Burberry's Bloomsbury Collection

The world of fashion and its designers have long looked to the art world for inspiration. This Autumn/Winter 2014 collection by Burberry sees them looking to the Bloomsbury Group - a collection of artists, writers and philosophers which included Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell, who were active in the early part of the 20th century.

 A Duncan Grant textile design

 

A Duncan Grant textile design

A Vanessa Bell textile design

Part of the Bloomsbury Group philosophy was to break down the distinctions between 'fine' and decorative arts, so it is interesting to see how their distinctive style of art with its painterly brushstrokes has been adapted and used on this new collection of clothing for luxury brand Burberry. As you can see from the examples above, as well as being painters, Grant and Bell were used to designing for other media. The large brushstrokes and patterns on this seasons Burberry clothing done in a Bloomsbury style are particularly striking and makes the collection stand out from others this season.

 

The accessories are pretty fantastic too.

 

 

 I like the craftsmanship and technique of this leather bag with blue velvet flocked onto it

 

 

 

 

Grayson Perry: A House For Essex

I really like the look of, and want to visit this new building - A House for Essex, which is a collaboration between artist/potter Grayson Perry, and FAT architects for Living Architecture, when it is finished. It will be a holiday home available to rent from summer 2015.

The building is situated in the north Essex countryside at Wrabness. Living Architecture describes the project thus:- "The house is both an artwork in itself and the setting for a number of works by Grayson Perry exploring the special character and unique qualities of Essex. the building has been designed to evoke a tradition of wayside and pilgrimage chapels. It belongs to a history of follies, whilst being deeply of its own time."

It really reminds me of architectural projects (albeit on a smaller scale), such as House for an Art Lover by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and Viennese Secession architect Josef Hoffman's Palais Stoclet. These buildings were designed as total works of art, (Gesamtkunstwerk), where as well as designing the building and furniture to go inside the houses, even the smallest details such as light fittings and door handles were designed by Mackintosh in the House for an Art Lover, and Hoffman and fellow Wiener Werkstatte designers providing the furnishings and fittings and Gustav Klimt providing murals and artwork in the Palais Stoclet.

 Mackintosh - House for an Art Lover, (exterior)

 Mackintosh - House for an art Lover, (interior)

Hoffman - Palais Stoclet, (exterior)

Hoffman - Palais Stoclet, (interior)

 

Perry and FAT architects bring much of the Gesamtkunstwerk spirit to A House for Essex. It reminds me of something from a fairy-tale and also those old onion-domed chapels dotted around Russia. The tile-work outside gives it a really decorative quality, and the interiors will be equally decorative, filled with specially commissioned tapestries, pottery, mosaics and woodwork commissioned from Perry. I am really looking forward to seeing what artworks Perry creates for the interior next year. 

Perry says of the project:- "The idea behind this project relates to buildings put up as memorials to loved ones, to follies, to eccentric home-built structures, to shrines, lighthouses and fairytales. I have a deep fondness for Essex and I am happy to invest a large chunk of my energy and time into a project that I feel will add greatly to the cultural standing of the area."

Madrid, Mahou and more

 

La Rojigualda, Plaza de Colon

 

 

Symbol of the city

 

 

Sampling Mahou, the local brew, in the shade of Parque del Retiro

Immaculately sculpted trees

 

Palacio de Cristal - Madrid's version of the Crystal Palace

 

Terrapins terrorising the catfish

Proud noisy peacocks

Angel atop the Metropolis building

Fra Angelico's Angel in the Prado (perhaps my favourite artwork of the trip)

Antonella da Messina's weeping angel with Christ (another gem in the Prado)

City symbol sculpture in Puerta Del Sol

Mural in Plaza Mayor

Nerves of steel required for the rollercoasters in Parque de Atracciones

Painted patterns on the cathedral ceiling

 

Richard Hamilton retrospective at the Reina Sofia

Domenico Ghirlandhaio's beauty at the Thyssen Bornemisza

Michiel Sweerts' (new discovery for me), boy beauty at Thyssen Bornemisza
 

 

Loved this Edward Hopper, again at the Thyssen Bornemisza

 

Mas Mahou por favor....

I Love Madrid

Orso Major

I am delighted to announce that I am now represented by another gallery - Orso Major, in central London. They are based in Lower Marsh, Waterloo, and have a number of my original paper-cut collages and limited edition prints in stock. For enquiries contact Gita on 07958 760424 or visit the Orso Major website here.

Form Through Colour: Josef Albers, Anni Albers and Gary Hume

Another interesting textile exhibition at Somerset House featuring the work of Josef Albers, (who's work I featured recently), alongside that of his wife Anni, and also contemporary artist Gary Hume. It is good to see their work translated into the different media of textiles, (for rug and textile design company Christopher Farr), although textile design and print is primarily what Anni Albers is well known for from her time with the Bauhaus.

The exhibition consists of the artists' most well known works interpreted as rugs, tapestries and textiles. One thing that struck me about the exhibition was the intensity, and in turn subtleties of colour used in the final textile works. You get a real sense of the skills required by those dyeing the fibres, as well as those weaving them to produce faithful replications of the original artworks. The resultant rugs were highly tactile and covetable.

Anni Albers' textile designs are based on geometry and are still fresh and contemporary. They fit right in with current faceted and geometric design trends for a variety of products in textiles for fashion and interiors. They were so forward thinking at the Bauhaus. Anni originally wanted to be a painter, but only males were allowed to paint at the Bauhaus school and she was persuaded to study textiles under Gunta Stolzl. Paintings' loss however, was textiles gain. I love the movement in her work, and the way her designs make the eyes move across the surface of the textiles.

The maze-like Meander rug above, was one of my favourites in the exhibition and clearly left an impression on me. Travelling home I was reminded of it later, when passing through Warren Street tube station and seeing the decorative London Underground tile design below.

I love Christopher Farr's tapestry interpretations of Josef Albers "Homage To The Square" series. It is good to see the colours more muted, and subtle compared to the vibrancy of his original prints and paintings.

It is also interesting to see the work of Gary Hume who is known for his use of colour and household gloss paints, exhibited alongside the work of the Albers. Here his Door paintings series are sumptuously recreated in cut and layered wool, which gives them a different dimension visually as they are more texturally interesting than the glossy sheen of the original paintings.

Form through Colour: Josef Albers, Anni Albers and Gary Hume
until 31st August
East Wing Galleries
Somerset House