26/08/2013

St. Moritz Art Masters 2013

As every year, since six years on, SAM – St. Moritz Art Masters, one of the key summer events of the international contemporary art system, is back to the marvelous Swiss Engadin region. Conceived by the tycoon Monty Shadow and curated by the well-known curator and art dealer Reiner Opoku, the festival, as in its previous editions, hosts in thirty different locations — public and private venues such as museums, galleries, luxury hotels and open air spaces scattered around the territory —, free-admission collective and solo shows. The artistic path starts from St. Moritz dorf with the bronze, childlike-imaginary sculptures by Donald Baechler and goes on with the Swiss sculptor, photographer, drawer, video and installation maker Olaf Breuning placed in the pedestrian area. The roster of artists is long and rich counting names of the like of Robert Wilson, Jan Fabre, Paul Thek, Enzo Cucchi, Claudia Losi at the Zouz Monica De Cardenas’ branch, and the photography masters Patrick Demarchelier, Mimmo Jodice, Peter Lindbergh, Joel Meyerowitz and Ferdinando Scianna, just to mention a few.


The guest country of this edition is China, whose recent artistic evolution is celebrated through the presentation of works by established and emerging artists coming from the Sichuan province such as Yang Mian, Wang Haichuan and Li Yi Fan, and the more recognized Chinese “stars” of the artistic international panorama Ai Wei Wei, Fang Lijun, Su-Mei Tse (Golden Lion at Venice Biennale 2003), and the Pulitzer winner Liu Heung Shing.

The festival, which will run until 1st September, offers a variety of entertainment and collateral events. Among them: the St. Moritz Masters Foundation Night, the traditional charity party for gathering founds to sustain the foundation, scheduled 30th August; the Walk Of Art, a guided tour through St. Moritz, Zuoz and Sils to visit the highlights of the event; and the E.A.T (Engadin Art Talks), a symposium about the issue “Ghosts and the uncanny” related to the inspirational mystery of the Engadin territory, arranged by Cristina Bechtler, and curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist, co-director of the Serpentine Gallery and Beatrix Ruf, director of the Kunsthalle Zurich. Exhibitions, talks, workshops, and cultural events enliven the summer of the Upper Engadin offering an unequalled mix of art and nature. If you are still on holiday, just think about it!

Monica Lombardi 
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26/08/2013

End of the Lazy Days

Three weeks have flown by and here we are, once again, back at our boiling work desks and hot cities, suddenly praying that cold autumn winds come really, really soon. Coming back to your daily routine after all those long lazy days spent at some remote beach, is surely stressful. This is why we hope this first week at work might be lightened up a little bit by some of our witty writing. 
As we, too, like to take it slow and sooth ourselves into our usual work-sleep-work habits, we will try to cherish that summer feelings for a little longer and offer you some tips to preserve your holiday spirit wherever you might be.

But autumn is also, inevitably, a moment of change which The Blogazine is wholeheartedly embracing this year. So don’t be surprised if, in the following weeks, you find some novel ideas because we are trying to give ourselves a fresh start too in this exciting new season.

Rujana Rebernjak – Image Tung Walsh 
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23/08/2013

Summer 2013: Mid-Season Dressing Up

August is one of those months. It’s still summer and for some it’s still holiday time but with Autumn fast approaching and the stores starting to offer new season collections, perhaps it’s time to freshen up your wardrobe and update with some key pieces which will take you through the last of the summer days and into the early autumnal weeks. For those who know what to wear for the holiday times, on the beach and summer clubs, the fashion tips for the summer months would come a bit late. So if you’re already lurking for the autumn trends, hear hear!

The trick is to pull out of your existing wardrobe special items which work for you, this may be your favorite pair of jeans or denim shorts, that cute vintage dress or simply a well cut pair of trousers. Outfits can be quickly updated with different shoes, a new blouse, a sharply cut jacket/blazer or just some additional accessories.

What’s fun is to mix and match between the old and the new, try rummaging through some good vintage stores to pick up a printed blouse or dress, what’s great about second hand items is that they are mostly original and no-one else will have the same piece.

From The Blogazine, here are some of the key trends to think of whilst choosing your transitional wardrobe; 90s sports and club wear, geometrical bold patterns, camouflage, animal prints and especially when the weather starts cooling red/orange leopard prints on knits and fine wovens, plaids and checks – mixed and matched and layered up, demure and prim dressing up -, slouchy open knits and fisherman inspired cable sweaters, the trouser suit and tailored shorts, boho dressing, grunge punk and especially primary colours are going to be hot for the mid-season.

But most importantly, have fun and don’t take it too seriously!

Tamsin Cook 
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22/08/2013

Summer 2013: Architecture of the World

If your plans do not include burning yourself at the beach, you may consider visiting some cities that are not the usual first choices for a cultural summer trip, but unexpectedly beautiful and interesting venues in Europe, the Middle East and in the United States. If you specifically want to keep the beach factor included, in some of them you can surely find also a swimming spot.

Chicago, not NYC

Forget once the heat of New York as a destination for summer and choose the windy Chicago and its architecture. The Illinois State capital is known for its architecture and has long been connected with some of architecture’s most important names: it’s where Frank Lloyd Wright apprenticed, worked and flexed his brilliance and arrogance thanks to his master, Louis Sullivan, where Mies van der Rohe, in exile from Germany, created his later masterpieces. 
Moreover, the skyscraper was born in Chicago but the city, however, is not only a memory of a past splendor, but also continuing to experiment together with the MIT. Thanks to new enthusiasm and internationally renowned architects and artists a new wave of interest has flown to the city of Illinois — Frank Gehry’s sinuous Millennium Park and Renzo Piano’s Modern Wing for the Art Institute of Chicago are good examples. Happily, Chicago’s buildings aren’t just good for gawking — you can explore them, eat, sleep and play in them.

Unexpected Ljubljana

Ljubljana, the small capital of Slovenia is a gem in the heart of Europe. It was almost entirely conceived and designed by the architect Jože Plečnik and is considered one of the most radical works of art of the twentieth century.
 Plečnik tried to draw Ljubljana according to the model of ancient Athens and after studying in Vienna with Otto Wagner, in 1921 he returned to his city, where he was offered the role of professor in a newly founded university. He devoted all his creative power to modeling Ljubljana as the new capital of the Slovenes. His style, considered innovative even today, is characterized by classic design elements such as architraves, balustrades, columns and the like, which transformed and combined in their own way. 
He created a new image for the city, taking into account the aquatic and the terrestrial axis. See the National and University Library, the Triple Bridge, the Shoemaker’s Bridge, the central market, the outdoor theater Križanke, stage of Bezigard, the complex of mortuary chapels of the cemetery Žale and the church of Sv. Mihael on the Ljubljana Marshes. The city and Slovenia in general are experiencing a new creative period and have been also appreciated lately for a new wave of designers and architects in addition to a lively artistic activity also exported abroad.

Beirut’s Second Golden Age

Despite the 15 years of violent civil war that destroyed much of the city, Beirut has regained its original charm and a regionalist identity. Voted the best destination to visit by the New York Times in 2009, and, more recently, by Frommer’s, the city is in the second phase of one of the biggest urban reconstructions and despite the scarred history, there is a clear vision to rehabilitate the city in all its parts. New urban politics have brought international architects like Steven Holl to design the new marina, Herzog & DeMeuron with their project of a residential tower in the heart of the city, Zaha Hadid, and Rafael Moneo to the scene.
 This new ongoing construction boom is making Beirut’s skyline rising even further from the after war state. In the less internationalized parts of the city sit the landmarks of the 1960s and 1970s, Beirut’s pre-war glory days, including buildings by names such as Alvar Aalto, Victor Gruen, and the Swiss Addor & Julliard. Beirut has been completely transformed after the war and now it’s reviving its golden age, rediscovering the ancient heritage, projecting into the future.

Giulio Ghirardi 
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21/08/2013

Summer 2013: A Swedish Summer

There is something about the last days of summer. In Sweden the weather can be rather capricious so a sunny summer isn’t a guarantee. However there are a few things that are a must to conclude the summer, come rain or shine.

CUP OF JOE
Spending the afternoon at a Café is pretty much a norm in the Swedish way of life. The famous term fika [fee-ckah] is just another word for “coffee break” – the word actually originates from kaffi, an old Swedish word for coffee – however having an actual cup of coffee during a fikapaus is optional. The important thing is to relax and enjoy the surroundings. Be it alone or in a group, with something to eat or just a drink in your hand, it’s about being in the moment. In my hometown Lund I always come back to St Jakobs Stenugnsbageri and Patisseriet. At these two cafés chic but rustic environments are combined with delicious homemade pastries and a variety of coffee drinks.

A LITTLE CRAY CRAY
In Sweden it is almost mandatory to go to at least one crayfish party during the month of August. At a crayfish party people meet up in a private garden decorated with colorful lanterns and have a merry time. You eat crayfish cold with your fingers as well as bread, mature Västerbotten cheese, and sometimes a few pies have also found their way to the table. Naturally the crayfish are accompanied by one or two schnapps.

PLAY THAT FUNKY MUSIC
An important element of really the whole Swedish summer is music. This is made apparent through all the diverse music festivals that are arranged all over Sweden. Some festivals are free but for some, tickets need to be purchased in advance. What they all have in common though is nice music and happy people. Way Out West is an upcoming festival in Gothenburg that has gained momentum during past years and this year artists like Alicia Keys and Johnossi are playing.

DOWN-TO-EARTH
The best things in life are free and even though I am a bona fide city girl, in the summer I love spending time outdoors. It can be out hiking in a nearby forest, having a picnic at the park or at a friend’s remote summer cabin picking wild berries. The days of summer are about enjoying the beautiful lush green nature Sweden has to offer, which according to me has its peak in the summertime. Just catching a sunset – like this one at Södergarn Lidingö in Stockholm – makes you realize it is nature’s art show.

Victoria Edman 
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20/08/2013

Summer 2013: Beach Readings

“Hello World: Where Design Meets Life” by Alice Rawsthorn

Alice Rawsthorn is International Herald Tribune’s design critic and an exceptional writer, and this should be about enough to qualify her new book as an amazing summer read. “Hello World: Where Design Meets Life”, published by Hamish Hamilton, an imprint of Penguin Books and designed by Irma Boom, is the perfect text for any design rookie. Through simple language and loads of examples the author eloquently explains quite difficult concepts, such as what is good design (here ‘integrity’ is the key word), why is there so much bad design and what is design actually supposed to be and why is it relevant in everyone’s lives.

“Booktrek” by Clive Phillpot

Clive Phillpot has teamed up with one of the best contemporary art publishers, JRP Ringier, in developing a book that collects a series of essays he has written on artists’ books. Phillpot, the former librarian of MoMA library, has written the essays collected in this book since 1972, with the goal of shedding some light on the concept of artists’ books and their role in contemporary art practice. In his words, “Artists’ books are understood to be books or booklets produced by the artist using mass-production methods, and in (theoretically) unlimited numbers, in which the artist documents or realizes art ideas or artworks.”

“How to Shoplift Books” by David Horvitz

If you are to be bored by the other two suggestions, this one might come in handy if you want to treat yourself with a more juicy kind of book. “How to Shoplift Books” is a cleverly playful book conceived by the Brooklyn-based artist David Horvitz and published by the Venice-based Automatic Books. The book guides you through eighty different ways in which you might steal books from your favourite or the least favourite bookstore and (hopefully) not get caught.

Rujana Rebernjak 
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19/08/2013

Summer 2013: Designer Studios to Visit

#1: Kiki van Eijk & Joost van Bleiswijk (Eindhoven, The Netherlands)

When you enter through the flaming red doors of the studio of Kiki van Eijk and Joost van Bleiswijk, you’ll find yourself gazing at a bright and organized workspace with an exhibition chamber, where the shimmery dust of the industrial epoch still swirls around. This designer duo and real-life couple are seen as the epitome of “the new generation of leading Dutch designers” together with designers as Marcel Wanders, Maarten Baas, Studio Job and Piet Hein Eek. Twelve years ago, they both graduated from the Design Academy in Eindhoven, and they have worked side by side ever since. In 2011, they moved into this new grand studio of 1.100 m2, located in Strijp-T in Eindhoven. On these Strijp grounds, behind the chequered windows of the factories halls, Philips once manufactured its famous light bulbs, televisions and radios. 
Even though sharing the same workspace, Van Bleiswijk and Van Eijk rarely merge their names with the “&” symbol; under the same roof they are running their own studio and producing their own characteristic range of furniture, ceramics and textiles. However, this summer you’ll have the unique opportunity to see the duo’s works together in an overview exhibition. The exhibition ‘Co-evolution’ represents an overview of eighty pieces from the first twelve years of both designers’ careers and is a recommended must-see this summer.

‘Co-evolution’ runs until August 18th 2013
Noordbrabantsmuseum
Verwersstraat 41

5211 HT, ’s-Hertogenbosch
The Netherlands

Studio Address:
Zwaanstraat 1
TAB Building, Strijp-T
5651 CA Eindhoven
the Netherlands
*To visit you can make an appointment by sending a mail to press@kikiworld.nl or making a phone call to the studio +31(0)40-2222560
www.kikiworld.nl, www.projectjoost.com




#2: Rich, Brilliant, Willing (Brooklyn, New York)

Living in or visiting New York this summer? The studio of the lighting and furniture design trio Rich Brilliant Willing is located in a beautiful red brick building in Brooklyn. The studio’s name is a creative “jeu de mots” derived from the names of the founding trio: Charles Brill, Theo Richardson, and Alex Williams. These three fellow Rhode Island School of Design graduates teamed up to form their design studio in 2007. 
Rich Brilliant Willing is quite unique in that all of the production work is done in-studio. Design is, in their vision, not just the beginning part, and does not stop after the idea part to be pushed off to a manufacturer elsewhere. This is why the studio has a fully equipped workshop attached where the creative team oversees every aspect of the process, from A to Z, from design to assembly to distribution to sale. Thereby most of the materials are locally sourced; deliveries from the vendors are frequent. There is a lot of movement and energy all day long and the studio visitor can see every aspect of a design company in the one space.

Studio and Workshop Address:
98 4th Street
Suite 107
Brooklyn, NY 11231‬
US
*Studio is typically open 9am-6pm Monday-Friday. Visits are best booked in advance. www.richbrilliantwilling.com

#3: João Abreu Valente (Lisbon, Portugal)

When you stroll through the lively neighbourhood Bairro Alto in the city centre of Lisbon, search for the Rua da Rosa, number 237. Here you’ll find the studio space of 
contextual designer João Abreu Valente, who recently returned to his homeland after finishing his master studies in Contextual Design at the Design Academy of Eindhoven, in the Netherlands. The young Valente deliberately came back to the Portuguese context, because he is concerned how both designers and consumers estrange from the origins of the materials and the products they use due to the digital age we live in. Luckily, on Portuguese soil there are still small-scale industries left that are using artisanal methods. This allows the designer to connect and interact with the production process. 
Valente shares his open studio with other designers and architects, which makes it a vibrant meeting point, event space and showroom. He also uses the space for his most recent project: the store/gallery that he named Arquivo 237, a place to display more experimental approaches and initiate fruitful discussions (Valente claims there is a lack of such places in the Portuguese capital). You can freely visit Arquivo 237, where the passionate designer invites participants with relevant work to showcase projects that refer to the ideas of process and also hosts informal weekly gatherings where young people can present their work.

Studio Address/Arquivo 237:
Rua da Rosa 237
1200-385 Lisbon
Portugal
www.jav.pt and www.arquivo237.com

#4: 
Graphic design & bookstore Bruno (Venice, Italy)

Do you love to discover authentic places, cozy little book shops, the smell of paper pages with ink, and nose about there for hours, losing track of place and time? Then Bruno in Venice should be your next stop this summer.
 Bruno is a graphic design studio and bookstore dedicated to magazines, artists’ publications and independent editions in collaboration with Motto. Special presentations, publication launches and performances exploring the evolution and typology of the editorial international scene, take place in the store and around Venice.

Studio and Bookstore Address:

Dorsoduor 1621/A
30123
Venice, 

Ital
y
www.b-r-u-n-o.it

Lisanne Fransen 
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16/08/2013

Summer 2013: Guide to New York City

The High Line
Inspired by Paris’ Promenade plantée, the High Line park in the heart of the Meatpacking District of Manhattan continues to attract swarms of visitors — both tourists and locals — on a daily basis. Originally built in 1934 as a safe alternative to deliver meat, dairy, produce and other perishable goods into the city (the street-level railway tracks on 10th Avenue were killing too many pedestrians, earning the area the nickname “Death Avenue”), the railway fell out of use with the proliferation of delivery trucks once America’s interstate highways were established by the 1960s. The line was shut down in the 1980s and fell into disarray. It was nearly demolished under the iron-fist reign of Rudy Giuliani. The non-profit group Friends of The High Line fought to preserve the land and transform it into the national landmark that it is today.
The park extends from Gansevoort Street, in the Meatpacking District, all the way up to 30th Street in Chelsea. At certain points you’ll feel like you’re walking through someone’s backyard, when the walkway is directly at the height of fourth-story windows that line the parkway. Look left and you’ll see the Hudson. Look right and you’ll see Manhattan. The view of the city is bizarre and unparalleled. And it’s all free, baby.

Rockaway Beach
Forget Coney Island. Despite being ravaged by Hurricane Sandy, The Rockaways remain home to the finest stretch of beach the city has to offer. Despite having no boardwalk (the piers remain!) and the fact that much of the surrounding community remains half-fixed, boarded up and burned, beach culture is open and thriving, celebrating summer in the wake of unfathomable loss and personal tragedy. It doesn’t hurt that it’s the best surf this side of Montauk. And the food is amazing: Ripper’s, Caracas Arepas Bar, Lobster Joint. And Rockaway Taco. You have to try Rockaway Taco. Even if you hate New York. Even if you hate crowded beaches. Even if you hate fish and tacos, the fish taco at this little shanty is worth the pricey commute from Italy.

The Brooklyn Smorgasburg
If only humans could eat forever without exploding.The Brooklyn Smorgasburg is where food porn lovers come to fill their beautiful dark twisted fantasies after a night of drinking PBR and watching the sun from their friend’s friends’ Bushwick rooftop. There’s all kinds of food from over 80 purveyors in the New England region. Bring $20 cash and listen to your gut and you’ll be in heaven. Get donuts from Dough, fried fish from Handsome Hanks, homemade ice cream sammys from The Good Batch, smoky bbq from We Rub You, and… you get the point. Just go hungry. (For a full list of vendors, click here. The Brooklyn Smorgasburg runs Saturdays at the East River State Park on the Williamsburg waterfront and Sundays on the DUMBO waterfront. 11AM–7PM. Entry is free. Rain or shine.

Lane Koivu 
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15/08/2013

Summer 2013: London Lunch in the Sun

In history-soaked, character-filled and eternally elegant London there is one rule. When the sun shines, you dine beneath it. So, to help take advantage of the English summer we’ve found five sun-bathed, gastronomic wonders that are sure to delight and deepen the tan.

Inn the Park
Found in St James’s Park, the oldest Royal Park in London, this elegant, calm and cozy haven offers up the most delectable peach and vanilla Bellini this side of Venice. Eco-friendly and architecturally fascinating (it seems to blend into its verdant surroundings), Inn the Park is part of the Peyton and Byrne restaurant group and is known for its innovative, seasonal dishes. Dedicated to showing off the finest British ingredients, meals are vibrant, artistically arranged and focus on individual flavours and textures. Just be sure to save room for dessert – the Eton mess will make you a fruity meringue convert.


The Jam Tree
If you’re after an authentic Chelsea gastro-pub experience (with a slightly spicy twist) make for The Jam Tree. Filled with miss-matched furniture, it rocks a ‘rule Britannia’ theme and not-so-secret garden. Leafy, blissful and filled with wooden furniture and locals keen to keep this hunt under wraps, hours pass here as you sip on their inventive collection of cocktails and dine on British fare with a Caribbean edge. Exotic yet oh-so London, this venue is cool, calm and sun ready.

Coq d’Argent
Perched high on a rooftop near Bank Station, Coq d’Argent offers a panoramic view of the City of London that’s sure to astound. This architecture filled vista (you can see all the way to the Shard) is accompanied by a delectable French-style menu and friendly staff who know their way around a wine list and help you feel, just a little, as if you’ve been transported to the opulence of Bordeaux – the indoor mahogany paneling and rich leather armchairs strengthen this inkling. The food is rich, flavoursome and lovingly prepared. Created from seasonable ingredients, lunch here is a contemporary culinary adventure.


The White Horse on Parson’s Green
When it comes to country-style pubs in the heart of London The White Horse on Parson’s Green excels. This chic yet inviting local haunt is packed year-round with post work visitors and flavor savvy diners. Drenched in sunlight in the summer months and elegantly warming in winter, dishes here are as English, hearty and fresh as they come. The pea soup is an absolute delight while the brownie and peanut butter ice cream dessert will leave you defeated yet feeling utterly blissful.

Maison Blanc
For something a little different grab a rug and basket and head north to Old-World Hampstead. Pay a visit to Maison Blanc, London’s French bakery specialist, and stock up on their colourful salads, sun-worthy smoothies, towering sandwiches and as many of their classic cakes and pastries as you can manage (be warned, these delectable creations are dangerously moreish). Then, armed with all the supplies you could possibly need, make for Hampstead Heath and indulge in a rather delicious continental picnic.

Happy summer dining – all you have to do now is to pray for a spot of London sun.

Liz Schaffer – images Liam Eldret, Leonard Bentley, Herry Lawford 
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14/08/2013

Summer 2013: Beach Party

During these steamy summer months, we’re probably all dreaming about beach and boat parties, if not already frequenting them. There just happens to be a small place, just 80 km off the coast of Valencia in Spain, where more beach and boat parties happen during the summer than pretty much anywhere else in the world: Ibiza, the summer destination of parties (on the beach, boats and otherwise), nightlife and electronic dance music.


Now, if you do happen to find yourself in Ibiza this summer, be sure not to miss one of the Dirtybird nights held every Thursday at Sankeys Ibiza. The record label’s first ever residency in Ibiza means a stellar line-up of the freshest DJs in the world, who will be rocking Sankeys Ibiza for the whole summer up until September 12. Big DJ names you can expect to see (or hear) there include the likes of Claude VonStroke, Justin Martin, Eats Everything, Catz N’ Dogz, Shadow Child, Kink, Breach and so many more. This alone is enough of a reason to travel to the island for the summer.


Andreas Stylianou Images Tasya Menaker 
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