The artistry will be glittering at the second edition of the Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels Festival, which runs in London from 12th March to 8th April at the Royal Ballet and Opera, Sadler’s Wells, South Bank Centre and Tate Modern.
Following on from the hugely successful inaugural event in 2022, this iteration of the festival created in partnership with the world-famous French luxury jewellery company features 15 dazzling shows from a whole gamut of different cultures.
Taking place at iconic venues in our capital city, Dance Reflections showcases artists who, in the words of Catherine Renier, President & CEO of Van Cleef & Arpels, have specialised in, “Collaborations with prestigious partners, contributions to major choreographic events, support for emerging and touring artists… These various commitments, in keeping with the values of creation, transmission and education dear to the Maison, all meet the same objective of celebrating contemporary choreographic art.”
Including repertory works, dance workshops, artist forums and awareness-raising initiatives, all emphasising the connections between dance heritage and modern choreography, the festival highlights imaginative ways in which dancers have evolved exciting new…
A tribute to the work of one of the fundamental figures of French Modernist painting
After three years in the making, the Amar Gallery is bringing to London Hélène de Beauvoir: The Woman Destroyed, a unique exhibition featuring paintings and works on paper from the 1950s to 1980s by this French artist, crucial to the feminist movement. Often overshadowed in the past by her older sister, Simone – the groundbreaking […]
Despite being separated in time by nearly 200 years, Sigmar Polke felt a deep admiration for Francisco de Goya. The show at Museo del Prado, Sigmar Polke. Affinities Revealed, explores how the Spanish master influenced the work of the German painter, after he saw for the first time Goya’s Time and the Old Women in […]
THE United Kingdom's longest-reigning monarch has died aged 96
All of us at I-M Intelligent Magazine would like to express our deepest condolences for the passing of HRH Queen Elizabeth II. She was a tower of strength and a monarch that always put duty first. We thank you for your service. Rest in peace.
Costa Navarino welcomes thinkers and thought leaders
The story of Costa Navarino is as old as Greece itself. It was King Nestor, legendary ruler of ancient Pylos, who first gave meaning to the word “hospitality” when he befriended complete strangers, but it is most famous for being the site of the Battle of Navarino in 1827, which turned the tide for Greek independence,
Situated in Messinia, in the southwest Peloponnese, Costa Navarino has one of the most unspoiled and breath-taking landscapes in the Mediterranean. Its philosophy is driven by a genuine desire to promote the region, whilst upholding the highest standards of environmental and social responsibility throughout all developmental stages, from construction to operation. As a world-class lifestyle travel destination in Greece, it aims to offer a world of authentic experiences, blending the finest hotels, private homes and extensive leisure amenities, always with respect for the natural environment, the local community, and the region’s rich history and cultural heritage, which spans over 4,500 years.
At a time when daily life is punctured by a series of global crises – from climate change to the pandemic, to all-out war – the quest for happiness seems ever more elusive, and even a bit indulgent. However more people than ever are seeking it out.
For the seventh year, Costa Navarino welcomes world-acclaimed authors and speakers to lead discussions and debates during “The Democracy and Happiness Weekend”.
In partnership with the Athens Democracy Forum, the cultural event takes place from the 30th of September to the 2nd of October 2022 at the brand-new W Costa Navarino – a vibrant resort located on the 13-hectare Navarino Waterfront site.
This stunning location is the setting for a series of events where attendees can immerse themselves in thought-provoking discussions and benefit from the unrivalled natural landscape, while enjoying a session of beach yoga, a philosophy walk or a cultural experience.
W Costa Navarino offers guests attending” Democracy and Happiness” a wide array of extra activities, including beach yoga.
The annual weekend explores the role of happiness in public life, through discussions and talks featuring motivational speakers, such as Pascal Bruckner, acclaimed author who penned the book Perpetual Euphoria: On the Duty to Be Happy; Wolf Singer, award-winning German neurophysiologist, and Yascha Mounk, professor, esteemed author and one of the world’s leading experts on the crisis of liberal democracy and the rise of populism.
The sessions are moderated by three key journalists at The New York Times: Roger Cohen – author, Chief Correspondent Paris and former Op-Ed columnist; Liz Alderman, Chief European Business Correspondent; and Steven Erlanger, Chief European Diplomatic Correspondent. The speakers will cover a variety of topics exploring whether a happier society equates to a more resilient democracy.
“Democracy feeds on argument, on the discussion as to the right way forward. This is the reason why respecting the opinion of others belongs to democracy” – Richard von Weizsaecker
In addition to the series of talks and book readings, Costa Navarino offers curated cultural experiences for guests to enjoy, including philosophy walks with academics discussing modern-day ethics through the lens of ancient Greek philosophers, amidst the idyllic Messinian setting. Visitors will also be able to take full advantage of the spectacular coastal location, from swimming in the Ionian Sea, to diving, sailing, kitesurfing and more.
Just a stone’s throw from the long white-sand beach, the new resort’s design is inspired by the region’s traditional residential areas and committed to use local, natural materials such as stone, wood and reed. W Costa Navarino, exclusively for adults and young adults over 12 years old, offers 246 stylish rooms, two- bedroom suites and threw-bedroom villas with private infinity pools, staged in the Bay of Navarino with stunning Ionian Sea views.
The outdoor pool at W Costa Navarino is right next to the beach and offers unparalleled views of the bay.
Join a host of innovative thinkers and award-winning thought leaders from 30th September – 2nd October 2022, for a weekend of debates, discussions and meditations. More information about “The Happiness and Democracy Weekend” HERE.
The Art of Movement features for the first time in the UK, nearly 100 creations from the Van Cleef & Arpels archive collection, plus numerous historical documents, gouache illustrations and lender masterpieces. The exhibition displays emblematic pieces alongside new acquisitions and historical pieces that reflect lifestyles of days gone by. Together they show the evolution and reflection of French elegance over the decades since the Maison was founded in 1906.
The Art of Movement is part of a 2022 celebration in London that began with the French jewellery brand’s Dance Reflections Festival in March and follows on from its participation at the Masterpiece Fair in June and July. Nicolas Bos President & CEO of Van Cleef & Arpels, said, “Whether it is artistic, mechanical or first dreamed before being drawn and masterly rendered in precious materials, movement has always captivated and still fascinates Van Cleef & Arpels. Capturing the ephemeral has become one of the Maison’s ultimate quests throughout its history. Such a tradition is today demonstrated for the first time in Great Britain in collaboration with the Design Museum”.
The Art of Movement at the Design Museum continues Van Cleef & Arpels’celebration of movement initiated in 2022 in London with the Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels Festival and the participation in Masterpiece.
Van Cleef & Arpels is famed for its artistry, craftsmanship and pieces of high jewellery that infuse movement into precious materials making them light and dynamic, almost “alive”. It is not surprise then that to display this rare set of creations, the scenography echoes the theme of movement. To welcome visitors at the entrance, a floating matte ribbon takes the shape of an ethereal flower and unfolds to guide visitors on their journey throughout the exhibition. This shape is inspired by the Silhouette Flower clip, an emblematic design imagined by Van Cleef & Arpels in the 1930s.
The flower anamorphosis at the entrance of the exhibition is inspired by the Silhoutte Flower clip, an iconic Van Cleef & Arpels design from the 1930s.
The four themes explored by the Maison in this show: Nature Alive, Elegance, Dance and Abstract Movements, are given pride of place thanks to a unique setting inspired by the world of couture. Each showcase is entirely made of pleated fabric and assembled on a vertical floor-to-ceiling support. Like abstract paintings, it attracts the eye and kindles a thoughtful dialogue with the jewels, as the textile folds and curves echoing the designs of the pieces.
Left, 37 clip from 1937 in yellow gold, rubies, and diamonds; Right, Trois Clochettes clip from 1964 in yellow gold, rubies and diamonds, both pieces part of the Van Cleef & Arpels Collection.
Tim Marlow, Director and CEO of the Design Museum, commented,“We are delighted to be able to showcase Van Cleef & Arpels’ remarkable collection at the Design Museum. We celebrate design in all its forms and this new exhibition will be a wonderful opportunity for UK audiences to enjoy and explore the exquisite craftsmanship that has gone into their work for over a century.”
The London Symphony Orchestra celebrates the best of British
Sir Simon Rattle kicks off the new LSO season with the best of British – from the sweeping landscapes of Elgar and Frank Bridge to the dynamic sounds of Daniel Kidane. New Music Britain is a celebration of the medley of cultures that forms the historical and contemporary sonic life of the country.
“I have always mentioned in my own biographies and writings that I’m from a mixed background,” explains Daniel. “My father was from Eritrea, my mother is Russian, and I was born in London, so that medley of cultures is ever-present in my thinking and where I get my ideas and inspiration. To draw from a Caribbean poet, Kamau Brathwaite, about the idea of heritage and paternal lineage came very naturally to me and resonated with the ideas that I wanted to explore in the music.”
Sun Poem, the piece by Daniel that will be played at this inaugural concert, was co-commission by the LSO and debuts on Sunday 11th in London. “Sun Poem is a personal journey as I look at my own heritage and how that is interconnected with becoming a father.,” Daniel shares, “I wanted to reflect the idea and the journey of fatherhood up until the point when the newborn comes into the world – the excitement but also the trepidation and worrying.”
The piece is divided between two ideas: faster exciting writing, and slower more meditative writing. There is a push and pull between the fast and slow, which Daniel explains reflects the culmination of his earlier interest in more energetic music and how is own has been slowing down slightly over the last few years.
“New Music Britain is such a broad and inclusive context that I hope listeners would be eager to go and explore and hear different types of music.” – Daniel Kidane
The concert starts with Enter Spring by Frank Bridge (yes, we know it’s September, but British music has always made its own rules). This orchestral rhapsody evokes the burgeoning charm of nature and the celebration of a season in renewal. Surges of sound glow from across the orchestra, echoing the dynamic energy of the countryside rather than that of a peaceful idyll.
Daniel Kidane dances on the edge, in the latest innovative creation from a composer as imaginative – and as dynamic – as 21st century London itself. His history with the LSO started many years ago.” Through my involvement in the LSO’s schemes for composers, I have had the incredible pleasure of working with lots of great musicians,” he comments. “It has been a great space for me to explore my own musical language. There is an openness to creativity and trying new things. Being on that journey together with the LSO has been very special.”
For many people, Sir Simon Rattle is British classical music – and as the LSO’s Music Director, he makes a point of beginning each new season with a celebration of British music in all its diversity, past, present and, most importantly, future.
“The LSO is all about looking forward. They ask what is next, what can we do that’s new.” – Sir Simon Rattle.
Finally, Edward Elgar delights us with his epic Second Symphony, which begins on the crest of a wave – then watches as the clouds gather and the light begins to fade. He referred to this work as “a passionate pilgrimage of the soul”. Tender moments of reflection carry emotional darkness while leaping angular melodies capture passionate energy, spurring the drama on. By containing such contrasting sections, the symphony captures the grandeur and expansiveness of British music as well as the essence of the soul.
“There is music in the air, music all around us, the world is full of it and you simply take as much as you require.” – Edward Elgar
London Symphony Orchestra 2022/23 Season Launch Concert with Sir Simon Rattle
New Music Britain Sunday 11 September 2022 7 pm Barbican, London
Frank Bridge Enter Spring Daniel Kidane Sun Poem* (LSO co-commission; London premiere) Interval Edward Elgar Symphony No 2
Sir Simon Rattle conductor London Symphony Orchestra
On the centenary of her death, Butterfield Press presents Fast Lady, a biography about Edwardian trailblazer Dorothy Levitt, written by self-confessed “motor head” Michael Barton.
Born Elizabeth Levi in West Hackney in 1882, Dorothy Levitt was the portrait of a go-getting 21st century woman. Independent, dare-devil and stereotype breaker and challenger of social conventions, she became a pioneer lady motorist, racing driver, motor yacht racer, aviatrix, author and newspaper columnist. Between 1903 and 1910 she reached the zenith of her fame, being honoured at home and abroad for her ground-breaking motoring triumphs.
At the age of 18, this beautiful and stylish young woman was working as a temporary typist in the New Burlington Street showroom and offices of Selwyn Edge – a leading light in racing and selling cars such as the De-Dion Bouton and Napier marques. At a time when motoring was in its infancy and when the few women who drove tended to be wives of the landed classes or early automobile designers (such as Carl Benz’s wife Bertha), Edge soon spotted that Dorothy’s aptitude for cars was ripe for nurture. With him as her Svengali, a whole new world opened up to her. Pre-dating circuit track racing, it was a world that would see her pit her wits at sprints, hill-climbs, reliability trials and long-distance rallies; one in which she would compete and win against men and take the women’s land speed record twice. Her first reported motor car success came in May 1903 when she completed a 400-mile, two-day reliability run from Glasgow to London via Leeds driving a 12hp Gladiator. That October, she then became the first woman in Britain to win a competitive motor event when she entered the Southport Speed Trials.
The presence of Dorothy Levitt with her 6hp De Dion Bouton caught the public’s imagination. Her ebullient passenger is Wilfred Broom, Secretary of the Herefordshire Automobile Club, who was the local ‘brains’ behind the trials.
One could say that Dorothy is as much an inspiration for the #MeToo generation as for the budding suffragette of yesteryear, her story equally warning against the dangers of squandering promise and success. In this book, Michael Barton goes in search of an explanation for how she ended up living in greatly reduced circumstances; forgotten by the public and estranged from her close-knit Jewish family; keeping company with lowlives where once she had mingled with aristocracy and eventually dying alone at the age of just 40.
To put things into context, we must understand that Dorothy didn’t just master speed but mechanics too, writing the authoritative handbook of the day, The Woman and the Car. Advising of the need for a hand-mirror to check on the traffic behind, she effectively introduced the rear-view mirror. Her other “safety recommendation” of keeping a small pistol – specifically a Colt 45 – in the glove compartment hasn’t fortunately stood the test of time. When designing her racing coat and hat she balanced practicality with style. She was a keen shot, cyclist and fisherwoman and when she took to the water at Cowes her ability at motor yachting caught the attention of Queen Alexandra. When she took to the skies, she learned by trial and error being among the first to test their teeth at aviation as there was no one yet in a position to instruct.
Frontispiece of The Woman and the Car, written by Dorothy Levitt.
Unfortunately, it was a short journey in time from her glory days to the fading of her star quality. All her sporting achievements were a very far cry from appearing in the dock on numerous occasions for motoring offences when driving around town, a stint as a chorus girl, becoming involved in illicit gambling and relying on morphine.
Fast Lady
Published by Butterfield Press Hardcover, £40
Fast Lady is a biography for the reader likely to be fascinated by the triumphs and ultimate tragedy of a woman ahead of her time who refused to be bound by the tenets of her gender, ethnicity and class – as much as it is a book for the historical motoring enthusiast. A previously unseen collection of photography by Horace W. Nicholls, renowned for his World War I images, also brings Dorothy Levitt’s story into sharp focus. Buy HERE.
Words: Julia Pasarón
Opening picture: Dorothy Levitt at the wheel of a 26hp Napier at Brooklands, 1908, Desktop News.
Firsts London’s Rare Book Fair returns to the heart of Chelsea
This year marks the 65th edition of one of the most popular and prestigious rare book fairs in the world. Whether you are a collector looking for the next masterpiece to add to your library, or a bibliophile who loves browsing second hand classics, Firsts London is the book fair for you.
“We are very lucky to have this kind of fair…. It’s not elitist, it’s not specialist, you don’t have to be a scholar, you just have to be someone with an immense thirst for the glory of books” – Stephen Fry, actor, writer and book collector
Firsts London’s Rare Book Fair, organised by the Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association (ABA), returns to the Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea with 120 international dealers exhibiting, 49 of them being new to fair. Among these is Sam Fogg, a leading dealer in the art of the European Middle Ages, who will be showing a selection of illuminated medieval manuscripts.
Rare copy of Ulysses from 1933 with a painting on the fore edge. Available at Johnson Rare Books.
This year’s theme for the fair is “Banned Books” which was inspired by the 100th anniversary of the publication of Ulysses – one of the most famous censored books in modern times – but also responds to contemporary conversations around censorship across literature, the media and online. Pom Harrington, ABA President and Chairman of Firsts London, explains: “Now is an ideal opportunity to celebrate Ulysses and others like it, that were suppressed, banned or led to their authors being ostracised for expressing views that were different from what was acceptable when they first appeared. One tends to think of forbidden works as an issue of another era, but it’s a subject that is very much of our time. The printed word has always remained a powerful vehicle for enshrining an acceptance of plurality of views. We thought it was a topic that remains very current and worthy of shining a light on.”
In addition to examples of “Banned Books” across the centuries (both fiction and non-fiction), exhibitors will present a vast treasure trove of items: rare books, objects and memorabilia, maps, illuminated manuscripts, incunabula, fine bindings, illustrations, maps, historical documents, prints and print ephemera.
French playing cards circa 1760, “Paris pattern”. Image courtesy of John Underwood Antiquarian Books.
Among the highlights of the fair is a first edition of Copernicus’ De revolutionibus orbium coelestium, a signed first edition of D. H. Lawrence’s Lady Chatterley’s Lover, and a true first edition in Russian of Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak. “In a time when print books and ephemera have mattered more than ever and continue to serve as a source of comfort and escape during a period of uncertainty, this fair has never been more relevant”, write the fair organisers.
In 1906, passionate and visionary seafarer Prince Albert I founded his eponymous foundation, of which the Oceanographic Institute is its flagship, receiving more than 650,000 visitors every year. For a century, the Foundation has been actively supporting the Ocean, promoting its protection, knowledge and love, bringing together key players from the worlds of politics, science, business and the general public.
Thanks to the support from the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco and the Maison de l’Océan in Paris, the Oceanographic Institute leads numerous projects on the national and international stages (symposiums, exhibitions, teaching programmes…) with the aim to promote sustainable management of the Ocean.
The museum in itself is world-famous for its remarkable architecture, its aquarium, and its exhibition events, making it a place of culture and dialogue, where experiences around ocean protection can be shared. An excellent example is their current exhibition, “Polar Mission”, an immersive experience at the heart of the Arctic and the Antarctic.
Take a peek:
The balance of Planet Earth is dependent on the good health of these extreme regions: a cause which has not escaped the attention of actress Mélanie Laurent, a fervent protector of the environment and ambassador of the show: “Through this exhibition, each one of us is invited to become not only a privileged observer of the unbelievable beauty of the polar worlds, but also an informed witness of their great fragility. For the future of the poles is also our future and that of generations to come,” she stresses.
Visitors can witness the mechanisms and the phenomena which are occurring at the extremities of the Earth, closely examine objects and documents from expeditions and research missions, as well as experience digital content alongside complementary immersive devices offering a 360° experience. Throughout their visit, with the help of their entrance ticket which takes the form of a press card, the visitor-reporter can activate extra content and, at the end of their visit, hand over their report using an interactive terminal.
“…The future of the poles foreshadows our own.”
HSH Prince Albert II
They are also invited, if they so wish, to pledge their support to the Oceanographic Institute and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation by actively backing measures in favour of the poles, most notably the creation of new Marine Protected Areas in the polar oceans. HSH Prince Albert II explains, “It is my hope that the emotion aroused by the beauty of these polar regions, together with the awareness of the vital role played by them on a global scale, will lead mankind to regard them with respect and caution, because one thing of which we are now certain is that the future of the poles foreshadows our own.”
The show is structured in five different spaces:
Space 1 – Meet the polar explorers from yesterday to today: Jean Malaurie, Jean-Louis Étienne or Frederik Paulsen as well as pioneers such as Jean-Baptiste Charcot or Matthew Henson. Here visitors come face to face with the great names of polar exploration and find out how their discoveries and their work contributed to a better knowledge of the poles.
Space 2 – Discover the world of the Inuit: In a scenography which reproduces an icy environment with its traditional igloo, the visitor becomes familiar with the Inuit way of life and its traditions. An immersion seen through the eyes of Jean Malaurie, who has devoted his life to the peoples of the Arctic. This space also testifies to the threats caused by climate change to populations constantly shaken by modernity.
Space 3 – Discover the secrets of the North and South Poles: Not only to understand how they function, but also to realise what tremendous upheavals are taking place there because of global warming. It offers visitors an opportunity to become fully aware of the differences between the poles and the crucial role played by them in the planet’s climate balance.
Space 4 – Embark on an immersive journey from the North to the South Pole: The wild, grandiose beauty of those icy lands comes to life in a never-before-seen immersive, interactive installation in the company of bears, seals, beluga whales, whales, sea elephants, killer whales and penguins. A wonderland which culminates in the dreamlike Aurora Borealis. With the help of a “voice-off”, this projection recalls the fragility of this ecosystem and the threats to these species.
Space 5 – Understanding the challenges of polar scientific research: How much would we know about the poles without the involvement of science over the years? Three modules reveal how far knowledge of global warming and its consequences has come, how it is impacting biodiversity and, lastly, how it is impacting humans.
“Polar Mission” is open daily (except the weekend of the Formula 1 Grand Prix and 25 December) from 10am to 6pm but for July and August where the opening hours are 9.30am to 8pm. Admission rates: Adult ( 18 and over ) 18 € ◉ Student (valid card ) 12 € ◉ Child (4 to 17 years inclusive) 12 € ◉ Visitors with disabilities 9€
OCEANOGRAPHIC MUSEUM OF MONACO Avenue Saint-Martin MC 98000 Monaco ◉ www.oceano.org
Africa Fashion is a landmark exhibition celebrating the irresistible creativity, ingenuity, and unstoppable global impact of contemporary African designers. The show celebrates the vitality and innovation of this vibrant scene, as dynamic and varied as the continent itself. More than 250 objects will be on display, with half of these drawn from the museum’s collection, including 70 new acquisitions.
Many of the garments are from the personal archives of a selection of iconic mid-20th century African designers – Shade Thomas-Fahm, Chris Seydou, Kofi Ansah and Alphadi, marking the first time their work will be seen in a London museum. At the same time, this in an opportunity to discover influential contemporary creatives such as Imane Ayissi, Moshions, Thebe Magugu and Sindiso Khumalo.
Shade Thomas Fahm in the late1960s at Simpson Street factory, Lagos…
Starting with the African independence and the liberation years that sparked a radical political and social reordering across the continent, the exhibition explores how fashion, alongside music and the visual arts, form a key part of Africa’s cultural renaissance, accelerated by the digital revolution. Across contemporary couture, ready-to-wear, made-to-order and adornment, visitors will be able to have a close-up look at the new generation of ground-breaking designers, collectives, stylists, and fashion photographers working in Africa today.
Early publications from members of the Mbari Club, established for African writers, artists, and musicians, will sit alongside the cover artwork for Beasts of No Nation by Fela Kuti, a call-to-arms album which embodied the communal feeling of frustration with the politics of the time but also the energy of Africa’s creativity. Politics and Poetics of Cloth will consider the importance of indigenous cloth in many African countries and its political symbolism through wax prints, commemorative cloth, àdìrẹ kente and bògòlanfini.
Models holding hands, Lagos, Nigeria, 2019 by Stephen Tayo. Courtesy Lagos Fashion Week.
Highlight objects include a strip of printed seersucker cotton from the V&A collection featuring the image of an open palm and the words “freedom in my hand I bring” incorporating the newly independent Ghana insignia.
One of the most touching things on display will be a commemorative cloth made in the early 1990s following the release of Nelson Mandela, featuring a portrait of the soon-to-be first Black President of South Africa and the words “A better life for all – working together for jobs, peace and freedom.”
Necklace, ‘Salt of the Earth’ collection…
– Ami Doshi Shah.
Photo by Sunny Dolat.
Ghanaian fashion designer Kofi Ansah’s iconic fusion of African and European aesthetics will be represented in a blue garment with traces of the Japanese kimono, the European judge’s robe and the West African agbádá robe. The innovation of Alphadi, described as the “Magician of the Desert”, will be shown with a dress of cotton and brass from 1988, gifted to the museum by the designer. Capturing Change will focus on photographic portraits of the mid-late 20th century, capturing the mood of nations on the brink of self-rule.
When it comes to innovation, hyperrealist artist with a twist Gabriella Anouk is cleverly merging creativity and technology. Following many years of drawing commissions and working in different media and methodologies, Gabriella has developed her new expressive collection, Slime Series, inspired by everyday emojis, sensual textures, and the work of Salvador Dalí. In particular, the artist loves Dali’s nuclear-mysticism phase, assimilating scientific knowledge, his technical skill, precise craftsmanship, and the striking and often bizarre images in his work bordering on absurdism.
This is truly a labor of art love; each piece is hand-drawn using a range of pencil techniques, requiring hundreds of hours of dedicated time to complete. Gabriella first began experimenting by dipping fruit and veg in paint and covering them with slime, before photographing and drawing them ultra-realistically. She has explored and developed her creativity across several digital platforms, becoming hugely influential and inspirational across the globe. Proof of her popularity are her 400,000+ followers and the fact that some of her posts have reached more than 17 million likes. TikTok and Instagram fans seem most certainly mesmerized by her artistic process.
Artichoke Pink. Bubblegum pink slime crowns the lobed spiky leaves of the artichoke, spilling over its delicate inner feminine beauty.
The collection comprises of seven original works, but it doesn’t stop there. Gabriella has recently been exploring the metaverse and NFTs. So, what exactly is an NFT? An NFT, Non-Fungible Token, is a unique metadata referring to a specific asset. As the name suggests, non-fungible and indivisible. Any clearer? Nope. Essentially, for us un-techno’s out there (like me) when an NFT is acquired, the purchase goes through a blockchain, which is a digital record of any transaction ever made with that NFT. The technology validates the transaction and records the new acquisition.
When I attended the launch event of Gabriella’s latest work, part of Women in Innovation, hosted by The Adria Boutique Hotel London, I had the chance to ask Co-Founder and CEO of London Trade Art, Francesca Casiraghi how NFTs can benefit the world of art. “We are witnessing a digital revolution that is finally modernising a field [the art market] famous for its reluctance to adopt technological innovation,” she explained, “in particular, the application of NFTs and blockchain is making the art market more transparent, traceable and regulated, meeting the needs of a new generation of high-tech friendly collectors and providing new opportunities for artists, who can finally authenticate and economically benefit from the royalties applied to the sale of their artworks.” Her vision goes even further, “In the near future, the use of NFTs will benefit not only digital but also physical artworks, functioning as certificates of authenticity and ownership. They support a more efficient way to prove the provenance of artworks, which has always been a very opaque field in art collecting.”
Pomegranate Amour. Anouk’s final piece to the Slime Series, inspired by Dali’s Dematerialization Near the Nose of Nero.
In the case of Gabriella’s animated NFT, it will be owned together with the 1/20 A 1 Edition print. The purchaser receives their own unique NFT, and a certificate of authenticity signed by the artist. London Trade Art is facilitating this ground-breaking art investment service through the innovative model of fractional ownership and the use of NFT’s.
Gabriella’s acclaimed Slime Series is on display until the autumn, within the glorious setting of the newly restored, five-star, Victoria Townhouse hotel, The Adria Boutique Hotel in South Kensington. “I’m very pleased to see my works hung up in such a beautiful space,” the artist commented, “the calming colour pallet of the interiors at The Adria lend itself perfectly for the colourful slime series.”
The Adria Boutique Hotel effortlessly combines contemporary design with Victorian opulence.
The hotel captures the essence of Victorian architecture and opulence. Each of its luxurious suites, rooms and lounges have been meticulously restored, pairing contemporary design with the intimacy of a 19th-century townhouse. Certainly one not to be missed. My recommendation, why not have afternoon tea or a cocktail while you are there?
