Culture

Culture

Sophisticated Coffee Table Books

Lift the profile of your home with this selection of exceptional books

Books enhance a house as much as they enhance our intellect. Whether they are stacked up on a coffee table, or tucked in perfect order on shelves, books are aesthetically beautiful, act as reminders of special memories and add a cultural sophistication vibe to any room. This selection of coffee table books range from wildlife to architectural projects that never materialised. I hope you’ll enjoy them.

Wild Horses by Alfie Bowen

Fascinated by wildlife from an early age, Alfie Bowen developed his love for photography in 2015, when he was given his first DSLR camera as a Christmas gift. It was a seminal moment in his life, as he realised that the camera could be the method of expressing himself that he had been yearning for all his childhood.

From the left, cover of Wild Horses, “Sanctuary” and “Peek-a-Boo”. Images © Alfie Bowen

Bowen’s gift lies in his unique ability to capture the spirit of wildlife with mesmerising depth and maturity. Some say this “power” comes from his autism, which gives him a perception of the world very different to most of us. And although…

Culture

No Stone Unturned

The colourful story of gemstone mining in Africa

Beautifully narrated by jewellery journalist Richa Goya Sikri, this collection of short stories is a truthful and emotional account of coloured gemstone mining in Africa since the 1960s. The stories have been compiled through personal interviews with the adventurous men and women who have shaped an industry that is now worth US$ 32.38 billion*. Richa […]

Culture

Yoshitomo Nara

Freedom and emotion

The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao presents possibly the most complete retrospective exhibition to date about Yoshitomo Nara, one of the most significant artists of his generation. His signature style depicting children with large faces and big eyes celebrates freedom and individualism, arousing empathy and affinity through art. From the very beginning of his career, Yoshitomo Nara […]

Culture

Tropical Modernism: Architecture and Independence

Getting away from colonial culture

Lovers of all things related to modernism will be delighted with Tropical Modernism: Architecture and Independence, the new exhibition at the V&A showcasing the history and development of this architectural style symbolic of the independence and progressiveness of countries such as India and Ghana. The show looks at the colonial origins of Tropical Modernism in British West Africa, and the evolution of the style in the post-colonial period, when it represented both surviving and becoming something new in the process.

This radical, progressive movement symbolised the utopian possibility of the transitional moment in which a break with the past colonial styles was articulated through architecture. Concrete, steel and large expanses of glass were used in creating buildings distinguished by clean lines, unornamented facades and flat roofs. Tropical Modernism created new freedoms from earlier disciplines of building and design, rethinking and using revolutionary architecture that placed functionality at the heart of its design.

Mostly applied to large public and social projects such as universities, schools and assembly halls, the architectural style sought to cynically offset the cause for independence, showcasing a new modern colonialism that stimulated trade with Britian, and created a new modern colonial subject, better able to produce goods for market and to buy them from Europe.

Film still of Scott House, Accra, by Kenneth Scott for Tropical Modernism: Architecture and Independence.

Despite Modernism and minimalism styles being unpopular and said to be too severe for British tastes, it was a couple of British architects – Jane Drew and Maxwell Fry – who are considered the founders of Tropical Modernism in the 1940s. Fry had collaborated with the founder of Bauhaus, Walter Gropius, during his two-year stay in Britain and would work with Le Corbusier in designing the new city of Chandigarh, in India, in 1950.

It was in Africa that Drew and Fry spent most of their careers. Fry had remained in West Africa as town planner to the British colonies after the war which gave the couple the perfect opportunity for developing the tools of Tropical Modernism, adapting a modernist aesthetic that valued function over ornament to the hot, humid conditions of the region, providing a playground for British architects that offered opportunities and commissions not available back home.

Boy and concrete screen at University College Ibadan, 1962. RIBA.

Library veranda at University College, Ibadan. RIBA.

From the left: Boy and concrete screen at University College Ibadan, 1962; and library veranda at University College, Ibadan. Both courtesy of RIBA.

Britain’s unique contribution to International Modernism was a colonial architecture developed against the background of anti-colonial struggle. In 1954, Fry and Drew helped to establish the Department of Tropical Modernism at the Architectural Association in London. Here they taught European architects to work in the colonies and later, a generation of post-colonial architects. Their philosophy was that by applying environmental and building science grounded in research from field officers both in Britain and West Africa, as well as modern technology, Tropical Modernism was superior to vernacular buildings from which there was little to learn.

Following independence in 1947, Indian prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and later in 1957 Ghanaian prime minister Kwame Nkrumah (known as the freedom fighters and the first Prime Ministers of India and Ghana) commissioned major projects in this style, using Tropical Modernism as a tool for nation-building and as a symbol of their internationalism and progressiveness to the rest of the world. A new generation of national architects deploying the tropical modern style and more sensitive to local context gave birth to distinctive alternative forms of modernism.

The essential language of Tropical Modernism was that of climate control; the use of screens to mitigate the harsh sunlight and allow the breeze in, adjustable louvers, wide eaves and the distinctive breeze soleil, often with references to distinctive West African motifs on the facades. Schools, universities and conference centres were designed to create a modernist impression of what these buildings should be in a tropical environment.

Installation Tropical Modernism: Architecture and Independence, V&A.

Installation shot featuring Jane Drew and Maxwell Fry as well as archival ephemera documenting the period.

The show insightfully includes models, drawings, letters, photographs, and archival ephemera documenting the key figures and moments of the Tropical Modernist movement, as well as a wonderful half hour film installation displayed on three screens. Visitors have the opportunity to not only discover architectural history but also the wider role of modernism in narratives about decolonisation and the construction of a national identity.

Christopher Turner, the V&A’s Keeper of Art, Architecture, Photography & Design and Curator of the exhibition, said: “The story of Tropical Modernism is one of colonialism and decolonization, politics and power, defiance and independence; it is not just about the past, but also about the present and the future.”

As we look to a new future in an era of climate change, Tropical Modernism, which used the latest building and environmental science available at the time to passively cool buildings, a climate responsive science, may serve as a useful guide for the future.

Tropical Modernism: Architecture and Independence
Until 22 September 2024
Porter Gallery, V&A South Kensington
Cromwell Road. London, SW7 2RL
Further information and tickets, HERE.

The show is accompanied by the book, Tropical Modernism: Architecture and Independence by Christopher Turner, V&A Publishing available in July. RRP £30.

Words: Linda Hunting

Opening image: Film still of Mfantsipim School, Cape Coast by Fry, Drew & Partners – for Tropical Modernism – Architecture and Independence. © V&A, London.

Culture

Dora Maar: Behind the Lens

Discovering Picasso’s muse

Although best known for her romantic relationship with Picasso and for being the subject of several of his paintings, Dora Maar was an artist in her own right, particularly gifted at photography. This summer, The Amar Gallery Fitzrovia presents Dora Maar: Behind the Lens, an exhibition celebrating her life, in conjunction with the release of Louisa Treger’s book, The Paris Muse, and the theatrical production Maar, Dora which is performing at Camden Fringe in August.

Dora Maar (1907-1997) was a poet, a painter and a photographer. Masters of the medium, such as Henri Cartier-Bresson and Man Ray, had a deep respect for her work and felt she was greatly overshadowed by the global fame of her lover.

The show at The Amar Gallery celebrates Maar’s life and gives visitors the chance to discover exclusive surreal works from the Dora Maar Estate, as well as photographs of Picasso and Guernica, where she was the only official photographer.

From the left, Dora Maar’s La Sagrada Familia – Barcelona (c. 1933), gelatin silver print (edition of 5); Abstract Compositions (c. 1980), unique photogram; and Abstract Compositions (Virgin and Crucifix, (c. 1980), unique photogram. Images courtesy of the Dora Maar Estate.

Dora arrived in Paris at the age of 19 and studied at the progressive École des Beaux-Arts, Academy Julian, and École de Photographie. Her distinctive style in black and white helped her establish herself as a prominent photographer. During the 1930s, her provocative photomontages became icons of the surrealist. At the 1936 International Surrealist Exhibition in London, her work was displayed alongside Salvador Dali, Man Ray, Eileen Agar, and Paul Eluard.

In Europe’s increasingly fraught political climate, Maar signed her name to numerous left-wing manifestos, a radical gesture for a woman at that time and one that identified her clearly as a detractor of fascism.

Picasso’s Guernica (1937) is considered by many as the most moving and powerful anti-war painting in history. The artist painted it in response to the bombing of Guernica, a town in the Spanish Basque Country in northern Spain, by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. The painting soon became globally famous, helping to bring attention to the Spanish Civil War.

During her time with Picasso, she documented the creation of his most political work, Guernica (1937). Together, they made a series of portraits combining experimental photographic and printmaking techniques.

In middle and later life Maar withdrew from photography. She concentrated on painting and found stimulation and solace in poetry, religion, and philosophy, returning to her darkroom only in her seventies.

“Amar Gallery and my novel, The Paris Muse, put Dora Maar at the heart of the story and give her the recognition she deserves.”
– Louisa Treger

Amar Singh, owner of The Amar Gallery Fitzrovia commented, “I’ve always been interested in Dora Maar’s story, and feel she was greatly overlooked as an artist. Her photographs are truly remarkable and show a great deal of skill. But because she was with Picasso, her talent was somehow suppressed.” Louisa Tregger added, “She is mostly known for being Picasso’s ‘Weeping Woman’ as though tears are the only interesting thing about her.”

Singh launched his gallery to champion overlooked female, minority, and LGBT+ artists. His indefatigable work was instrumental in the suppression of the LGBQT+ conversion therapy in India; he has campaigned for the legislation of same-sex relationships in the subcontinent.; and regularly donates to charitable organisations supporting the rights and protection of women and children being subjected to violence, exploitation, and trafficking in India.

Part of the proceeds from Dora Maar: Behind the Lens will go towards supporting Shakti Vahini and We Power, two notable anti-trafficking organisations in India.

Dora Maar: Behind the Lens
16^th June – 18^th August
The Amar Gallery Fitzrovia
12-14 Kirkman House, Whitfield Street, London W1T 2RF
More details and information HERE.

Words: Julia Pasarón

Opening image: Dora Maar, Self Portrait (c. 1935). Gelatin silver print (edition of 5). Courtesy of the Dora Maar Estate.

Culture, Toys

Tissot and Le Tour de France

A story of passion, endurance and time-keeping

Le Tour de France is rightly billed as the world’s most famous, and toughest cycle race. In the 121 years since its debut race (1903), Le Tour has been a source of extraordinary sporting achievement, controversy, and even death. The overall winner is the cyclist with the lowest combined time, hence the importance of having the right timing partner, in this case, Tissot.

Created in 1903 to help the flagging circulation figures of the French newspaper, L’Auto, the first edition of Le Tour de France saw just 78 men leave the start line for a 2,428km three-week circuit of the French nation.

Intrinsically, little has changed in this 121 years. The race is still an approximate 3,000km course around France, usually held for three weeks in July, in which riders compete over a series of stages over differing terrain and distance, and where the overall winner is the cyclist with the lowest combined time. For the first Tour, the winning margin was almost three hours, so keeping track of the cyclists was not a problem and accomplished by stewards with stop watches.

The winner of the first Tour de France, Maurice-François Garin (centre, arms folded), who made it in 94h, 33 minutes, 14s. He also won in 1904 but was stripped of his title for cheating.

However, these days, with over 170 riders, every thousandth of a second counts. Over all the stages, the riders’ times are compounded, and the lowest cumulative total is the leader of the race and wears the yellow jersey (maillot jaune). With one exception, in 1989, the rider wearing the maillot jaune as the peloton enters Paris on the final day was crowned the winner.

Tissot, who is once again the official partner for Le Tour, knows that it is much more than simply recording the time for each cyclist over each stage. Given the number of riders and the tight finishes, measurement down to 1/10,000th of a second is required to sometimes separate cyclists at the line. All bikes are equipped with transponders that emit a unique signal which is captured by sensors at intermediate points along the route and at the finish line.

The classifications system within the race makes timing in the Tour de France specially complicated. Aside from the overall first finisher in every stage, there are races within the races for different categories, plus overall positions, that need to kept track of. Tissot communicates all the timekeeping data in real time to the scoreboards and media channels.

At the finish of each stage, timing data from Tissot records winners in a multitude of categories.

This is the 14^th occasion Tissot has been the official timekeeper of Le Tour, initially from 1988 to 1992, and then from 2016 in a more comprehensive role as timer to all cycling events under the umbrella of the International Cycling Union (UCI). The importance of accurate timing became obvious in 1989, when Greg LeMond defeated Laurent Fignon by eight seconds, after 87 hours across 3,285 km, when the final ride into Paris was a 24.5km time trial. It was sporting theatre at its finest as LeMond completed one of the greatest rides in competitive cycling. Over the short distance, he had to overhaul a 50 second deficit to Fignon to win. Most thought it impossible, but from somewhere, the American found the necessary energy and speed, as the Tissot clock counted down the time at the finish.

Click Here to watch LeMond overtaking Fignon on the final stretch of Le Tour de France, 1989.

Primož Roglič, Tissot’s cycling ambassador and current Olympic time trial champion – who has known heart ache in losing the maillot jaune in the penultimate stage of Le Tour in 2020 – acknowledged, “Time is everything – every second counts. It’s always tight, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.”

To celebrate its involvement this year, Tissot has released the PR 100 Tour De France watch, a stylish stainless steel cased chronograph, with a black grained textured dial containing three snailed-finished subdials for the 30-minute timer, 1/10th second timer, and small seconds. The central chronograph seconds hand is bright yellow (after the maillot jaune) with a time trial bike silhouette counterweight. It comes with a metal bracelet and a leather/rubber strap. Under the dial is a Swiss quartz movement and the back of the watch features the engraved Tour de France logo.

PR 100 Tour De France watch stainless steel bracelet

Primož Roglič, Tissot’s cycling ambassador and current Olympic time trial champion.

PR 100 Tour De France watch on bracelet or custom designed strap, ideal for cycling or any other active sport.

Words: Andrew Hildreth

Opening image: Tissot cycling ambassador, Olympic Time Trial Champion, Primož Roglič looking pensive before the start of a Tour de France time trial.

Culture, Fashion

Naomi: In Fashion

Four decades of supermodel catwalking

The first black model to feature on the cover of Vogue, Naomi Campbell ranks alongside Coco Chanel and Valentino as one of fashion’s most important icons. After being discovered by model agent Beth Boldt at the age of 15, the south Londoner very quickly saw her life turn into a fashion fairy tale. By the late 1980s Campbell had joined the supermodel gang, walking for every major designer, posing for the best photographers and appearing on more covers than any other black model of her generation.

The V&A is poised to make history with the unveiling of its ground-breaking exhibition NAOMI: In Fashion, which explores Campbell’s 40-year catwalk career as well as her activism and philanthropic endeavours.

Produced in collaboration with Campbell herself, the show gives unprecedented access to her life beyond the Naomi portrayed in the press. Interviews, candid photographs, and personal artefacts will provide an intimate perspective on the woman behind the iconic persona.

Naomi Campbell photographed by Steven Meisel

From the left: Naomi as a kid in New Orleans and at the zenith of her career, photographed by Steven Meisel, the American photographer with whom Naomi worked in several occasions.

The exhibition starts with clips of Campbell on the catwalk, illustrating her legendary “walk” and setting the scene for this unique celebration of the supermodel’s unparalleled career. From there, the show takes visitors back to her childhood in south London.

NAOMI: In Fashion draws upon Campbell’s extensive wardrobe of haute couture and ready-to-wear ensembles she wore during key moments in her career along with loans from designer archives and objects from the V&A’s collections. Highlights include a dramatic 1989 Thierry Mugler car-inspired corset, Campbell’s outfit for her starring role in Sarah Burton’s last show as creative director at Alexander McQueen, a pink Valentino ensemble worn at the 2019 Met Gala and the pair of staggeringly high Vivienne Westwood platform shoes the supermodel was wearing when she infamously toppled over on the catwalk in 1993.

Examples of Campbell’s earliest covers are also on show in this section, including Patrick Demarchelier’s shot of her for the August 1988 issue of Vogue Paris.

Car-inspired corset by Therry Mugler for Naomi Campbell

From the left: the car-inspired corset by Thierry Mugler from 1989 (courtesy of Mugler Archives); dressed by Naomi’s mentor, Azzedine Alaïa (courtesy of Azzedine Alaïa Foundation); and the Vivienne Westwood platform shoes the supermodel was wearing when she fell over on the catwalk in 1993 (courtesy Vivienne Westwood). All images: Victoria & Albert Museum.

Successive sections of the exhibition put into context the supermodel years of the 1990s, her special relationship with designer Azzedine Alaïa – who would become her mentor; how she dealt with serving community service as one of the most famous women in the world, and her pioneering collaborations with top fashion houses.

Her alchemy with the camera is presented through a series of photographs from world-renowned photographers such as Steven Meisel, Peter Lindbergh and David Bailey.

The show also explores how Campbell has advocated for race equality from an early age, joining the Black Girls Coalition in 1989 and fronting the 2007 ‘black issue’ of Vogue Italia among other initiatives. Inspired by Nelson Mandela, she has also become a tireless philanthropist, with her dedication to a number of causes – in particular healthcare and education in Africa and the promotion of young creative talent – still very much part of her life.Top of Form

Naomi: In Fashion
V&A South Kensington. Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL
22nd June 2024 – 6th April 2025|
Details and tickets, HERE.

Words: Lavinia Dickson-Robinson

Opening picture: © Dave Benett / Getty images

Culture, Travel

Summer festivals in the Alps

Highlights of an inspiring summer

The Alps have become as popular in summer as they are in winter. And it is not only nature and sports lovers flocking to the jaw-dropping European mountain range but also those passionate about the arts. All kinds of cultural festivals take place in the region; classical music, jazz, cinema and much more. Here we have selected four spots where the arts and culture programme stands out this summer. Swap your skis for heels and discover the cultural gems awaiting visitors in this, one of the most beautiful corners of the world.

KITZBÜHEL – Austria

With the advent of the summer, the picturesque Tyrolese town of Kitzbühel becomes a hive of activity with an array of captivating events to suit every taste, including a rich cultural programme.

Elïna Galanča performing at Classical Music in the Alps, Kitzbühel.

Elïna Galanča is performing at Classical Music in the Alps. The conductor, Karel Mark Chichon, is also the artistic director of Classic in the Alps, and Elïna’s husband. Photo @ Kitzbühel Tourismus.

Kitzbühel Klassik takes part in early July. From the 3^rd to the 5^th, the city hosts young Voices of the Future, an opportunity to enjoy performances by the emerging talents from the Opernstudio of the Vienna Volksoper, in a series of captivating concerts at Kitzbühel Klassik in Stadtpark. Admission to these performances is free, offering a delightful cultural experience to the local community and visitors alike.

On 6^thJuly in the evening, the 11^th edition of Classic in the Alps will take place, featuring Latvian mezzo-soprano, Elīna Garanča, considered one of the world’s major classical music stars. The combination of an outstanding programme paying homage to Puccini and Maria Callas, an enthusiastic audience, and the stunning mountain panorama will make the evening a unique experience for both artists and spectators.

In August, it is the turn of cinema. Film festival Kitzbühel takes place from 19^th – 25^th August this summer. Now in its 12^th edition, the festival attracts not only filmmakers and stars but also industry experts who come to Kitzbühel to support and enjoy a festival that was created to champion emerging talent, and as such, provides a platform for young directors to unveil their inaugural cinematic endeavours. The festival welcomes a myriad of cinematic expressions, from contemporary to traditional, subtle to overt, and executed in various formats ranging from Super 8 to 35mm.

To start planning your Kitzbühel summer trip, visit: www.kitzbuehel.com/en

GSTAAD – SWITZERLAND

The elegant resort of Gstaad became the home of legendary violinist Yehudi Menuhin and his family in 1957. That same year, he founded the Menuhin Festival & Academy Festival, which over the years has grown to be one of Switzerland’s premier cultural events, attracting internationally acclaimed musicians and enthusiastic audiences.

The area’s imposing natural environment serves as the backdrop for the festival, which runs from 12^th July – 31^st August. This year is themed “Transformation” following the “Change” cycle that started three years ago. The thematical concept is explored through various concert series such as Trans-Mission, Transcendence, and Trans-Classics, reflecting changes in environmental, social, economic, and artistic realms.

The international star, Argentine cellist Sol Gabetta, performs at the Gstaad Menuhin Festival, where she has been coming for over two decades. Photo © Raphael Faux.

Highlights include the Carte Blanche Series by renowned violinist Julia Fischer, who curates four special programmes collaborating with other first-class musicians, such as Valerie Steenken, Jonas Kaufmann and Camilla Nylund. Acclaimed pianist, wildlife advocate and human rights activist Hélène Grimaud is performing on three different evenings as well as Yuja Wang, the gifted Chinese pianists best known for her theatrical style.

The Menuhin Festival also includes performances by the London Symphony Orchestra and the Budapest and Gstaad Festival Orchestras, outdoor concerts and educational programmes with renowned artists.

Find detailed information to organise your trip to Gstaad this summer HERE.

VALLE D’AOSTA – ITALY

Nestled in the heart of the Italian Alps, the Aosta Valley is a region famous for its stunning landscapes, rich history, and vibrant culture. In summer, the region hosts numerous cultural events, including two outstanding film festivals.

The Gran Paradiso Film Festival runs 22nd – 27th July in Cogne and in July and August in the valleys of the Gran Paradiso National Park. It is quite a unique festival in the sense that is the only international festival of its kind dedicated to nature cinema. The festival was created in 1984 with the intention of increasing awareness about natural heritage and respect for the environment.

The Gran Paradiso Film Festival takes place against the magnificent backdrop of the majestic Alps.

There are three sections: an international competition open feature films and medium-length films dedicated to nature from anywhere in the world; CortoNatura, open to international short fiction films, short animated films or short documentaries dedicated to nature, in order to increase youth participation to the festival and promoting audiovisual production related to nature; and the cycle of events De Rerum Natura, which borrows its name from the 1^st century didactic poem of the same name by first-century Roman poet and philosopher, Lucretius.

More information about the Gran Paradiso Film Festival, HERE.

Known as the Oscars of mountain cinema, the Cervino CineMountain Festival (29^th July – 5^th August) shares with Gran Paradiso its connection with nature, as it aims at revealing and sharing the relationship between the mountains and the cultures that have lived and live in them. Taking place at an altitude of 2000 metres, Cervino CineMountain is the highest international film festival in Europe.

The Cervino CineMountain Festival aims at increasing awareness about the fragility of the mountains, and how important it is to preserve them for future generations.

The week-long programme offers screenings of films that have stood out the most in international film festivals – festivals which make up the International Alliance for Mountain Film circuit, stretching from Trento to Kathmandu and representing some of the most important film events throughout the world.

Find out more about the Cervino CineMountain Festival HERE.

CHAMONIX – FRANCE

Established in 2010 by internationally acclaimed French-Armenian jazz musician and composer André Manoukian, the Cosmo Jazz Festival is an unforgettable event that blends music and the stunning landscapes of the Chamonix Valley.

From 22^nd– 27^th July visitors will be able to enjoy free performances and a wide range of traditional and contemporary jazz at unique Alpine venues, such as the Aiguille du Midi, the Brévent Cable Car Station or Lac Blanc.

Como Jazz Festival puts special emphasis on the connection between music and nature. The organisers have gone to great extents to make sure the performances complement the spectacular surroundings. The idea is that after such an organic experience, visitors will be more willing than ever before to join on conservation efforts.

Last but not least, Cosmo also includes a series of cultural events and workshops that give the public the chance to learn and interact with the artists in the festival. Learn more about the Cosmo Jazz Festival and organise your visit HERE.

Words: Julia Pasarón

Opening image: Cuban jazz pianist Roberto Fonseca playing at the Cosmo Festival in Chamonix. Photo © Guillaume Mollier.

Culture

Joel Meyerowitz – Europa

A road trip around Europe

In the early 1960s, American photographer Joel Meyerowitz helped overcome resistance from black-and-white traditionalists to establish colour photography as a form of art. He is renowned for his ability to capture the essence of urban landscapes and human interactions. This summer, Museo Picasso presents Europa, and exhibition based on Meyerowitz’s travels from 1966 to 1967 through England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, France, Spain, Germany, Turkey, Greece and Italy, but focusing on his extended stay in Málaga.

Meyerowitz started his journey behind the lens in 1962, working on an advertising project with Robert Frank. During his illustrious career, he published dozens of books and his photographs have appeared in more 350 exhibitions. He received numerous awards and accolades, including the Royal Photographic Society’s Centenary Medal and a double Guggenheim fellowship.

“The experience of making photographs in Europe changed me and gave me the perspective I needed to see myself, and then, when I returned home, to see America in a different way.”

– Joel Meyerowitz

Having left his job in advertising aged 28, Meyerowitz embarked on a year-long road trip that saw him drive 20,000 miles through 10 countries, taking 25,000 shots on the way. The artist settled in Málaga for six months, where he befriended the Escalonas, one of the traditional flamenco families in the city. Meyerowitz took 8,500 photographs in Málaga and captured hours of high-quality sound recordings of live flamenco. This work provides an extraordinary photographic record of Spain during Franco’s dictatorship. Meyerowitz’s time in the Mediterranean city had a lasting impact on his style, and his work redefined how reality can be captured and communicated with a camera.

Inspired by Robert Frank, Henri Cartier-Bresson and Eugène Atget, Meyerowitz’s skilful use of light and colour infused his photographs with a unique sense of mood and atmosphere, whether capturing the soft glow of dawn over the Seine or the vibrant chaos of a Mediterranean market.

In his trip around Europe, Joel Meyerowitz captured feature portraits of local people, unique moments captured in everyday street scenes.
Photo: Paris, 1967 © Joel Meyerowitz

Tracing Meyerowitz’s artistic evolution during his time in Europe, this exhibition features vintage and large-format prints in colour and black and white of images depicting local people, unique moments captured in everyday street scenes, urban and natural landscapes, and photographs taken from inside his moving car. Each image is a testament to Meyerowitz’s mastery of his craft. His deep connection to the landscapes he portrays is evidenced by the incisiveness with which he captures their essence. Meyerowitz’s art is in storytelling. His photographs encapsulate narratives frozen in time, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in the sights, sounds and emotions of each locale.

Museo Picasso Málaga. C/ San Agustín, 8. 29015 Málaga
15th June – 15th December 2024
More information and tickets HERE.

Words: Lavinia Dickson-Robinson

Opening image: Malaga, 1966 © Joel Meyerowitz. The image was cropped due to formatting restrictions.
First image body text: London, 1966 © Joel Meyerowitz

Culture

Carly Paoli

The voice of an angel

British soprano Carly Paoli talks to Lisa Marks about her Italian heritage, her love of Judy Garland and her new role as an ambassador for jewellery brand FOPE.

Carly Paoli is known around the world for captivating audiences with her angelic voice and heartfelt performances. Born and raised in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, the 35-year-old’s meteoric rise to musical stardom has been marked by her passion and unwavering commitment to her craft.

She was called “the voice of an angel” by Pope Francis after she sang for the Pontiff during his Jubilee year at the Vatican, and has performed with many contemporary greats including Andrea Bocelli, Elaine Paige, Aled Jones and Alfie Boe.

 But mention Judy Garland and her eyes light up. In 2020, she performed a tribute to the Hollywood legend as part of BBC Radio’s 2 iconic Sunday Night is Music Night series at the London Palladium. The Wizard of Oz star was a huge inspiration to young Carly and this set her on the road to show business.

“I became captivated with Judy through the MGM Hollywood musicals. Mum introduced me to the film Meet Me in St. Louis when I was around five or six,” she recalls. “It’s still my absolute favourite. Judy was one of those iconic singers who was able to tell a story through song, and whatever she sang she seemed to have an ability to make it her own. She put her heart and soul into everything she did.”

“Growing up, music was always part of the household and it was something that was meant for sharing. It was a joy.”
– Carly Paoli

Carly’s Anglo-Italian mother, Tina, her father, Paul, and her wider family in Puglia were also supportive during her early career and have played a huge role in Carly’s development as a performer. She joined the Stagecoach Theatre Arts drama, music and dance school in Southwell, near her home in Mansfield, where a vocal coach noticed her natural talent. She was advised to take private singing lessons, and after a few years at Tring Park School in Hertfordshire, Carly landed a scholarship to the Royal Northern College of Music. But while all her training was in Britain, her dual heritage loomed large through her childhood.

 Carly says: “I was sort of in two worlds. I was living in Mansfield but would spend my summers in Italy. I was 14 when my grandfather took me to a fiesta. It was a three-day festival that’s also a religious occasion, and I performed Ava Maria a capella in church for the whole community. It was just something I did, and I understand now how fantastic it was as a young artist to be able to have that experience.” It was this song that she performed for Pope Francis in 2016 to such great acclaim.

Carly Paoli performing with theatrical director and pianist Jae Alexander at the Crazy Coqs cabaret in Soho, London, April 2024.

Having been immersed in music from such a tender age herself, Carly is keen for younger generations to find classical music. “For me, it’s about finding ways to make it more accessible and relatable,” she says. “It’s lovely when you can translate a piece of Italian music into English because all of a sudden people think, ‘I can hear that it’s passionate, but now I know why it’s passionate.’”

The soprano, who is now based in Wiltshire, says that one of her goals is to move people with song. She visits schools to perform and talk about her music and is often touched by the reaction from children to her voice. “I remember one boy in particular who was autistic. He had a conversation with me afterwards about how he was going to get his grandfather to laminate my autograph,” she says. “It was really special. The teachers later told me he doesn’t talk to people, especially strangers.”

The Movie Collection features 13 songs, chosen by Carly from some of her favourite movies plus abonus song from musical theatre.

Thrillingly, Carly was recently announced as an ambassador for the Italian jewellery brand FOPE. “I love the ethos of the brand, and that it was founded in 1929 and still owned by the same family,” says Carly. “FOPE celebrates great Italian jewellery craftsmanship. They built upon that foundation to create what are considered pieces of art that are still relevant to today. But they’ve maintained their original traditions. That resonates with me as an artist because that’s something I try to do, much like we were discussing earlier about making classical music more accessible.”

Carly has released five albums to date, her most recent, The Movie Collection, came out last year. With so much experience already under her belt the singer says she wants to write more.

“Some of my most rewarding moments have been seeing my words and my thoughts brought to life in song — and being able to perform them is the icing on the cake.”
– Carly Paoli

A busy remainder of the year awaits. She is performing at a few events connected to the 80^th anniversary of D-Day in June, has upcoming shows with the fabulous Fulltone Orchestra, Aled Jones and Gareth Dafydd Morris, and is set to support tenor Boe on his UK tour.

With such a busy life, there’s barely a moment to take a breath but Carly is determined to find time to visit her home in Italy and catch up with family — and is set to perform at the famous basilica in historic Galatina near Puglia. It will be a joyful experience because the region is her “happy place”.

“Puglia has always been where I spend my downtime, and there are people I know there who have been my friends since childhood. The food is fantastic, there’s a real community spirit and a lovely rhythm of life,” she says. “I’m proud of my Italian heritage, but I’m equally proud of my British roots, as well as coming from Mansfield.”

Opening image: Carly Paoli wears FOPE Eka gold Flex’it chokers, Panorama You ring and Flex’it gold bracelets with diamonds. Barbour waistcoat and shirt.
First image in an interview: Carly wears Fope Super Eka diamond earrings and necklace, Panorama Flex’it white gold and diamond ring, and Panorama and Super Eka diamond bracelets. Huishan Zhang dusty pink gown.
Last image in interview: Carly Paoli wears FOPE Eka gold Flex’it chokers, Panorama You ring and Flex’it gold bracelets with diamonds. Barbour waistcoat and shirt. Holland Cooper trousers. House of Bruar boots.
Photographer: Catherine Harbour. Stylist: Karl Willett.

Culture, Toys

Bentley 1927 3L Le Mans team car “Bitch”

The starting point of the “Bentley Boys” era at Le Circuit de la Sarthe

From the three Bentleys that took part in the Le Mans race in 1927, only one, “Bitch”, is still “alive”. Its current owner, Michael Dacre, has been invited by Concours d’Elegance Villa d’Este to enter it in the Dawn of the Performance Age Class A competition. Here we share with you the story of this extraordinary car.

HEROICS AND VICTORY

There were three entrants from Bentley Motors at the 1927 Le Mans, affectionately named “Snitch”, “Witch”, and “Bitch”. Around 9.40pm, just as night was settling across the circuit, a back-marker car was pushing to make up time, when it spun at the Maison Blanche (“White House”) chicane approaching the pit straight.

Start of the Le Mans 24 Hours race, 1927. At the time, drivers had to run to their cars as the flag went down.

The two lead Bentleys (Snitch and Bitch) crashed into a ditch while avoiding the stricken car and were out of the race. Other competitors suffered a similar fate and a pile-up resulted. When Sammy Davis arrived in Witch, he found the road completely blocked so rather than hitting the stationary cars head-on, Davis put his Bentley into a slide and struck them sideways.

As the remaining competitors drove past, Davis rescued his teammates and the other drivers, making sure all had survived, and then, untangling his Bentley from the wreckage, limped back into the pits. All seemed lost. Despite W.O. Bentley’s remonstrations, Davis insisted that he could continue the race. According to the rules at the time, only the driver was allowed to repair the damaged vehicle, so with the advice of the mechanics, he was able to get it moving again.

The remaining Bentleys continued to race despite the handicap. Having worked its way gradually through the field, at around 2.30pm on the second day, the Bentley driven by Davis and Benjafield found itself in first position and held on to it until the chequered flag came up, securing the most famous victory yet for the British manufacturer.

Bitch being closely followed by Witch at the 1927 Le Mans. Bitch would end up in a ditch with team mate Snitch after trying to avoid an earlier crash. Witch circumvented it, stopped to help, and went on to win the race.

The win ingrained the Bentley marque in the national consciousness. The dramatic events surrounding the Maison Blanche crash and Davis’s honourable and heroic actions were immortalised in the press and were the stuff of “boy’s own” stories in comics. The team were greeted as national heroes and The Autocar magazine fuelled the Bentley team’s reputation further by hosting a grand post-race party at The Savoy Hotel, London, where the winning car was the guest of honour, brought in by removing the back doors to the hotel.

Of the three Bentleys that raced in 1927, Snitch appeared at Le Mans again in 1928 and in subsequent years, eventually becoming “Old Mother Gun”. Witch was bought by Dr Benjafield and he continued to race her, eventually ending its days in a crash with a lamp post in New York in the 1940s. Bitch lived on.

RESTORATION AND REWARD

True restoration is, by its nature, obsessive, it becomes an overarching desire. Restoring one of the Bentleys from the 1927 race, establishing a complete provenance and history surrounding the car, has been the driving force for two vintage Bentley enthusiasts over the past quarter of a century.

Left: front cover to The Hornet comic, January 19, 1964, extolling the victory of the Bentley Boys at Le Mans in 1927. Right: the only eyewitness account of the crash at White House, immortalised by Sammy Davis in this painting.

When Bob Moggeridge bought Bitch at auction in 1997, it hadn’t even crossed his mind to recover the history of car or that of its owners, let alone compile the details of the 1927 Le Mans race. He pointed out that “If somebody had given me a cardboard wallet with 10 photographs and some information in it, I would have probably accepted that and never given it a second thought, but, because the car had nothing with it and the previous guy had had it for 50 years, I reasoned that there should be some material out there.”

After crashing at Le Mans, Bitch was repaired and went on to have several owners, among them Sub Lt H Kidston (brother of Glen Kidston). In 1997, it was sold at a Brooks auction to R. A. “Bob” Moggeridge.

After acquiring Bitch, Bob did 10 years of research followed by a decade of restoration work. Most components are original, and all parts have the necessary matching serial numbers. Knowledge of the famed true colour of the racing green livery came from tracing the old paint manufacturer and matching records with vintage colour charts. Some of it was detective work and some of it was pure luck. For example, Kennard’s papers were found at a GCSE student’s art exhibition entitled Things I found in a skip, exactly where the box had been placed before the industrious scholar found it. Bob even acquired paintings by Sammy Davis from his memories of the crash. Davis had been an art student before a racing driver and a journalist.

Bob Moggeridge next to Bitch (YF 2503) and Mike Dacre next to a Blower Bentley (GH 6951) at Brooklands Circuit, 2021.

Bitch became life-defining, but Bob has no regrets. “It was an obsession, but also so much fun! Meeting with people, driving to their houses or talking to them on the phone would lead me to the next person and then to another. I received lots of candid photographs thanks to these encounters and conversations.”

Before selling Bitch, Bob had the chance to drive at Le Mans at the Centenary Celebration of Bentley in 2019. Over 90 years since it crashed, Bitch winged its way around the Circuit de la Sarthe once more with the man who had restored it to original form. It was a fitting tribute to both history and renewal, and obsession rewarded.

A NEW CHAPTER

Due to ill health that prevented Bob from driving, he decided to sell. The question was to whom. It was not to be sold to a museum or for parts or for someone to place in an exhibit. As so often happens in such circumstances, it was chance that led Mike Dacre to meet Bob and see Bitch.

The introduction was made by a mutual friend and vintage car dealer. With a wry smile, Mike explained “I went down to meet Bob and I just was not able to take it in or comprehend what was in front of me. I just could not believe how good the car was kept or its history, let alone all the memorabilia Bob had gathered over the years.” Mike was certainly impressed with the importance of Bitch and its history, “Driving Bitch at Brooklands was a real goosebumps moment,” he recalls rubbing one arm.

Mike intends to make his own contribution. “I want to continue what Bob started,” he shares. “The plan is to use the car. What I don’t want is, in 20 or 30 years from now, realise that we broke the chain and let things slip. This is a story that started in 1927 and I feel it’s my responsibility to complete and maybe add to it. I want to make sure Bitch is seen, appreciated and driven., which is, after all, the best part.”

Mike has already started his contribution. He recently found one of Sammy Davis’s racing helmets, which is fitting, since he wrote under the pseudonym of “Casque” (French for helmet), along with an original book of cartoons where Davis made light of the dangers and the implications for drivers at the 1927 race.

With a change of ownership has come a change of protocol. As well as driving the car in vintage rallies, Mike’s young family are very much involved. Bitch has become part of their family adventures, once again a memory maker, almost Fleming-esque in its form: a former race car that crashed; that was nearly a casualty of war; returned to her former glory when she flew the Circuit de la Sarthe at the prestigious Le Mans 24 Hours; now completely restored.

Ever since, Bitch has added many other prizes to its long list of accomplishments, among them, the Fledgling Trophy from the Benjafield Club at the Centenary Le Mans Classic, 2023.

Words: Andrew Hildreth

This article is a summary of the whole story of Bitch, published in our Spring 2022 issue, available HERE. You can also learn about Bitch racing at the Centenary Le Mans in our Winter 2023 issue, which you can purchase HERE.

Leading image: Bitch on the winning straight at the Centenary Le Mans Classic race, driven by Michael Dacre. Photo © Jayson Fong.

Culture

ADAM ATTEW

Capturing the fragility of Alpine beauty

Contemporary hyperrealist artist Adam Attew grew up in the Surrey Hills, known by the Victorians as “Little Switzerland” for its resemblance to the landscapes of the lower regions of the Alpine country and the purity of its air. He started to paint as early as he started to ski, at the age of two. He then combined both – mountains and canvases – in the late 1990s.

Attew spoke to our Editor-in-Chief, Julia Pasarón at the Hotel Grace La Margna in St. Moritz, where he was staying as Inaugural Artist in Residence, supporting the Swiss branch of the global non-profit organisation, Protect Our Winters.

He has been drawn to this part of the world – both in winter and summer – since he was a small child. Over the years, Attew saw first-hand the effect of global warming in these majestic mountains. “I’ve been coming to the Alps since the ‘70s,” he says. “I remember skiing on the glaciers of Chamonix, which used to cover an area much larger than they do now.” Attew is right. Global warming is having a catastrophic effect on the Alpine glaciers. Research shows that in the 20^th century, the temperature in the Alps has risen by 2°C, at a rate of 0.5°C per decade since the 1980s. The consequences are disastrous, not only for the glaciers themselves but also for the species that have made these mountains their home. To give you an idea, for every increase of half a degree, wildlife must move 100m higher to find a cooler temperature.

The long, hot and dry summers of the late 1990s and the early 2000s saw Les Bossons (Mont-Blanc), one of the lowest-hanging glaciers in Europe, lose 20m in length and volume. Photo © Simo Räsänen.

Attew’s interest in painting mountain landscapes turned to the Alps in the early 2000s, exploring oils as the medium to represent them. “I had always been a little scared of oils but I soon fell in love with them, with their malleability and the endless possibilities they give to the artist,” he shares. Now, he uses nothing else.

For a long time, he had been toying with the idea of working with a charity or non-profit organisation. His environmental consciousness and love for the mountains drove him to approach Protect Our Winters Switzerland (POW). It focuses on four main fronts: on one side, mobility and nutrition (two of the sectors responsible for the highest emissions of CO₂); and on the other, advocacy and education. At the heart of POW, there is a group of outdoor enthusiasts committed to protecting the precious winters that define the region’s allure. “After decades of enjoying them, I wanted to give something back to the Alps,” Attew says.

At Grace La Margna, he made the main lounge (The Living Room) his atelier, which gave him the opportunity to talk to guests and spread the POW message. “I was surprised by the interest people have been showing,” Attew admits. “Some guests have come to speak to me more than once, genuinely interested, and are very pleased that part of the money they spend when purchasing one of my paintings is donated to POW.”

Climate change in the Alps doesn’t only affect the wildlife or the length of the ski season, but also the safety of the mountains. Attew warns, “The risk of avalanches is now so acute, that you don’t dare to go off-piste anywhere, unless it’s with someone who knows that specific location like the back of their hand.”

The fragility of this environment acts as further encouragement for Attew to capture its beauty. “It is getting harder and harder to find the pristine landscapes I like to paint,” he says. “For example, trees covered in snow; the chances to catch them get slimmer every year.”

“The hope is that, together with an appreciation of my paintings and of the beauty of the landscapes they feature, the viewer will feel the desire to protect them.”
– Adam Attew

Looking at his hyperrealist depictions of snow-capped peaks against intense blue skies, I understand why guests at the hotel engaged so much with him. Attew’s paintings literally stop you in your tracks, they are that impactful. His use of deep colours, contrasting textures and abstract contours result in spellbinding pieces of art that go far beyond what a camera could convey.

Having the chance to work and show his art at Grace La Margna has done wonders for POW’s exposure. “Most people I have spoken to here hadn’t heard of the organisation before,” Attew explains, “so I am very glad to be able to help.”

Credit is due to the hotel too. General Manager, David Frei, says, “Adam Attew’s art captures the beauty of the mountains that surround us very vividly; so, we knew that his presence at the hotel would engage our guests. We are also thrilled that through this partnership we can work with POW Switzerland to promote the great work it is doing.

“I feel motivated by the response I have seen during my time as artist in residence here at Grace La Margna.”
– Adam Attew

Attew is committed to his role as an agent for positive change. “I want to do more to help raise funds and awareness for POW,” he comments with conviction. “It’s not just the painting that I love, but also meeting so many people who appreciate the mountains.”

It has been enlightening to speak to Attew and learn about this innovative collaboration that will hopefully set a precedent for future initiatives at the intersection of art, hospitality and environmental responsibility.

www.adamattew.com
www.protectourwinters.ch
www.gracehotels.com

Opening image: Adam Attew, She Devil, 2020. Oil on canvas. © Adam Attew
Last image: Adam Attew, Magic in Leogang, 2019. Oil on canvas. © Adam Attew