VENU #40 FALL 2018 by VENÜ MAGAZINE

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE

Issue_

D R E S S

WITHOUT LIMITS

Collection now online Available exclusively to members

www.robertsclub.com

Cornucopia, oil on canvas, 20” x 30”

www.julieleff.com

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

203.434.8655

julie@julieleff.com

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40 Outstanding Galleries

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Fall Issue_40

SPOTLIGHT 16

Gallery Flinn Gallery Celebrates 90 Artful Years

Philanthropy Tuesday’s Children

Exhibition Paper Trail: American Prints, Drawings, and Watercolors

FEATURES

Curiosity Without Bounds: Katie Swatland’s Alchemy Vision

42 46 50

Jay Blakesberg’s Rock Icons

EVENTS + GATHERINGS

The Evolution of Spike Lee

Cover Story The Man Behind the Faces: Jordi Mollà ON THE COVER Artist, actor, author, director, filmmaker, writer... Jordi Mollà see page 50 6

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

FCBUZZ The Power of Arts Education

ArtsWestchester The Gallery’s Latest Exhibition: Brick by Brick

Highlights REVEAL International Contemporary Art Fair Debuts in Saratoga Springs

ELEISH VAN BREEMS | HOME Celebrating 20 years of fine Scandinavian Furniture, Antiques and Accessories. evbantiques.com EVB Studio 22 Railroad Place | EVB Home 99 Franklin Street, Westport, Connecticut

Fall Issue_40

STYLE 29

Gift Guide Give the Gift of Style this Holiday

APPETITE 30

The Golden Palate La Dolce Vita In Capri and The Amalfi Coast

Stage From Jukebox Hit to Box Office Smash

Film Peter Fox reviews The Happy Prince, Written and Directed By Rupert Everett

DECORATIVE ARTS 78

Bites Food Innovation

Fearless Chef Sails Restaurant: Where Portofino Meets Port Royal

TRAVEL 56 8

New York, Part 1: A Gilded Look at Manhattan CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

New York, Part 2: The Hudson River Valley

MOTORING 68

WELLBEING 64

Sleep: The New Spa Experience

The Bridge is back with 164 Vintage Cars and 12 World Renowned Art Galleries

PULSE 70

Art Miami’s Art and Architecture Pioneers

On the Block Early Fall and Summer Sales Highlights

VENÜGRAM 80

Featured Jared L. D’Auria

IN EVERY ISSUE 10 Publisher’s Letter

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Creativity takes a special kind of courage and the artists featured in this issue have

PUBLISHER’S LETTER

it in spades. Artist, author, actor and man

Director Spike Lee made our line up for this issue, not just because he is one of the most talented directors out there, but

of many faces, Jordi Mollà gamely bared

which is open to your unique interpretation!

also because of his trademark risk-taking

his best side with us in our cover story in a

You’ll find the little chicken that inspired a

mindset that distinguishes his career. As

humble and honest portrayal that belies his

rare friendship and ultimately led Venü to

editor Peter Fox writes, Lee made it “made

bad guy American-made film star persona.

Jordi on page 50.

it viable for filmmakers to tell their story,

As you’ll discover, he puts a lot of thought

Read Lisa Mikulski’s article about artist

their way,” adding that “never has a director

and heart into every one his multiplex per-

Katie Swatland and you’ll find a recurrent

taken such courageous stands, over and

sonalities, whether on screen or on canvas,

theme in her motivation and method

over again, at such personal risk.”

deftly blending wit, wisdom and warmth into

through works that “offer ways to explore

You’ll find more bright stars in the fol-

whatever role he undertakes. His work invites

the infinite.” Katie asks viewers to look

lowing pages, including Miami’s innovative

introspection as he challenges his audiences

at her paintings without limitations or

art and architecture pioneers Kobi Karp and

to decide for themselves what his art means to

preconceptions, while inviting us to find

Romero Britto, and accomplished chef Jacob

them, engaging them with surprising images

something that sparks our curiosity and

Jasinksi whose “stop-at-nothing nature”

to make their revelations even more personal.

brings us wonder and see how it brightens

brilliantly transforms the dishes and décor of

We chose Jordi’s painting on the cover

our day. Which is what we do everyday at

Sails restaurant in Naples with “tactile and

because it spoke to the brave creative

Venü, thanks to talented folks like her who

visual details,” a Fred Bollaci favorite!

conversations featured in this issue, each of

illuminate our world.

We invite you to take a new look at the gilded age in New York City and the Hudson Valley and take advantage of the restful retreats profiled in Judy Chapman’s article on sleep spas so you can head into the winter months relaxed and refreshed. And if you are in Miami this fall for Art Week from December 4 to 9 when Art Basel dazzles everyone’s imagination, please look us up. This is one of our favorite places to be in December and you’ll find us celebrating the artists who put themselves out there so courageously and creatively!

Tracey Thomas Publisher/Editor-in-Chief

Cover Story - Pg. 50 Jordi Mollà I Can’t Explain And I Won’t Even Try... To view more paintings, visit: www.jordimollaart.com 10 10

CONTEMPORARY CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE CULTURE//MAGAZINE

Nora Chipaumire

November 2, 2018 | 8 pm

An epic performance experience inspired by radical artists Patti Smith, Grace Jones, and Rit Nzele.

Movement Art Is (MAI)

Soweto Gospel Choir

Friday, October 5, 2018 | 7 pm

Wednesday, December 5, 2018 | 8 pm

Jon Boogz and Lil Buck will premiere their new work in response to the exhibition #UNLOAD: Guns in the Hands of Artists.

Two-time Grammy Award winners will lift spirits with Holiday favorites and songs in celebration of Nelson Mandela.

203.254.4010 QuickCenter.com

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

Join us for

Dario Campanile’s Greenwich, CT Fine Art Exhibition PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHEIF Tracey Thomas CREATIVE DIRECTOR Nichole D’Auria I Nisu Creative FEATURES EDITOR Cindy Clarke FOOD EDITOR & SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Fred Bollaci FILM & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Peter J. Fox EDITORIAL & MARKETING Lisa Mikulski DECORATIVE ARTS EDITOR Matthew Sturtevant CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Leslee Asch, Susana Baker, Fred Bollaci, Judy Chapman, Cindy Clarke, Philip Eliasoph, Peter Fox, David Green, Linda Kavanagh, Autumn Kent-Hower, Janet Langsem, Sallie Lynch, Lisa Mikulski, Dianne Niklaus, William Squier, Matthew Sturtevant INTERN Vicki Bresnahan VICE PRESIDENT, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & OPERATIONS Debra Menich SALES Susie Earls Kim Sullivan ADVISORY BOARD Nona Footz LEGAL COUNSEL Alan Neigher, Sheryle Levine (Byelas & Neigher, Westport, CT)

“The Roman Master” Galerie 888 is proud to represent a collection of Abstract Expressionism paintings by world-renowned artist Dario Campanile. “The Roman Master,” was the title given to Dario by Salvador Dali over 40 years ago! His art spans over 50 years and is collected worldwide. Please join Dario for his latest works of abstract expressionism. “Working in abstract for me is the most direct and pure form of artistic expression coming from my unconscious.” – Dario Campanile

www.campanileabstract.com / www.campanilefineart.com

October 26th, 2018 Friday 6 - 8 pm Artist talk 6:30 pm Prosecco & Bites

Galerie 888

89 Greenwich Avenue Greenwich, CT 06830 RSVP: Galerie888.ct@gmail.com Phone: 203-856-9048

DISTRIBUTION Thomas Cossuto, Man In Motion, LLC OFFICE 840 Reef Road, 2nd Floor, Fairfield, CT 06824 ADVERTISING INQUIRIES advertising@venumagazine.com EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTION editorial@venumagazine.com SUBSCRIPTIONS subscribe@venumagazine.com Venü is printed with soy ink THE SMALL PRINT: No responsibility can be taken for the quality and accuracy of the reproductions, as this is dependent upon the artwork and material supplied. No responsibility can be taken for typographical errors. The publishers reserve the right to refuse and edit material as presented. All prices and specifications to advertise are subject to change without notice. The opinions in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. Copyright VENÜ Magazine. All rights reserved. The name VENÜ Magazine is copyright protected. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted without written consent from the publisher. VENÜ Magazine does not accept responsibility for unsolicited material. This is a quarterly publication and we encourage the public, galleries, artists, designers, photographers, writers (calling all creative’s) to submit photos, features, drawings, etc., but we assume no responsibility for failure to publish submissions.

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PAPER TR AIL American Prints, Drawings, and Watercolors September 29, 2018 – January 27, 2019

96 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT 06371 • FlorenceGriswoldMuseum.org • 860.434.5542 Gabor Peterdi, Red Red Eclipse (detail), 1967. Color etching (soft ground) and aquatint on paper, 17 5/8 x 23 5/8 inches. Florence Griswold Museum, Gift of Charles T. Clark. Exhibition generously supported by the State of CT, the Rudolph and John Dirks Fund, and Exhibition Fund donors.

studio— 31 Mamaroneck Avenue, 802, White Plains, NY www.kiyoshiotsuka.com skotsuka@gmail.com Represented by Morrison Gallery, Kent, CT, Sorelle Gallery, New Canaan, CT, CBG, Chelsea, NY Shinjo (One’s heart) series VIII, 6010, and XIII, 2017/18, 36 x 36 in.

Kiyoshi Otsuka

SPOTLIGHT:

Gallery

1928 - 2018

Artful Years Flinn Gallery Celebrates a Major Milestone Written by Leslee Asch and Dianne Niklaus

on a global level. Boasting 13’ ceilings, the 2,000sf area and flexible wall system allow transformation of the space to accommodate the diverse conceptual and display needs of 1

six annual art shows.

The pantheon of notable artists who have THE FLINN GALLERY, located on the 2nd floor

of the 2018-19 season. A public lecture series

shown at the Flinn over the decades includes:

of the Greenwich Library, is one of the town’s

will launch on Wednesday, October 10th in

Milton Avery, Louise Bourgeois, Alexander

most beloved and impressive institutions. This

the Cole Auditorium, co-sponsored by the

Calder, Roz Chast, Dale Chihuly, Jim Henson,

2018-19 season the gallery celebrates 90 years

Flinn Gallery and the Greenwich Library.

Robert Motherwell, Robert Rauschenberg and

of bringing exceptional art experiences to the

Heather Cotter from The Museum of Modern

set designer Tony Walton. In addition, the

community.

Art (MoMA) will speak in conjunction with the

gallery has shown works from noted private

The 90th anniversary season launches with

MoMA exhibition, The Long Run. Ms. Cotter

collections, including the Hirshhorn, Walter

Looking Forward, Looking Back, which opens

serves as a lecturer at MoMA and Dia: Beacon.

Bareiss, and Alan Stone.

September 6th and runs through October

Additional lectures will take place: noted

Since its inception the gallery has been

17th. The exhibit features contemporary inter-

British artist and filmmaker Brian Catling on

a completely volunteer-run enterprise; no

pretations of famous artists and prior periods

April 10th and Noah Kupferman, Program

small feat given the scale and scope of its

of art, emphasizing the importance of the

Director of Art, Law and Business at Christie’s

extraordinary achievements and impact over

artist’s conversation with history, and setting

Education Institute on May 15th.

nine decades. A dynamic and talented com-

the tone for a run of six shows that take a con-

16 16

mittee of approximately 60 women members

temporary look at traditional themes. These

An Illustrious History

include: All Together (October 25-December

Renowned in art circles, the Greenwich

of all exhibits, as well as design, marketing

5, 2018); Forces of Nature (December 13, 2018

community

and

and event management. “The Flinn Curators

– January 23, 2019); Fluid Terrain (January 31 –

supported artistic endeavors, from the turn-

are bringing free shows to a public library’s

March 13, 2019); Spaces of Uncertainty (March

of-the-century Cos Cob artists’ colony, to

community that are comparable to a cultural

21- April 30, 2019): and Time and Place: Works

local exhibitions sponsored by Robert Moffat

experience behind the doors of a recognized

on Paper (May 9 - June 19).

Bruce in his home, now the Bruce Museum.

private gallery. The Friends are happy to

has

long

drives selections, curation and installation respected

To commemorate this milestone year, the

The Flinn Gallery has earned its reputation

lend support!”, said Sharon S. Fortenbaugh,

non-profit art gallery will present an array of

as a highly desired exhibition destination for

Chairman of the Friends of the Greenwich

special programs and events over the course

artists throughout the tri-state region and

Library Board.

CONTEMPORARY CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE CULTURE//MAGAZINE

40s: During WWII, exhibitions were still held, and the gallery was also used for civil defense, first aid training and as a Victory Garden information center. 50s: Greenwich Collects - an exhibition of

1. Alejandro Duran installation, Hazardous Beauty (2018)

such luminaries as: Jean Arp, Rene Magritte,

2. Lady Pink, Brick Magnolia, Beyond Street Art (2018), photo courtesy of the artist 3. Akinori Matsumoto: Sound Sculptures (2015); Greenwich Library, Cesar Pelli addition (1999).

Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollack and Diego Rivera (1956). 60s: In 1960, the library moved to its present location on West Putnam Avenue, the former site of the Franklin Simon women’s apparel store and was named the Hurlbutt Gallery, in

4. Greenwich Library

honor of its visionary founder, Isabelle Hurlbutt. 4

70s: 20th Century Art from the Vassar College Collection, including work by: Milton Avery, Willem de Kooning, Marsden Hartley and Mark Rothko (1972). 80s: Connecticut and American Impressionism: The Cos Cob Clapboard School – the first major exhibit to focus on the Cos Cob art colony, including works by D. Putnam Brinley, Childe Hassam, Elmer L. MacRae, Leonard Ochtman, Henry Ward Ranger, John Henry Twachtman, and Julian Alden Weir (1980). 90s: Jim Henson: The Greenwich Years – 1964-1971, which broke all attendance records up until that time (1994).

Flinn committee member Jane Hotchkiss,

programs including: Children’s programs, the

In 1999 the library was re-designed by archi-

who joined the Flinn in 1950 and has curated

Oral History Project and the Peterson Concert

tect Cesar Pelli. The state-of-the art gallery

numerous shows over the years, shares her

Series. Greenwich Library Director, Barbara

moved to its current location on the 2nd floor

perspective: “We evolved from presenting

Ormerod-Glynn adds, “In a 2015 library

of the Peterson Wing and renamed the Flinn

existing collections or museum curated shows

patron survey, 28% of total respondents said

Gallery in honor of Stephanie and Lawrence

to seeking out new artists, following the leads

they had visited the Flinn Gallery. We owe a

Flinn, The inaugural exhibit was Molly and

and recommendations of local collectors and

deep debt of gratitude to the passionate and

Walter Bareiss – Sixty Years of Collecting.

visiting studios. The “Fresh Paint” show was

dedicated volunteers through whose efforts

2000s: Nuevo Arte de Cuba, including

where we introduced new talent that then

art exhibits and programs have uplifted and

noted Cuban artists Nelson Dominquez,

went on to become more established artists.”

enriched the lives of local residents.”

Roberto Fabelo, Manuel Mendive and Pedro

Eclectic in its choice of art and artists both

Pablo Oliva (2001).

established and emerging, the Flinn Gallery

Decade Highlights

2010s: Notable recent exhibits: Akinori

has featured works ranging from wearable

20s: In 1928, librarian Isabelle Hurlbutt

Matsumoto: Sound Sculptures (2015);

art, Lego sculpture, art through the eyes of

secured space and funding for a group of

Corrugated World: The Art of James Grashow

a child, sound sculptures and the Muppets,

local professional artists (Greenwich Society

(2017); Hazardous Beauty (2018); and Beyond

to classic and contemporary paintings; and

of Artists) to establish a gallery in the original

Street Art (2018) offered breakthrough content

media from oil painting to encaustic, fiber,

Greenwich Library on Greenwich Avenue, the

and generated record-breaking attendance. ¨

paper and glass.

current site of Saks Fifth Avenue.

The Flinn Gallery is sponsored by the

30s: Rembrandt / Earliest Known Prints to

For further information on the Flinn Gallery

Friends of the Greenwich Library. All proceeds

Present Time: Engravings and Etchings

and the 2018-19 show season, please visit

from art sales contribute to the library’s public

(1934)

the gallery website at www.flinngallery.com. CONTEMPORARY CULTURE/ CULTURE//MAGAZINE /MAGAZINE CONTEMPORARY

17 17

SPOTLIGHT:

Philanthopy

Healing After Tragedy Tuesday’s Children’s Long-Term Healing Model Brings Best Practices to Communities Around the World.

This resource is being made available through a new online platform (Tuesdays ChildrenHeals.org) featuring free training modules, historical data and resources. With over 73,000 global terrorist incidents causing more than 170,000 deaths since 2000, and mass shootings occurring nine out of every 10 days in the U.S., the need

Written by By Sallie Lynch, MA Senior Program & Development Consultant, Tuesday’s Children

for long-term support in the wake of these events has never been more apparent. The Long-Term Healing Model highlights Tuesday’s Children’s adaptive approach

AFTER AN ACT OF TERROR, a mass

to build a nurturing community for

shooting or the loss of a beloved

those impacted by traumatic losses

military service member, there is

by connecting them with others who

usually an immediate response by

can understand their experiences and

friends, family and the community

offering evidence-based programs

to help those impacted. That help

that can assist. The organization sees

can come in the form of donations,

it as a moral obligation to share what

offers to provide a variety of ser-

has been learned from assisting other

vices, household assistance such

communities in the years after some of

as cooking of meals, emotional

the largest traumatic events of recent

support through vigils or remem-

history. “Incidents of terrorism and

brance events or any number of other

mass violence have a lifelong impact,

things. While this type of support is

particularly on families and children,

much needed and has great value,

and we have seen firsthand the need

often the long-term needs of those

for long-term support services for

who experienced the traumatic loss

those impacted by traumatic loss,”

are forgotten. This is where the work

said Terry Sears, executive director of

of Tuesday’s Children begins.

Tuesday’s Children. “We encourage

Tuesday’s Children is the leading

policymakers, funders and the public

nonprofit organization providing

to get behind that need.”

long-term support to communities and

Tuesday’s Children has an innova-

people around the world impacted by terror-

Tuesday’s Children’s proven Long-Term

tive platform of programs that have been

ism and traumatic loss. The organization was

Healing Model is one of the ways in which

developed in partnership with recognized

originally founded to help those impacted by

the organization helps communities with

leaders in the fields of child development,

the events of Tuesday, September 11, 2001,

the long-term needs of those who have

family advocacy, crisis counseling and

and has since expanded to provide services to

experienced traumatic loss. The Model is

mentoring. These programs address the

individuals, families and communities, includ-

a compilation of best practices and lessons

needs of families at all stages of recovery

ing Parkland, Las Vegas, Orlando, Newtown

learned that serve as: a training curriculum

from trauma and loss. The organization’s

and many others, torn apart by tragedies.

for local and global policymakers, service

hope is that the Long-Term Healing Model

The organization also provides support and

providers, community leaders, individuals

will serve as a valuable resource to providers

programs for families of the fallen men and

and volunteers; and a resource guide and

and communities and also show policy-

women who served post-9/11. Tuesday’s Chil-

interactive online toolkit for community-

makers there is a great need for long-term

dren has served more than 15,000 individuals

based engagement and services to

support services after mass-scale tragedies.

in 48 states and 28 countries around the world.

traumatized and bereaved communities.

Through the Long-Term Healing Model,

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

victims of terrorism. Tuesday’s Children has been part of a task force of the U.N. Counter-Terrorism Center to establish the Good Practices Handbook to Empower and Strengthen Victims Associations to Assist, Protect and Support Victims of Terrorism. Tuesday’s Children is the only U.S. organization currently listed in the United Nations’ Victims of Terrorism Support Portal. Among the many programs provided by Tuesday’s Children are trauma and grief support, youth mentoring, mental health programs, skills- building workshops, career resources, parenting advisement, youth leadership development, community and family engagement events, health and wellness counseling, adult and family programs and volunteerism opportunities. These programs, by design, strengthen resilience, foster post-traumatic growth and build common bonds. During Tuesday’s Children is helping local

the

past

years,

Tuesday’s Children has helped indi-

providers and community leaders

viduals and communities across the

in communities such as Parkland,

country and around the globe handle the long-term effects of terrorism and

Florida; Orlando, Florida; and Las Vegas, Nevada, implement best practices

Model and work with global victims of terror-

traumatic loss. Tuesday’s Children’s has

for outreach, engagement, program devel-

ism and mass violence has been recognized

now deployed its full range of resilience-

opment, capacity building and sustainability

by leading academic, government and global

building, long-term healing programs

that is vital for providing long-term services

institutions including the United Nations,

through a national Military Initiative to

and meeting changing needs in the wake

the U.S. Institute of Peace, Women Without

meet the needs of more than 20,000

of devastating traumatic events. Tuesday’s

Borders and the Department of Homeland

military families who suffered a loss post-9/11.

Children works with key local service providers

Security. In 2017, Tuesday’s Children was

The organization’s programs provide vital

to conduct organizational and community

among 30 organizations selected to receive

support and assistance to children, adults

assessments to determine immediate and

a Countering Violent Extremism Grant from

and families struggling with the long-term

longer-term needs of the populations

the Department of Homeland Security, and

impact of losing a loved one in a tragedy. ¨

impacted. This helps local frontline orga-

one of only a handful in the priority area of

nizations identify service populations in

“developing resilience.”

More information about Tuesday’s Children and how to help can be found at

need of care, assess their needs, formulate

The Long-Term Healing Model has been

programming for addressing those needs

shared through special workshops and ses-

TuesdaysChildren.org and on social media

and deliver time-tested programs proven to

sions with representatives of international

Twitter: @TuesdaysChldrn

garner results for communities in the after-

victims’ service organizations at Tuesday’s

Instagram: @TuesdaysChldrn

math of traumatic loss.

Children’s annual Project COMMON BOND

Facebook: /TuesdaysChildren

peacebuilding symposium for global

LinkedIn: Tuesday’s Children

Tuesday’s Children’s Long-Term Healing

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

SPOTLIGHT:

Exhibition

Paper Trail: American Prints, Drawings, and Watercolors Florence Griswold Museum. September 29, 2018–January 27, 2019

WORKS ON PAPER HAVE REPRESENTED

Gift of Charles T. Clark

of American art. At the same time, sketches

a key component of the Florence Griswold

and other works on paper are foundations of

Museum’s collection since the Lyme Art

the creative process, often the first step on

Colony’s heyday when artists gathered in

the “trail” that leads to a finished artwork.”

the parlor of Florence Griswold’s board-

The show opens with a display of more than

inghouse to play the “Wiggle Game,”

twenty “Wiggle Drawings,” chosen from

drawing spirited caricatures that became

a collection of over one hundred and fifty.

the “founding documents” of the future

Many examples are humorous, while others

Museum’s holdings. Paper Trail: American

reflect historical trends and social interests,

Prints, Drawings, and Watercolors, orga-

such as Arthur Heming’s lassoing cowboy or

nized by Assistant Curator Jennifer Stettler

Allen Butler Talcott’s buffalo hunter, which thematize the American West. The exhibition

Parsons, Ph.D., follows the “paper trail” of acquisitions and gifts of works on paper made to the institution over its history. The exhibition is on view September 29, 2018

Gift of The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company

has been made possible with the generous support of the State of Connecticut through the Consortium of Connecticut Art Museums,

through January 27, 2019. The collection has

and the Rudolph and John Dirks Fund. Addi-

grown in scope to include works created with

tional support has been generously provided

ink, graphite, watercolor, and pastel on paper

by a group of donors to the Exhibition Fund.

from the 18th century to the present. The exhibition features several of the Museum’s

PAINTING ON PAPER

capsule collections by artists including Fide-

While watercolor painting was a pastime

lia Bridges, Chauncey F. Ryder, and Thomas

popular with children and amateurs, it was

Nason. “Paper Trail celebrates collection

long disregarded by fine artists. At the

highlights and presents hidden gems rarely

annual exhibitions of American academies,

displayed because of the fragility of works on

modestly scaled watercolors were outshone

paper,” notes Parsons. “The works on view reflect how the achievements of Connecticut’s artists on paper align with the history 20 20

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE CULTURE//MAGAZINE CONTEMPORARY

by monumental oils and sculptures. Yet the Gift of The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company

medium of watercolor was utilized daily by illustrators, architects, and designers, and

Florence Griswold Museum

PRINTMAKING IN AMERICA In the early 19th century, American printmakers focused their skills on creating illustrations for books and magazines, or reproduced history paintings. Prints gained importance as an art form in the final decades of the century, when they were promoted as Purchase with a gift from Alva Greenberg

fine art, as opposed to images made merely 4

for mass distribution. Clubs and societies developed to support exhibition venues and

provided fine artists with an inexpensive

sales, including the New York Etching Club,

and portable medium. In 1866 the founding

founded in 1877. Etching was especially pop-

of the American Society of Painters in Water

ular with American Impressionists, who could

Colors (later the American Watercolor Soci-

Florence Griswold Museum

ety) initiated exhibitions that provided more ideal viewing conditions. They welcomed a remarkable breadth of styles—from academic art, to nature-based Pre-Raphaelitism, Impressionism, and commercial works. Among the earliest works in the exhibition are two miniature watercolor portraits by New London native Mary Way. Portrait of

draw on their copper etching plates en plein air. The medium provided the opportunity to

1. Mary Way, Portrait of Peter Richards, 1785–1795. Watercolor on paper affixed to silk, 2 3/4 in. x 2 1/2 in. 2. Mary Way, Portrait of Nathaniel Richards, 1785–1795. Watercolor on paper affixed to silk, 2 3/4 in. x 2 1/2 in. 3. Gabor Peterdi, Red Red Eclipse, 1967. Color etching (soft ground) and aquatint on paper, 17 5/8 x 23 5/8 inches. 4. Sol LeWitt, Wavy Vertical Brushstrokes (Multicolor), 1994. Gouache on paper, 15 x 11 1/3 in. 5. Arthur Heming, Wiggle Drawing, n.d. Graphite on paper, 8 3/4 x 5 5/8 in 6. Allen Butler Talcott, Wiggle Drawing, n.d. Graphite on paper, 5 ½ x 8 3/4 in.

Peter Richards and Portrait of Nathaniel

capture the effects of light and atmosphere in black and white, while maintaining the strong linear quality that characterized the broken brushwork in their paintings. By mid20th century, printmaking had evolved with the changing climate of modern art and wellsuited artists’ exploration into abstraction, non-objectivity, and conceptual art.

Richards were painted between 1785 and

Two works by Sol LeWitt offer contemporary

Acknowledging the myriad and often

1795. Portraits were highly valued in post-Rev-

examples of watercolor painting. LeWitt used

overlapping printmaking terms, definition

olutionary America and those produced on

gouche, opaque watercolors prepared with

labels are interspersed throughout the exhi-

paper using watercolor or pastel crayon could

a binding agent, to create Wavy Horizontal

bition beside examples of the techniques

be executed more expediently, dry quickly,

Brushstrokes (Multicolor), 1996 and Wavy

and media. Visitors will discover that drypoint

and would have been more affordable than

Vertical Brushstrokes (Multicolor), 1994.

and aquatint are kinds of intaglio printmak-

their counterparts painted in oil. Way special-

Deceptively simple, the conceptual artist

ing, those made by engraving an image into

ized in miniature watercolor portraits, which

carefully considered the palette, even place-

a hard surface so that an impression of the

she “dressed” with cloth or painted paper, a

ment, and application of each color. Further,

design yields the image in reverse. Examples

collage technique called habille. Way’s works

to avoid muddying the paints the disciplined

such as Gabor Peterdi’s Red, Red Eclipse,

demonstrate a Connecticut portraitist whose

artist needed to wait until each brushstroke

1967 demonstrates how a work can be a

achievements on paper rival oil painting.

had dried before applying the next layer.

color etching as well an aquatint. CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

SPOTLIGHT:

Exhibition

1. Fidelia Bridges, Clam Shells on the Shore, n.d., Watercolor on paper, 10 x 14 in. 3. Chauncey Foster Ryder, The Side Porch, ca. 1935. Watercolor on paper, 17 5/8 x 23 5/8 in. 2. Thomas Nason, The Cider Mill (final state), 1944, Chiaroscuro wood engraving with olive, black, and gray blocks, 7 x 10 in.

Gift of Judith A. Hayes in memory of Jean H. O’Connor and the Chadwick Family of Salem, MA

Florence Griswold Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Feld

COLLECTING IN DEPTH

vernacular architecture and abandoned

Paper Trail offers a chance to showcase the

farms. The Museum’s relationship with the artist’s family has made it a major repository

Museum’s significant collections by artists Fidelia Bridges, Chauncey F. Ryder, and

Florence Griswold Museum

holdings of the Boston Public Library. Paper

Thomas Nason.

Trail includes a selection of Nason’s printing

This Museum is the recipient of two of

for Nason’s work, second only in size to the

Fidelia Bridges’ rare portfolios. The first

Although best known for his oil paint-

blocks, tools, and printing press. The depth

collection arrived through the family of her

ings, Chauncey F. Ryder was a proficient

of the Museum’s collection enables it to

close friend, the portraitist Oliver Ingraham

draftsman, printmaker, and watercolorist.

showcase Nason’s range, which is exempli-

Lay. The second portfolio is a recent dona-

The Museum’s collection of more than 250

fied in his unfinished Cider Mill (ca. 1944)

tion making its museum debut. The seashore

sketches by Ryder serves as a literal “paper

series, and reveals his compulsive devotion

scenes and floral nature studies included

trail” of his process. First drawing a frame

to process. ¨

here come from a trove of more than 60

on a standard sheet of notebook paper, the

works that were preserved by descendants

artist documented place, date, color, and

Florence Griswold Museum: The consistent

of the Bridges family. This tremendous gift

texture. In addition to sketches, the Muse-

recipient of a Trip Advisor Certificate

newly inaugurates the Florence Griswold

um’s Ryder collection includes his ledgers.

of Excellence, the Florence Griswold

Museum as a center for the study of Fidelia

Ryder assigned each of his works inventory

Museum has been called a “Giverny in

Bridges’s art.

numbers and meticulously tracked their titles,

Connecticut” by the Wall Street Journal,

Trailblazer Fidelia Bridges forged a pro-

sizes, and exhibition histories. This resource,

and a “must-see” by the Boston Globe. In

fessional career as a watercolorist. Rare for

donated in 2013 by the artist’s descendants,

addition to the restored Florence Griswold

a woman, she achieved commercial success

enabled curators to learn more about the

House, the Museum features a gallery for

as an illustrator for the prominent Boston

watercolor, The Side Porch, that had been in

changing art exhibitions, education and

lithography firm of Louis Prang. Beginning

the Museum’s collection since 1975. Ryder

landscape centers, a restored artist’s studio,

in 1871 Bridges summered in Stratford,

painted a smaller version with the same title,

thirteen acres along the Lieutenant River,

Connecticut. She made at least three

and exhibited both at the Grand Central Art

and extensive gardens. Its seasonal Café

trips to Old Lyme, and in the 1892 settled

Galleries in New York in the 1940s.

Flo was recognized as “best hidden gem”

permanently in Canaan, Connecticut. Her

One of America’s foremost 20th-century

undated watercolor study, Clam Shells on

printmakers, Thomas Nason found his ideal

Magazine. The Museum is located at 96

the Shore may have been painted during

subject matter in rural New England, dis-

Lyme Street, Old Lyme, CT. Visit Florence-

a visit to Old Lyme.

covering beauty and melancholy in aging

GriswoldMuseum.org for more information.

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

and “best outdoor dining” by Connecticut

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Visit www.southportucc.org for ticket prices & details SOUTHPORT CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH 524 Pequot Avenue, Southport, CT 06890 www.southportucc.org 203.255.4538 Wallpaper border courtesy of Farrow & Ball: Tessella BP3607

EVENTS + GATHERINGS

FCBUZZ

By David Green Director of Programs & Membership Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County

The Power of Arts Education THE CULTURAL ALLIANCE OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY (CAFC) is excited to present a screening of the award-winning documentary film, Purple Dreams. The film is currently being shown on the international film festival circuit and is making its debut in Fairfield County at the Ridgefield Playhouse as part of the Ridgefield Independent Film Festival on Oct. 18-21. CAFC is excited to present a complimentary showing for arts educators to see this inspiring movie on October 20 at The Bijou Theater in Bridgeport, CT. It’s a dynamic story about students at the Northwest School of the Arts in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the transformational power of the arts. The movie follows these students from auditions to call-backs to ultimate triumph, as they undertake production of “The Color Purple,” -- the first time this story is licensed to a high school theater department. Purple Dreams reveals an extraordinary Arts in Education success story. It shadows six high school students on an emotionally powerful three-year journey and proves that with access to the arts and academic mentors, our at-risk youth have the potential to break the cycle of poverty in a single generation. The students juggle difficult home lives, personal rivalries and disappointments as they further their education and help create a musical production that propels them into a world of opportunity they never expected. After the movie we’ll have a panel discussion that includes artists and arts educators with time for Q&A. We know that many of us in Fairfield County were inspired by and nurtured by our arts experiences and arts education, and the skills, discipline and creativity we employ everyday are a result of that influence. At CAFC, our mission is to advocate for the arts and inspire support of the arts by the public, businesses, and elected officials to ensure that the arts remain an integral part of our communities. The Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County is a nonprofit service organization that promotes, advocates, and connects artists, professionals and audiences. Our membership (600+) consists of the vast majority of arts and cultural institutions in Fairfield County including art centers, museums, theatres, symphonies, and libraries, as well as individual artists and creative businesses.

Looking for something different to do? FCBuzz.org is the place to find out what’s happening in Fairfield County any day of the week–featuring theater, exhibits, music, history, science, family fun, classes and local artists. Click on FCBuzz.org. Pick a great event to attend. Then Go–bring your family, meet your friends or fly solo. FCBuzz.org™ is presented by the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County. For more information contact the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County by emailing info@CulturalAllianceFC.org, calling 203-256-2329, or visiting the website at www.CulturalAllianceFC.org.

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

Annual Holiday Exhibition Wilson Avenue Loft Artists OPENING RECEPTION Friday, November 30, 2018 6 pm - 8 pm

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EVENTS + GATHERINGS

By Janet Langsam CEO, ArtsWestchester

Inspired by Bricks ORDINARILY, ONE WOULDN’T MENTION the Erie Canal, Carnegie Hall and the Croton Aqueduct in the same breath. But they do have a shared history that will be explored in a new, highly anticipated exhibition called Brick by Brick presented by ArtsWestchester at its stately White Plains gallery through January 2019. The exhibition tells the story of the era of prosperity that was fueled by the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, igniting a booming brick industry in towns and cities along the Hudson River. Brick by Brick: The Erie Canal & the Building Boom, is supported by a $75,000 grant from the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), and combines powerful, large-scale contemporary art installations presented alongside historical materials, archival and commissioned photographs and personal narratives of individuals who witnessed the region’s once vital brick industry. This is an exhibition of past glory combined with present day artwork by artists still inspired by this earthly material. Kathleen Reckling, ArtsWestchester Gallery Director explained, “For the artists in the exhibition, bricks become eloquent symbols for the transient quality of the manmade, of the fragility of our environment, of forgotten histories and of shared human experiences.” Photographer Christopher Payne is renowned for documenting the remnants of American industry. For Brick by Brick, Payne was commissioned to photograph the brickyards’ legacy, including such significant sites as the Old Croton Aqueduct, the kiln sheds of Hutton Brickyard and the ruins of the castle on Bannerman Island. Sprawling along the Hudson River’s shores are “brick beaches,” sites where over-cooked and misshapen bricks were dumped and forgotten. Payne has captured these sites, while artists like Julia Whitney Barnes, James Tyler, and Jean Marc Superville Sovak source their materials from the beaches. “A Hudson River of Bricks” is a twenty-five foot installation that sprawls along

ArtsWestchester’s second floor. Created by artist Julia Whitney Barnes, the sculpture incorporates hundreds of historic bricks to form a scale

version of the Hudson River from New York City to Albany. “Though our past has spawned many building technologies, our most enduring structures were crafted from brick and stone,” says Barnes. The work is inspired after years living in Brooklyn, where she saw brick edifices demolished, disassembled into piles that were gathered and carted off to points unknown almost daily. Her collection includes bricks representing 165 of the 400 brickyards that spanned the Hudson Valley. Liene Bosquê’s sculpture Stockade is a ghostly structure that traces the overlapping economic and social histories of the Erie Canal, the Hudson Valley brick industry and New York’s Native American population. Composed of white hydrocal bricks, the hexagonal sculpture takes its form from fortifications that were constructed around the villages of the Onondaga, one of the five constituent nations of the Iroquois Confederacy. The heavily ornamented interior face of each brick is a cast from the walls of the Erie Canal Museum in Syracuse, NY, itself a brick building that was constructed in 1850 as a weigh station and toll plaza for barges that were traveling along the Canal. Not far from Bosquê’s sculpture, a stack of colorful bricks sits on a table. It’s a scene that doesn’t seem to make any sense -- what are these bricks holding up? Are they waiting to be used? Are they a centerpiece? The piece, entitled “Bone Brick,” is by Adam Welch who incorporates design, documentation and intervention to investigate history and material culture. He said: “I find limitless and liberating potential in the fixed structure of the brick. My interest stems from it being a thing in itself, existing as universal, ironical and ever-present.”

Visit the gallery at ArtsWestchester. On view now through Jan. 19, 2019 -- Brick by Brick: The Erie Canal & The Building Boom at 31 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY. artsw.org for more information.

For more arts, visit artsw.org The complete guide to the arts in Westchester /ArtsWestchester | @ArtsWestchester For more of Janet Langsam’s cultural musings, be sure to visit her blog at www.ThisandThatbyJL.com. For a full calendar of arts events visit: www.artsw.org. 26

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

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EVENTS + GATHERINGS

Emmanuel Fremin Gallery Derek Gores Taglialatella Galleries

DePaula Auto Group

Arte Collective

REVEAL INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY ART FAIR

Danese/Corey

Making a Grand Debut in Saratoga Springs REVEAL International Contemporary Art Fair made a grand debut in Saratoga Springs in August, with 30 international exhibitors representing more than 200 emerging, mid-career and established artists, as well as a dynamic Art Talks program. Scheduled at the height of the summer season, this elegant boutique fair attracted local and regional collectors, as well as visitors from around the globe. The enthusiasm of the participating galleries added to the enormous local excitement and strong corporate support in the inaugural edition. We are already looking ahead to 2019 — join us August 1 - 4 at the Saratoga Springs City Center for the next edition of REVEAL. Venü was proud to be a media partner with REVEAL, and we look forward to partnering again next year. Photography by Alana Sparrow at The Foundry for Art Design + Culture

Tracey Thomas and Jacquie Grande

Multiple Galleries on Display

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

Tamara Shevchenko, Alina Kessler, Jacquie Grande, Tatyana Enkin, Daniel Marin (Artist). Tamara, Alina and Tatyana are with KessArt.

Galleria Ca’d’Oro

STYLE:

Gift Guide

COLORFUL OUTLOOK Just in time for the holidays Belk introduces its first in-house beauty line filled with southern flair. Belk Beauty is now available online at www.belk.com and in-store.

NOW’S THE TIME THOMAS SABO, presents a new collection of automatic watches. The five unisex models with the distinctive name ‘Rebel Automatic Skulleton’ - a notable play on words merging the skeleton watch design, with the motif of a skull - will be available exclusively from THOMAS SABO stores and online at Thomassabo.com.

TIS’ THE SEASON Give the Gift of Style this Holiday

HOT STUFF Calling all home chefs. The new Crock Multi-Cooker by Nell Brands, combines the functions of a pressure cooker, slow cooker, and steamer, with the ability to simmer, boil, sauté and brown. Available for purchase at Crock-Pot.com and national retailers.

TOP DOG Luxury leather collars, leashes, harnesses, fine pet accessories and gifts. Available at Bibi’s Boutique Palm Beach. Call 561-833-1973 or visit www.shopbibi.com

HOLIDAY SPIRIT Great news for Whiskey enthusiasts. Sagamore Spirit adds two limited edition rye whiskeys to its lineup this season: a brand new Port Finish and a Double Oak Straight Rye Whiskey. Visit www.Sagamore Spirit.com to find a bottle near you.

OUT OF THE BLUE The first candle in the world to smell like the colour blue. Inspired by the original paintings by Conor Mccreedy. Available at Mccreedyworld.com. CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

APPETITE

By Fred Bollaci

La Dolce Vita In Capri & The Amalfi Coast CAPRI IS A TIMELESS, elegant, beautiful island in the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Gulf of Naples—a famous resort since the time of the Roman Republic. Prized for its breathtaking scenery and strategic location, Capri almost doesn’t seem real. The famed Grotta Azzurra (Blue Grotto) is a must—wear a bathing suit if you want to swim, it’s not permitted, but for a few Euros your gondolier will likely look the other way. Chartering a private boat is a great way to explore the island and find the best places to swim. Stroll the pedestrian-only paths, preferably in the evening or early morning when it is so peaceful. The island of Capri has two towns, Capri being the more exclusive with luxurious boutiques from famed international designers, and Anacapri, on the western side of the island, the only area to enjoy a sunset on the island. Take a ride up the chairlift to the summit of Monte Solaro to enjoy breathtaking views. My favorite place to stay is the Grand Hotel Qvisisana, with private park-like grounds with towering palms and huge pine trees, centered around a beautiful pool overlooking the sea, casual La Colombaia restaurant, and famous spa (with an indoor pool featuring high power jets). Breakfast is extravagant, and worth a beautiful morning walk (or climb as the case may be). I enjoy the Faraglioni Walk to the Arco Naturale (there are hundreds of steps involved, you will be sweating). Another favorite is the exclusive Punta Tragara, directly overlooking the Faraglioni with elegant resturant Le Monzu. In Anacapri, choose either the Capri Palace Hotel or Hotel Caesar Augustus. The locals are proud of their Neapolitan heritage and exquisite local bounty, the food doesn’t get any better or fresher. Seafood

Insalata Caprese at Grand Hotel Quisisana

Pasta at La Canzone del Mare

View from Anacapri

is exceptional (try Pezzogna, a local white fish), local tomatoes, basil, eggplant, zucchini blossoms, olive oil, fresh fruit, and mozzarella di bufala from the surrounding areas of Campania. Everything tastes incredible here! Enjoy al dente pasta with simple, flavorful ingredients, or a classic Neapolitan pizza cooked in a wood-burning oven. Do lunch at one of Capri’s beach clubs, which your hotel concierge can arrange. Choose to walk (it’s a hike to most) or come and go by boat. My favorites are La Canzone del Mare (Song of the Sea) in Marina Piccola—consider walking there, the downhill stroll through the Gardens of Augustus and the Via Krupp is breathtaking. Nearby Da Gioia is another option. Bring a swimsuit and change of clothes so you can take a dip in the sea and catch some sun. Other “La Dolce Vita” favorites are La Fontellina and Da Luigi (situated on either side of the Faraglioni), and Lido del Faro by the Punta Carena lighthouse in Anacapri. In Anacapri, visit Limoncello di Capri’s tasting room. Restaurants to visit include: Aurora, Capannina, Il Geranio, Michelin-starred Mamma’ and Michelangelo in Capri. In Anacapri, visit seaside Michelin-starred Il Riccio (Sea Urchin Pasta), and the dramatic Terrazza di Lucullo, with spectacular views at the Caesar Augustus.

Sunset at Lido del Faro

Another uniquely Capri experience is dining in the lemon grove at Da Paolino. On the Amalfi Coast, a short ferry ride from Capri, my favorite places to stay are Hotel Santa Caterina (perched on a bluff overlooking the sea, draped in bougainvillea and lemon groves in Amalfi), Le Sirenuse, overlooking the dramatic green duomo and resort town of Positano, Il San Pietro di Positano, and Belmond Hotel Caruso in Ravello, a town high above the coast known for its summer concerts. The food at all four hotels is excellent. For eating out, try Da Gemma in Amalfi, Chez Black or La Cambusa by the dock in Positano, and La Tagliata, high in the mountains overlooking Positano. Look for local wines by Marisa Cuomo in Furore. For limoncello fans, visit Antichi Sapori d’Amalfi in Amalfi, they have dozens of flavors for sample and purchase. My favorite is Meloncello, made with canteloupe. Cin Cin!

Fred Bollaci’s first book, “The Restaurant Diet” (Mango Publishing) features recipes from 100 top restaurants nationwide, including Balance Rock Inn and Camden Harbour Inn, and is available for purchase nationwide and on Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com! www.fredbollacienterprises.com 30

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

APPETITE:

Bites

1. Hijacked BBQ, Bobby Q’s Cue & Co. 2. County Fair Bacon, Peaches Southern Pub & Juke Joint 3. Salmon Summer Role, Beach House SoNo 4. Wood-fired Fajita, Evarito’s Mexican Kitchen & Bar

FOOD INNOVATION A Break from the Mundane

Written by Linda Kavanagh

WHAT’S IN A MENU? Ideally, it’s a virtual road

papaya-meets-hearts of palm-meets-pine-

map of a chef’s culinary travels or a glimpse

apple textured fruit a slathering of their

into someone’s food culture. It’s sometimes a

signature BBQ sauce and stacks the mock

treasure chest of ideas – the good, the bad,

pulled pork with slaw and avocado between

and sometimes the outlandish. Ultimately,

a bun to create a hearty sandwich. Enjoyed

a menu will peak our curiosity, satisfy all

of our senses, and have us wanting more.

with the sweet background smell of real pitsmoked BBQ ribs, chicken, and brisket that

When was the last time you were wowed by

Bobby Q’s is known for, herbivores may find

a dish? We ventured into the eclectic dining

A welcome newcomer, Evarito’s Mexican

scene of one of Connecticut’s most vibrant

Kitchen & Bar, is making quite a splash,

food destinations, Norwalk, CT, eating our

turning south of the border cuisine on its head

Satisfying our initial visual food sense is a

way through this coastal community with our

with the addition of a-typical ingredients and

favorite guilty pleasure. It’s the moment you

eyes, noses, taste buds, and an open mind.

creative preparations. Evarito’s grown-up ver-

realize that something sensational is about

themselves in a quandary.

sion of fajitas come in the form of wood-fired

to happen. It’s the work of art on the plate

Peaches Southern Pub & Juke Joint graces

garden vegetables which includes whatever

that seems almost too beautiful to disturb.

the Wall Street neighborhood with their

is seasonally fresh and flavorful such as beets,

Beach House SoNo, a globally inspired

Low-country inspired cuisine and fearless take

jicama, broccoli, cauliflower, and squash,

seafood-centric restaurant pays homage

on southern favorites. Because it’s always a

accompanied by wood-grilled jumbo shrimp

to the owner’s Japanese heritage and

pork “thang”, and deep fried foods make

and steak. A marbling of blue and yellow corn

restaurant background with their beautifully

us happy, the County Fair Bacon is a joy to

masa tortillas are house made and serve as a

constructed salmon summer role. Stained-

partake in. Crazy large chunks of smoky slab

delicious vessel for the meat and vegetables,

glass in appearance, bright orange salmon,

bacon are skewered and bathed in funnel

dolloped with cilantro crema and salsa roja.

crisp white cucumber, fresh avocado, and

cake batter, golden fried, and then laced with

fiery red tobiko are wrapped in clear rice

cracked pepper maple syrup and a sprinkling

Call it trendy, vegan-friendly, or healthy,

paper, providing a window into the colorful

of Aleppo pepper. The outer crust cradles the

jackfruit is popping on menus across the

mélange of ingredients. Instagram worthy

melted bacon fat, presenting a juicy (messy)

country. Its faux-meat like quality and mild

and delicious too!

burst of flavor when bitten into. The end result

flavor make it prime for numerous interpre-

is sinfully satisfying and easily addictive.

tations. Bobby Q’s Cue & Co. gives this

For more information visit Norwalknow.org CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

Sail’s Negroni

Sail’s fish market

Bar and coktail lounge

Wine room with private dinning table

Main dinning room

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

APPETITE:

Fearless Chef

At Sails, your cares quickly drift away. After settling into my plush hand made leather chair custom made for the restaurant in Italy, and sipping my craft cocktail, choosing a selection of seafood from an impressive open display case featuring the freshest and best selections from around the world, including the Mediterranean, New Zealand, Holland, and local waters, meeting Chef Jasinski and chatting with owners Veljko and Corinne, I felt my ship had come in! Enjoy the finest flavors of France, Italy and Greece. Think seafood towers and fresh-flown specialties from sparkling azure seas, perfectly prepared on a custom Resturant exterior

wood-burning grill before your eyes. Handmade

SAILS RESTAURANT: Where Portofino Meets Port Royal Bringing World Class Sophistication and Style to the Heart of Fashionable Naples, Florida Written by Fred Bollaci • Photography by Samantha Bloom

NAPLES’ NEWEST FINE DINING RESTAURANT HAS

pastas, executed to al dente perfection, Kobé

raised the bar significantly for gourmet cuisine and

beef delicacies and crisp salads are peppered with

service on Southwest Florida’s Platinum Coast, provid-

pristine, heirloom ingredients from local organic

ing a world class experience with flawless service and

farmers. At Sails, warm, professional, old-world

attention to every detail. Sails evokes the sense of a

hospitality meets beach chic décor, creating

private luxury yacht cruising the most fashionable ports

elegantly relaxed surroundings delighting every

in the Mediterranean, with a seasoned international

sense. Choose from a global list of wines with

staff and renowned Chef Jacob Jasinski, who hails from

imaginative pairings conducive to leisurely sipping

The Ocean House in Westerly, Rhode Island, a five-star

and exploring. The experience calls to mind the best

Relais & Chateaux property at the helm.

of Santorini, Positano, and Portofino.

Just steps from the powder white sand beaches of

Sails’ Executive Chef Jacob Jasinski’s name is

the Gulf of Mexico, on fashionable 5th Avenue is your

synonymous with excellence among well-heeled New

new favorite Naples dining destination. “Where Port

Englanders as one of its region’s most innovative

Royal meets Portofino, breezily transporting you to the

seafood chefs, where he was top toque at Seasons,

good life, only better” is Sails’ motto, referencing the

the acclaimed restaurant at Ocean House in Westerly,

uber-exclusive Port Royal neighborhood of Naples,

RI, where he elevated the landmark Relais & Chateaux

home to some of Florida’s priciest real estate, and the

property’s fine-dining venue to a 2017 Forbes Five-Star

famous resort of Portofino on the Italian Riviera.

award winner. CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

APPETITE:

Fearless Chef

Co-Owner Veljko Pavicevic exemplifies world class hospitality

Passionate about procuring the best ingredients, Chef Jacob is delighted to be in Naples. “I’ve always sourced my ingredients locally and daily, relying on Mother Nature and her seas to determine what’s best.”

Open kitchen

Be it fresh seafood, steak, lamb, or fowl, and a selection of wagyu beef imported from Australia. Throughout his culinary career, which includes positions at prestigious gastronomic destinations Joël Robuchon in Las Vegas, Maine’s White Barn Inn, Newport’s Castle Hill Inn, and the former Ritz-Carlton

I’ve always sourced my ingredients locally and daily, relying on Mother Nature and her seas to determine what’s best.”

Buckhead, Chef Jacob lets his recipes evolve from one day to the next, combining the freshest seasonal

forging strong relationships within the community

ingredients with classical techniques he honed at

that eventually led him back. Four years later, Veljko

Michelin-starred properties in France and Italy. .

returned to the states, this time for a summer-exchange

Owners Veljko Pavicevic and Corinne Ryan bring

program, where his athletic prowess led to a swimming

years of experience and dedication to Sails Restaurant.

instructor post in Battery Park for New York City’s Parks

Veljko is a multi-faceted entrepreneur, co-founder and

and Recreation. Arriving with $400 in his pocket, he

GM of Sails, which opened in December 2017, is an

had two goals: saving enough money to put himself

in-demand hospitality consultant whose expertise lies

through college in the US plus capital to launch his

in improving bottom-line results through staff motiva-

own business. Within his first week, Veljko landed a

tion, teaching hoteliers and restaurateurs techniques

second job as an opening-team server at Compass, an

of increasing customer satisfaction through superior

Upper West Side eatery, resulting in 18-hour workdays,

service. Warm hospitality is part of Veljko’s disposition:

7 days a week. Working to achieve his goals, Veljko

he grew up in Serbia, renowned as the “Land of Hos-

amassed enough funds that summer to stay; with fond

pitality”, a very social culture whose residents often

memories of Naples always on his mind, he returned,

aspire to open restaurants as a personal showcase of

completing his Bachelor’s degree at Florida Gulf Coast

welcoming ambiance complemented with an abun-

University and working full-time at Syrah. While serving

dance of deliciousness served during a multitude of

guests from The Ritz-Carlton executive team, he was

courses. Summers spent on Montenegro’s coastline

selected to work at Artisans, the property’s five-star

with his grandmother nurtured his interest in cooking

fine-dining restaurant. During his tenure, he quickly

and being treated as a VIP because everyone entering

rose through management ranks via his highly-honed

her home was treated like royalty.

insight for anticipating guests’ needs and preferences;

Veljko first visited America as a teenager, spending 1997 as an exchange student at Naples High School, 34

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE CULTURE//MAGAZINE CONTEMPORARY

dedication to customer service; plus effortless communications skills necessary to coach colleagues.

In 2009 Veljko left The Ritz-Carlton to create his

boat-to-table concept like Corinne: in her role, Corinne

hospitality consultancy; concurrently, he founded

negotiates trades, forging connections for global sup-

Global Link, LLC, a multinational logistics company

pliers, wholesalers, and retailers. Corinne’s work travel

tapping into his international network. Through this

has taken her to 44 countries over six continents, where

position, he connected with entrepreneur Corinne

dining with clients at the world’s top restaurants. These

Ryan in 2014 while working for a mutual Korean client.

journeys, coupled with her independent adventures

Corinne and Veljko quickly discovered a shared passion

and travels with co-founder Veljko, inspired Sails.

for exploring restaurants around the world; to date,

Born in New Zealand, and raised in Sydney, Austra-

they’ve ventured on more than 20 trips together span-

lia, Corinne grew up in Sydney, worked for her parents’

ning five continents. Their complimentary talents led

importing company developing skills in merchandising

to partnering on Sails, a restaurant destined to become

and packaging. With 10 years’ work experience under

the crown jewel of fine dining in Naples.

her belt by the time she finished high school, she

Veljko’s passionate dedication to tactile and visual

skipped university and entered the corporate world for

details, when combined with his stop-at-nothing

Australia’s biggest meat importer-exporter-distributor,

nature, is showcased through his sourcing of — and

rising through its ranks in accounting, logistics, and doc-

frequent visits to — Europe’s most brilliant master

umentation. Tapping her myriad talents, Corinne moved

craftsmen responsible for hand-making the restaurant’s

to Colorado for new business opportunities, where she

elegant accoutrements like handmade wine cabinets,

spent six years expanding her company’s distribution

Italian-made furniture, white marble bar from Greece,

while enjoying the ski slopes of Vail and Beaver Creek.

resulting in an elegant, comfortable environment.

In 2010, Corinne was appointed to create and lead a

Corinne Ryan, co-founder of Sails, is among a

competitor’s US team, before coming to Naples.

handful of the world’s top food brokers, one of the

See you in Naples, Florida, home to beautiful

trading industry’s few women atop this field, which

beaches, gorgeous sunsets, beautiful tropical land-

requires incorporating hospitality to build and main-

scaping, exquisite neighborhoods, upscale shopping,

tain professional relationships. She is also a visionary

numerous recreational activities, delicious food, and a

creator and producer behind several of her industry’s

sophisticated, yet laid-back vibe. ¨

most prestigious events, most notably, a memorable race around Auckland (NZ) Harbor featuring a select

For more information about Sails Restaurant, visit

fleet of America’s Cup yachts, followed by a celebratory

www.sailsrestaurants.com and for more information

feast of fine food and wine.

about Fred Bollaci, or to order his book, “The

Corinne’s connections have led her to the best

Restaurant Diet,” which features recipes from

local, national and international purveyors and the

100 top restaurants nationwide, visit

world’s finest ingredients. Few understand the day

www.fredbollacienterprises.com, or Amazon.com

Fresh Daily Whole Fish

Imported Australian Wagyu Beef

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

FEATURE

WHEN WE ARE FREE TO CREATE, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. 1

n the winter of 2016, artist Katie Swatland covered all her clocks to eliminate the illusion of time, hung a “do not disturb” sign upon her studio door, and stepped into a journey of self-imposed artistic isolation for 29 months. She re-emerged on June 11 finally feeling the need to share the fruits of her labor – the “Alchemy Visions” collection – nearly complete with the exception of three final works. She is an intriguing individual, as is evidenced not only by her art, but the way in which she sees, reflects and interacts with the world. While many artists proclaim their work to be multi-disciplinary – as it is quite trendy these days to do so – Swatland is the real deal. Because of an intense curiosity about the world and its’

By Lisa Mikulski

cultures, her art is informed with layers of meaning – expressions

1. Painting detail from the ‘Alchemy Visions’ collection, Raven. Medium: oil and glass on birch bark, 8” x 11” 2. Katie Swatland in her studio. 3. Painting detail from the ‘Alchemy Visions’ collection. Medium: oil, mica, and glass on a custom ground. 6” x 8” 3

based on ancient philosophies, the natural sciences, history, folklore, and mythology. Having trained for sixteen years in the art of oil painting, Swatland also received a degree in mechanical engineering and has a passion for theoretical physics. It is this background in scientific learning, I believe, which allows her to intellectually explore and ask methodical questions of nature and the unknown. The start of Alchemy Visions began, as most journeys do, with a first step. Years before shutting her doors in January, 2016, Swatland

informs me, have been sold to private collectors around the world. One piece, Material and Tools, oil on panel, found its permanent home at the Mark Arts Foundation in Wichita, Kansas.

created the Prelude collection. These paintings built the foundation

“I painted Materials and Tools specifically for my first instructional

and path for what was to come. In this first collection, Swatland

book on painting titled, Alla Prima II: COMPANION, placing it oppo-

painted almost exclusively from life, relying on her artist’s eye for

site the preface, on page XV. This piece, along with the entirety of the

direct observation of nature. The majority of these works, Swatland

Prelude collection is also featured in the book.” CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

FEATURE

1. Painting from the ‘Prelude’ collection: FIORI D’ ARIA oil on canvas, 24”x 36” 2. Katie Swatland in her studio, honoring the blank canvases of the ‘remaining 3’ before she begins the process of bringing the visions for these paintings to life. 3. Paintings from the ‘Alchemy Visions’ collection. Medium: oil on birch bark 4. Painting from the ‘Alchemy Visions’ collection. Medium: oil, mica, glass and shells on a custom ground 24”x 30” 2

Swatland’s Alla Prima II: Companion, details the processes of painting and provides instruction on such matters as how to create a quality working surface, understanding the nature of light, brushwork exercises, and many other secrets as to what goes into creating a masterful work of art. Released in 2014, the book sold out after three months and is currently in its second printing. It was while working on Prelude that Swatland also learned valuable lessons on the patience required while painting and working

of her work to one philosophy, mythology, or tradition because she

with nature along with a great deal about light. These experiences

does not want to create boundaries, separations, or limitations.

have informed her work on Alchemy Visions, allowing Swatland to

“If I had to say something, I would be most comfortable saying

expand beyond what merely exists and express the visions which,

that I am exploring nature’s ways. I believe ultimately everything is

until now, only resided in her imagination.

related . . . that ultimately everything is connected by an interweav-

A great deal of myth and lore is also woven into the work – Nordic legends and Tolkien, including the languages he created for his

ing thread found running through all philosophies . . . regardless of time and culture.”

characters. Swatland is also inspired by the taoist philosophy, samu-

The properties of light play a leading role in Swatland’s work. But

rai principles, alchemical traditions, and the languages of physics

not just as a source of lighting in which to color subject matter – for

and geometry, the later two presenting ways in which to illustrate

example, the ways in which an artist may employ chiaroscuro to pro-

patterns. Swatland is, however, hesitant to commit characterization

vide contrast between elements – Swatland uses reflective materials

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

FEATURE

MAY YOU VENTURE FORTH . . . TO DISCOVER AND MARVEL IN WONDER. WITH CURIOSITY CLOAKED IN PLAYFULNESS . . . FOR — ALL ELEMENTS —EXPANSIVE, GROUNDING, AND REFLECTIVE.

within her work such as mica, glass, shells, gold and silver leaf that are

paintings: two vertical 4’ x 8’ figurative works and two horizontal

layered on the painting’s surface. This has the effect of transforming

6’ x 4’ ocean landscape paintings. She refers to these as The Four

the work on canvas into a visual experience, imbuing it with a life and

Pillars. Three of these paintings still remain in progress. The vision

energy of its own.

Swatland has for these canvas’ explores ideas dealing with balance

She has mentioned to me her feelings on the life of her paintings,

and harmony that may result from opposing energies.

explaining her wishes for her future work and the hopes she has for

“I mean it more in terms of an exploration of the general principal

the paintings themselves. Yet, she does not make pronouncements

of opposition through observations of nature’s cycles, which are found

of what she hopes the work will do or what type of emotional core

across all ancient philosophies. For example, two of the four paintings

response is required by the viewer. I find this all very refreshing from

are expressions of energy in the form of light bathing an ocean land-

the typical artist statement.

scape. One landscape expresses the characteristics of the setting sun

“I prefer also to allow the viewer the freedom to explore the

. . . or rather, the last light, and explores the characteristics that create

imagery of my paintings without the confines of precise specifics,

this type of energetic expression. Conversely, the opposing painting,

because I find this can sometimes be limiting . . . not just for the

that is yet to be painted and will sit across from this landscape of

viewer, but for the paintings, the characters which emerge from

the setting sun, will be a landscape of the rising sun . . . of the first

them, and for me as well. The imagery also reveals itself to me

light. Together these paintings will be an expression of energies in

in this way . . . open . . . part of everything . . . part of nothing . . .

opposition, and the cycle of night turning into day, of day turning into

transcendent of boundary,” she explains.

night . . . one is part of the other. Together they will be an expression

The cornerstone of Alchemy Visions will consist of four large

of the cycle as a whole,” says Swatland. CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

FEATURE

THE INTENTION OF ART IS FAR MORE THAN PURELY AESTHETIC PLEASURES. IT OFFERS A WAY TO EXPLORE THE INFINITE . . .

“The other two paintings will also work together to express ener-

knowledge and come to conclusions about the how and why of the

gies of opposition, and they will come in the form of a study of light

images, and in many ways, those will be just as accurate and just as

and dark in collaboration of human form. Light vs. the absence of

valid as what I may think of as my own reasons . . . and I wish to remain

light, ethereal vs. earthly. The reality that light may not exist without

open to all of that . . . because that is where growth happens,” explains

shadow . . . shadow may not exist without light, and so on.”

Swatland.

In addition to The Four Pillars, the Alchemy Visions collection also

After 29 months in isolation, and once the three remaining canvas

embodies a number of paintings and studies (some of which are lov-

are complete, what does Swatland envision for her future and the

ingly and meticulously painted on birch bark found during Swatland’s

future of her work?

forest walks), costumes, found objects, branches turned into mysterious

“I have some rather ambitious ideas for a traveling exhibition which

looking sculptures, portraits, and wooden logs adorned with bird skulls

offers a wide variety of interactive and immersive events that would

evoking something you might imagine belonging in the abode of a

take place in and around the artwork. These ideas are intended for

mystic seer. This “cast of supporting characters,” as Swatland refers

when the collection is complete; however, I wish to offer more intimate

to them, inspire and explore further myth and lore through allegorical

versions of these grand ideas with portions of the collection as I work

means. She does not always know the full story of a character before

to complete the remaining three.”

painting them and explains that they often come to her in “archetypal quests” which she allows to unfold through creative means.

These plans consist of ideas which are not generally considered when thinking about art installations or exhibitions. For instance, a

“I am certain that as the paintings start their own outward jour-

series of concerts which may be comprised of small music gatherings

ney, that other people will bring their own personal experiences and

– or in stark opposition – complete, large-scale stage performances

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

FEATURE

3 1. First Pillar from the ‘Alchemy Visions’ collection. Medium: oil, mica, glass, shells, and gold leaf on custom ground, 4’ x 8’ 2. Painting detail from the ‘Alchemy Visions’ collection. Medium: oil, mica, glass and silver leaf on a custom ground. 18” x 24” 3. Custom made headdress from the ‘Alchemy Visions’ collection. Medium: driftwood sculpture 4. Painting detail from the ‘Alchemy Visions’ collection. Medium: oil, mica and glass on custom ground, 24” x 30” 4

be anything grand, just something small that sparks curiosity and uncovers the inner workings of the treasures that are always present in this life. It can be anything that simply brings wonder to the natural beauty of existence. These delights are everywhere, we simply need to slow down for a moment long enough to notice them. “I would then ask them to observe how this small act, (which I like to refer to as, ‘nurturing Imagination by presenting her with offerings’) trickles down throughout their day-to-day life, and adds just a little which could include choreography, costume, and special lighting

more brightness to their being, as well as to those around them. Per-

effects. Swatland also has ideas for themed brunches, dinners, cocktail

haps even share a little morsel of your morning’s curiosity over lunch

parties, and wellness groups.

with a friend or colleague, and watch how that light will expand.” ¨

In closing, Swatland extends an invitation to the readers of Venü. “I would like to invite the readers of Venü to take a moment each

You can join Katie Swatland as she works on the remaining three

day and pause to do something that nurtures their imagination. I

pieces via her Instragram account and her YouTube channel. The

personally love to do this by beginning each day with a curiosity . . .

light is fabulous.

whether that be by reading a poem, or looking at a painting, learning

1 square [ ] @ a time: www.instagram.com/katieswatland

a new vocabulary word, or reading a short passage about the stars

1 dynamic rectangle [ ~ ] @ a time: www.youtube.com/c/katieswatland

and planets, or the inner workings of tree roots. It doesn’t have to

www.katieswatland.com CONTEMPORARY CULTURE/ CULTURE//MAGAZINE /MAGAZINE CONTEMPORARY

41 41

FEATURE

Red Hot Chili Peppers - 1989

Dancing Deadhead - 1980

Joni Mitchell - 1998

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

Eddie Vedder and Neil Young - 2010

Tom Waits - 1999

Jerry Garcia - 1979

John Lee Hooker - 1992

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

FEATURE

Philip Eliasoph: Armed with dad’s

of my work. I was 17-years-old, and

Pentax, you shot a Grateful Dead

unlike today where every teenager is

concert on Sept. 2, 1978. Starting

published daily on social media, back

your senior year in high school

then it was huge! Within a year, I had

you began to uniquely capture the

thoughts that I wanted to be a profes-

indefinable nature of the Dead

sional photographer. I really had no

experience. Did that that long-haired

idea what that meant. I was still a small

teen have a premonition that he

town kid following the Grateful Dead as

would be ‘On the Bus’ for life?

opposed to trying to meet photo edi-

Jay Blakesberg: As a 17-year-old kid, I

tors in the editorial world, or PR folks.

only had dreams, and fantasies of what

That was so far off my radar! What was

it would be like to experience what I

on my radar was Relix magazine which

read about in “On the Road”, or ”The

wrote about the Grateful Dead! PE: Can you share with us a bit about

Electric Kool-Aid Acid Tests”. These were grand adventures that I wanted to

PE: Who are some of your major

the process about how you created

experience, but was too young, naïve,

influences? What did you learn from

some of your iconic images.

insecure, and uncertain about how to

these master photographers?

JB: With every assignment I receive, my

accomplish. It was connecting with the

JB: Today Jim Marshall is recognized

goal is to create the most brilliant photo

Grateful Dead’s music and community

as the godfather of rock & roll pho-

I am capable of. Even 25 years ago these

that set me on that road, to have that

tography. Jim was probably the first

artists had already been in the game 25

adventure. I had a camera in hand to

photographer I was aware of because

plus years. So, while my goal is to create

photograph those experiences through

of his photos of the Dead, Airplane,

a very memorable image and it might be

the eyes of a young kid as opposed to

Janis, etc. As I became more passion-

the first time I am working with an artist,

a journalist.

ate about photography and began to

they are typically already over it because

understand that looking at other pho-

this is their five-hundredth photo shoot!

PE: How do you define this journey

tographers work really would inspire

Many of these artists will give you 10 min-

through our pop/rock era?

and connect me to ways to be more

utes. You need to come in with some sort

JB: I was an insider (a Deadhead), not an

passionate and creative with the work

of idea before you even arrive. If it was a

outsider trying to get in. If I had more

I wanted to make, then I really started

photo studio shot, it might be how you

forethought, I would have shot more,

looking at other people for inspiration

would light it. A camera, lens, film choice,

and in different ways. So, the body of

in my portrait work. Some of those

or how you wanted them to sit/stand.

work that began almost 40 years ago

influential photographers were Irving

stands as it is, and I am proud of it, and

Penn, Richard Avedon, David Bailey

PE: Walk us through your San

I now see it is an important visual record

and Albert Watson.

Francisco home studio set up. JB: At my old downtown studio, I had

of a unique time in pop culture history. It truly is visual anthropology.

The Grateful Dead - 1979

PE: Explain the differences between

a large, white cyclorama—like what

portraits and concert work.

Avedon used—and that was my start-

PE: In 1979, you sold your first two

JB: With portraits there is much more

ing point. I had different stools and

photos to a weekly newspaper. At

creative control. From how to light

old chairs, and would think about how I

U2’s 1987 free concert in downtown

it, to camera/lens choice, different

wanted them to sit, or stand. I also would

San Francisco you shot your first of

film stocks, and of course location.

try and research as much about them as I

over 300 assignments for Rolling

I recognized early on that if I was to

could so we could have a dialogue! My

Stone. At what point on your career

shoot magazine covers, CD packages,

goal was to bring their personality out

trajectory did you sense that your

etc. I needed to learn to use a medium

during the session.

bona fide credentials validated you.

format camera—I chose Hasselblad—

JB: When the Aquarian Weekly pub-

and work with studio lighting creatively.

PE: What needs to happen to push the

lished two of my photos and paid

I was always tearing pages out of maga-

photo process from good to great?

me $15 it was a major affirmation

zines – not to copy, but to inspire.

JB: It’s important to as often as

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

FEATURE

possible take risks—no risk, no reward.

non-creative gigs. But it was those other

the great American adventure.” This

The minute I stopped trying new things

20 percent that were creative and made

community continues to evolve, and as

is when it became boring.

me feel good. When I was doing more

we get older and look back at what we

non-creative work, than creative work it

did, and the magic we experienced, we

PE: Part of your success is your ability

actually hurt. You are only as good as

all can now see that this long strange

to capture the rapport between the

your last photograph!

trip is truly the grandest adventure anyone could ever ask to be part of!

musicians and the live audience. Can you tell us how you developed your

PE: You’ve been to hundreds of music

What began as adolescent stupidity, has

sixth sense in capturing that?

festivals and photographed thousands

turned into lifelong magic!

JB: Shooting live concerts is certainly an

of bands for four decades and

art. As technology has changed it has

managed to live the dream of doing

PE: Tell us about the images in the

certainly become easier to capture an

what you love. What advice would you

Connecticut one man show.

image of a musician on stage. We are

give to young artists out there?

JB: This exhibit at Southport Galleries

inundated with so much visual content

JB: I think the first thing you need to

will include about 50 prints with a healthy

these days, so it is becoming harder for

do as a beginner is think outside the

dose of Grateful Dead, a Neil Young sec-

the average person to be able to tell

box. Create your own style and have an

tion that I have never shown before, some

the difference between a brilliant photo

enormous amount of drive which comes

of my Iconic portraits of Tom Waits, Joni

and a mediocre one. We truly live in a

from the inspiration that is everywhere.

Mitchell, and Carlos Santana to name

world of mediocrity and that is bad on

Whenever anyone goes right, you go

a few, as well as bunch of high energy

so many levels. Most importantly, great

left. It requires way more hard work,

performance images. All of these will be

art inspires and that generates more

and energy to be successful in a creative

made as dye-sublimation Chromaluxe

great art and passion, so this glut of bad

field, and you need to be ready to put the

metal prints. This new metal technology

photography does nothing good for us

energy in that is required.

with the Chromaluxe aluminum makes

as humans looking for that connection!

these images just pop off the walls with

When I was 12-years-old, my little

PE: “There’s nothing like a Grateful

vibrancy! I will also have a few large

league coach taught me to anticipate

Dead show” is our mantra. After 40

lenticular prints that flip several times as

the play. This was the best advice I ever

years on the rail or shooting Dead

you walk past. The show will begin with

received about shooting live bands

shows from in the pit, onstage and

a selection of early photographs I made

on stage, this is how you capture that

backstage – tell us why this is true.

with some extended captions to set up

lightning in a bottle in a fraction of a

JB: I feel truly blessed that I have spent

a bit of the story from where I started to

second. You wait, you anticipate the

the last 40 years of my life documenting

where I am now.

play, and you need to be ready because

the Grateful Dead. Having a front row

the decisive moment comes and goes

seat to an epic pop culture zeitgeist,

‘Chasing Splintered Sunlight: The Rock

faster than you can imagine.

with a camera, and access, has been an

& Roll Photography of Jay Blakesberg,’

incredible gift. I have created a body of

at Southport Galleries, exhibit runs

PE: After finding affirmation of your

work that I am very proud of. There are

Oct. 28-Dec. 1. 330 Pequot Ave.,

creative work at an early age – do

so many interesting visual aspects to this

Southport, Conn. (203) 292-6124

you check yourself and know you are

experience. From being an 18-year-old

www.southportgalleries.com

maintaining your creative edge?

kid “On the Road” without a care in

JB: I constantly remind myself I am only

the world, to documenting the RAW

as good as my last shoot. Most art

intense sweaty, sexual energy that hap-

directors or photo editors really don’t

pens when a large group of people are

care that I photographed Jerry Garcia

together having a similar experience, to

in 1991. They want to see what I shot

almost 25-year solo careers for the other

yesterday. It is important to me as an

band members after Jerry died, I have

artist to stay relevant. When my career

tried my best to help tell this incredible

first started, 80 percent of the photog-

story with a camera. Jerry Garcia once

raphy I did was for the money. Boring,

said, “Following the Grateful Dead is

Philip Eliasoph, PhD is Professor of Art History & Visual Culture at Fairfield University, Connecticut and the Arts & Visual Culture blogger for The New York Times InEducation platform. He is an active member of the Grateful Dead Scholars Caucus, a scholarly collective under the aegis of the Popular/ American Culture Association. His Dead writing is “cerebral spelunking through the craters of my mind.” CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

FEATURE

In 1977, New York City was economically and spiritually at its nadir. Rampant crime, budget cuts and a free-falling economy had taken its toll on the city. President Gerald Ford flatly declared that he would veto any bill that provided “a federal bail-out of New York City,” stabbing the already traumatized populace in the heart. Famously, the New York Daily News ran the story of Ford’s denial of federal aid on its front page. The headline read: Ford to City: Drop Dead. Racial tensions were high during that summer, and just as was the case in Queens and the Bronx, the landscape of the Bedford Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, known as Bed-Stuy, became a boiling hotbed of crime and desperation for the hundreds of thousands seeking a way out, but finding very few options and little hope. This was the backdrop that formed the worldview of Spike Lee, whose recent release, BlackKklansman, has undeniably increased his importance and relevance among his peers. The grandson of an art teacher and son of a successful jazz musician, Lee was born in Atlanta but moved with his family to Bed-Stuy at a very

Photo by Featureflash agency

Cannes, France. May 15, 2018: Spike Lee at the photocall for “Blackkklansman” at the 71st Festival de Cannes.

young age, and it was there that his underdog’s point of view-a clear theme in all of his films

student Academy Award in 1983, she also funded his first feature;

began. His grandmother, Zimmie Reatha Shelton,

She’s Gotta Have It. The film was produced for only 175,000 dollars

financed Lee’s education at Morehouse College,

and grossed over 7,000.000 dollars, and was one of the most profit-

and then N.Y.U. Film school. After Lee won a

able films of 1986. With its success, Lee’s career was born. CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

FEATURE

Though his arrival as a director of import followed that of Martin

clear. In an era of cinematic social commentary

Scorcese by at least a decade, the paths that each man has traveled

on all sides, there are few films, if any, that have

are similar. Thematically, both native New York directors explore

the immediacy of those that tackle the subject

stories that deal with their respective culture and environment.

of racism. The timing of its release (on the one

Scorsese’s Mean Streets, which had a significant influence on Lee as

year anniversary of the Charlottesville riots) have

a younger man, studied Italian-American life in New York in the nine-

not fueled uprisings, as some had feared, but

teen seventies. Similarly, Goodfellas, and later, Casino, were similar

instead, have re-energized desperately needed

forms of this exploration. However, rather than posit a question in

discussions on the deterioration of race relations

the minds of the audience as they leave the theater, Scorsese only

not only here in America, but the rest of the world

comments on the state of existence of his characters without directly

as well. As in the case of his other films, Do the

challenging his viewers. Though not an ignoble position to take, this

Right Thing and Malcolm X, the film’s release date

form of cinematic storytelling entertains, but rarely sparks discussion

was timed for maximum effect; a knack for which

beyond the context of the film itself. It is on this specific point where

Lee has proven himself artful, if not brilliant. His

the difference between Lee and his contemporaries can be found, and

films are produced for social impact, first and

with the release of BlackKklansman, the position has never been more

foremost with art following close behind, and come into existence from Lee’s sincere desire to

Sting, Spike Lee on the red carpet with guest as jury members and award winners, behind, look on during the 71st Cannes Film Festival at Palais on May 19, 2018 in Cannes, France.

effect change. It is here where Lee has separates himself from his pack of contemporaries, placing the greater good over profit. The trajectory of Lee’s projects all follows what has now become a familiar arc. Most of his passion projects are produced independently, without the heft of big studio-muscle and massive publicity budgets. However, it is Lee’s mastery of the act of routinely taking these all-or-nothing risks, both as a person and filmmaker, that have made his career. When Mr. Lee accepted his honorary Academy Award in Los Angeles in 2015, he was joined onstage by Denzel Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, and Wesley Snipes. Washington told the audience that “Spike Lee has put more African Americans to work in this business than anyone else in the history of this business.” To that, Jackson added that Lee “made it viable for filmmakers (not only people of color but all filmmakers) to tell their story, their way.” Never before has a director taken such courageous stands, over and over again, at such personal risk. (For proof, look no

Photo by Dennis Makarenko

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

further than Lee’s comments at this year’s Cannes Film Festival press conference).

New York City- August 29 2105: Spike Lee & his production company staged a party on Stuyvesant Ave in Bed-Stuy to celebrate the renaming of the block for his classic film “Do The Right Thing.”

Photo by A. Katz

Just as Denzel Washington and Samuel L. Jackson are symbols of African American power

what has firmly established Mr. Lee as the most important director of his time.

in Hollywood, it is Spike Lee who occupies the

In Bed-Stuy, 2018, the landscape has changed. Gentrification has

role of spiritual, political, and creative leader of

firmly taken hold. Houses which were boarded up in 1977 now com-

the African American filmmaking community.

mand millions of dollars, if you can find one. On the streets where Lee

Now, with the release of BlackKklansman, it can

grew up, not far from where he now works, Lee walks the streets as a

be said that his importance as a filmmaker has

conquering hero. His offices are not in Manhattan or Hollywood, but

now broadened, deepened. At a recent screen-

on South Elliott Place in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn, where

ing of the film that I attended at an arthouse

dozens of young filmmakers-mostly people of color, are given the

theater in Connecticut, the usually half-empty

opportunity to learn about the film business from the man himself;

room was filled. Most of the audience applauded

an opportunity that most of them would have difficulty finding in

at the film’s shocking finale. Afterward, on the

Hollywood, even today. In addition to overseeing his production

sidewalk outside of the theater, impromptu

company, 40 Acres and a Mule, Mr. Lee is also Artistic Director of New

discussions began, spontaneously between

York University’s Tisch School of the Arts film department. On average,

total strangers; not specifically about the film,

he makes a film every two years and also directs commercials, music

but about the current condition of America.

videos, and documentaries. Outside of his offices, his employees,

While this experience is not unprecedented,

the next generation of filmmakers, stand on the sidewalk and have

it has become increasingly rare. The ability to

conversations about their world, their film projects, as they await his

create these discussions, over and over again, is

arrival, and that of the next Spike Lee Joint. ¨ CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

COVER

It ’s funny how casual

conversations, or even a chicken painting, can lead to serendipitous connections you might never have had otherwise. How if you hadn’t been to that Miami Beach hotel during Art Basel or hadn’t received unsettling news that afternoon or weren’t meeting a friend for a spur of the moment cocktail or so many other experiences that were more happenstance than planned, you would have never met that one person who inspires you to look at life a little differently, a bit more passionately and experience it infinitely more richly than you did before. That’s the short story behind our introduction to Jordi Mollà, a modern-day,

multi-talented Renaissance man blessed with grit, grace and an old-fashioned heart. With an acting career that began when he was 23 and took off when he co-starred in a Spanish comedy, Jamón Jamón, with Penelope Cruz in 1992, today Jordi has dozens of films, at least 61 I read somewhere, and unforgettable performances to his credit. You may remember meeting him as Johnny Depp’s friend-turned-foe nemesis, Diego Delgado, in the critically acclaimed movie Blow, when he made his Hollywood debut; Cate Blanchett’s royal rival, King Philip of Spain, in the 2007 film, Elizabeth, The Golden Age; dangerous drug king pin Johnny Tapia in Will Smith’s comedy Bad Boys II; the menacing Spanish arms dealer in the 2010 action comedy Knight and Day starring Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz; Santana, a cold-blooded bounty hunter in Vin Diesel’s Riddick and so Paintings Left to Right: No Fear, Peace and Be Wild

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

COVER

many other villainous characters in movies too numerous to list here – but that’s just a part of his repertoire. He’s also a director, filmmaker, writer and artist, whose works speak volumes about his sensitivity, refreshingly unaffected, to the world and the people around him. Jordi Mollà is arguably one of Spain’s most popular and busiest movie stars, with a make-believe killer persona and unbelievable lady-killer good looks. One of his co-stars famously called him the “Tom Cruise of Spain,” referring no doubt to his undeniable screen-star

Paintings Left to Right: Believe Me, Parole Parole Parole, You Can’t Buy Class, Love it Babe

‘Did you read the script?’ he asked, shaking

fact that the roles he plays often cast him as

his head in disbelief. I told him I had but the

the bad guy. We asked him about that when we talked

truth is, I had not read it all the way through.”

with him this summer. Here’s a man who is all

“I did not know that I was dying in the movie because these are the things I don’t

heart according to the people who know him best. Does he mind playing the guy audiences love to hate?

couldn’t let on what he was really feeling.”

want to know. That knowledge would impact

Jordi likened his king’s plight to that of a

the way I play my characters. I want them to

He laughed as he explained that he’s not

little spider that everybody is scared of but in

be as real as possible and to react to situations

a war person at all. But there’s a difference

reality that spider is just as scared of us. “Think

as they would if they were really happening.”

between playing a bad guy and being a good

of what we are to that spider, we are hundreds

He explained how Stanislavski Method

bad guy. That, he says, calls for some serious

of times bigger. That’s how I played him.”

actors want to know what happens when

exploration of the character’s psyche and

He aces every villain he’s played, leaving

personality to bring them out as real people.

audiences awed by his ability to immortalize

I asked him about the 16th-century

and humanize them. He’s playing another

Spanish king he played in Elizabeth: The

bad guy, a South American dictator named

Marlon Brando was like that he reminded

Golden Age. His answer gave me a glimpse

Nicholas Reyes in season two of Amazon’s

me. “He wouldn’t remember his lines so he

into his sympathetic soul.

they open the door so they can prepare their emotions. “I just open the door.”

Jack Ryan series, which debuted on August

would put a piece of paper on the forehead

“I try to bring something unexpected to

31 this year. For this role, he took his character

of the actress he had a scene with and see her

the role,” he answered. “In that moment of

to a charismatic place à la Fidel Castro, a man,

at the same time. He was brilliant.”

history, when kings ruled because of their

who despite his tyrannical rule and repressive

So is Jordi and not just on screen. His

bloodline, I thought he could be a nerd,

politics, was a romantic figure with legions of

artwork is eye opening as well, even more so

even though he was somebody so powerful

admirers.

when you hear how he describes his passion

on earth at that time. Nobody asked that guy if he really wanted to be a king, it’s just the way

“I remember asking the scriptwriter for one of my films, ‘do I die in this one?’”

talent and unmistakable appeal, despite the

Do you research the person you are playing? I asked.

for it. “Painting is like my lover,” he said. “I am

it was. So I thought that I should play him as

“No. I am very intuitive. I just do what feels

married with acting and having a lover, my

a guy who didn’t really want all that pressure

right for the character. Sometimes I do not

painting, is good for my relationship with

on his shoulders and was a little scared but

know what the entire story is about.”

acting.”

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

“I need to breathe and need to paint ten things at the same time. I have an idea of what I want to paint but everything can change in one second especially in the first painting. It’s always a victim. Sometimes it isn’t working and the last one becomes the 1st one again. I resurrect paintings I thought were dead and all of sudden they come back to life. I’ve had paintings in storage for 15 years, like the painting of a machine gun that I got tired of. I started it in 2014 and every time I looked at this painting, I would say out loud,

a big part

people who see his paintings need to

‘this painting is dead Jordi.’ So I would try to

in his life. He has written two novels and

know what is in the painting. They want

do something to it after several months, and

several scripts for screenplays. His first

to know what he as the artist was trying to

would still find myself saying ‘this painting is

book was a book of his first times. His first

convey, what the story is.

dead.’ Then I did something to the painting

kiss, his first bicycle, his first love, and he

and two people were watching me and didn’t he starts

say a word. They just watched until I finished,

second book was a complicated story about

with an impulse of something that has no

saying, “wow, wow” and I left to have a cup of

a writer who discovers he’s dead through a

message, no literature, no set form. He likes

coffee. In the end I loved the feeling of saving

book he’s writing. And as crazy as that plot

to see what it means to the person who

this painting, of resurrecting something and

may sound, it fits with this deeply thinking

looks at it, not what he wants them to see.

bringing others enjoyment.”

sold 7,000 books right out of the gate. His

man who likes others to think deeply as well.

“I spend more time thinking and watch-

That’s the heart and soul of Jordi Mollà’s

Take his abstract painting. Many of us are

ing the canvas than actually painting. If you

work, bringing others enjoyment in whatever

intimidated by this type of art because we

would see me where I am painting, you

he undertakes.

may not understand the message the artist

would see a man that is sitting down with

is trying to impart. But do all artists hide

three or four or ten paintings simultane-

Women

deeper meaning inside their work?

ously. Then you’ll see me do some stuff to

series, a parade of painted ladies with sayings

“I think painting messages are more

the painting, get up, leave the room, turn

emboldened on their portraits. Lest you think

important in the American culture than in

out the light, go out to have a gin and tonic,

the words have meaning for the models,

Europe,” he said. When he travels to the

then come back in again and do some

think again. Those printed thoughts didn’t

states for art exhibitions, he said that the

more things to the canvas.”

come from women. Jordi thinks it’s important CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

COVER

that what the line says doesn’t match 100% with the image.

“When I am painting, I act like a painter. I

He went from normal to any and every

eat differently. I sleep differently. It’s like being

kind of emotion, melancholy, exhaustion,

“It needs to be off. That’s when imagina-

in a role. Journalists sometimes try to label me

happiness, peace, joy, anger, one right after

tion comes in for the viewer. There has to be

and I got to the point of telling them that I am

the other one. From them, he took the most

a missing point in my paintings, there has to

a great actor who paints. When I paint, I really

relevant images that showed his face with dif-

be some mystery attached to it.”

go into the character of a painter. I dress and

ferent emotions and painted on top of them

Personally he says, “I love movies that I

talk differently so I can be a painter.”

don’t get one hundred percent or paintings

of cake? I could feel his smile as he told me

that leave room for the imagination. Rapha-

the real Jordi Mollà? A

el’s paintings bore me a little because he is

man of many faces and emotions, Jordi

number of emotions he portrayed. “I can

so perfect that he has said it all and I have

once asked a photographer on one of the

switch it on and off,” he said, “because that’s

nothing to do but be a spectator. But with

sets he was working on to take his picture,

what actors do.”

Picasso, it’s different. In one of his paintings,

paparazzi style, non stop and take as many

But Jordi is not just any actor. He admits

the paint dripped, and he left it there. That

pictures as he could in less than a minute.

that he is hypersensitive, feeling everything,

little mistake is what makes the difference

Jordi sat in front of the camera to try to show

constantly caring, listening to others deeply,

for me. He showed his human side in his

270 emotions in 40 seconds.

watching out for them ceaselessly.

drippings,” Jordi said. I had to ask if Picasso, like him a fellow Spanish artist whose creativity never waned, influenced his paintings. “What I like about Picasso is that his work is so simple. He seems to forget everything he learned on purpose and starts to paint like a beginner each time he does a new painting. I find that very interesting.” In addition to creating paintings that reflect some of that signature Picasso style, I found it interesting that Jordi played a young Picasso in the Emmy-nominated series “Genius” which tells the story behind Pablo Picasso and the muses who inspired him. Is it easy to cross over from painting to acting to painting again I asked. Is one an outlet for the other? 54

Was that a challenge for him or a piece

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he wanted to do it again only upping the

“Everything affects me, and it can be exhausting. I need to sleep a lot and turn off the machine.” You’ll find his essence and emotions in everything he does, from his villainous alter egos on screen to his artistic side on canvas and in print, all of which are meant to give people pause and permission to explore and experience their own feelings about his work. An old soul with a young spirit, Jordi is the

Jordi Mollà attending Hublot event during Art Basel, Miami

real deal, a genuinely humble, gentle man who derives real pleasure from the simple,

visit, wanted to come along to reconnect with

reads: “It’s not about what happens to you

more meaningful things of life. He says it’s

the person who bought it – and thank him

but how you react to it that matters.” And for

all about love. That’s the bottom line. When

again. The painting features a little chick with

Kevin, it couldn’t have come at a better time.

someone asks for an autograph or a photo-

a saying on it, similar to the ones written on

How and where Jordi comes up with the

graph – or even an interview for Venü when

his Renaissance Women. It was the saying and

sayings that draw his admirers in is equally

he’s in the middle of filming an American

the chicken, two seemingly unrelated images

revealing.

TV series in the heart of Bogota – he does it

that caught our friend Kevin’s attention. It

because he’s honored, not bothered.

“I am a very good listener and watcher also,” he shared. He hears words of wisdom

In fact, that’s how we first came to know

or phrases that stick with him and he puts

Jordi, after a mutual friend met Jordi when he

them in his IPhone along with the photos he

purchased one of his paintings from a Coral

snaps of graffiti or signs or billboards he sees

Gables art gallery where he exhibits his work.

on his travels.

When the gallery owner went to deliver Jordi’s

“When someone says something I think

chicken painting, Jordi, in town for a quick

would be good in a painting I write them Paintings Left to Right: Sex is Over Rated, Change, Imagination is Not a Sin, Kiss

down. I have a big collection of sayings,” he said, telling me that he once stopped a taxi driver so he could get out of the cab and take pictures of the panels protecting a construction site in London while he was there shooting a movie. “There were amazing sentences on the panels and they ended up in the Renaissance Women and other paintings.” Including our friend’s beloved chickens. purchased another chicken painting and has his eye on a third, telling us the Jordi’s art gives him joy, happiness and hope every time he looks at it, not to mention a friendship with the acclaimed actor and artist who sent him a recorded blessing for good health from the Pope when he met him during a visit to the Vatican. Jordi Mollà. ¨ CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

TRAVEL:

New York: Part 1

Photography courtesy of Tauck Ellis Great Hall

The New York You Didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Know

Manhattan Skyline

Central Park

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

TRAVEL:

New York: Part 1

he Plaza – you may recall it from those childhood classics Eloise and Home Alone where the venerable hotel doubled as an elegant playground for youthful adventures – has been a New City landmark since it first opened its doors to high society

and royalty of every incarnation on October 1, 1907. Construction of the 19-story building, embodying the pomp and opulence of a French château overlooking the expansive greenery of Central Park, and still today an icon of luxury and success, took two years to complete at an unprecedented cost of $12 million, a staggering sum in its day. But that’s what my four day idyll in Manhattan was all about, a privileged peek into the lives of those who played with very high stakes to make it here. Some, like the Roosevelts, were born into families with money. Others, like the Irish factory worker, German dressmaker and Italian cleaning lady I met in a tenement at 97 Orchard Street in the Lower East Side and the ghosts of immigrants, hundreds of thousands of them, who whispered their hopes and dreams in the soaring halls of Ellis Island, did whatever it took to provide their families with a taste of what money could buy. Thanks to the Connecticut-based travel

The Statue Of Liberty

company, Tauck, which hosted me on this once-in-a-lifetime journey, I

heard their stories and walked in their footsteps with the experts who

you are on the east or the west side so you won’t

knew them best, including award-winning documentary filmmaker Ken

lose your way. Or that Shakespeare’s Garden was

Burns, whose PBS films, The Brooklyn Bridge, The Roosevelts, The

planted with hand-selected flowers that were

Central Park Five, Prohibition and the Statue of Liberty, proved fertile

mentioned in works by Shakespeare with one of

ground for my backstage pass to the lives responsible for the places I

them always in bloom and its Whispering Bench,

would explore; author Geoffrey Ward, who, along with his best selling

acoustically blessed, invites you to send those

written collaborations with Ken Burns, wrote a raw personal exposé

sweet little nothings to your love at the other end

about his own great grandfather, “the greatest swindler of the Gilded

of the bench with perfect clarity. Or that Sheep

Age, whose villainy bankrupted Ulysses S. Grant and stunned the world

Meadow was named for the pedigree sheep

of finance,” in A Disposition to be Rich; and Daniel Okrent, former

that were let out twice a day on the great lawn

public editor of the New York Times and prize winning author of many

where modern-day sunbathers flock and housed

enlightening non-fiction books including Great Fortune: The Epic of

at Tavern on the Green at night through 1934,

Rockefeller Center, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, “that wove together

and that the roads and paths were deliberately

the themes of money, politics, art, architecture, business, and society

curved to prevent horse and carriage races back

to tell the story of the buildings that came to dominate the heart of

in those early days when the likes of Roosevelts,

midtown Manhattan and with it, for a time, the heart of the world.”

the Carnegies, the Vanderbilts, the Astors and

others were making names and legacies for was here to enjoy an insider look at what Burns, Ward and Okrent

themselves – and living large.

wrote about through their eyes, an experience that opened

Mansions were all the rage in the early 1900s,

mine to a time and places I had not been before. My first foray

built to be block-sized, bigger, better and more

into history began with a guided walk through Central Park,

beautiful than their neighbors’ houses. I toured

something I had done countless times before. Little did I realize just

one, without crowds, when I was invited inside the

how little I knew about this protected piece of urban parkland, some

Roosevelt’s twin-sided, open to one another, town-

843-acres of hiking trails, walking paths, lakes, gardens, waterfalls, and

house, #47 and #49 on East 65th Street, which Sara

even a zoo and the 19th-century Belvedere Castle, all of it designed

Delano Roosevelt had built for her son, Franklin,

to represent a microcosm of the state of New York. I did not know

his new bride Eleanor – and herself. This is where

that each of the 1,600 lamp posts that light the walkways of the park

I met Geoffrey Ward whose intimate knowledge

are marked with the closest street number and let you know whether

about their lives made my first visit there come

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alive with renewed appreciation for Eleanor – her private years here were marked with her remarkable capacity for tolerance as her mother in law took over the running of both households and Eleanor’s children and her husband took up with his secretary. It was also here that Ward spoke about the Madoff-esque private lives of his own family, sharing details about his great grandfather’s schemes to bilk New York’s wealthiest, former President Ulysses S. Grant included, out of their vast fortunes and ruin his own family in the process. Mark Twain was credited with coining the phrase, the Gilded Age, disguising it a contemporaneous criticism of the hidden inequality of the age where the rich wore diamonds and everyone else it seemed wore rags and “the chief end of man was – to get rich. In what way? dishonestly if we can; honestly if we must.” There was an especially ostentatious display of wealth in New York society then with evenings at the opera, theatre and gala balls and other lavish lifestyle amenities that were only available to the privileged few.

Brooklyn Bridge

“ THE GILDED AGE OF NEW YORK WAS A FANCIFUL PLACE FOR THOSE WITH MEANS AND PEDIGREE BUT IMMIGRANTS FACED TOUGH TIMES THEN AS MANY DO NOW.” Grand Central Terminal

hat’s how I experienced places where New York City jet setters still play: Lincoln Center, where cocktails and casual conversations with Ken Burns himself made a private affair even more elite and educational; in a grand ballroom in the Plaza with

a parade of white tailed waiters serving up gourmet fare exquisitely prepared for the finest champagne and caviar tastes while a concert pianist entertained; at Brooklyn’s stunning landmark River Café at the foot of the historic bridge in Dumbo, Michelin starred, flower filled, and inviting with riverfront views that took my breath away during a VIP lunch that took my will power away, most notably by the delicate CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

TRAVEL:

New York: Part 1

hand sculpted dark chocolate Brooklyn Bridge that melted in my mouth; and aboard a privately chartered yacht, gleaming in polished brass and mahogany and traditionally dressed to reflect the sailing sensibilities of an earlier age of refinement and revelry, that ferried us

he Gilded Age of New York was a fanciful place for those with means and pedigree but Immigrants faced tough times then as many do now. I got a firsthand

glimpse of their private lives too during a visit to

across the river to Manhattan. I went into the hallowed corridors of Grand Central Station with

the tenements down on Orchard Street. Behind

a historian well versed in the legends and lore of this venerable train

the closed doors families of five, ten and often

depot, learning the back stories and bickering that went on behind the

more lived in a cramped two-room apartment,

scenes as commuters rushed to and fro. I have waited under that clock

chamber pots at the ready when the out houses

in the middle of the station many times over the years, not realizing that

were not accessible, as they eked out a life in the

it was worth many millions because of the four opal faces on the clock

early 1900s among equally hard-pressed over

which are perfectly aligned with the four compass points of the building

crowded neighbors in buildings riddled with

and hide a secret spiral stairway. Look up at the beautiful ceiling and

disease – and rats. The people who opened their

you just might notice that the constellation is backward; get a closer

doors to me were young role-playing actors who

look at the sculpted designs on the station’s walls and you’ll see lots of

didn’t break rank, accent, time period or char-

acorns, status symbols of the Vanderbilts who financed the construction

acter as I posed as an inquisitive reporter who

of the original station in 1871; have a drink in a hidden apartment-style

wanted to record their stories. The tenement

bar, authentically restored to showcase gilded age imbibing; peek in

building is now a must-see museum showcasing

at Track 61 to see the remnants of the secret train platform used by

authentic replicas of actual apartments from

an ailing FDR to go between the Waldorf Astoria and the station, and

different decades; each a telling visual set of

whisper your discoveries in the acoustical tunnel outside of the Oyster

the disparities between rich and poor, citizens

Bar before going in to sample their seafood!

and wannabes.

I learned the ins and outs of Rockefeller Center too, a place that

Roughly 40 percent of today’s American

evokes nostalgic memories of Christmas trees and ice skating, from

population had an ancestor walk through the

Daniel Okrent, whose knowledge of the buildings and their benefac-

immigration office at Ellis Island in New York City.

tors raised the bar in architectural and aristocratic insights, before I

Between the 1880s and the 1920s more than 12

took in panoramic views of the city from the Top of the Rock. It was

million European immigrants came through Ellis

even more memorable for me having had the opportunity to meet

Island, their pictures and names immortalized

Susan and David Rockefeller several times, even inside their New York

there still. I had never been to Ellis Island before

City pied-a-terre where they live the high life, and interview them for

this trip, and most definitely will not see it again

a Venü cover story!

the way Tauck showed it to me. Picture arriving there by boat like so many first timers did before, except imagine a private ferry Rockefeller Center

boat for your fellow travelers only, passing by a glowing Statue of Liberty on your way there, for an exclusive evening with no outsiders allowed. All lit up awaiting your arrival, Ellis Island is a sight to behold, but look closer and see a gauntlet of park officials flanking the walkway as you are personally welcomed ashore for time to view the exhibits and facilities at your leisure, followed by a gala cocktail reception with dinner, dancing and big band music, in halls once filled with the tired, the hungry, the poor. Not exactly the welcome that millions of hopeful immigrants experienced, but one they may have envisioned nonetheless. ¨

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

TRAVEL:

New York: Part 2

Fall Biking Photo by Michael Bloom

THE HUDSON R I V E R

V A L L E Y

The Hudson Valley is peppered with sleepy towns simultaneously eager and fearful of being discovered by New Yorkers. While it is true that the Catskills is becoming evermore frequented by city dwellers looking for a more tranquil second residence, the surprise to all (NYC inhabitants included) is they come for the weekend and end up staying permanently. The trips to Brooklyn become more occasional, as the calmer, organic sensibility of the Valley takes hold. CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

TRAVEL:

New York: Part 2

ne city in particular is experiencing a rebirth no one believed

the country and organic farmer’s markets. Beacon,

possible. Kingston, the original capital of New York State left an

most known for the modern museum Dia Beacon,

indelible mark on the nation. While more recently known as the

also offers opportunities for those seeking adven-

forgotten former home of a major electronics conglomerate,

ture outdoors.

Mount Beacon is a formidable

the city is making a comeback. Coldwell Banker reported back in 2016

challenge, with the scenic reward of structural ruins

a 13% rise in the average sales price, while concurrently experiencing a

and mountainous expanses to behold at the top.

10% decrease in inventory. The real estate analytics have only become more impressive over the past two years.

While towns such as New Paltz and Beacon offer the more classic Hudson Valley experience,

The Millennial generation is undeniably coming up in droves, but

Kingston embraces its avant-garde edge. Business

those of an older demographic are right on their heels. What is making

owners are willing to take big risks for big rewards.

this resurgence so spectacular is that for the first time, in a long time,

Travelers reap the benefits of these creative

multigenerational communities are bonding and taking shape. Age is

endeavors. Locales such as Rough Draft exemplify

less of a construct, with drive, passion, and creativity being the more

this notion. A bookstore, café & bar hosting weekly

pressing requirements.

events for a diverse crowd.

New inhabitants are immersing themselves in the community. There is such tremendous opportunity and room for new ideas the possibilities are limitless. Trailblazer, Tamara Ehlin, the welcoming innkeeper of The Forsyth Bed & Breakfast has seen this occur quite often, as visitors become residents. Guests come to spend the weekend at her B&B in Kingston, looking forward to fresh Mid Century styling within a storied 1800’s home. They fall in love with the Casper mattresses and luxurious baths. By the end of the scrumptious three-course breakfast, they are ready to make the move. Ehlin has won countless awards since opening her doors two short years ago, with the #1 Trip Advisor rating for accommodations in Kingston as a noteworthy accolade. Kingston is a strikingly enigmatic city in its juxtaposition of grittiness and deep aspirations to evolve. Surrounding areas like New Paltz offer

“ SURROUNDING AREAS LIKE NEW PALTZ OFFER MORE OF A NATURAL SYMMETRY, BOASTING SOME OF THE BEST BIKE TRAILS IN THE COUNTRY AND ORGANIC FARMER’S MARKETS.”

more of a natural symmetry, boasting some of the best bike trails in

Wedding photo in barn Lawrence Braun of Meadowlark Stills

Butterfly painting Louise McNaught, Nantucket Blu Gallery

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

he Arts & Design scene is booming in the

impressive restaurants, featuring innovative cuisine. On the CIA’s

Hudson Valley. Kingston Consignments,

website they have listings of alumni who have opened top-notch

newly opened at the end of 2017, a two-

restaurants in the region.

story shop in the center of Uptown has

If looking for a meal that is more classically American without fore-

quickly become the mecca of vintage. Co-owned

going atmosphere, the Hoffman House is quintessential for the idyllic

and operated by Craig McElroy & Eric Savolainen,

blend between Old World charm and nouveau American cuisine. As

the duo has selected the most discerning vintage

the “leaf peeper” season sets in, Hoffman House offers a sprawling

dealers to showcase their wares. Since the doors

fireplace from the 1700’s. Stop in to learn about the full story of how

opened less than a year ago, the shop has been

the city joined together to rebuild this historic landmark.

packed with visitors from all over the Northeast.

Featuring sought after collectibles like West German art pottery and Mid Century furniture the

Fall Walkway Photo by Michael Bloom

weekend in the Valley is not complete without apple picking. While the Hudson Valley is replete with u-pick apple trees, Philip Orchards in Claverack offers the most authentic experience.

Upon entrance, a delightfully

photogenic barn greets you. Unlike many orchards growing only a few varieties, Philip Orchards has expansive acreage sectioned with every apple imaginable. The orchard even posts a seasonal schedule on their website, detailing which week is ideal for picking each type of apple. With this influx of New Yorkers, so too has come the trend of Hudson Valley destination weddings. The newest player in the game caters specifically to the discerning set. With amenities abound, Estate Seventeen in Kingston is set to be the premier wedding & event venue for bespoke experiences. The four-story, seven bedroom mansion & two-tiered carriage house with stage becomes the betrothed couple’s for the weekend. The kitchen is a caterer’s dream, featuring the most innovative component for any chef - The Galley workstation. The multiple workstations located in both the kitchen and terrace bar convert from sink to cutting board to prep station, offering all the essentials for event chefs, mixologists, and florists alike.

most educated collector will find unparalleled

Inside, the gallery-like walls are that of an art lover’s dream, displaying the work of established and emerging artists alike, thoughtfully curated

discoveries. The Woodstock Film Festival has taken hold

by Nantucket Blu Contemporary Art Gallery. The interior is refreshingly

as a must-attend event. Attracting mega-talents

modern, showcasing a marriage of antique and contemporary pieces,

like Alec Baldwin, Uma Thurman, and Paul Rudd,

sourced through the Manhattan & Kingston-based design firm, Autumn

the Festival is now established as an important

Elise Vintage.

venue for independent films. The Festival has also

While prospective guests & curious onlookers will gain a sneak peek

helped to cement the Hudson Valley as a rapidly

at the upcoming Design Show House, Estate Seventeen is now accept-

developing film center. Directors, producers and

ing reservations for the 2020 season. Only four wedding bookings are

set designers frequently come to the area searching

accepted for the entire year. The proprietors embrace the exclusivity

for locations and props. Two major films have been

without concern for its impact on revenue.

shot in Kingston within the last year alone.

“My partner and I rebuilt this mansion with our own hands, pouring

The Culinary Institute of America is firmly

our hearts & souls into its restoration. Each wedding deserves that same

established in the Hudson River Valley, breeding

level of thoughtfulness and attention to detail.” So with these words,

talent that often takes root in the surround-

the attitude of Kingston is encapsulated, a commitment to growing

ing areas.

new ideas and with it a meaningful environment. ¨

There is an unrivaled amount of

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

1 2

SLEEP: The New Spa Experience Whoever would have ‘dreamed’ that sleep would become the new prescription at spas around the globe. Written by Judy Chapman

SLEEP IS NOW CONSIDERED as important as diet and exercise; as well as the key to a healthy immune system and aging well. However, many of us are not getting enough of it. With longer working hours, higher stress, and digital stimulation, a good sleep is something some of us can only dream about. According to the American Sleep Association (ASA), at least half of Americans are not getting enough quality sleep. This is said to affect productivity at work, safety and adds to health issues like heart disease, blood pressure, obesity and diabetes. In addition, the ASA stated over 40 million Americans experience sleep disorders; over 25 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea. However, it’s important to note that it’s not always about the number of hours we sleep but the quality of our sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, adults aged 26 to 64 need seven to nine hours of deep sleep to function at their optimum. They also report a 20 to 30-minute nap can improve performance, focus and mood. 64

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

WELL-BEING

4 1. Kamalaya, Koh Samui, Thailand 2. REVÍVÕ Resorts, Bali 3. Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat, Meditation Suites 4. Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat, Spa Sanctuary 3

Sleep Treatments & Vacations REVÍVÕ Resorts, Bali • Sleep

Well Retreat

Launched in March this year, the purpose of Sleep Well is to create an environment where guests can relearn how to sleep well again. “Sleep is one of the most important activities we do each day,” said Wellness Director, Kathy Cook. The good news: there’s an increasing

She says the key is to create a discipline

and master of Traditional Chinese Medicine

choice of holistic and natural solutions to

around eating, going to bed as well as dis-

(TCM), says the program’s intention is to

help us sleep better.

connecting from the digital devices. While

help people establish healthy sleep through

Sleep programs at leading spas and

each program is customized to a client’s

naturopathy, TCM, and massage and mind-

resorts, some with on-site sleep ambassa-

needs, those on the Sleep Well retreat are

body balance.

dors, diagnose and treat through insomniac

more likely to be prescribed acupuncture,

“If we are still are awake beyond 10 p.m.,

programs, treatments, and retreats.

hammock yoga and warm herbal teas, rather

the body reads this as a stressful situation

than vigorous work-outs and raw juices.

and our adrenals kick in and release cortisol

One such hotel, The Benjamin Hotel in New York, developed the Rest & Renew

“Guests books in for Sleep Well are

program through sleep medicine expert Dr.

usually young people who work late hours

“Of course, we do not expect to cure

Rebecca Robbins. Rooms feature blackout

or over 40-year-olds going through a stressful

sleep issues within one week,” she adds, “but

curtains, noise machines, sleep masks, ear

time,” said Cook.

rather we focus on a sustainable approach

that keep us awake,” says Stewart.

and giving people tools and tips they can

plugs, a work-down call (instead of a wake-up

incorporate into their daily lives.”

call) where they advise when to power down

Kamalaya, Koh Samui, Thailand

your devices, in-room pampering, on-demand

• Sleep

meditation, and a 24/7 on-site sleep team.

This program is typically booked by those

Gwingana Lifestyle Retreat, Australia

Enhancement Wellness Program

Likewise, at the hip New York Yelo Spa,

who have had sleep issues for years or have

• Triple

snooze inside one of their Yelow Cabs

recently developed sleep imbalances. It

This four-night retreat includes a consultation,

- secluded cabins where you are covered

includes a lifestyle consultation followed by

daily wellness seminars, organic meals and

in a soft, cashmere blanket and customized

treatments and nutritional prescriptions to

mindful spa therapies.

color, aromatherapy and lighting are tailor-

assist in alleviating symptoms of insomnia,

“This program is designed to show guests

made to relax and suit your mood.

fatigue, nervousness, anxiety and mood

how the cycle of tiredness, sugary snacks

disorders.

and high stress levels, including digital and

The following are sleep experiences to help break the cycle of bad sleep habits:

Karina Stewart, Kamalaya co-founder

S – Sleep, Sugar and Stress Retreat

caffeine addiction contribute to insomnia,” CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

WELL-BEING

temperature, sleep-enhancing amenities, melatonin-enhancing lighting, organic bedding and optional breath-easy humidifier.” Six Senses sleep programs are available at several properties around the world. Sha Wellness Clinic, Spain • Sleep

Recovery Program

Set in the foothills of the Sierra Helada mountains and the Mediterranean coast in says Sharon Kolkka, general manager and

Spain, SHA is known for its high-level med-

The target market is reportedly not only

wellness director, who created the program

ical wellness including their Sleep Recovery

Wall Street’s sleep-deprived but will also

after noticing how many guests were suffer-

Program. Based on the belief sleep disorders

appeal to stressed out or jet lagged souls

ing chronic sleep issues.

can lead to the onset of heart disease and

who need downtime.

Set on almost 500 acres of pristine bush, Gwinganna offers year-round health retreats with Triple S reportedly one of the most popular—especially with men.

other diseases, the goal is to find the cause and retrain one how to sleep well again. Facilitated by doctors and naturopaths,

your regular wellness routines — similar to

it consists of science-backed medical and

how many people prioritize a workout class,”

naturopathic examinations, lab tests, and a

said Co-Founder Neil Parikh.

Six Senses, Worldwide

polygraph that tracks how client’s sleep at

• Sleep

night. The minimum stay at SHA is seven

Programs

The Six Senses team and the brand’s yoga

“The Dreamery is an oasis in the city that is all about making sleep and rest a part of

Sleep Treatmeants

nights, although 14 is recommended.

master, Dorelal Singh, developed a Yogic Sleep Retreat based on yoga nidra, also known as yogic sleep or sleep with awareness.

Sleep Hotels & Treatments

“Six Senses have also collaborated with

Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo •

Sleep Support Therapy

Devised by Australian brand, Subtle Energies,

sleep Dr. Michael J Breus to develop a Sleep

The Dreamery, New York

this 105-minute therapy was launched last year

with Six Senses initiative,” reports Anna

• Sleep

to remedy the rise of sleep deprived guests.

Bjurstam, vice president spa and wellness.

In the city that never sleeps, pop into the

The treatment goes beyond the typical

“This sleep upgrade begins with a consulta-

Dreamery in SOHO for a $25 45-minute nap

massage and is an interactive experience

tion with a wellness expert who analyzes the

to help you unwind and recharge. Conceived

with a guided meditation, full body mas-

data from your sleep tracker and curates your

by bedding company Casper, The Dreamery

sage, and facial marma massage to activate

bespoke program of treatments, meals and

features nine luxury private pods fitted out

the pineal gland—thought to regulate our

activities. A Sleep Ambassador is assigned

with mattress, pillows and sheets, cozy sleep-

circadian cycles. A mini-nasya, a traditional

to fine-tune your villa with optimal room

wear and amenities.

ayurvedic remedy used to treat anxiety and

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

Pod

BOX OUT

5. The Dreamery Sleep Pod 6. The Dreamery entrance 7. Four Seasons Sacred nap

Do's and Don'ts of sleep-words of wisdom from Sleep Doctor, Dr. Kenny Pang.

8. SLEEEP capsule

DO: • Go to bed at the same time each day. 8

SLEEEP, Hong Hong •

Sleeep Capsule Hotel Over a thousand people have reportedly

slept at this designer’s capsule hotel that opened last December in central Sheung Wan. Marketed to both young travelers and locals, you pay by the hour or sleep overnight. The cocoon-like ‘SLPer’ features soft organic bedding, black-out curtains, fresh air supply and, if asked for it, a sunrise alarm can sleep disorders, is also administered. The

awaken guests.

ritual concludes with a savasana, a yoga nidra

“We opened SLEEEP to promote the

to show guests first-hand how meditation

importance of sleeping and benefits of

can quieten a busy mind.

napping,” said Co-Founder Alex Kot. “While

“We developed this treatment to take

we cannot guarantee quality sleep for every

guests into that deep level of rest, relax and

single guest, we have users who say they

repair,” said Khursheed Irani, global training

sleep better than at home, and others who

and development director for Subtle Energies.

have gotten a rare deep sleep despite their

• Get up from bed at the same time each day. • Get regular exercise each day, preferably in the morning. There is good evidence that regular exercise improves restful sleep. This includes stretching and aerobic exercise. • Get regular exposure to outdoor or bright lights, especially in the late afternoon. • Keep the temperature in your bedroom comfortable. • Keep the bedroom quiet when sleeping. • Keep the bedroom dark enough to facilitate sleep. • Use your bed only for sleep and sex. • Use a relaxation exercise before going to sleep. Muscle relaxation, imagery, massage, warm bath, etc. • Keep your feet and hands warm. Wear warm socks and/or mittens or gloves to bed.

insomnia.” ¨ Four Seasons Sayan, Bali •

DON’T:

Sacred Nap

• Exercise before going to bed.

Offered at the open-air Dharma Shanti yoga bale, the 60-minute Sacred Nap is reportedly one of the most sought-after experiences at this healing spa. Curated by Ibu Fera, the hotel’s resident wellness mentor, who got the inspiration from rocking her own baby to sleep. Quite simply, guests float in a silk hammock suspended from the ceiling as she recounts the life story of Buddha. “The unique sensation of gently swaying without gravity is like returning to the womb, reigniting the memory of sleeping peacefully,” said Fera. “Many guests report it’s the best sleep they’ve had in years.”

About the author: Judy Chapman is the author of four books on spas and the former Editor-in-Chief of Spa Asia magazine. Over the past twenty years, Judy has created award winning spas, wellness retreats, and products for luxury brands in Australia, Bali, Germany, India, Maldives, Middle East, Myanmar, Singapore and New York. With a relentless pursuit of unique and original experiences, her curiosity has led Judy to explore the Himalayas, spending time with Tibetan doctors to onsen bathing in Japan and Ayurvedic retreats in India. She has created over 200 skincare, tea, and candle collections for luxury brands around the world. Judy is also the Editor of ‘The Chapman Guides, a curation of wellness retreats and destinations. www.thechapmanguides.com

• Engage in stimulating activity before bed, such as playing a competitive game, watching an exciting program or movie, or having an important discussion with a loved one. • Have caffeine in the evening (coffee, many teas, chocolate, sodas, etc.) • Read or watch television in bed. • Use alcohol to help you sleep. • Go to bed too hungry or too full. • Take daytime naps • Command yourself to go to sleep. This only makes your mind and body more alert. CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

MOTORING

The Perfect Pairing The Most Exclusive Event for Vintage Cars Pairs Up with 12 World Renowned Art Galleries in the 3rd Annual Edition of The Bridge Photography by Robin Trajano

THE THIRD ANNUAL EDITION OF THE

manual winding movement that reinterprets

Motorcycles; Karma Automotive’s new spe-

BRIDGE returned on Saturday, September

the art and methods of watch design. Also

cial edition, hand-painted James Verbicky

15, 2018, to unite cars and contemporary

displayed were several of their newest time-

Art Car; Rolls Royce’s new Cullinan (their

art on the grounds of The Bridge, the con-

pieces, including the RM 25-01 Tourbillion

first SUV); Bugatti’s fastest and most powerful

temporary golf club built on the site of the

Adventure Sylvester Stallone watch, one of

super sports car, the Chiron; and Terrafugia’s

historic Bridgehampton Race Circuit. The

only 25 produced, with two interchangeable

new Transition prototype - the world’s first

invite-only event this year increased its car

bezels and a high-caliber compass.

practical flying car. Guests at the exclusive

exhibition from 100 to 164 rare and magnif-

Other activations on-site included Net-

event enjoyed a sunny afternoon sipping

icent automobiles, alongside an expanded

Jets, exhibiting a full-size mock-up of their

fine wines selected by prestige wine &

contemporary art fair featuring 12 of the

popular Bombardier Challenger 350; Riva

spirits retailer Sherry-Lehmann and enjoying

world’s most renowned art galleries.

showcasing an Olympic 1973 motorboat

gourmet bites from Smorgasburg.

Luxury Brands and automakers alike

alongside a dedicated Riva Lounge; and Bell

The September Art Fair at The Bridge

utilized this unique opportunity for special

Helicopter and their Bell 505 Jet Ranger X

expanded its presence in its second year,

presentations to this carefully curated

greeting guests upon arrival. Additional exhi-

including twelve globally recognized con-

audience through a variety of installations,

bitions included: Five hand-crafted hypercars

temporary galleries, doubling the size of its

product debuts and displays. Presenting

(four limited-production Huayras and one

inaugural edition. The art fair component

sponsor for the second year in a row, Swiss

Zonda) by Pagani; a 600LT by McLaren

was organized by Suzanne Butler (CANADA),

watch manufacturer Richard Mille debuted

Special Operations; Berluti, showcasing

Max Levai and Pascal Spengemann (Marl-

a never-before-seen limited edition watch

their off-the-road collection and showing in

borough Contemporary) and was presented

available exclusively for the Americas; the

exclusivity their one-off motorcycle created

within Lars Fisk-designed doublewide ship-

innovative RM 12-01 Tourbillion, featuring a

in collaboration with Mecatwin and Triumph

ping containers. It featured select works

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

from 303 Gallery, CANADA, Andrew Edlin Gallery, Reyes Projects, Karma, Perrotin, Andrew Kreps Gallery, Marlborough Contemporary, Morán Morán, Vito Schnabel, Sies + Höke, and David Zwirner Gallery. Welcoming guests at the fair was Peter Coffin’s DeLorean, situated on the sand dunes and plastered in cut-out quotes and bumper stickers; an outdoor larger-than-life Tony Matelli bronze Hera sculpture overlooked cars on the greens; and Vito Schnabel gallery presented Building #3, a habitable sculpture by Tom Sachs with luxury details. Attendees at Saturday’s event included: David Muir, Steve Madden, Kelly Rutherford,

cars including a 1960 Lancia Flaminia SZ,

Lyor Cohen, Vito Schnabel, Tracy Mait-

multiple Air Cooled Porsches highlighted by

land, Howard M. Lorber, Alexandre Mille,

a 1964 356C Cabriolet, and a 1963 Chevrolet

Christopher Pagani, Frank Cooper, Roger

Corvette Pininfarina Rondine Concept.

and Wendy Ferris, Joey Wolffer, Lars Fisk,

The event was a collaboration between

Zuzanna Buchwald, Polina Proshkina, Nacho

Robert Rubin, who has owned the race

Ramos and Whitney Fairchild, Stuart Parr, Xin

circuit since 1981 and founded The Bridge

Li, Michael and Elizabeth Borrico, and Silke

golf club in 2002, and the event’s organizers:

and Savas Tsititridis.

Shamin Abas, President of Shamin Abas

Notable cars from this year’s event

Ultra-Luxury Brand Marketing & Business

included a 1957 Maserati 300S XKSS, one of

Development; and Jeffrey Einhorn, a Man-

26 examples built and raced at LeMans, a

hattan-based attorney. ¨

1952 Chrysler SWB Ghia Prototype Coupe exhibited at the Paris Auto Show in 1953

Presenting sponsor for the event was

which remains the sole vehicle of its design,

Richard Mille. Other partners include: Bell,

a 1965 Shelby GT350 R originally raced

NetJets, McLaren, Pagani Worldwide LLC,

by famed American drive Mark Donahue,

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Karma Automo-

known as “Captain Nice” at The Bridge,

tive, Bugatti, Berluti, Riva, Douglas Elliman

and a 1954 Aston Martin DB2/$ Drophead

Real Estate, Bonhams, Burgess, Terrafugia,

Coupe by Graber. In addition, the line-up

FIJI Water, Uovo, Sherry-Lehmann and

included a smattering of European sports

Nicholas Brawer. CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

PULSE:

Art

KOBI KARP AND ROMERO BRITTO Miami’s Art and Architecture Pioneers Written by Susana Baker • Photography by Armando Colls

From the vibrant, bold neon lights that dress the Art Deco buildings of

An example of such rests in the recently

South Beach to the towering structures of downtown, Miami prides

unveiled Museum Garage—gravity-defying

itself on the architecture and public art that visitors can find through-

parking structures that add to the beauty

out its distinct neighborhoods.

instead of cutting into it. The structure is

The once-forgotten area of Wynwood—previously known only as

an 800-car parking garage designed by a

a humble warehouse district—was recently named by TripAdvisor as

curator who designated four renowned

the trendiest neighborhood in the country; boasting an ever-changing

archectrual firms and two famous artists, in

outdoor street art museum featuring some of the most significant street artists in the world. Just north of its unique collection of murals and graffiti lies a striking example of state-of-the-art urban design: The Design District. Here, art integrates with incredible architecture created by globally renowned artists and architects.

a collaboration where art and architecture Below: Girl Gone Shopping by Britto, building by Kobi Karp, Los Suenos

promise to stupefy you!

Opposite Page: Kobi and Romero together, Britto Studios, Wynwood

talented individuals who, came to the

The world’s recognition of Miami’s art and architecture are accredited to two city in the late 1980’s, at the height of Miami’s notoriety as a hotbed for crime. Their collaborative works took notice, and soon “Paradise Lost” of Miami (As Time magazine said of Miami’s infamous Cocaine Cowboys and Mariel Boatlift) went back to becoming the beautiful metropolis known and loved today. Beginning with South Beach’s fantasyland architecture of candy-colored buildings adorned in neon, developers were soon re-investing in the new American Rivera, and the man that everyone soon went to was Kobi Karp, Miami’s renowned architect. As he developed the plans, he included a young aspiring artist, Romero Britto. His inspiration was the unique colors of Miami Beach and city, big blue skies, turquoise waters, bright red-orange sunsets, and pale white sands. He translated the tropical climate and beauty of Miami into his art using vibrant colors and eye-catching patterns.

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

Originally from Israel, Karp moved with his family to Minneapolis as a child and attended the University of Minnesota’s Institute of Technology, where he earned degrees in architecture and environmental design. In 1995, he founded the Firm with over 80 architects, interior designers that, as a team, have had developers spend in access of 50 billion. For more information go to www.kobikarp.com

Born in Recife, Northeast side of Brazil, Britto lived an extremely modest childhood while growing up among a big family of eight brothers and sisters. However, Britto’s innate creativity allowed him to fill his life with images of a bigger and more beautiful world beyond his own. Self-taught at an early age, he painted what he saw and what he imagined on surfaces such as newspapers, cardboard or any scraps that he could find. Arriving to Miami in 1989, Britto’s first major project was being commissioned by Absolut Vodka, soon the world took notice and the rest is history. For more information go to www.britto.com

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

PULSE:

Art

Karp’s inspiration was the same iconic MIMO imagery that can only be found in Miami and Miami Beach. There is nowhere else in the United States where one finds subtropical weather, bright pastel colors and an influx of languages and immigrants, that contribute with the colors and flavors to the uniqueness of these two cities. In Miami, there’s no passport needed to absorb the magical and colorful landscape! The team of Karp and Britto flourished throughout the 1990’s, and by the 21st century there was not a neighborhood one drove through without encountering Britto’s art or a Karp structure. Among the most famous and memorable combination of both minds, a Karp and Britto building that still stands today is an example of this exciting time of revival. One of Karp and Britto’s first collaboration was Los Suenos, an affordable housing high-rise community consisting of 170 units. Conveniently located between I-95 and midtown Miami, Los Suenos was built in 2003. It served as the gateway to the cities of Miami

The friendship made two decades ago continues today in a brotherhood of admiration and respect.

and Miami Beach, but with the gentrification of the neighborhood, it now serves as the gateway to both the Design District and Wynwood Arts District. Karp wanted art in his buildings that jumped out to the community, not sedentary in the lobbies or entrances of the structures. Britto did just that when he created a breathtaking four-story sculpture “Girl Gone Shopping”, adorned on the façade of Los Suenos, and to this day still stands as a visual icon for Miami. I asked Britto on a visit to the photo shoot with Karp, “When Kobi asked you to create an amazing work of art for Section 8 housing in a blue-collar neighborhood, did 72 72

CONTEMPORARY CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE CULTURE//MAGAZINE

you hesitate?” At the time, Kobi was envisioning this new idea, and Britto was being commissioned by the rich and famous—he would’ve continued fine without undertaking this iconic project. Britto answered, “Not for a second. I’d rather walk in the dark with a friend, than alone in the light.” The friendship made two decades ago continues today in a brotherhood of admiration and respect. There are rumors of a new collaboration between Karp and Britto. Karp is the architect of the newest massive mix of residential, office, and commercial retail structure, Wynwood 25, which takes up an entire city block. Entering Wynwood, one cannot miss the large construction site, as Wynwood 25 hovers over the most famous cultural destination in Miami, the Wynwood Art District, directly in front of the famous Wynwood Walls. Rumor has it Britto may be creating the most phenomenal work of art yet for another signature Karp design. We anxiously await to see what happens, but you didn’t hear it from me! ¨

Above: Kobi at Wynwood Walls and in the background is Wynwood 25. The first major mix use office, commercial & residential project Opposite Page: Kobi and Romero

About the author: Susana Baker is an award-winning Tourator (historian tour guide/ art curator). Creative Founder of The Art Experience, the number one company in South Florida to privately curate group or individuals through Miami’s Art Districts. Winning the distinguished “Certificate of Excellence for 2015” by TripAdvisor. For a private curated tour of the Design District, Wynwood, Little Havana or South Beach go to www.theartexperiences.com or for Art Basel go to www.artbaseltours.com or call 305-767-5000. Listen to ARTtalk by Susana Baker on national radio, 880 AM or listen live at www.880thebiz.com, “Miami’s only radio show that brings the best from the red carpet to the canvas!” Contact: Colls Fine Art Photography, Armando Colls 305-903-7786, www.CollsFineArtPhotography.com

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

PULSE:

Stage

I’VE HEARD THAT SONG BEFORE From Jukebox Hit to Box Office Smash By William Squier

Photo by Matthew Murphy

Photo by Joan Marcus

Fans of the jukebox musical will have a wealth of Broadway shows to

For those unfamiliar with the term, a “jukebox musical” is one that

choose from this season. The Tony-honored Beautiful: The Carole

features a score that has been drawn from the song catalogue of a par-

King Musical is headed into its fifth year at the Stephen Sondheim

ticular singer, musical group or genre and placed in a dramatic context.

Theatre. It will be joined on “The Great White Way” by a pair of new-

The shows tend to fall into one of four categories: (1.) biographical

comers that also tell the backstage story of a pop music legend. The

musicals that trace the ups and downs of a performing career; (2.)

first is Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, which has already spent

made-up musicals that use existing tunes to tell an original, fictional

the warm weather months luring audiences into the Lunt-Fontanne

story; (3.) mix-tape musicals that combine Top 40 tunes, from a variety

Theatre. And, just in time for the holidays The Cher Show, will round

of artists, to create a new score; and (4.) straight-from-the-disc musicals

out the trio in December.

that bring beloved albums to life onstage. All of the above differ from

Also in the mix are Head Over Heels, a musical comedy that boasts

revues, which simply collect the music of a particular composer or

both a string of hits recorded by Eighties’ sensation, The Go-Go’s,

composing team, but have no plot.

and stars the first transgender woman to originate a principal role on

But, a musical that has a score comprised of melodies that audiences

Broadway. Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations is

can walk into the theater humming isn’t guaranteed to be a hit. For

scheduled to arrive in New York in the spring. A lavish stage adapta-

every Jersey Boys (The Four Seasons), there’s a Lennon (John Lennon)

tion of Baz Luhrmann’s Oscar-wining film Moulin Rouge! is planning to

or a Ring of Fire (Johnny Cash). For every Mamma Mia!, there’s a Good

hit the city early next summer. And another screen-to-stage transfer,

Vibrations (Beach Boys) or last season’s Escape to Margaritaville (Jimmy

The Bodyguard, is waiting in the wings.

Buffett). And for every Rock of Ages (80’s rock), there’s a Disaster! (disco)

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

to success; next, the artist or artists experience some kind of major setback; which they ultimately overcome by the finale; and along the way we hear the songs they made popular. But, the most successful jukebox musicals have found a way to take this basic outline and shake it up. Jersey Boys tells the tale of the Four Seasons by giving each of the band members a chance to tell his side of their story. Beautiful contrasts Carole King’s early life with that of rival songwriters Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, which allows for their songs to be incorporated into the score. Both Summer: The Donna Summer Musical and The Cher Show are counting on the same dramatic conceit to freshen their respective dreamer-to-diva tales: in each of the musicals they are played by three actresses who portray them at different ages (a ploy pioneered by the Tony Award winning Best Musical Fun Home). So, songs that were originally solos can become duets or trios. But, you have to credit Bruce Springsteen for coming up with the ultimate spin in Springsteen on Broadway. An evening of his songs was woven into the text of his Photo by Joan Marcus

Clockwise: Danny Burstein in Moulin Rouge!; Ariana DeBose in Summer; Bonnie Milligan and Company in Head Over Heels

autobiography, Born to Run, and performed as a one-man show by the Boss himself! Creating a fictional story for your jukebox musical offers you far more freedom when it comes to the placement of the songs. But, you might be wise to draw inspiration for your plot from existing material. The

or a Baby, It’s You! (girl groups) – flops whose failure can’t be blamed

international smash, Mamma Mia!, owes a debt to the Sixties comedy

on their chart-topping tune stacks. No, the fault pretty often lies with

Buona Sera, Mrs. Cambell, in which the daughter of a single-mother

the dialogue scenes that tie the whole thing together.

learns that she has three potential fathers (also the source of the unsuc-

You set yourself some pretty high hurdles to clear when you sit down

cessful Alan Jay Learner musical Carmelina). The 2005 jukebox musical

to write a jukebox musical. The supreme challenge is, of course, to find

All Shook Up dropped songs popularized by Elvis Presley into a plot

a way to integrate the songs into the musical’s storytelling. So, you

lifted from William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and retooled to look

need to invent a plot with a believable beginning, middle and end that

like one of The King’s hokey Hollywood films.

somehow also manages to motivate the use of the most popular tunes

This season’s entry into the made-up musical category is Head

in the catalogue. The ultimate goal of a jukebox musical is to make the

Over Heels. In the show, the Elizabethan prose poem, “The Arcadia,”

songs in the score appear to be doing a lot more than they were orig-

is given a gender-fluid retelling that makes no attempt to rectify the

inally intended to do! And that usually involves reverse engineering.

story’s 16th-century setting with its 20th-century sound. Hot on it’s heels,

Rock and roll or pop songs typically “celebrate the moment.” It

Moulin Rouge! will attempt to fuse the made-up and mix-tape genres

isn’t always necessary to understand every single word of their lyrics to

by expanding the tune-stack from the Oscar-winning Best Picture, with

enjoy the song as a recording, on the radio or in concert, so long as you

songs that have been written since it premiered in 2001. On the basis of

get a general sense of what it’s all about. The songs are only required

its tryout run in Boston, the musical promises to also by an eye-popping

to move, at most, from Point A to Point B. (“Does he love me? I want

visual treat.

to know….If you want to know / If he loves you so / It’s in his kiss.”)

As of this writing, the only Broadway hopeful from the straight-from-

But, theater songs often pick up where the dialogue leaves off and,

the-disc category is Jagged Little Pill, based on Alanis Morissett’s 1995

as such, ideally move from Point A to Points C, D, E, and beyond! So,

album, which the New York Times has already claimed “breaks the

every syllable of the lyric becomes much more important and needs

jukebox musical mold.” The show debuted last season at the Amer-

to sound plausible coming out of the mouths of the show’s characters.

ican Repertory Theater in Cambridge, MA, and has yet to announce

The most obvious solution to the problem of integrating existing

a Broadway transfer. But, armed with a slew of critical praise, it might

songs into a stage show is to write a biographical musical. The dra-

just become the next jukebox musical to make New York theatergoers

matic formula for this kind of work is pretty standard: we see the rise

say, “I’ve heard that song before!” ¨ CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

FILM + ENTERTAINMENT

Fox on Film by PETER FOX: about.me/foxonfilm

Rupert Everett as Oscar Wilde

The Happy Prince Written and Directed by Rupert Everett Starring Rupert Everett with Colin Firth, Colin Morgan, Edwin Thomas and Emily Watson Opens 10/10/18 (NY/LA) Running Time: 104 minutes Rated R A Sony Classics Pictures Release

n a cheap Parisian hotel room, Oscar Wilde lies on his deathbed and the past floods back, transporting him to other times and places. Was he once the most famous man in London? The artist crucified by a society that once worshiped him? The lover imprisoned and freed, yet still running towards ruin in the final chapter of his life? Under the microscope of death, he reviews the failed attempt to

reconcile with his long-suffering wife Constance, the ensuing reprisal of his fatal love affair with Lord Alfred Douglas and the warmth and devotion of Robbie Ross who tried and failed to save him from himself. From Dieppe to Naples to Paris, freedom is elusive, and Oscar is a penniless vagabond, always moving on, shunned by his old acquaintances, but revered by a strange group of outlaws and urchins

to whom he tells the old stories - his incomparable wit still sharp. In a cheap Parisian hotel room, Oscar Wilde lies on his deathbed and the past floods back, transporting him to other times and places. Was he once the most famous man in London? The artist crucified by a society that once worshiped him? The lover imprisoned and freed, yet still running towards ruin in the final chapter of his life? Under the microscope of death, he reviews the failed attempt to reconcile with his long-suffering wife Constance, the ensuing reprisal of his fatal love affair with Lord Alfred Douglas and the warmth and devotion of Robbie Ross who tried and failed to save him from himself. From Dieppe to Naples to Paris, freedom is elusive, and Oscar is a penniless vagabond, always moving on, shunned by his old acquaintances, but revered by a strange group of outlaws and urchins to whom he tells the old stories - his incomparable wit still sharp. “The Happy Prince” is a portrait of the dark side of a genius who lived and died for love in the last days of the nineteenth century. Having grown weary from years of infrequent work as an actor, Rupert Everett began to write the screenplay that would become “The Happy Prince” with the goal of

playing its lead character, Oscar Wilde, himself. Little did he know that his passion project would become a ten year odyssey before going into production. Triumphantly, Everett has created a masterpiece of a film in his long-awaited feature directorial debut. Said Everett: “My fascination with Oscar Wilde began when I was six years old and my mother read me ‘The Happy Prince’ at night in bed. I remember it very well. I was enraptured by the story and inconsolable at the end. Coming from a military family with a distinctly pre-Freudian worldview - it was probably the first time I heard about Love and suffering and that there was a terrible price to be paid for it. ‘The Happy Prince’ was a turning point. In 1975, I moved to London. It is difficult to imagine now but it had only been legal to be gay for seven years and the police – making the most of the ambiguity in the 1967 law – continued to raid and arrest people for homosexual acts in public and so there was a palpable feeling that we were stepping in Oscar’s freshly trodden footprints on those unlucky occasions when we were herded into paddy wagons and taken down to the police station for the night. Later I became an actor and performed in ‘The

Photography by Wilhelm Moser, Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics 76

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

Picture of Dorian Gray.’ It was a great success. When an actor discovers a writer who really works for him - that he can perform well and make his own - it is the beginning of a treasured relationship. Something between me and the text sparked. A few years later I performed ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ (in French) at the Theatre National de Chaillot in Paris and then made two films from Wilde plays – ‘An Ideal Husband’ and ‘The Importance of Being Earnest.’ At around this point my career dried up – literally evaporated overnight and I began to write. I decided to create a role for myself. If no one else would employ me, I would employ myself. Oscar Wilde seemed to be the ideal character. Not the Wilde of folklore, the iconic family man, the life and soul of the café royal but a different Wilde, the fallen star, the last great vagabond of the nineteenth century - punished and crushed by society, yet somehow surviving. I would write the ‘Passion of the Wilde!’ After I had been turned down by almost every director of note I decided to make the film myself. If I had been in possession of a crystal ball, I would not have embarked on such a journey. It took ten years to get to pre-production.” In 2009 producer Jörg Schulze read an interview which Rupert Everett had given to the German SPIEGEL in which Everett revealed that he was writing a script about the life of Oscar Wilde. Through a mutual acquaintance in

Berlin, Schulze established that the project was indeed serious; Everett had already finished the script and was looking for ways to put the production together. London would have been the logical starting point for a period film such as this, but it was proving impossible to finance the project from the UK alone, so Schulze offered to try to take it forward, enticed by what he thought to be “one of the best scripts he’d ever read.”

that the film’s strengths become evident. Everett doesn’t succumb to the temptation of exploring the many tributaries long associated with Wilde’s tragic death but keeps us close to him, all the way to his painful demise. Wilde resumes his relationship with the evil Bosie (Colin Morgan). Once Wilde’s ex-wife, Constance Mary Lloyd (Emily Watson) discovers this, she angrily cuts off his minimal allowance, and Wilde is left

Colin Morgan as Alfred Boise Douglas and Rupert Everett as Oscar Wilde

Everett’s directorial choices in “The Happy Prince” convey the years of preparation that went into the production. With a gentle hand, Everett utilizes flashbacks to contrast Wilde’s salad days before his arrival in France and juxtaposes these sequences with scenes that cover his horrific imprisonment and abuse at the hands of expatriate Englishmen. After Wilde regains his freedom, his downward spiral begins, and it is here

penniless. To make matters worse, he turns his back on his only real friends, Reggie Turner (Colin Firth) and Robbie Ross (Edwin Thomas). In a poignant moment, Wilde takes in two young Paris street toughs and, reaching down to the well, enchants the pair with his fairytale, “The Happy Prince.” The strength and beauty of “The Happy Prince” is Everett’s uncompromising and unflinching drive to explore the ugly truths of the final days of Wilde’s life. In

doing so, Everett manages to create memorable cinema. The agony of Wilde’s unmitigable downfall is etched in close-up and medium shots the lead character’s face, whose transformation is wonderfully evident throughout the film. We want its destination not to be so, but we know that it is, and we want to watch how it will end. That Everett plays the role of Wilde with such objectivity and sensitivity, while also directing, is a remarkable achievement. In a final wink and nod to the present-day audience, Wilde, in Paris with his friends, are cruelly chased down by a group of thugs. The group seeks safety by running into a church when Wilde finally confronts the toughs by yelling back: “The natural habitat of the hypocrite is England! Go there and leave me in peace!” Moreover, in the film’s final moments, we are with at Wilde’s deathbed; the years of torture and suffering evident on his face. Having made his case with every scene that has preceded the end, the verdict speaks for itself. Here is a portrait of a man, his life torn asunder by hypocrisy and heartless cruelty, and because of the masterful hand of Rupert Everett, we connect with Oscar Wilde, compassion and thoughtfulness ever-present; harsh judgment nowhere to be found. “The Happy Prince” is a beautiful film and a stunning directorial debut by Mr. Everett, who has set a very high bar for himself as a feature film director with this effort.

CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE

DECORATIVE ARTS

Early Fall and Summer Sales Highlights By Matthew Sturtevant

Bodhisattva, Bodhisattva!

The Campaign is On

Sotheby’s Asia Week sale series began with the bang of a hammer in New York, with nearly 200 works sold across two auctions of important Chinese works of art for an overall total of US$20.2 million The sale offered works spanning nearly 1,000 years of early Buddhist stone, lacquer and giltbronze sculptures dating from the Northern Wei to Ming dynasties, led by a Rare Painted Limestone Figure of a Standing Bodhisattva from the Tang dynasty that fetched $4.3 million – far surpassing its high estimate of $2.5 million. It is a classic example of China’s Buddhist stone carving from the High Tang period under Emperor Xuanzong (r. 713-755) – the period that saw perhaps the greatest flowering of China’s plastic arts.

A rare Polk & Dallas: Highly Significant Large 1844 Campaign Flag Banner sold for $81,250 to lead Heritage Auctions’ Americana & Political auction Aug. 25-26 in Dallas, Texas. Heritage Auctions Americana Auctions Director Tom Slater said. “The 1844 campaign flag and the watch from the Titanic are lots that tell important stories, and will be key pieces in their new owners’ collections.” Polk campaign items, especially display pieces, are rare, and the Polk & Dallas flag is one of the largest political flags ever made, measuring 49-1/2 by 30-1/2 inches, or 57 by 38 inches with the frame. This flag is one of perhaps six known. It formerly resided in the legendary U.I. “Chick” Harris Collection, and achieved the highest price of any object when that collection was sold in a series of eight auctions nearly 20 years ago. Intended for

African Art on the Rise Gerard Sekoto, the widely recognized pioneer for black South African modern art, led the success of the Bonham’s South African Art Sale today at New Bond Street London rooms. His top two works far exceeded their initial estimate. Portrait of a Man, achieved an impressive $400,000 against an estimate of $130,00195,000, while Three School Girls made $405,00 from an estimate of $160,000-240,00. Bonhams Director of the South African Sale, Giles Peppiatt commented, “The sale today demonstrates the continuous growth of popular 78 78

CONTEMPORARY CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE CULTURE//MAGAZINE

interest in South African art, with particular enthusiasm for artists such as Gerard Sekoto and William Kentridge.”

horizontal display, it still has the original fabric loops for suspension across the top, and fine stitching around the perimeter.

VENÜGRAM

“Shades of White” PHOTOGRAPHY BY JARED L. D’AURIA

Madison Country Club, Madison, CT 2018

Clouds, they make a painting out of the sky. – Marty Rubin –

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All information is from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, change of price, prior sale or withdrawal without notice. No representation or guaranty is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and other information should be re-confirmed by customer. All rights to content, photographs and graphics reserved to Broker.

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Articles inside

Kobi Karp and Romero Britto

The Perfect Pairing

Sleep: The New Spa Experience

The Hudson

A Gilded Look at Manhattan

The Man Behind the Faces

The Evolution of Spike Lee

Curiosity Without Bounds

Sails Restaurant

Food Innovation

The Golden Palate

Paper Trail

Healing After Tragedy

90 Artful Years