seminomadic Navajo themselves, their gods are in constant motion, and their rituals and myths are hectic with the passage of deities through underground realms before their emergence into this, the White or Glittering World.

Once on Earth, the Holy People established the four sacred mountains forming the boundaries of Navajo country. They, the land, sacred plants (corn) and animals (butterflies) and symbols (lightning) all turn up routinely in Navajo weaving, probably the best known and most elevated expression of their art. And among the reasons I’ve made this trip is to visit again a Navajo rug auction held in a school gym in semiremote Crownpoint, N.M., every month for the past 44 years.

I’ve bought various rugs in the past, but this time I bid on and win a small Storm Pattern weaving by a woman called Dolly Morgan, a textile whose crisp lightning zigzags lead from a central water beetle medallion to motifs that signify the four cardinal points. Rolling the rug, I carry it with me to my room at the Thunderbird Lodge in Chinle, Ariz., laying it out on an unoccupied twin bed. ‘‘Stare at it,’’ an architect friend from Albuquerque had advised me. ‘‘You’ll never stop finding new balances and new symmetries.’’

Balance was what I came here after, and what the rug won’t provide I expect will develop in its own way after cold days spent hiking with a local guide. Kenneth Etsitty and I will clamber down from the canyon ridge on the ribbed rock Bare Trail hundreds of feet to the valley floor, wandering there through fallow bean fields and orchards, pressing into a southwestern wind that knifes through our clothing, crossing

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streams that run fast and bitter with snow melt, the water so cold it renders our bare feet inflexible blocks. At all times we give wide berth to the cliff dwellings of the ancient Anasazi, who spook me as much as they do the ghost-fearing Navajo.

The two of us will talk little because, as a handout at the visitor center explains, ‘‘the general exuberance many cultures define as friendliness is not considered such by the Diné.’’ The flyer is an aid to newcomers who might interpret as rudeness what for Navajos is deeply observed natural courtesy. I am well accustomed to Navajo silence, to softly touching handshakes and a deflected gaze. The truth is, I come here partly to escape the din of more populated places, the wearying abrasion of what passes for civilization in a technological age. I also come because, whenever I lose track of the quirky dream machine in my head, it is here that I find it again. n 70

from top: getty images; superstock; corbis (2); jesse chehak

The Holy People, the land, sacred animals and symbols all turn up in Navajo weaving.

place

sicily

The Italian island has hit its sweet spot, balancing newfound slickness with scruffy charm.

with permission of the Region of Sicily – Department of Cultural Heritage and Sicilian Identity – Archaeological Park Service of Naxos, Taormina, Francavilla and Neighboring Communities

By Rocky casale

Classical virtues

All of history seems to have passed through Sicily at some point. So for a crash course, be strategic and seek out a few plum sites. La Cattedrale di Palermo (Corso Vittorio Emanuele; cattedrale.palermo .it), built in 1185, is a cut-and-paste job of architectural styles — Byzantine, Norman, Spanish, Gothic — that tells the story of conquest and influence on the island. The ancient Romans, Renaissance Florentines and English Romantic poets, to name a few, all fell in love with (and wrote obsessively about) the Teatro Greco in Taormina (above; Via Teatro Greco, 41; 011-39-0942-23220). Today the gnarled ruins of the theater are little more than the city’s star tourist attraction, though it is worth the QR36 entrance fee for perfectly framed views of the Ionian Sea and Mount Etna. The Valley of the Temples (parcodeitempli.net), with over 3,200 acres of Greek temples, theaters and tombs, is the best reason to pass through the dull region of Agrigento. Second best is the beach coastline known as Eraclea Minoa, one of Italy’s most remote, 25 miles away. And La Cattedrale di Monreale (Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, Monreale; cattedraledimonreale.it), 25 minutes from Palermo, is a modest porticoed cathedral from a distance. But inside the 12th-century Norman church are beautiful cloistered gardens and gleaming gold mosaics of astonishing detail — some of the best in Sicily. photographs by domingo milella

on the web Go to nytimes.com/ tmagazine for more images from the photographer Domingo Milella’s tour of Sicily.

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place sicily

bed check From urban palazzos to off-grid retreats, Sicily’s standout hotels perfectly play up their surroundings.

Room with a view

City Bolthole

Mountain Aerie

San Domenico Palace Hotel Taormina (Piazza San Domenico, 5 Taormina; 011-39-0942-61311; amthotels.it; doubles from QR1,864)

Butera 28 Palermo (Via Butera 28, Palermo; 011-39-333-3165432; butera28.it; doubles from QR240)

Shalai Resort Etna (Via Marconi 25, Linguaglossa; 011-39-095-643128; shalai.it; doubles from QR716)

Hotels in Taormina are packed in tight, elbowing each other for the best view of Etna and Taormina Bay. This 105-room grande dame hogs most of it.

Hugging the cliffside above the bay, the former 15th-century monastery’s original cloisters are gloriously intact, and some of the suites have terraces with Jacuzzis facing the sea. There’s also a two-Michelin-starred restaurant, Principe Cerami.

Few Palermo hotels recall the city’s past quite like this 18th-century palazzo atop the city walls. Once home to Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, who wrote ‘‘The Leopard,’’ the property today is owned and operated by the author’s surviving family, who carved out 11 apartments, each with its own kitchen. They also offer cooking classes (from QR717 per person per day) that begin with an instructional wander through Palermo’s markets and end with dinner in the family’s dining room.

Up the snowy slope of Mount Etna, this 19th-century palazzo was turned into a 13-room hotel two years ago. Period details like Baroque ceiling cherubs dressed in gold commingle stylishly with contemporary touches like teardrop lamps by the Italian designer Davide Groppi. The spa features candlelit Turkish baths and nearby are charming towns like Randazzo and the ski slopes of Piano Provenzana, to which the hotel can organize tours by jeep, bicycle, even donkey.

Sicily’s well-worn island circuit of Pantelleria, Panarea and Stromboli is overrun with tourists in the summer and prohibitively expensive year-round. But there are other untrampled isles where in-the-know Italians touch down (or tie up).

Day trip An eight-minute tugboat ride from Marsala’s Ettore and Infersa Salt Museum leaves you at uninhabited Mozia Island (left). You can’t spend the night on this ancient Phoenician trading post, but you can pack a picnic and stroll around the old Grillo vineyards. Tasca d’Almerita (tascadalmerita.it) organizes wine tastings here in the afternoons, and the Museo Whitaker Giovinetto di Mozia has a fascinating collection of Phoenician, Greek and Roman artifacts.

Weekend For years Salina was the black sheep of Sicily’s Aeolian Islands. No beachfront Buddah bars, only fisherman shacks; instead of yachters making a pit stop, lively workingclass locals. But that’s exactly why refugees from the party islands nearby are turning it into the latest destination for a rustic weekend. Among a handful of charming hotels is the Capofaro Malvasia & Resort (Via Faro 3; 011-39-090-9844330/1; capofaro.it; doubles from QR1,100), on 15 acres of seafront Malvasia delle Lipari vineyards.

Week Having recently touched down on the tuna fishing island of Favignana (where Miuccia Prada owns a house), the style set has its sights on neighboring Marettimo (left). Few tourists make it here (about one hour by boat from Trapani), and it has fewer than 500 residents and more gorgeous grottos and mountain trails than all of its neighbors. Hole up at the Marettimo Residence (Via Telegrafo, 3; 011-39-092-3923202; marettimoresidence.it; weekly rental from QR2,486), a collection of whitewashed buildings that look out on the sea.

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hotels, from left: domingo milella; courtesy of butera 28; courtesy of shalai resort; courtesy of planeta la foresteria. islands, from top: corbis; getty images.

Specks Ahoy

The New York Times Style Magazine

WOMEN’S FASHION AND BEAUTY SUMMER 2012

uncommon threads artwork by Jacob Magraw

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M Magic

Fingers

for his cult nail lacquers, the chanel makeup maestro Peter Philips finds inspiration in unlikely places.

By Sandra Ballentine Photograph by Richard Burbridge

‘‘There’s really no logic,’’ says Peter Philips, Chanel’s creative director for makeup, explaining how he dreams up nail colors that regularly achieve mythic status before they even hit store counters. ‘‘I observe and listen to women, and then I follow my heart and my guts. It’s not a factory. I’m not a chicken that lays an egg. I just try to seduce women into discovering something they want. Because if they don’t like it, they won’t wear it.’’ Philips is obviously on to something, because Chanel’s nail polish sales have grown in the United States by 84 percent in the four years since he joined the brand.

His biggest success to date has been Particulière, an unusual greige hue that graced the fingertips of fashionable women the world over when it made its debut in 2010. ‘‘That color was a bit of an accident, actually,’’ Philips says. ‘‘It was a failed tryout for a purple taupe shade I had requested, but when I applied a swipe to my nail, I was blown away.’’

Accidents aside, the chicest shades often spring from unlikely sources. Riva, a pale blue hue, came from an old cigarette lighter Philips found in a drawer. ‘‘It had changed color over time.’’ June, a new milky peach polish, was inspired by the handle of a plastic grocery bag Philips saved for two years, waiting for the right moment to use it.

Holiday, the vibrant citrus shade shown here (applied fastidiously by Chanel’s new nail guru Gina Viviano), had a similarly humble origin: an orange peel. ‘‘Obviously, I didn’t invent orange,’’ Philips says. ‘‘But I wanted to create a popping, intense orange — it couldn’t be pearly or opalescent. It wasn’t so easy.’’

After all, Philips is a perfectionist. And a purist. ‘‘Ornate or crazy manicures are impressive, but at the end of the day, I love the simplicity of a perfectly lacquered nail. It’s the ultimate accessory.’’ n on the web

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For a video of more Chanel spring nail colors, go to nytimes.com/tmagazine.

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Northern

lights oslo and its model-movie star couple may be IN FLUX, but the future looks BRIGHT for both.

By Gaby Wood Photographs by Boo george Fashion editor: Vanessa traina making strides at the oslo opera house. on iselin steiro: salvatore ferragamo coat, QR10,000. calvin klein collection skirt, QR8,800. diesel black gold boots, QR1,420. on anders danielsen lie: maison martin margiela coat, QR10,900. ann demeulemeester denim pants, QR2,250. balenciaga by Nicolas Ghesquière boots, QR3,440. similar styles at jeffrey new york.

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The flatfronted buildings in the Grunerlokka district of Oslo,

where the actor Anders Danielsen Lie and the model Iselin Steiro live, are crisp, stately and designed for sunlight. They were built in the late 19th century for workers in the factories along the Akerselva river. Then, people slept 10 to a room. Now the area has become establishment-hip, and the facades have been painted a range of powdery shades: pale peach with a light gray and a dark gray stripe; faded mustard; dusky rose; Wedgwood blue with black window frames. The effect is striking — half severe and half serene, as if the colors of the South of France had hit an iceberg.

When I mentioned to Steiro how lovely I found the streets, she wrinkled her nose. ‘‘Really?’’ she asked. ‘‘I always think Stockholm and Copenhagen are so much nicer.’’ Lie nodded: ‘‘Oslo is more barbarian — in every sense.’’

Meet Oslo: a city with a long-held inferiority complex and the central character in Joachim Trier’s devastating and beautiful film ‘‘Oslo, August 31st.’’ The movie, an updated city symphony disguised as gritty realism, was acclaimed at Cannes and Sundance, has had a very successful run in France and will be released in the United States on May 25. It is both a portrait of a man in difficulty — a recovering drug addict played astoundingly

by Lie — and a hymn to a capital in flux. At parties, in parks, in restaurants and in the homes of friends, Oslo offers glimpses of something like redemption. Although the film takes place over the course of 24 hours, the title is not the date on which the action unfolds but the date on which it ends. The dawn rises, the film closes, and its title becomes less a setting than a form of punctuation: a bearer of history, a monument to a moment. ‘‘I wanted to try to capture part of the melancholy of the change of a city,’’ Trier told me. ‘‘We wanted to say: What’s the anxiety of

this generation? Norway has not been affected that badly by the recession yet, and there’s a strange feeling of hope and expansion.

But I also see a lot of hip, young, creatively ambitious people getting quite lost.’’ The film is loosely based on the 1930s French novel ‘‘Le Feu Follet,’’ made into a movie by Louis Malle in 1963, and Trier feels that what’s happening in Oslo now is similar to the social change in Paris during those two periods.

Trier and his co-writer, Eskil Vogt, wrote the script with Lie in mind. (He also played a central figure in their previous film, ‘‘Reprise,’’ about two troubled young novelists.) Trier compares him to Daniel Day-Lewis, a cerebral actor whose face leaves you guessing at what he’s grappling with, and ‘‘Oslo, August 31st’’ rests entirely on the richness and unpredictability of Lie’s performance. He can seem like both a child and a madman, becomes genuinely more intriguing as the plot progresses, yet remains unknowable to the end.

Steiro and Lie, who met in 2007 and married soon after (‘‘I just diffused into your life,’’ Steiro said, laughing in Lie’s direction), are part of the group of gifted 20- and 30-somethings Trier described. On one wall of their lightflooded apartment is a set of Polaroids from Lie’s 30th birthday party three years ago; many of the people in them are recognizable from ‘‘Oslo, August 31st’’ and ‘‘Reprise.’’

Steiro, who comes from a small town in the Arctic, has been modeling since she was discovered in London at 14. (She is now 26.)

Glamorously severe in photographs, in person she has a charismatic touch of goofiness.

Although still very recognizable from Chloé ads, among others, she’s taking a break to go to architecture school.

Lie, the Oslo-raised son of a doctor and an actress, made a childhood foray into acting that yielded ‘‘Herman,’’ a movie about a boy

who goes bald that became such a hit it almost put Lie off for good. So now he is finishing his medical internship at a hospital two hours away. His friends describe him as a renaissance man, but that’s a fairly bland summation of the strange span of his gifts. He’s an actor, he’s a doctor, he has released a rock album (‘‘This Is Autism’’) based on recordings he made as a child. His affect is so deadpan that it would be difficult to exaggerate the extent to which his smile transforms his face. It’s memorable when it happens in the movie, and in life Lie’s solemnity tends to crack in response to Steiro, who is fiendishly friendly, a perfect foil.

Late one Sunday morning, they took me to Kaffebrenneriet in the upscale Frogner district, and persuaded me to try the local geitost, a brown goat cheese that tastes like caramel. (‘‘Even in Sweden they’re like: ‘What?,’ ’’ Steiro said.)

Lie returned to his joke about Oslo being ‘‘barbarian,’’ and explained that although Norway boasts Henrik Ibsen, Edvard Munch and the best-selling thriller writer Jo Nesbo as native sons, it has been slower than Sweden or Denmark to put itself center-stage culturally. ‘‘Whenever there’s a discussion about a new museum for Edvard Munch, who is probably the best thing we have, there’s a lot of debate about how much to spend,’’ he said, raising an eyebrow. ‘‘Whereas if Norway’s going to have another winter Olympics, we don’t talk so much about price.’’

The couple then spoke about the effect on the city of last July’s events, when a bomb in the government quarter and a gunman on a nearby island left 77 dead.

Lie said, ‘‘I think the civic pride of people from Oslo is a little more subtle than that

the couple have what Steiro terms a ‘multihappening’ life. scandi coated opposite: on damstredet, in an area of wooden houses near the city center. on steiro: Narciso rodriguez coat, QR10,900. pringle of scotland top, QR1,800. comme des garçons t-shirt, QR375. proenza schouler pants, QR2,640. at saks fifth avenue. manolo blahnik shoes, QR2,850. at saks fifth avenue. on lie: dior homme jacket, QR21,100, and sweater, QR2,040. balenciaga by Nicolas Ghesquière pants, QR3,440. at holt renfrew. ami shoes, QR2,240. At the webster miami.

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‘renaissance man’ is a fairly bland summation of Lie’s gifts. norse projects in the frogner neighborhood. a. p. c. and carhartt work in progress shirt, QR655.

Ami t-shirt, QR455. Pierre Balmain jeans, QR950. at neiman marcus. opposite: at the Apent Bakeri, which appears in ‘‘oslo, august 31st.’’ Balenciaga by Nicolas Ghesquière jacket, QR13,000; watch, QR3,800, and boots, QR19,800. Salvatore ferragamo skirt, QR3,820.

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of people from other cities.’’ Steiro went on: ‘‘But after this very dramatic incident in the summer, the patriotism of Oslo was really forceful.’’ A rose parade was organized on Facebook, and more than 100,000 people turned out, without security, holding flowers. ‘‘It was very important to show that we were going to respond to this with more love, more openness and more democracy,’’ Lie said.

The expansion that was already under way then has become an earnest act of retaliation.

The Oslo Opera House, which opened in 2008 and was designed by Snohetta, the firm in charge of the 9/11 Memorial Museum pavilion in Manhattan, is expected to have something of a ‘‘Bilbao effect.’’ All around

it are construction sites that will become condominiums, office buildings, university buildings, a museum and a library — all part of a plan to turn the city toward the water and to try, as Steiro explained, ‘‘to give cultural status to a place that used to be more industrial.’’ Not that Oslo doesn’t have other charms: a 20-minute metro ride will take you cross-country skiing, and a quick ferry trip across the fjord will get you to the beach. ‘‘There’s a lot to do here,’’ Lie said, ‘‘which makes it a very good city to live in, and raise children.’’

As for children, there are plans — part of what Steiro endearingly termed their ‘‘multihappening life.’’ The couple are engaged in so many different things that they are sometimes

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in person Steiro has a charismatic touch of goofiness. statuesque beauty at the Vigeland Sculpture Park, dedicated to the work of gustav vigeland. pedro Lourenรงo top, QR5,600. bottega veneta skirt, QR7,200. patricia von musulin bracelet, QR10,200.

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sculpture park: 2012 the vigeland museum/ars, New York/bono, oslo

frustrated or uncertain. But overall, they like it that way, and it seems in keeping with the changing nature of Oslo itself. ‘‘Maybe our lives are going to be like this forever,’’ Steiro said. ‘‘We’ll never ‘end up’ as anything, we’ll just continue doing stuff in between.’’

Maybe, like a city, they’ll always be in the act of becoming. n

playing the angles at villa stenersen, a midcentury house by arne korsmo. preen by thornton bregazzi dress, QR4,500. go to net-a-porter.com. robert lee morris necklace, QR10,900. ugo cacciatori bracelet, QR7,550. opposite: on the kontraskjaeret piers. diesel black gold coat, QR4,190. givenchy by riccardo tisci earrings, QR1,240. at jeffrey new york. produced by the production club. hair by tina outen at streeters. makeup by hiromi ueda at julian watson agency using nars.

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essentials • OSLO

Hotels Grand Hotel Open since 1874, this deluxe landmark plays host to Nobel laureates every December. Karl Johans Gate 31; 011-47-23-21-20-00; grand.no; doubles from about QR1,040. Hotel Continental As stately as the Grand — and with Munch lithographs.

Stortingsgaten 24/26; 011-47-22-82-40-00; hotelcontinental.no; doubles from QR1,050.

Restaurants, Bars and Cafes Apent Bakeri The best bread in town. Maridalsveien 87; 011-47-22-04-96-67. Maaemo Oslo’s answer to Noma in Copenhagen, with two Michelin stars.

Schweigaards gate 15b; 011-47-91-99-48-05.

Oscarsgate Scandinavian cuisine with a French twist and one Michelin star. Inngang Pilestredet 63; 011-47-22-46-59-06. Ylajali A modern version of French gourmet cuisine, named after a character in the Knut Hamsun novel ‘‘Hunger’’ who lives above the restaurant. St. Olavs Plass 2; 011-47-22-20-64-86. Parkteatret A former cinema,

now music club with a great bar. Olaf Ryes plass 11; 011-47-22-35-63-00. The Villa A sweaty, popular house club in the basement of a hipster burger joint. Mollergata 23-25; 011-47-93-25-57-45. Tim Wendelboe The award-winning roaster’s namesake shop and training center draws coffee pilgrims from around the world. Grunersgate 1; 011-47-40-00-40-62; timwendelboe.no.

Activities Birkelunden flea market A terrific outdoor market for vintage clothing and other finds. Birkelunden Park, in the Grunerlokka area; Sundays, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m or sundown. Nordmarka A skiing area reachable by the metro where, in winter, you can hole up in quaint, cozy cabins.

Nordmarka; visitoslo.com. Langoyene, Hovedoya and Gressholmen Take the ferry from Vippetangen to these three islands for great swimming in the Oslo Fjord. visitoslo.com. The Viking Ship Museum Houses whole, ninth-century ships discovered in tombs around the fjord. Aveny 35; 011-47-22-13-52-80; khm.uio.no.

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farm fraîche

In the French department of the gers— home of foie gras, Armagnac and one very odd bird — the pleasures of land and table abound.

By christopher petkanas Photographs by adrian gaut

Natural selection Because of its rolling hills and rich agriculture, the Gers is often called ‘‘la Toscane Française’’ (the French Tuscany).

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(Very Important Paysan) T-shirts. At the last garlic competition in Saint-Clar, first prize went to a woman who with her harvest built a likeness of D’Artagnan, the Gersois swashbuckler Alexandre Dumas fictionalized in ‘‘The Three Musketeers.’’

The mayor of Goux, population 85, has a business making croustade, the Gers’s signature dessert of Armagnacfor more marinated apples in ruffles of cigarette-paper-thin pastry. than two decades and still return for long improvised intervals But things may be picking up. The chef Michel Guérard twice a year; a friend says she can set her clock by my trips (May moved into the Gers last year with La Bastide, a less fabulous and August). I travel to Paris and regions I have combed through version of his hotel-spa-restaurant complex next door in many times mostly to see how they have got on in my absence the Landes. The department has its own lifestyle magazine, and how far south the food has gone. Nostalgia aside, you get Plaisirs du Gers, whose unmistakable model is Côté Sud, to a point where all you’re interested in is the peculiar luxury of the popular revue that fetishizes Provence. And there are cultivating a receptively blank mind in a familiar, inexhaustible enough Britons in the Gers to make a going affair of the shop place. Visiting the synagogue in Carpentras or Balzac’s house Churchill’s, purveyors of shredded suet. in the 16th Arrondissement is not what you do when you live in Incursions aside, living off the map makes it easier for Provence and Paris, so the days are rather full. patrician families with deep roots in the area to carry on being their old beknighted selves. (The aristocratic beauty blogger Victoire de Taillac’s family chateau is here, as is that of Victoire de Montesquiou, a direct descendant of D’Artagnan and Robert de Montesquiou, the monstrous aesthete on whom Proust fashioned the Baron de Charlus.) It is also easier for everyone else to tend the good life: traditional rural pursuits are more resistant to erosion, and certain prejudices and values — the land, table and the sense that, faute de mieux, living well is still the best revenge — cut across class and calling.

The couple guaranteeing one degree of separation between anyone you’d care to know are Jocelyne and André Daguin.

André, a retired chef, is famous for inventing, a half century ago at Auch’s Hôtel de France, magret de canard. A journalist had come in and Daguin had nothing to serve him, save a duck breast he was about to confit, but which he grilled instead.

(Ducks then were raised on straw beds so unhygienic it was thought best to confit them.) To the French, Daguin is a national hero. As head of the hospitality trade union in France, he battled the government to slash the rate at which restaurant meals are taxed from 19.6 percent to 5.5 percent.

His wife, an adorable birdlike woman he met at hotel school in Paris, followed him to the Gers in 1958. ‘‘André said, ‘I’m taking you down to Auch. You’re going to love it!’ ’’ In this agendaless way I found myself in the southwest Jocelyne recalled when we met at their home in the town recently, taking a lovely sitting nap at a cafe on the Place de la center. ‘‘Well, I couldn’t even find Auch on the map — and I’m Libération in Auch, the capital of the Gers department. The French! All the sidewalks were cobblestone, and here I was, a French like to think of the Gers (not Provence) as la Toscane city girl toppling around in stilettos. When we arrived, the big Française. It has to do with the area’s soft hills, long vistas talk was of a highway that would bisect the department and needlepointed with wine vines, custodial cypresses and dolce bring people to Auch; we’re still waiting.’’ vita. Lack of regional pride is not something French people In 1981, when I first met him, Daguin was as charismatic suffer from, but on the subject of the Gers, it is not out of the and movie-star handsome as Jean Dujardin. His song hasn’t question for someone from Alsace or the Auvergne to go all changed: ‘‘Draw a 75-kilometer radius around Auch, and misty and pronounce it God’s country. A woman who thinks except for fish and shellfish, there’s everything you could of me as her petit frère Américain grew up distilling Cognac, want: foie gras, the best fruit and vegetables, lamb, Gascon has lived in Perpignan and Villeneuve-lès-Avignon and now beef, veal, poultry. . . .’’ resides across the Rhône in Cavaillon. ‘‘Le Gers,’’ Josette says At the height of his powers, Daguin was legendary for with a swoon, ‘‘c’est tout un art de vivre.’’

The similarities between Tuscany and the Gers, the heart of giving you what he thought you should eat (as opposed to what you wanted to eat). For me it was ortolans, their end Gascony, pretty much end there. Luring travelers is a head having come when their heads were held down in a glass of scratcher in the province, rich realm of fowl and foie gras, Armagnac. It was borderline illegal for Daguin to serve the confit and Armagnac, garlic (25 percent of the national crop) birds, so I was installed behind a closed door in a private and white wine. (Côtes de Gascogne is France’s most widely dining room. exported white.) Only 15 percent of visitors are foreigners, a Now 76, Daguin’s reserves of charisma seem hardly number no one seems to think could be flipped into a selling depleted. If he had to be outflanked by someone as the Gers’s point. So the frustration mounts at being a milk-and-honey unofficial ambassador, he is happy that person is his daughter place where the French go on holiday to attend produits-duAriane, whose American company D’Artagnan specializes in terroir fetes and fairs organized by young farmers in V.I.P.

I lived in France

Terroir to table Above: outside Auch. Right: the Gers is known for its traditional agriculture and cuisine, like croustade, a pastry made with apples and Armagnac, and blue dye made from the pigment of the woad plant.

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all the foods she was brought up on: quail, duck fat, Tarbais beans. One call to Ariane, who handled the reintroductions, and before long I was bumping through the countryside with her parents on our way to lunch at Le Florida, where the master’s old crony Bernard Ramounéda comes closer than anyone to Daguin’s old-school Gersois cooking.

Daguin went straight for the boudin noir, house-made with head meat, rind, heart, lung, tongue and truffle juice.

Ramounéda served the blood sausage with sauteed apples and moutarde de Gascogne, which uses grape must instead of vinegar. ‘‘It’s the mustard of my childhood,’’ Daguin said. It was early September, and since it had been wet and then hot, the first cèpes (porcini) were in, prepared as a main-course stew in a thick, mahogany-hued wine sauce.

Another day Jocelyne, André and I set out to unravel the mystery of the coq vierge — the ‘‘virgin’’ cockerel cited by Dumas in his ‘‘Grand Dictionnaire de Cuisine’’ — at Philippe Baron’s farm outside Auch. The bird’s jokey name refers to a male chicken that has been castrated to become a capon and is therefore fleshier, but whose operation doesn’t quite take; male hormones kick back in, leaving it to court the hen with no hope of scoring. For connoisseurs who find capons too fatty, and regular chickens not fatty and meaty enough, it’s the ideal bird. (Philippe Piton, of the restaurant Le Rive Droite, prepares it boned and stuffed with squash, and coq au vin style with foie-gras ravioli.) ‘‘The coq vierge is a ‘mistake,’ like penicillin, excuse the pretentious comparison,’’ said Xavier Abadie, who brings Baron’s production to market. We were standing in a corn field, the stalks stripped by the roosters to a neck-craning height of two feet. ‘‘To paraphrase Einstein,’’ Abadie went on, ‘‘innovation is disobedience that succeeds. Let’s meet again in 30 years and see if the Christmas turkey is replaced by our anomalous friend.’’ One pecked by, and Baron caught it by the ankles, lifting a wing to reveal a breast vein whose manteau of fat made it as thick as a finger. ‘‘That’s what we look for,’’ he said. ‘‘If we don’t see it, we put the bird back for another eight days. We skim the cream.’’

Abadie has some good ideas for cross-promoting the Gers.

His coqs vierges are presented at retail like showgirls, the birds’ parures (neck and tail feathers) detonating from their haute swaddling: cotton tea towels dyed with the luminous blue pigment of the woad plant. The dye made the fortune of traders in neighboring Toulouse in the 16th century before being dethroned by indigo. The colorant might have disappeared if it weren’t for an American, Denise Lambert. Having owned a gallery in Belgium, she surrendered in 1994 to the patina of an abandoned tannery in Lectoure. Eight 200-gallon maceration tanks later, she started Bleu de Lectoure, using woad pigment to color aprons, berets, ink, sealing wax, soap.

After our visit with the chickens, it seemed ungrateful to refuse when Daguin suggested we go to the Musée de la Vigne et du Vin in Mouchan. Wine museums tend to be like high school science fairs, but afterward I felt dumb for hesitating; he said the museum would be amazing, and it was, a hangar in a meadow filled with 800 magnificently restored tools and other equipment, including early grafting and bottling machines, ambulant stills and wooden presses.

André Dauzère, who built the collection and produces Floc de Gascogne, an A.O.C. aperitif composed of one part young Armagnac to two parts grape must, recounted the history of Armagnac. His showpieces include spray treatment tanks made nearby in Nérac to combat oidium, which struck in the

late 1840s, and mildew, which came 30 years later. The tanks were the first to win medals at the big Paris agricultural fair, in 1889. ‘‘Taking water into the fields and filling the sprayers was women’s work,’’ Dauzère said.

According to him, the Gers distills only one tenth of the Armagnac it did 200 years ago. Winemaking has changed in other ways too. Forty years ago, growers sold their wine to an agent, who sold it to local shops. People brought their bottles to the grocer to be filled.

traditional rural pursuits are MORE RESISTANT to erosion in The gers.

With their overlapping interests, men like Dauzère and Count Louis-Marie de Castelbajac, the actor and artist who is also in the Armagnac business, have a more fluid relationship than do people on different sides of the social divide elsewhere in France. A slow-burning heartthrob, the young count and his designer father, Jean-Charles, share the Château de Loubersan in the same delightfully comatose hamlet as Baron’s chickens. Dita Von Teese was on track to become Loubersan’s next chatelaine, but sadly she and Louis-Marie split. There’s hope for the Gers yet. n

Bird land Above: fields near Fleurance. Left: Gers is famous for its poultry — geese, coqs vierges, and turkeys like these at the farm of Philippe Baron.

essentials • GERS, france

Hotels Château Monastère de Saint-Mont Heavenly castle in Saint-Mont.

011-33-5-62-09-53-01; chateau-monastere-de-saint-mont.com; doubles from about QR382. Hôtel Lous Grits Five bijoux rooms in Marsolan. 011-33-5-62-28-37-10; hotel-lousgrits.com; doubles from QR985.

Restaurants and food Le Florida Bernard Ramounéda’s canteen. 2, Rue du Lac, CastéraVerduzan; 011-33-5-62-68-13-22; set menus from QR123. Hôtel de Bastard Irreproachable traditional cooking. Rue Lagrange, Lectoure; 011-33-5-62-68-82-44; set menus from QR142. Maison Vidou The best croustade? Peut-être. 11, Avenue d’Etigny, Mirande; 011-33-5-62-67-68-79; croustades from QR11. Le Rive Droite Le coq vierge reigns here.

1, Chemin Saint Jacques, Villecomtal-sur-Arros; 011-33-5-62-64-83-08; set menu QR165.

Attractions Bleu de Lectoure A world of blue. Pont de Pile, Lectoure; 011-33-5-62-68-78-30. Le Musée de la Vigne et du Vin One man’s obsession with wine.

Route de Cassaigne, Mouchan; 011-33-6-84-50-49-41. Domaine d’Arton Wine tasting outside Lectoure. 011-33-5-62-68-84-33.

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6 La Croissette Porto Arabia -The Pearl Qatar - 44953876 Extn 1851

Richard Mille

Ali Bin Ali W & J - Royal Plaza 44131391

Roberto Cavalli

7 La Croissette Porto Arabia -The Pearl Qatar - 44953876 Extn 2151

Romain Jerome

Ali Bin Ali W & J - Royal Plaza 44131391

Rolex

51 East -Al Maha Center - Salwa Road - 44361111/44257777

Repossi

Ali Bin Ali W&J - Royal Plaza 44131391

Schreiner

Ali Bin Ali W & J - Royal Plaza 44131391

Sonia Rykiel

6 La Croissette Porto Arabia -The Pearl Qatar - 44953876 Extn 1801

Sephora

Landmark Shopping Mall 44875222 Villaggio Mall - 44135222

Sergio Rossi

7 La Croissette Porto Arabia -The Pearl Qatar - 44953876

Salvatore Ferragamo

1 La Croissette Porto Arabia -The Pearl Qatar - 44953876 Extn 1941

Sormani Restaurant

1 La Croissette Porto Arabia -The Pearl Qatar - 77825300

Stefano Ricci

Swarovski

Landmark Shopping Mall 44838158

Tanagra

Villaggio Mall- Via Domo 44134780

Tod's

Villaggio Mall- Via Domo 44134937

Qatar

Tiffany & Co.

Villaggio Mall- Via Domo 44134976

Tom Ford

where style lives.

Villaggio Mall- Via Domo 44831027

Valentino

Villaggio Mall- Via Domo 44135222/44161008

Van Cleef & Arpels

Villaggio Mall - 44169399

Vera Wang

1 La Croissette Porto Arabia -The Pearl Qatar - 44953876 Extn 5157

Vertu

Rivoli Prestige - City Center 44833679 Rivoli Prestige - Landmark Shopping Mall - 44873190 Rivoli Prestige - The Mall 44678866 Rivoli Prestige - Villaggio Mall 44519750

Versace

Al Majed Jewelry -Versace Boutique - Suhaim Bin Hamad Street - 44477333

Versace Collection

Villaggio Mall - 44135437

Virgin Megastore

Villaggio Mall - 44135824 Landmark Shopping Mall 44182242

Weekend Max Mara

2 La Croissette Porto Arabia -The Pearl Qatar - 44953876 Extn 1611

Zenith

Blue Salon - Suhaim Bin Hamad Street - 44466111

51 East

City Center Doha Salwa Road - 44257777

Blue Salon

Suhaim Bin Hamad Street 44466111/44678888

Emporium

Suhaim Bin Hamad Street 44375796/44375798

Lagoona Mall

West Bay - 44257766

Royal Plaza

7 La Croissette Porto Arabia -The Pearl Qatar - 44953876 Extn 2281

S.T. Dupont

Royal Plaza - 44341765

139

Al Sadd Street - 44130000

Salam Studio & Stores

Salam Plaza - Near City Centre 44485555 Salam Stores - The Mall 44672200

The Mall

D-Ring Road - 44678888

The Gate

Maysaloun Street - West Bay 44932524/44077201

Villaggio

Al Waab Street - 44135222

6 La Croissette Porto Arabia -The Pearl Qatar - 44953876 Extn 1941

Stella McCartney

N Y T I M E S . C O M / T M AG A Z I N E | M O N T H T K 0 0 , 2 0 0 8

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93

timely

Elisa Strozyk

Next Floor

After getting a master’s degree in the Textile Futures program at London’s Central Saint Martins in 2009, the Berlin designer Elisa Strozyk decided to make something that was part wood flooring, part rug. The result: wooden carpet. Sounds simple, but each rug is made of hundreds of individually sanded and oiled pieces of wood veneer that are cut and attached by hand to a textile base. The carpets, which are now produced and distributed by the German furniture manufacturer Böwer, generated so much interest in Strozyk that she skipped the usual apprenticeships and set up her own studio. She calls her work ‘‘the never-ending experiment.’’ Stay tuned.

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P H O T O G R A P H B Y ronald dick . fashion editor : A ndreas kokkino .

J. W. anderson top, QR3,530. go to netaporter.com. Y-3 skirt, QR1,420. the office of angela scott shoes, QR2,100. hair and makeup by martin turansky.

B Y and r eas Ko k k ino