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You’re an art dealer, gallerist? Managed to summarize the 2020 art year in the end of December or just going to do that? Then you would be pleased to hear. According to the Artsy Gallery Insights 2021 Report, social media has become galleries third best sales channel, pushing art fairs to the sixth place. Actually, it’s a wonderful situation. Just in 2019 digital activities of the galleries like its website, online marketplace, and social media accounts couldn’t enter the top three, taking the fourth, fifth, and sixth positions in the list respectively, while now two of them do. Digitalization works, and as we’ll see, not exclusively in the case of art galleries. Discover other findings, initiatives, and curious art projects of the week in the Digest below.

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Have an appetite for art? Check new videos by Uffizi Galleries 

‘Uffizi da mangiare’ (Uffizi on a dish) is a new series of videos and a brilliant in-house PR campaign launched by the world-famous galleries. Started on January 17, the project features Florentine chiefs presenting refined recipes, which, for its part, were inspired by the masterpieces from the Uffizi immense collection. The videos are expected to be posted in Italian every Sunday on the Facebook account of the Uffizi Galleries (indeed, the culinary language is multinational and commonly understood). Last week Fabio Picchi, head of Cibrèo Firenze restaurant, gave an online-workshop on how to cook fish and lobsters in Giacomo Ceruti’s style. Yes, just like in the ‘Ragazzo con la cesta di pesci e di aragoste’ painting (1736) by the old master.

Surprisingly or not, the Uffizi Galleries ran no social media before the pandemic. Today, the digital audience of the institution reaches 88,000 followers on Facebook and 591,000 followers on Instagram, which turned out to be a watermark for Italian museums. The Uffizi’s director Eike Schmidt is full of hope about the new project. ‘As families cook and eat these dishes, the art will be the natural conversation topic,’ she shares. Six episodes of the series are already ready for consumption, while another dozen are being prepared. In the future chiefs from other districts like France, Spain, and Britain may also be invited to cooperate. It’s the project success that might tell the trajectory of the ‘Uffizi da mangiare’ .

Da Vinci wouldn’t believe: a beer company pays homage to college diplomas (and it’s extremely expensive) 

$180,000 USD. According to the recent calculations by Natural Light Beer, this is the average cost of four-year college education in America. No, the beer brewing company didn’t go into statistics, but rather decided to hit on arts. The new installation ‘Da Vinci of Debt’ by Natural Light Beer features 2,600 real college diplomas, either hanging from the ceiling or placed in the stack of papers on the floor. The entire work is valued at $470 million USD (just multiply $180,000 by 2,600), which, actually, means two things. First, the installation slightly exceeds the cost of Leonardo Da Vinci’s ‘Salvator Mundi’, the most expensive masterpiece ever sold. Second (and this is the ‘Da Vinci of Debt’ main idea), millions of American college grads are at risk today, because of the student debt crisis raging over the last few years. 

The ‘Da Vinci of Debt’ installation is placed at New York City’s Grand Central Terminal, but you can also enjoy it remotely, visiting the company website or using an AR lens on Snapchat. Though their choice of the artistic medium might seem unusual, Daniel Blake, Natural Light Beer VP of marketing, gives it a reasonable explanation, drawing a smart analogy between ‘the costs of the art world’ and ‘the sky-high cost of attending a four-year college’. Thus, the company hopes to raise public awareness to the issue of student debt and make people appreciate their college experience (both as a piece of one’s heart and a damage to one’s pocket).  

F A S H I O N

Take a look at Yohji Yamamoto Fall 2021 Menswear Collection

Looking back on 2020, I as a PH Arts Editor have noticed an oversight in the magazine’s work. We don’t usually focus on men’s fashion as much as we do on women’s. My gut tells me, it isn’t right, just looking at the growing audience of Purplehaze, which is diverse. So we’re getting better with a brief review of the Yohji Yamamoto Fall 2021 Menswear Collection. The show was presented this week in a video format. 

In some sense the Japanese designer stays true to himself, giving preference to the black colour palette, loose cuts, and general rebellious spirit. Yet it’s important to remember that Yamamoto has based his brand’s philosophy on the Japanese principles of wabi-sabi, which are not inherent to the Western world of aesthetics. Wabi-sabi served as a leitmotif for the beloved deconstructivism, that’s another matter. But in the latest collection Yohji Yamamoto decided to go further, adding teenage aggression to the apparel, not to say, westernizing them. Hook-and-eye fastenings, defiant statements, belts with buckles, all these make us immediately think of renegades from the world of fashion like John Galliano or Vivienne Westwood. This is not to say that the designer has no right to experiment (it’s good to have him trying new things), however, in the current Yamamoto’s version that kind of rebel sounds not convincing enough. It’s like East meets West and everybody feels lost. However, for those preferring pretty bold mixtures and despising stereotypes, Yohji Yamamoto Fall 2021 Menswear Collection might be a decent match. 

F A S H I O N    P H O T O G R A P H Y 

Twice as fashionable: Rei Kawakubo’s looks in the images by Paulo Roversi at Dallas Contemporary 

Good news for those across the Atlantic: Dallas Contemporary has prepared a fantastic solo show by Paulo Roversi, Italian acclaimed visual artist. While Peter Doroshenko, Dallas Contemporary’s executive director, names Roversi ‘the last of the great European fashion photographers’, his one-man exhibition at DC is unprecedented for the US museum world. It’s the 40-year-long creative relationship between the artist and fashion designer Rei Kawakubo that served as a concept for the show, which Doroshenko and Roversi discussed back in 2019. Although Paulo couldn’t visit Dallas Contemporary during the last year’s quarantine, the exhibition display was paid enough attention to, with video clips of the space being sent to Paris, to Roversi’s home for his approval. 

The show is titled ‘Birds’, which is meant to embody the sense of movement so inherent to Paulo Roversi’s photography. ‘His works evoke motion, be it through the camera moving or something smudged on the lens,’ says Doroshenko. Today when the freedom of our physical movement is much in question because of the pandemic, such a concept comes as a relief. The display features over 40 images of Rei Kawakubo’s outfits, both well-known and never disclosed before. Paulo Roversi refers to his collaboration with the Japanese fashion designer and founder of Comme des Garçons as a ‘new inspiring adventure’ and ‘good opportunity to show <his> work together with hers’. It’s worth mentioning that Dallas Contemporary focuses on different aspects of arts, including fashion. DC has already showcased such maitres de la photographie as Juergen Teller, Bruce Weber, Mario Testino, and Peter Lindbergh.  

P H O T O G R A P H Y 

Outcomes for 2020: ‘Favourite Books’ category by LensCulture 

Despite all odds, each of us had something to recall from 2020 with a smile on a face. If it isn’t about achievements and personal relations, at least, we all could enjoy reading at home, breaking away from computer screens. Choosing and, still less, recommending a book is a highly subjective matter, yet it’s nice to find out what your friend or someone you treat with respect can’t stop reading. The already familiar to you LensCulture questioned 36 people ‘who know and love photobooks’ on their favorite publications. Take a look and put on your watch list, if it’s not there yet. 

Among the respondents are artists, photo editors, curators, publishers, gallery directors, and other folks who have first-hand experience with the medium of photography. In some sense photobooks closely remind novels: they are meant to narrate stories, biographical, historical ones, or mediate experiences like personal diaries do. LensCulture Favourite Photobooks of 2020 digest features all sorts of visual editions, from the reissue of an incredibly important ‘Death in the Making’ by Robert Capa to a fresh and witty (so is the name of the publishing house) book by Olga Bushkova titled ‘How I Tried To Convince My Husband To Have Children’. Each of the critics comprehensively explain their choice, while websites of the publishing houses graciously showcase images from the books so that you can make sure you’re fond of it. 

On the cover: ‘Da Vinci of Debt’ installation by Natural Light at New York City’s Grand Central Terminal. Courtesy of Natural Light Beer company

Yoo-hoo! We’ve barged into 2021, waking up from the New Year holidays nap. I hope you all had a great celebration and a powerful break, getting back to work with your batteries recharged. Who knows what this year holds? Rather than guessing, it’s better to be ready for action, changing the world for the better as far as we can. A few beautiful endeavors that took place on the rise of January might inspire you to move in the right direction. 

F A S H I O N 

Enjoy Emilio Pucci and Alberta Ferretti 2021 Pre-Fall collections 

No sooner had the year begun, that the world’s leading fashion houses jumped into battle. Discover pre-fall campaigns by Emilio Pucci and Alberta Ferretti by the break of the year. One might say, the two brands have something in common: apart from being Italian (obviously) and coming as early birds in 2021, Pucci and Ferretti traditionally emphasize genuine tenderness in their collections. The difference is that Pucci has celebrated girliness during the latest seasons, while Ferretti stays loyal to the concept of mature femininity.

Emilio Pucci models welcome 2021 dressed in a-la-harlequin jumpsuits with sleeves puffed, crop tops, and high-waisted pants, wearing sensual neck-wraps. The choice of colour comes as no surprise this time: pastel shades like rose, peach, gentle lilac, and cream are so in line with the brand’s identity. Alberta Ferretti rather focuses on complex looks, which seem perfectly complete. Overcoats and jackets above sweatshirts, long sleeves, straight slacks, fitted silhouettes — the garments are created for those who want to feel lady-like, no matter what the weather is. The colour palette is still soft, yet more vivid than in the colleague’s campaign: shades of moss, clay, almond, and caramel add ripeness to the look.

Australian agencies call to stop making models’ measurements public

Pursuing the very interesting topic of body positivity (to which we at Purplehaze devoted the entire print issue to be released in early March), here is the news that perfectly fills in the gap. Australian community of modeling agencies has called to stop publishing measurements of the mannequins in public profiles. New-Zealand N Management run by the veteran model Ngahuia Williams​ has already tried ceasing the practice, which they find irrelevant and stressful to date.

The initiative seems to have resonated with many representatives from the world of vogue. Fashion commentator and former editor of Fashion Quarterly Sally-Ann Mullin​ claims including measurements is a common thing for the industry, which aspires models to fit a ‘cookie cutter standard of beauty’. Models have also welcomed the N Management’s statement, commenting they hoped agents would stop disclosing their data for all to see. However, the challenge that might occur is that the clients will have to require fittings, which might come as extra work for them. At the same time, removing online measurements can not only reduce pressure put on mannequins, but also contribute to a greater diversity representation. ‘No longer is it acceptable to showcase one type of beauty in any way,’ says Mullin, urging other modeling agencies to follow the N Management’s suit. 

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Actress Cate Blanchett to try her hand at art collecting 

It would be an exaggeration to say that Hollywood actress Cate Blanchett is far from the world of arts: the 2019 exhibition ‘Manifesto: Art x Agency’ and ‘The Four Temperaments‘ video installation (2020) with her participation is an excellent contrario reasoning. This is not to mention some of the films the actress starred in like The Aviator (2004), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), Blue Jasmine (2013), and Carol (2015), which may be deemed art themselves. Yet Cate Blanchett has no previous experience in gallery management. Well, a start of the year is a perfect time for new plans and ideas. 

Blanchett’s new gallery space is located at her remote estate in southeastern England, in the place where an oast house once stood. The future gallery visitors might enjoy the views, thanks to the gorgeous nature of East Sussex, which can be perfectly seen from the construction windows. As for the choice of the artists, the actress hit the ten ring here as well. Among others, her collection features works by Guan Wei, Paula Rego, Howard Hodgkin, Bill Hammond, Zhang Huan and Tim Maguire. The documentation for the newly-minted enterprise was ready in October, 2020. Looking forward to the gallery opening! Wish it would be as beautiful and successful as its owner’s career. 

Rihanna embellishes new cover of Essence Magazine shot by artist Lorna Simpson 

Essence Magazine wouldn’t dream of such a cover in its 50-year history. The January/February issue of the periodical features Barbados-born singer and businesswoman Rihanna both on its cover and inside, on the 12 pages of the portfolio. The shooting has been performed by Lorna Simpson, American photographer and multimedia artist who became famous in the 1980-1990s, primarily for her photo-text installations and collages. 

Essence works by Simpson consist of photos of Rihanna placed within the background of the source materials from the artist’s archive. Balancing between fantasy and photographic realism, they feature the legendary singer as she is (at least, in the eyes of the author) — graceful, charismatic, and extremely powerful. This collaboration is another part of the ongoing project by Lorna Simpson, which aims at reinterpreting images of Black women. Working with the celebrity, Simpson meets her self-interest, too — her daughter, Zora, who is an actress and a model, wrote an essay on that occasion expressing gratitude to Rihanna for the positive influence her art had on Simpson Jr. maturation. The essay is included in the Essence January/February issue as well. 

Soho after dark through the lens of photographer Joshua K. Jackson

Invigorated by the beginning of the new year, we still have to face some restrictions, to everyone’s great sadness. We still don’t feel safe enough to live our old lives, roaming aimlessly at the streets, seeing tons of people, and just hanging out in bars because… you know the reason. Yet there is a remedy — arts can rescue people from the blues filling their hearts with nice nostalgia (some types of arts, of course). 

British photographer Joshua K. Jackson focuses on capturing city life. Three years ago he started his Soho series photographing the fluorescent-lit streets of London after dark. ‘Sleepless in Soho’ (2020) is a photobook immortalizing the mood of how it feels like to be awake in the heart of the city past midnight. Alluring lights of the places, which make one think of romance, taboos, and just comfort, illuminate the maze of empty streets and lanes. Diurnal busy life tires London, but the second wind comes with the night. Jackson finished his project in December 2019, just before COVID-19 broke out. Like he knew we were going to miss that very soon. 

On the cover: ‘Sleepless in Soho’ (2020) by Joshua K. Jackson. Courtesy of the Artist

Meet the last Art Digest for this year. Yes, sounds incredible, but next week will partially seize 2021. Traditionally leaving all difficulties and sorrows in the old year, let’s open ourselves to new experience — hopefully, it won’t knock us down in a blink (almost joking). And Merry Christmas to all! Joyful occasions leave behind good memories, so let’s celebrate. 

P H O T O G R A P H Y 

Discover ASAKUSA: photographs of Japanese tattoo artist’s works by Ronin de Goede

Horikazu from Tokyo Asakusa is considered a prolific horishi. If you didn’t get half of the sentence, here is a brief explanation.

Horikazu was a traditional tattoo master, who was active for 40 years of his life, which is enough to call oneself a professional carver or horishi. Starting off as an assistant of a grand tattoo master in Tokyo, Asakusa, he finally settled down in the district to found his own practice later. By the way, Asakusa is a low-city Tokyo location rich with ancient heritage, street culture spirit, and handicraft shops, just perfect for an artist working with his heart and hands.

So where was I? Ah, yes, Horikazu himself died in 2011, bequeathing the tattoo business to his son, Horikazuwaka. Meanwhile the most engaged photographers have come up with some photo series of Horikazu artistic heritage captured. It’s the Dutch photographer Ronin de Goede who has recently released a new chronicle of the master’s work. The ASAKUSA diary of some black and white images by de Goede exposes intimate tattoo sessions that Horikazu provided for his clients, oftentimes members of Yakuza gangs. While Yakuza is internationally recognized as a Mafia-like criminal organization, the status of tattoo in Japan has become more legal, but it remains a tabooed subject for the local society. That controversy certainly makes Ronin de Goede photographic archive alluring to explore and marvel at. 

F A S H I O N 

Bridal and ready-to-wear: meet new collection by Vera Wang 

Lightness of being, which is perfectly bearable, or a moveable feast…Vera Wang’s Spring 2021 Ready-To-Wear Collection breaks expectations of what a bridal gown should look like. With different parts of their bodies exposed and wrapped in multi layers, mannequins from the designer’s new collection feature black and white, minimalist and puffy, but invariably stylish garments. Within Spring 2021 Ready-To-Wear the brand took a chance to demonstrate all kinds of tailoring and embellishments its seamstresses are capable of. And beyond that, the collection turned out reflective, referring to different parts of Vera Wang’s personality, such as her ballet and figure skating background (e.g. bodysuits, leggings). 

Who doesn’t know Vera Wang. Born to a Chinese couple in the US in 1949, Wang (Wáng Wēiwēi, in Mandarin) prepared to be an ice skater. Taking part in national competitions and even starring for Sports Illustrated at the age of 19, she sought to enter the U.S. Olympic figure skating team. However, when the plan failed, Vera Wang decided to quit from sports, but didn’t say goodbye to grace. She obtained her Arts major at Sarah Lawrence College (Paris) and took the Senior Fashion Editor’s seat in Vogue for 17 years in a row. Sounds like a great career story, yet the real action started, when Wang switched from writing to making, opening her own bridal salon in New York in 1990. Since then, Vera Wang’s label has been winning over the hearts of fashion-conscious brides all over the world. 

‘Because I didn’t know anything about bridal fashion, so to speak, I think I was freer’ reflects Wang of her start in the field. Exploring her collections today, you can still feel the couturier’s easy touch and wish to experiment like a few decades back.

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Forbidden City’s Palace Museum to host a new exhibition by Cai Guo-Qiang

Artist Cai Guo-Qiang has recently returned to his native China after a long stint in the US, and here you go, a new solo show by him. The location is Forbidden City’s Palace Museum, Beijing, no less, which, by the way, hosts a one-man exhibition by a contemporary artist for the first time. Speaking of which, the Museum opened its doors to the public in 1925, encompassing a few hundreds years of the Forbidden City’s historical and cultural heritage. This year the Palace Museum celebrates the 600th anniversary of the City’s founding, well, with Guo-Qiang’s ‘Odyssey and Homecoming’ show.

Currently running virtually, ‘Odyssey and Homecoming’ consists of five halls of paintings, video, and documentation by the famous Chinese artist and has all chances to go offline through its finissage after February 5, 2021. ‘Odyssey and Homecoming’ should be interesting, at least because it’s the exhibition where Cai Guo-Qiang examines an artistic language of the high-tech, quite new for him. Guo-Qiang describes VR as the means ‘to represent the surreal and the invisible’ and expresses his willingness to search for further ways of incorporating virtual reality into his works.

P E R S O N A L I T Y 

Tribute to model Stella Tennant: she has died at 50 

Legendary British model Stella Tennant, who conquered the imagination of such fashion luminaries as Karl Lagerfeld, Alexander McQueen and Gianni Versace, has died. She celebrated her 50th anniversary on December, 17, passing away a week later for reasons her family won’t disclose. Tennant managed to become the face of the British nation on the runway, as well as introduce androgyny to the world of haute couture. In her track record there are a few Model of the Year and Contribution to Fashion awards along with numerous editorials and advertising campaigns for brands like Dior, Valentino, Chanel, Hermès, Calvin Klein etc.  

By the way, though stunning, the career path of Stella Tennant was no way typical. I mean, the unusually looking girl of blue bloods (her grandfather, Andrew Cavendish, was the 11th Duke of Devonshire) wasn’t hanging around the streets in the hope of being spotted by a fashion scout. Neither did she specifically seek becoming a model. Stella Tennant was studying sculpture at the Winchester School of Art, when she suddenly decided to send her photographs to a high fashion magazine. It was Steven Meisel who first fell in love with the distinctive appearance of Tennant (with her boyish haircut, noble yet just ethereal face features, and nasal septum pierced) and invited her to pose for the cover of Italian Vogue. So it went boom. Working closely with Mario Testino, David Sims, and Tim Walker, she was baptized as Karl Lagerfeld’s muse, who immediately thought of Chanel looking at the model. Unconditionally, Stella Tennant represented an entire epoch in the history of the modeling industry. We shall always remember her, what she truly was, sophisticated, courageous, and authentic.

A R C H I T E C T U R E 

Floating like a butterfly: new residential apartment by 314 architecture studio

It’s Vouliagmeni, the seaside suburbia of Athens, Greece, where a new butterfly-shaped residential apartment is located. Proposed by the local 314 studio, the outstanding dwelling complex has 4 independent units, on the number of the insect’s wings. Each wing includes a basement and a top floor, where inhabitants can enjoy tremendous sea views of the resort. The walking distance from the sea is 5 minutes only. Besides, the outward extension of the units provides access to a peaceful garden area and artificial lakes.

Despite the solid walls, the ‘butterfly’ looks weightless and transparent. That’s because of the U-glass used to camouflage the inner construction and imbue the complex with natural light. While glossy U-glass shines in the sun, the white cement stucco chosen for the walls rather has a matte effect. That kind of contrast helped the 314 studio architects to emphasize particular elements of the ‘butterfly’, expertly exhibiting them like in a white-cube museum. 

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Designer Virgil Abloh gives interview to Dezeen

Did you know that Virgil Abloh, the artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s men’s wear collection, the Off White founder, and just a great fashion designer, has an architectural background? He graduated from Illinois Institute of Technology with a Master’s in Architecture… to turn off on the fashion road. 

‘I don’t believe in disciplines. We can use our architecture brain and do many things, not just what we’re supposed to do’ the fashion designer claims. Discover the new Abloh’s collaboration with an architectural firm as well as his professional glance at the industry in his recent interview with Dezeen. 

On the cover: ASAKUSA by Ronin de Goede. Courtesy of the Artist

You know, aside from the tech field, I don’t think anything substantially new can be ever created. Ideas migrate from century to century, popping up in the most vivid minds — they lay low for a while and re-emerge in a slightly different form. However, this is not to say, the creative process has lost its virtue. Today we need creativity more than ever as long as it’s smart and transcendent. Under smart creativity I mean projects and initiatives aimed at finding decisions in some other untraditional way (a new holiday community by the Tehran bureau ZAV Architects might be a good example of that). Well, transcendent is about pushing the boundaries, mingling various fields, thus, coming up with a unique language. Dutch National Ballet in collaboration with fashion designer Iris Van Herpen seemed to have found one… Find out more on these and other ‘new old’ projects in this week’s Art Digest! 

D A N C E 

Iris Van Herpen x Dutch National Ballet present a stunning collaboration 

Fusing dance with haute couture, immersing the human body into the world of nature… That’s the way the new piece by Dutch National Ballet called Biomimicry looks and feels like. Just imagine the most exquisite dancer JingJing Mao (one of the Ballet grand sujets, by the way) swaying and balancing on the waves of ethereal music. Her body, so strong and vulnerable, is covered with translucent flying dresses that don’t only outline the dancer’s body curves and movements but also mimic the desert backdrop.

Instead of splashing words it’s better to see the film, though. Meanwhile, here is what you might like to hear about the Biomimicry collaboration. Since 2017 the Chinese-born JingJing Mao performs solo roles on stage of Dutch National Ballet. She joined the theatre in 2010, following her dancing practice in Beijing, which the dancer embarked on at the tender age of 9. JingJing’s piece for Biomimicry was staged by Juanjo Arqués, Dutch National Ballet choreographer and young creative associate. If you enjoyed the enveloping dichotomous sound, bear in mind the names of the composers — Thijs de Vlieger, member of Noisia electronic music collective, and Lavinia Meijer, Carnegie-Hall spotted harpist. Last but very important, it’s the Dutch fashion designer Iris van Herpen who created the looks for JingJing Mao’s lead. Invincible in merging haute couture with a high-tech approach, van Herpen loves foreshadowing the future (and she certainly knows how to mimic it).  

F A S H I O N

Discover new YSL SS 2021 collection by Anthony Vacarello 

Serving as the YSL creative director since 2016, Anthony Vaccarello never really tried to alter the brand’s course (why should he, if his precursor Hedi Slimane had revitalized Saint Laurent aesthetics enough crystallizing its very essence). Thus, the new YSL Spring 2021 Spring Ready-To-Wear collection rather comes as a small revelation. I mean, late Yves Saint Laurent enjoyed it all in the midst of his design career: flamboyance of colour, unexpected cuts, female sex appeal… everything Vacarello has gently followed, including but not limited to. The new fashion show exposes another angle of the brand’s philosophy.

Models walking across the sands of a desert, which is never-ending like time or a dream. Heeled, most parts of their bodies covered (not exposed), black, sandy, ruby palette chosen, soft tangible fabrics. Sure, Yves would accept this 2021 vision, that’s just what the couturier meant, expressing his admiration for black colour or saying: ‘We must never confuse elegance with snobbery’. The YSL woman has been initially thought to be a bit of a chameleon: appealing for those whom she wants to seduce and self-contained for the others. Vaccarello managed to convey the idea, blending it with the zeitgeist. ‘I wanted to speak to the comfort of the ’60s and to the comfort of today’ says the YSL creative director. And we can’t agree more, in times like these it feels ok to slow down a bit (even if you still try walking in high heels). 

P.S. Finding the courage to make a small guess, we see an homage to the person of Yves Saint Laurent in Vacarello’s campaign. While a sandy African desert in the frame refers to Yves’ childhood spent in Morocco, a title in the end of the film ‘I wish you were here’ tributes to the grand couturier himself.

A C T I V I S T   A R T 

Barbara Kruger upholds Polish pro-choice protests with her iconic artwork 

Sometimes the best thing an artwork can do is to tell the truth no matter how harsh it is. Indeed, it’s the most genuine function of art. The thriving activity of the American conceptual artist and feminist Barbara Kruger was mostly left in the past century, which, however, doesn’t prevent her from standing up for what’s right this day. The artist has recently entitled Polish activists to create 100 reproductions of her famous work ‘Untitled (Your body is a battleground)’ (1989) and spread them all over the town of Szczecin. 

Kruger’s gesture is meant to support women demonstrating against the new Polish legislation, which imposes severe limitations on female reproductive rights. A big wave of protests taking place in Warsaw and other Polish cities throughout November seemed to have insufficiently affected the authorities minds on this point, thus, it’s been time for an activist art back up. Initially ‘Untitled (Your body is a battleground)’ was created by Barbara Kruger for the pro-choice march, which occurred in Washington DC on April 9, 1989. Back in that year American feminists intended to sign off on the effect of 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that declared abortion legal. In the 90s the protests erupted in Europe (involving posters featuring Kruger’s work). Almost 2 decades later, the story is sadly repeating itself. Well, good news, old methods of combating are usually the best ones, and we can still rely on them. 

A R C H I T E C T U R E 

Coloured domes by ZAV Architects to host Hormuz tourists 

No doubt, architecture attracts tourists, sometimes, in the truest sense of the word. The Tehran-based architecture studio ZAV Architects helped to address the issue of high-priced tourist accommodation on the Iranian island of Hormuz. From now on, Hormuz guests can move into one of the 200 coloured domes overlooking the Persian Gulf. Designed and built by ZAV Architects, the spacial units vary in shape, shade, and size, yet conceptually merging into a single holiday isle community. 

The architectural studio defines the project as a cultural residence, and that rings so true. All placed in the neighborhood, some of the domes are interconnected through smart passages so that one could visit his friends, a café, and a reception desk just by taking a small stroll across the apartment. The accommodation by ZAV Architects outlines the coastal curve of Hormuz and echoes its mountainous terrain, let alone the joyful winking of the domes red, blue, green, and yellow bright shades to the island’s vivid palette.  

P H O T O G R A P H Y 

LensCulture Black & White Awards sums it up 

Many photographers admit, they enjoy shooting in black and white. Is it because of b&w images looking more presentable, concise, or even expensive? Whatever the reason is, black and white photography is certainly worth watching and admiring. LensCulture just hands you such an opportunity in the end of 2020, announcing winners within the monochrome category and showcasing their works.

This year LensCulture Black & White Awards has collected works from 120 countries, selecting 39 best photographers in different nominations. Ranging from some serious documentaries and reports to more casual yet highly introspective self-portraits and street shots, the winners’ works don’t necessarily keep their time reference (b&w can perfectly cover those tracks), however, all of them carry seduction and magic to be rediscovered many years from now. Just like Thea Traff, TIME jury has put it, it’s timeless quality, one of her favorite aspects of good black and white photography, that the contestants effectively achieved this time. All those recognized by the Awards will join the New York show, details of which will be available in the coming year.

On the cover: Hormuz holiday accommodation by ZAV Architects. Photo: Tahmineh Monzavi, Soroush Majidi, Payman Barkhordari / Dezeen

‘I don’t know whether the Earth is spinning or not. It depends on whether the word fits the line’ — wrote Russian poet Velimir Khlebnikov, a pioneer of the Futurist movement, in the far 1909. By the way, his lyrics were used as a leitmotif at the VII Moscow International Biennale of Young Art that I had recently pleasure to watch. We all might be feeling a bit confused and misled at the end of this bizarre year, so why not accept the things they are now and best benefit from them? Thus, for photographers there is still some time to send their visions of bread making until late December, while young fashion designers can apply for material help from Burberry. What’s awaiting us in the future? Well, looking at Pantone 2021 colors, something tells me, the better days are yet to come…

A R T 

A small collection of artwork prints for your home by Fine Art America 

If you feel like a wanna-be gallerist or a collector while roaming around art exhibitions, Fine Art America has something to offer you. Not so expensive, of decent quality and perfect taste. The Chicago-based company which both serves as an art marketplace and a print-in-demand bureau has recently announced a launch of a new series of artwork prints. The original works were published at different times in such distinguished magazines as Vogue, The New Yorker and Vanity Fair. 

Among the authors featured are fashion photographers Clifford Coffin and George Hoyningen-Huene, cartoonists Charles Barsotti and Bob Staake, painter Abigail Gray Swartz, and others. The artwork prints by Fine Art America are available in many formats including canvas, metal, acrylic, wood, and posters. Sounds like a nice present for Christmas for those who are in love with arts… No promo, really — just a small source of inspiration which needs to be shared. 

D E S I G N 

2021 Pantone Colors announced. Any suggestions? 

Pantone Color Institute is so far the world’s most recognized color lab. Forecasting global trends and advising companies on their brand visual identity, Pantone regularly comes up with new shades (which we have touched upon previously more than once). However, it’s the choice of the color of the year that makes the hearts of creatives beat faster. For the upcoming 2021 (fingers crossed, it will bring us a bit of luck) the Institute has announced its ambassadors: PANTONE 17-5104 Ultimate Gray + PANTONE 13-0647 Illuminating.

Why exactly these? ‘The union of an enduring Ultimate Gray with the vibrant yellow Illuminating expresses a message of positivity supported by fortitude’ — explains Leatrice Eiseman, Pantone’s executive director. A powerful tandem, the two shades complement each other, however, they don’t necessarily go together in equal parts, the company claims. Now that you are armed with knowledge and inspiration, you can try it in practice exploring the colors of Ultimate Gray and Illuminating through various Facebook and Instagram filters. 

P.S. Interesting enough, the only time Pantone selected a couple of colors at once was in 2016. Well, strange times appeal to some bigger hopes.

A R C H I T E C T U R E 

Singing about art and silk: SCA presents a new theatre in Guangzhou 

Quite a bit yielding to Shanghai and Beijing on its tourist attractiveness, Guangzhou, China’s third largest city, was certainly built to impress — by its artistic heritage and architectural appearance. The unthinkably high Canton Tower, the Opera House designed by her majesty Zaha Hadid, and the Copper Coin building keep on thrilling the minds of some curious travelers for some years now. Yet another cultural gem has recently joined the list of Guangzhou wonders, which is a theatre resembling a silk embroidery. 

Can you imagine a scarlet regularly twisted building (something like a curved hair rubber band) all tattooed with symbolic images and patterns? Steven Chilton Architects (SCA) could. The other day, the architectural bureau passed the project of a 2000-seat-theatre based in the Northern part of the city, which will host its first visitors in the upcoming year. The design of the theatre both refers to Guangzhou’s silk heritage and the tattoo art aesthetics (artists of different kinds have always crawled the place). The outer envelope is defined by the 10 separate folds gently flowing one into another. Thanks to the superstructure of welded steel tubes, the building acquires its elevated position. 

F A S H I O N 

Burberry and British Fashion Council to support fashion students in need 

ReBurberry Fabric is probably the program all aspiring fashionistas have been waiting for so long. Especially those who had major financial difficulties during the lockdown. Burberry will hand over remains of its fabrics to the fashion students most in need. The BFC’s Institute of Positive Fashion and Colleges Council will take charge of the logistics and distributions. 

A couple of weeks ago we discussed how Burberry intended to cheer up its clients at the turn of the year with an uplifting campaign. Now it’s time the label supported the younger colleagues. ‘We look forward to seeing how donations can positively impact these academic institutions and students, and hope this is the beginning of a wider industry initiative to support these communities, now and in the future’ — Pam Betty, the brand’s VP, Corporate Responsibility, comments on the charitable initiative.

O P P S / P H O T O G R A P H Y

Art Factory Flox wants your insights on bread production 

What do you know about the bread? If to you it’s something bigger than just having a toast for breakfast and you have some time before December 31st, Art Factory Flox is waiting for your artist’s statement. The art space based in Kirschau, Germany expects the participating visuals to create a series of photographs of bread production at its various stages. 

Either in craft or in industrial environments, the manufacture of bread should be captured at 2—5 pictures in a 2-3 aspect ratio in RGB mode. A resolution of 300 dpi for the original image and a smaller one for the preview is required. Applying and taking part in the exhibition is free of charge, the deadline for submissions is the last day of 2020. As for the organizer, Art Factory Flox is part of Flox galleries located in Kirschau and Dresden. Following the motto ‘Contemporary art away from the metropolises but right in the middle of the world’, the Kirschau-based space started representing artworks in the industrial area of an old textile factory in 2013. Now the coverage area has been extended to some other urban and rural locations, to engage more actors into dialogue.

On the cover: Guangzhou theatre. Photo: Chong-art photography

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Terms like ‘sustainability’, ‘recyclable materials’ are trending today, inter alia, and especially in the field of fashion, but what’s behind those beautiful words? Dow Jones Sustainability Index annually names clothing brands who call themselves eco-friendly not in vain. Sometimes it takes time to change the policy of the company or personal attitudes and habits, but it’s certainly worth it. Actually, waiting can sometimes be a good thing. Just look at the Moncler ex-creative director Alber Elbaz who took a five-year gap before launching his own brand. Or the King of pop art Andy Warhol who failed to publish some of his most tempting early works in life but his followers did it for him. Change for the better is yet to come, just pave your way and keep moving, albeit slowly.

F A S H I O N 

The eco-friendliest from fashion: Dow Jones Sustainability Index marks Moncler

In case you didn’t know, Dow Jones Sustainability Index is a group of benchmarks for investors evaluating the stock performance of the leading companies on the market. Considering economic, environmental and social responsibility criteria, DJSI annually comes up with the rating of the ‘very best’ manufacturers in various sectors. The Italian luxury fashion brand Moncler famous for its ski wear was recently conferred the leading position in the category ‘Textile, Apparel & Luxury Goods’ of the DJSI rating. And you know what’s best? Moncler has been the leader already for 2 years running.

While Moncler’s CEO Remo Ruffini solemnly claims, sustainability is an increasingly strategic asset in the development of the company (and there is hardly any room for doubt with the Moncler’s ‘Born to Protect’ new sustainability plan), some other fashion brands seem to have lagged far behind. The non-profit organization Remake didn’t include H&M and Uniqlo in its sustainability ranking, as the both brands have failed to score at least 50 out of the 100 points required. 

Alber Elbaz is back to big fashion (not empty-handed, of course) 

Casablanca-born fashion designer Alber Elbaz (b. 1961) is no stranger to the world of haute couture. After taking positions at a few fashion houses, he finally joined Lanvin as the brand’s creative director in 2001. 14 years later Elbaz announced his exit from the company, which was officially associated with the disagreement between the designer and Lanvin’s major shareholder, Shaw-Lan Wang. Meanwhile Alber Elbaz didn’t waste his time giving lectures all over the world and working independently, also as an artist.

A year ago the designer expressed his determination to return to the game planning to found his own brand. Initially to be named as AZ Fashion, Elbaz’s brainchild has been recently launched, five years after Alber Elbaz left Lanvin. The newly-minted AZ Factory falls under the portfolio of the Swiss Compagnie Financière Richemont, with the first collection by the brand being presented at the upcoming Paris Fashion Week in January. According to Alber Elbaz, AZ Factory is not a revolution, not an evolution, (but) a reset. The designer sees his mission in combining function and fashion and helping people to be a better version of themselves, by no means trying to transform his customers.

A R T 

Visiting Noguchi Museum? Buy a print by Futura and Murakami 

Remember us talking about the graffiti artist Futura aka FUTURA 2000 at the previous digest? He has recently engaged in cooperation with the late sculptor Isamu Noguchi at the NY-based Noguchi Museum, which resulted in the ‘Futura Akari’ exhibition (on view through February 28, 2021). To commemorate and promote the show, the museum launched a series of print editions designed by FUTURA 2000 and Takashi Murakami. Nothing to expect here but a win-to-win collaboration.

In August 2020 Futura was to have his solo show at Kaikai Kiki Gallery (Tokyo, Japan) founded by Takashi Murakami himself to showcase the artists chosen. However, the pandemic interfered with the plans adjourning the exhibition until summer 2021. In the meantime, Futura and Takashi are, so to speak, shaking hands under the roof of the Noguchi Museum symbolizing the cultural dialogue between Japan and the US and selling off their prints. The rule is one (printed edition) per person, otherwise, the release is fairly available to the museum’s customers. 

Andy Warhol’s intimate drawings released for the first time 

At a time when Andy Warhol or, to be more precise, Andrew Warhola was conquering the New York’s art scene while still a young shy man, he barely regarded his interim drawings as serious art. Trying to sell some of his sketches to glossies, Andy scribbled for the soul, depicting the subjects of his inspiration. Oftentimes Warhol would get the attention on young nude men as if he had seen many in the rise of his career. Naked, aroused, engaged in sexual acts such as fellatio or masturbation, the characters of Warhol’s early works embody a highly tabooed theme even for such a fast-paced environment as New York’s society in the 50s.  

Despite all fears, the future King of Pop Art dared to show his exposed images to Bodley Gallery, one of the premier art galleries in the Big Apple in 1956, but he never got to publish the drawings in a monograph. Today 33 years after Andy Warhol’s death, the world-famous German publisher Taschen showcases 300 of the artist’s bold sketches selected by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. The collection is published on the pages of ‘Andy Warhol, Love, Sex and Desire, Drawings 1950-1962’ book, which is released in a limited number of 7,500. Order one of the numbered copies now, on the publisher’s website.

P H O T O G R A P H Y 

Foam Talent 2020 goes digital (now you can discover the winners) 

It’s the end of 2020, and that means Foam traditionally announces this year winners of Foam Talent. Visual artists under the age of 35 selected by the Amsterdam-based photography organization are annually granted with such worthy prizes as a publication in Foam Magazine, participation in a travelling group exhibition and a chance to have their works added to Art Collection Deutsche Börse.

Since Foam Talent 2020 can’t reach the planned locations like Paris and London to organize the winner’s show, the entire initiative moved digital without any difficulty. Among the 19 winners of the year there are aspiring photographers from Nigeria, Brazil, Italy, France, Switzerland, Canada, US, China, Thailand, Greece, and other countries. Enter the talent.foam.org platform to discover all the works or, at least, enjoy our brief selection above. 

On the cover: ‘Stay Soft’ by Micha Serraf (Zimbabwe). Courtesy of Foam Talent

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Whatever the current situation is (yes, it smells like a worldwide epidemiologic crisis with COVID-19 striking hard and showing no signs of stopping), it’s essential to put ourselves together and hope for the best. At least, we should try to — you know, optimists live longer. Catch a selection of some cheering-up, exquisite news. There are many visuals, as usual, for you to enjoy, however, this time they are also in motion 🔥

F A S H I O N 

Christmas campaign by Burberry breaks the ice (in both senses)

Another fashion show, even a digital one, is a blend thing to do, the brand’s creative leaders might have thought and decided to act rather unconventionally. The new Christmas campaign by Burberry is an enthralling video featuring a dance collective (La)Horde, not only performing the choreographed moves but also brilliantly interacting with some falling blocks of ice. Following the famous ‘fight or flight’ principle, dancers either broke the blocks or gracefully escaped from them in the video.

Add to that the generally beloved ‘I’m Singing in the Rain’ by Gene Kelly (which served both as a soundtrack and a scenario for the video campaign) and the spirit of Christmas floating in the air. Gloomy London streets light up with the foretaste of a miracle that all of us await annually. Burberry really put one bullet in the bullseye, playing upon such a glorious feeling that is meant to unite and cheer up people in this time of a year. As for the outfits featured, it’s very Burberrian — tweed coats and jackets in tartan, and the brand’s signature colors, black, beige, mid camel, birch brown, and a few other shades.

Game On: Louis Vuitton shoots Lea Seydoux for its new cruise collection 

James Bond’s girl in ‘Spectre’ (2015), Beauty in ‘La belle et la bêtea’ (2014), and a mind-blowing blue-haired bisexual in ‘La Vie d’Adèle’ (2013), which was honored with numerous cinema awards including the Palme D’Or… A fascinating French actress, Lea Seydoux is the one who perfectly knows the rules of transformation. Even though I’m not in favor of highlighting fashion campaigns featuring celebrities (the very fact of a star-cast doesn’t necessarily make the ad much better), but as for Lea Seydoux’ case posing for Louis Vuitton — I just couldn’t pass by.

Here I’m talking about ‘Game On’, Louis Vuitton’s 2021 Cruise Collection by artistic director of women’s line Nicolas Ghesquière. Seydoux, who, by the way, has become the brand’s new face earlier this year, agreed to star in the 30-second playful video where she shuffles the cards, shows her hands, and seems to be ready to gamble. In other words, the actress plays the campaign topic of game cards and carries the role of 007 woman along the way. No doubt, in ‘Game On’ Nicolas Ghesquière stays true to Louis Vuitton’s legendary manner, showcasing it’s well-known monograph on bags and shoes and clothing. Yet there is a fresh detail — four suits of cards integrated in the design of the collection.

Diane von Furstenberg to design H&M Home collection 

Probably the most famous fast-fashion clothing brand worldwide, Swedish-born H&M wins over shoppers’ hearts not only by smooth supplies and outfits for all tastes, but also for its fascinating collaborations. The idea to mingle mass market clothing and haute couture design isn’t not new but it works, and H&M knows it. Since 2004 the brand has been collaborating annually with such fashion giants as Stella McCartney (2005), Roberto Cavalli (2007), Sonia Rykiel (2010), Balmain (2015), and others. Now it’s time for Belgian designer Diane von Furstenberg to get on stage.

‘With this collaboration, I want people to take charge of their home decor. The only rule I have is that your home should reflect who you are’. (Diane von Furstenberg) 

Yes, the thing is, the new collaboration is not about clothing. It’s cushions, blankets, candles, vases (home accessories, in a word) that Diane von Furstenberg is going to design for H&M very soon. Surely, all the garments will be marked with DVF’s signature prints and patterns, though the latter is probably not the most distinguishing finding by the designer. Von Furstenberg wrote her name in the history of fashion as she created the wrap-dress in 1974. Her interior collection for H&M Home is expected to hit the stores’ shelves in 2021.

J U S T   C U T E 

No food truck tour but still great: Coca Cola’s pre-holiday The Letter campaign 

One more example of a heart-warming Christmas campaign has been recently announced by Coca Cola. This year due to COVID-19 no annual truck tour is possible, the company representatives have noted with dismay. However, that doesn’t cancel any traditional celebrations of the festive season. The new video campaign is called ‘The Letter’. Directed by the Oscar-winning filmmaker Taika Waititi, it features a cosy family story playing out in the lead up to Christmas. 

Not spoiling the ad’s captivating narrative, it might be suffice to tell the main message: give something (for Christmas) only you can give – yourself. So, get ready to give a little cry and feel happy like a child while watching. And special treats don’t end there. The company relaunches its cinnamon flavour for the upcoming Christmas season. The legendary food truck tour might come back next year, the Coca Cola team hopefully states on Twitter. 

A R T 

Futura Akari: when art renegades from two ages meet

Leonard Hilton McGurr, better known as Futura or FUTURA 2000, is a American rebel from the world of graffiti famous for his abstract approach to ‘bombing’. Born in New York in 1955, Futura underwent a period of illegal street painting in the 70s, landing with numerous exhibitions and world tours along with his artist mates such as Keith Haring, Jean Michele Basquiat, and Kenny Scharf somewhat later. His American-Japanese senior colleague Isamu Noguchi, a sculptor and a designer, made it famous discovering his Akari light sculptures (among other things, of course) around the time Futura was born.

Interestingly enough, Futura’s works on canvas caught the eye of art galleries in the 80s, just when Isamu Noguchi was finishing his creative and life journey (the famous sculptor died in 1988). So what’s the point of this whole story? The NY-based Noguchi Museum is currently presenting an installation of the Akari light sculptures hand painted by FUTURA 2000. While quite a few artists used to paint Isamu Noguchi’s objects at various times, now Futura has set his abstract brush strokes on the group of Akari light sculptures dating from 1952–86. The ‘Futura Akari’ exhibition will run at The Noguchi Museum from November 11, 2020 – February 28, 2021.

P.S. If you enjoy the show and feel like you just can’t get enough art by Futura, check his solo exhibition at Eric Firestone Gallery, which is open until the late December. 

On the cover: Burberry Christmas campaign. Photo: Raphael Pavarotti