Clerkenwell Design Week

"Colour is my passion. My designs are fundamentally paintings about colour and shape and how they relate in space…. Take one colour, add another and there is a dynamic”

Helen Yardley, Textile Designer

Clerkenwell Design Week

#CDW2017

Clerkenwell was a recent hub of creativity as it once again hosted Clerkenwell Design Week. Devas Designs was impressed to see such a diversity of talent and what also caught our attention was the number of designers and manufacturers dedicated to returning to hand-crafting traditions and materials and a commitment to sustainability and ethical production. With this in mind here are just a few who really stood out for us.

Bermondsey based British Designer Helen Yardley, is a graduate of the Royal College of Art, where she studied Textile Design. Helen is known for her painterly style and dramatic use of colour. Initially attracted to designing rugs, seeing them as ‘drawings for floors’, Helen has been producing handcrafted rugs, runners, carpets and wall hangings for over 25 years. Through her process and by manufacturing in Britain she aims to reduce the company’s carbon footprint. 
Here are just a few of our favourite designs ...

We were greeted by a quirky colourful Installation designed by Hakwood flooring, amusingly called Double Vision, which they produced specially for the Event. Hakwood are a Netherlands-based manufacturer, producing environmentally responsible hardwood floors which include reclaimed antique woods.

A wonderful canal-side loft apartment in Amsterdam blends the history of the classic Dutch warehouse with a contemporary feel. This is enhanced by the clever use of different Hakwood flooring to define spaces and incorporates the clients request for a black and white interior theme.

Bute Fabrics is based on the Isle of Bute in the Firth of Clyde in Scotland. Having established their traditional hand-loomed woollen textile business in 1947, they still share a commitment to serving the community and a reliance on traditional methods of production. The local landscape and the Island’s natural colours, textures and patterns is woven into their designs making them bold, bright and contemporary. 

From traditional tweeds to block colours their range is so eclectic it’s possible to create a bold statement piece like these Twin Tone cushions or something more subdued to blend in with the interior scheme.

Another Country, based in Marylebone, is another design company with high standards of responsibility, only using sustainably harvested timbers for all their furniture. Their designs are inspired by British Country and Shaker style and also call on Japan and Scandinavia as inspiration for their unpretentious forms. Every piece is hand-finished and hand-assembled. The simplicity of their designs and truth to their materials blends comfortably with both traditional and contemporary schemes.

Laura Spring is a textile designer and maker, having graduated from Glasgow School of Art, she now lives and works in Glasgow. Laura uses bold graphics combined with bright colours to produce beautifully crafted products. This, combined with ethical methods of production, are a signature of her beautiful hand-woven rugs, textiles and accessories. She often incorporates traditional tie-dye techniques from Jaipur in her designs. Her enormous love of colour print, pattern and process are evident in these beautiful accessories and furnishings

The British Collection showcased some of the most exciting UK designers latest designs in the unique setting of the barrel vaulted crypt of St. James’s Church on Clerkenwell Green. We were particularly drawn to the Classic English Kitchen on display from deVOL Kitchens who are based in Leicestershire but also have a showroom in Clerkenwell. DeVOL have been creating handmade bespoke kitchens for almost 25 years and pride themselves on their use of sustainable British timbers.

They describe their look as a ‘beautifully considered mix of classic and contemporary design’ and we couldn’t agree more.

This is an ethos which is very much at the heart of Devas Designs, and a theme we aspired to, in creating these classic kitchens for our clients in County Mayo and the Irish countrside.

Josef Frank: Patterns, Paintings, Furniture

“There’s nothing wrong with mixing old and new, with combining different furniture styles, colours and patterns. Things that you like will automatically fuse to form a relaxing entity.”

- Josef Frank -

We recently visited the Fashion and Textile Museum in London’s Bermondsey, to see the work of Josef Frank. This is the first ever UK exhibition of his textiles, furniture and vibrant fabric designs and also includes a collection of his previously unknown watercolours.

Although he was born and raised in Austria, Frank emigrated to Sweden, and together with the company Svenskt Tenn he redefined what is regarded as the Swedish Modern style. His work celebrates comfort, positivity and homeliness, and just taking a look at his work is a wonderfully uplifting experience. 

Josef Frank’s textile designs, his prints of fruits, flowers, trees, and foliage, weave together in a glorious celebration of nature. ‘Himalaya’ was one of his final prints made in 1950 and sums up his love of colour pattern and a perfect world.

After the 1950’s, Frank started painting watercolours. Having used watercolours as his medium for creating his print and textile designs, he was experienced in the technique and went on to produce over 400 paintings. Some of these express his most popular prints such as ‘Tulpaner’, Tulips.

Many of Josef Frank's wallpapers and textiles are still available from Svenskt Tenn Sweden, and even the lower budget IKEA has produced ranges of both furniture and wallpaper inspired by his design ethic. We have put together some design ideas of our own which we feel celebrate nature, pattern, and texture in a way which reflects Josef Franks ethos. A number of our favourite companies include botanical images in their design.

We were particularly drawn to Rose Dust rug by Vivienne Westwood and also The Oriental Bird rug by Paul Smith, both for The Rug Company.

These handcrafted chairs from Sofa Workshop covered in botanical prints echo Franks' emphasis on comfort, combined with floral textiles.

When it comes to wallpapers, we found these subtle designs from Designer Wallpapers would work well as a signature wall covering.

Anthropologie has produced a range of home accessories which call on a botanical motifs. Just a few items from this range could bring a touch of summer to your scheme or liven up your summer table for al fresco dining.

Nisha Crosland is one of our go-to British Textile designers and this rug and wallpaper perfectly complement the blending of traditional with a contemporary feel.

Blending antiques with more contemporary items is a theme we use frequently, and in this Queens Park apartment Devas Designs used a subtle, signature Neisha Crosland Wallpaper to create a harmonious bedroom sanctuary for our client.

We were also excited to discover that Josef Frank was inspired by the work of British textile designer William Morris and his Arts and Crafts aesthetic. In particular his revival of the art of traditional pattern design, and his method of creating pattern repetition, drawn from nature, in order to create a mood of harmony and tranquillity were a source of motivation to Frank. These examples of Morris’s textiles from Cole and Son and an interior by Josef Frank clearly show the correlation between the two designers.

Josef Frank’s design ethos encapsulates the aims of Devas Designs, to provide interior solutions which blend traditional with modern to create a comfortable living space with a distinctive style.

Josef Frank: Patterns - Furniture - Painting at The Fashion and Textile Museum is on now until May 7th 2017.

Click here to find out more.

Eduardo Paolozzi: His Art and Craft

"As an artist it is sometimes difficult

to draw a line between art and craft"

- Eduardo Paolozzi -

Devas Designs recently visited the Eduardo Paolozzi show at The Whitechapel Gallery. It celebrates Paolozzi's love of the creative process  and introduced us more fully to his love of textiles, ceramics, home-wares, furnishing fabrics and wall paper designs. 

Not only did he produce his familiar collages and screen prints, but he also taught textile design at the Central School of Art & Design, many of his prints echoing organic forms and utilising collaged images.

In the 1950's he formed a partnership with the architect Nigel Henderson to create Hammer Prints Ltd. and many of the designs were produced by wallpaper company Cole & Son. Their modern re-imagining of his 1950's 'Cowcumber' design, which features a botanical print, is still produced by them today.

With Nigel Henderson, Paolozzi went on to produce a wide variety of imagery on textiles, ceramics and home-wares. Their designs drew on diverse styles from the influences of the Omega Workshop to Abstract Expressionism and Marcel Duchamp, and combined their own individual backgrounds. They had a shared interest and appreciation of craft, production and the new, post war mass culture. This collaboration resulted in a very unique and eclectic practice, such as this humorous plate, and vibrant textile design.

We were also taken with this curtain fabric titled 'Portobello'. It is based on pen and ink drawings by Paolozzi of antiques from Portobello Antique Market in the early 1960’s and it reminded us of French Toile de Jouy furnishing fabrics.

Devas Designs went in search of decorative items which could echo Paolozzi’s love of form, colour and individuality. We came up with a number of solutions including these rugs from The Rug Company which we feel echo Paolozzi’s love of geometric form and would liven up an interior without compromising the other elements in the design, like this one in a narrow library area. This swirl patterned rug, also from The Rug Company is designed by Paul Smith and is a brilliant illustration of how contemporary and traditional design can be brought together by the clever use of accessories and textiles.

We were thrilled to discover the work of Eleanor Pritchard who designs her textiles from her London studio, the resulting designs are produced by highly skilled British weavers using traditional weaving methods in mills in Lancashire, Wales and Scotland.

This gorgeous navy and white throw, and cushions all made using the hand woven tradition, particularly caught our eye, we feel they reflect the ethos and style of Paolozzi & Henderson and would work well in both a traditional or more minimalist interior.

Despite not having trained as a potter, Paolozzi taught ceramics at the Royal College of Art. We particularly like these silk screened, limited edition porcelain plates which Paolozzi designed for Wedgwood, in the 1970’s which demonstrate his love of geometric forms and this elegant tea pot for Rosenthal.

Lubna Chowdhary is another London based designer we are excited to discover through our interest in the work of Edwardo Paolozzi. Lubna is his former pupil having studied for her ceramics MA at the Royal College of Art. Her ceramics are individually glazed and hand crafted and she draws inspiration from Paolozzi’s exploration of colour on flat surfaces as can be seen on his public mosaics.

As well as large scale commissions, Lubna also produces small scale mosaics suitable for domestic interiors and provide an interesting alternative to a painted canvas. We used a mix of antique and modern to create an atmosphere of light, space and comfort in this apartment for our client in Queen’s Park, London. The addition of cushions with a similar motif to Lubna’s eye catching, Paolozzi inspired ceramics, provides additional interest and updates the theme.

'Eduardo Paolozzi' at The Whitechapel Gallery is on until 14 May 2017. Click here to find out more.

The Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair 2017

Devas Designs was thrilled to see some regular exhibitors alongside newcomers at The Decorative Antiques & Textile Fair in Battersea Park last week. The fair included a very eclectic mix of stunning antiques and decorative items from France, Italy, Sweden, Spain, the UK and beyond. The fair originally started in 1985 and is now a major annual fixture on our calendar, a must-see event which covers everything from textiles, and furniture to ceramics and paintings.

We were glad to see some regulars are back again plus some new exhibitors. The Fair is always a very exciting show and as you will see from some of the items we have picked out, this one did not disappoint.

We were particularly attracted to some of the luminous glass wear from James Miles Ltd such as this blue glass vase and this stunning pink glass dish. We were also drawn to their collection of Poole Pottery.

We loved the elegant lines of this 1958 mid-century chair by Arne Hovmund-Olsen. The graphic impact of this piece is reminiscent of the Vienna Secessionist work of Josef Hoffman.

We were also drawn to this vase from Justin Evershed Martin, crafted by Carlo Moretti who owned an artisan factory in Murano, creating pieces in the traditional manner using glassblowing techniques but adding contemporary design.

Da Silva Antiques are based in London, her selection of decorative items and original vintage pieces is constantly updated. We were pleased to find this eclectic range of cushions using antique fabrics, with such a wide selection we will be keeping an eye open for suitable pieces.

3details is another company which surprised us with this work by British artist Peter Woodward, who is both a painter and print-maker. This arrangement of vessels depicted in neutral tones relies, primarily, on the arrangement of form and texture. He sources antique frames for his work, which he painstakingly prepares, so that the frame becomes almost part of the painting itself. These works would lend themselves to both a modern and a traditional interior.

Finally we were fascinated to learn that 3details hold a unique collection of 'rescued' artefacts from Jim Dine’s former London home. Jim Dine is considered to be a pioneer of pop art and part of the Neo Dada art movement, he currently lives in America. The ‘found’ works, include  memorabilia, and artworks and were only rediscovered recently. This is just a small selection from their extraordinary find. 

David Hockney at Home

David Hockney is one of Britain’s most popular artists, Devas Designs caught up with his latest exhibition at Tate Britain and what a fantastic show it is. It covers six decades of his work from London in the 1960’s, his swimming pool era in Los Angeles, and landscapes of his hometown in Yorkshire. What stands out so clearly is his depiction of colour and light which we can use as inspiration for our own interiors.

We’ve put together some ideas from his paintings to get the 'Hockney Effect' in interiors settings ...

Inspired by his colour themes and swimming pool paintings, why not choose your own combination of Hockney coloured tiles using Johnson’s clever ‘colour genie’, which makes it so simple to get the look. Try the 'colour genie' for yourself by clicking here. Here's our own colour genie result, drawing inspiration from Hockney's swimming pool paintings.

Many of Hockney’s paintings depict friends and family in domestic settings which gives the work added poignancy such as the touching painting of his parents below. 

Sofaworkshop pride themselves on providing the ‘best of British’ craftsman made sofas, their latest collection includes sofas and chairs in vibrant and pastel colours which reflect Hockney's domestic scenes.

If you simply want to ring the changes, take a look at this dazzling array of bright silk or velvet finish cushions from the John Lewis range. At just £25 each you can create an immediate pop of colour for an instant ‘Hockney makeover'! Changing cushions and accessories, seasonally, or as the mood takes you, is a fun and inexpensive way to shake up your interiors and give your home a whole new feel.

The Conran Shop is always a source of great ideas. Jasper Conran, who took over the helm in 2012, has a number of colourful solutions which include mixing colours to break away from a uniform look.

It doesn’t just have to hinge on ‘eye popping’ colours though. A softer approach using pastel hues and elegant flower arrangements are reminiscent of the cool interior of Hockney’s Mr and Mrs Clarke and Percy. He has painted this colourful couple relaxing in the cool interior of their Notting Hill apartment. The painting immediately brought to mind the West London townhouse designed by Devas Designs, shown below.

... And don’t forget to create your own green oasis, where you can escape the hustle and bustle of the city and relax, as we did here for a London client.

If you want to add temporary colour to your own garden or balcony try a simple row of coloured plant pots with brightly coloured flowers or cactus inspired by Hockney’s garden paintings.

London Art Fair 2017

Alongside our Interior Design services, Devas Designs specialises in buying artwork for clients. Whether you’re looking to start a collection, add to an existing collection or search for that one perfect piece - we have the expertise and contacts to help you.

Naturally we’re always on the look out for new and exciting pieces and visit as many fairs and exhibitions as we can. Last week we took a trip to the London Art Fair, which focusses on modern British and contemporary art. Here’s our top picks from the fair …

Winifred Nicholson at Crane Kalman Gallery

Winifred Nicholson was a colourist and her beautiful impressionistic style has always caught our eye. She concentrated on domestic still life objects and landscapes, often combining the two by depicting nature through a window, for example.

She was married to painted Ben Nicholson who focussed on more abstract scenes. There is a lovely soft quality to her work; both in the colours and treatment of paint. The lightness and optimism created would makes a lovely addition to an interior as tehse qualities compliment an existing colour scheme while adding a splash of colour to the space.

Joakim Eskildsen at Purdy Hicks Gallery

Joakim Eskildsen is a photographer from Copenhagen. His series Nordic Signs was produced between 1989-1994 and resulted from his travels between Northern Europe, featuring Norway, Scotland, Denmark, Sweden, Iceland and the Faroe Islands.

In his series, Eskildsen draws out the poetic qualities of these landscapes with an emphasis on the atmospheres created by the elements. They were a collaboration with his wife, the poet Cia Rinne. He was inspired by the way Renaissance painters portrayed light and used some of these techniques in his photographic work. He says these images capture “something that is at the same time wild yet liveable”.

Abe Odedina at Ed Cross Fine Art

Born in in Nigeria in 1960, Abe Odedina lives and works in London. He is a self-taught painter, having trained originally as an architect. A trip to Brazil ignited Odedina’s interest in painting and particularly the the voodoo arts of Haiti and the Painters of the Sacred Heart.

Odedina's work celebrates the use of colour and pictorial statements, qualities in artwork seen on the streets of cities such as Lagos, Salvador and Port-au-Prince. The figures are painted in acrylic on plywood in a bold and stylised manner. He often incorporates text which explores universal themes and believes that art has the power to transform reality. 

December Art Fix: Top 3 Exhibitions

1/ Zaha Hadid: Early Paintings and Drawings

Serpentine Gallery, Until 12 Feb 2017

The latest show from the Serpentine Sackler Gallery celebrates the early drawings and paintings of late architect Zaha Hadid, her spectacularly designed restaurant adjoins the gallery. The pieces on display were created before her first building; The Vitra Fire Station, and show her visualisations of space and ideas. 

There is a clear Constructivist influence in her painted works, there are geometric, angular forms reminiscent of Tatlin and Malevich. One project is based on Malevich's Architekton, a architecturally inspired sculpture he produced in the 1920s. Hadid reproduced the sculpture, painting it from a birds-eye-view and gave it a new London setting on the South Bank. Hadid's architectural and painterly fusions are truly inspiring and these early works confirm her dedication to developing unique and radical work.

2/ Bruce McLean: A Hot Sunset and Shade Paintings

Bernard Jacobson Gallery, Until 28 Jan 2017

British artist Bruce McLean has been a long time favourite artist of the Devas Designs team. McLean's bold approach to colour and form is uplifting and eye-catching - criteria we always look for when buying art for the home. McLean is a multi artist who works across painting, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics, film and performance art. He is known for both his versatility and rebellious spirit, often mocking the establishment - when offered an exhibition at Tate Britain in 1972, he held a 'retrospective' which lasted only one day.

McLean's current exhibition at Bernard Jacobson presents recent works, all produced over the last year. These include six 'shade' paintings, a series which explores light and shadow, as well asa standout six-meter long minimalist painting called 'sunset'. The works of display are above all beautiful and high spirited; perfect viewing for the cold, Winter months.

3/ Robert Rauschenberg

Tate Modern, Until 2 April 2017

'Robert Rauschenberg blazed a new trail for art in the second half of the twentieth century' declares Tate. This show sets out to confirm Rauschenberg's place in modern art and outline his radically new approach and new aesthetic that acted as a bridge between Pop Art and Abstract Expressionism in the 1950s. There are works that span the entirety of Rauschenberg's influential career from his early experimental works in the 1950s to the work he created before his death in 2008.

There are several landmark works here including his famous 'Monogram' work which features a stuffed goat with a tyre around its waist. Another room shows his dedication to screen printing and the incorporation of Popular imagery, inspired by a visit to Warhol's studio. His important and longstanding collaborations feature too, including the many stage design created for Merce Cunningham's choreographed performances, all of which were scored by John Cage.

Robert Rauschenberg was born in Port Arthur, Texas. He grew up in a Fundamentalist Christian household of strict rules and regulations before being drafted in to the Navy for three years. His life story is a captivating tale of how one man broke away from convention to challenge and enliven the art scene, an agenda which would change contemporary art forever. Tate's Robert Rauschenberg exhibition is a must-see.

November Art Exhibitions

Looking to escape the Winter weather? What better way to hide from the cold than to spend the weekend at a London art gallery. Here's our top three new art exhibitions to visit this November ...

1/ The Radical Eye: Modernist Photography from The Sir Elton John Collection

Tate Modern, Switch House - Until 7 May 2017

Tate Modern’s latest show may come as a surprise to some visitors; it showcases a dynamic and important collection of modernist photography from the Rocket Man star. There are nearly 200 works on show, selected from Sir Elton John’s incredible photographic collection. Some of the biggest names are here; May Ray, Dorothea Lange, Brassai, Andre Kertesz and Aleksandr Rodchenko and more.

The works have been beautifully selected and act as an introduction to Modernist photography; its themes, values and movers and shakers. As well as being visually striking, each print is in remarkable condition; many of the works were bought direct from the artists. It’s also worth picking up an audio guide where you can hear from Sir Elton John himself discussing his personal thoughts on the works.

‘I collect for the beauty, not the value. I’m in awe of these things’

2/ Flaming June: The Making of an Icon

Leighton House - Until 2 April 2017

One of the most iconic and reproduced paintings from the Victorian Era, Flaming June, is now back on display at the studio it was created in 1895. It was painted by Sir Frederic Leighton, the English painter and sculptor now known for his elaborate Leighton House.

The painting is a beautiful and sensual work, richly pigmented in orange and red. It shows a sleeping woman behind a Mediterranean backdrop, sun-drenched and collapsed from the heat of midsummer sun.

Flaming June is being shown alongside other works submitted by Leighton to the Academy that year - these are equally romantic and sumptuous.   

3/ Paul Nash

Tate Britain - Until 5 March 2017

Paul Nash has been a longtime favourite artist of ours, the combination of his subtle colours which often depict surreal scenes is a fascinating mixture. Nash was undoubtedly one of the pioneers of British modern art. His landscape scenes often feature surreal and mystical motifs which reference to Britain's ancient past.

Tate's exhibition takes us on a journey using works from his early career through to his paintings created during the Second World War. We learn about his unique style of translating the landscape. It was a deeply personal approach that took into account both natural elements and the power of mythology. This is a beautiful and poignant show - a must see.

 

 

 

Interior Inspiration: Sean Scully

"I do believe abstraction is and was meant to embody deep emotion.

I believe that’s its job, in the history of art."

- Sean Scully-

Sean Scully has spent his career honing his unique style of abstraction. In the mid-1960s he abandoned figurative work and has since remained faithful to block coloured canvases - particularly huge scale striped paintings.

The Dublin-born artist grew up in London and in the mid-1970s moved to America, he stills splits his time between Europe and New York. Scully draws on the traditions of Abstract Expressionism through his use of loose paintwork. His subtle yet powerful use of colour has always captured our attention and we were delighted to discover that his latest exhibition opens this month in London at The Timothy Taylor Gallery.

For this post we've drawn inspiration from Scully's painterly stripes and coloured canvases and found ways that you can bring these aesthetics into your home. We understand that buying art can be both expensive and time consuming but adding painterly furnishings and wallpapers is a quick way to add artistic charm to your home.

Take a look at our Scully inspired interiors picks ...

We love the Kallianthi Wallpaper Collection by Harlequin, designed by Clarissa Hulse. They have been inspired by her love of botany and nature. The stripe wallpaper collection are taken from a hand-painted watercolour design. Like the work of Sean Scully, the stripes are reminiscent of patterns from the landscape - horizons, sunsets and seas.

Bluebellgray's design are all based on hand-painted originals so are a go-to if you're looking for painterly furnishings. Their Lomond Collection was inspired by Scotland's beautiful Lock Lomond, again uniting with Scully's natural influences. The Lomond palette features turquoise with flashes of zesty chartreuse green and fuchsia pink and can be purchased on a range of items from curtains to cushions to lampshades.

The Paint Stripe rug, pictured below, by Paul Smith for The Rug Company was inspired by mid-century abstract art. He was particularly inspired by drip paintings, possibly the work of Abstract pioneer Jackson Pollock. The rug is meant to directly represent a canvas with expressive drips of colours which creates a beautiful broken stripe effect. 

Zaha Hadid's UltraStellar Collection

This month Zaha Hadid’s final furniture collection went on display at David Gill Gallery, a space she had a long-running relationship with. We attended the opening last week which celebrated both the show and the life of the late architect.

For her UltraStellar series, Hadid moved away from the acrylic material she’s known for, instead turning to traditional materials; wood, glass, silver and leather. The table pictured below left is walnut with a lenticular glass eye in the centre. She astounds us yet again with the beauty in the fluidity of her forms, their organic movements heightened by natural materials.

Every piece is bespoke and highlights her unwavering vision for contemporary, almost futuristic, design. The collection includes the Lisse Chandelier, show below, a colossal and dazzling chandelier in glass and aluminium. The exhibition comprises just eight works in total, each is arresting and inspiring.

Three of the pieces were created for her Liquid Glacial collection - most recognisably the Liquid Glacial table made entirely in glass, shown below. The design sees a flat tabletop transformed through refracted light as ripples below the surface of the glass create a subtle wave effect. The overall effect is a stunning impression of water frozen in time. Zaha Hadid’s design visionary will undeniably live on in these beautiful pieces.

We also loved the two versions of the group sofa, pictured below. Both variations allow groups of three to four people to sit together in a more united and conversational pose than regular sofas. 

“[Zaha] manipulated materials, she pushed our beliefs in shape, throwing away traditional ideas of form and function and made us all catch our breath whenever we saw her work. We will miss not only Zaha’s unique voice in terms of design and manufacture but we will most importantly miss a very dear friend.”

- David Gill -

The show is on until 29th October 2016.

Marc Camille Chaimowicz at The Serpentine Gallery

The Serpentine Gallery’s 2016 exhibitions have been equally dynamic, innovative and inspiring and this season’s show by Marc Camille Chaimowicz is no exception. Chaimowicz established himself in the 1970s with his print-crazy installations and party performances. His work often blends popular culture with art historical references and includes painting, sculpture, design and immersive site-specific installations.

Marc Camille Chaimowicz: An Autumn Lexicon; Installation View, Serpentine Gallery (29 September – 20 November 2016); Photo © Hugo Glendinning

His current show ‘An Autumn Lexicon’ at the Serpentine spans his career from the 70s to the present day. It draws on ideas of memory and place while responding directly to the environment and Serpentine Gallery building. It combines wallpaper, furniture, paintings, rugs, household items and news article clippings - of course we were excited to see this connection between art and interiors. He's even designed curtains for the gallery windows and coloured the window glass with pink and green acetate, creating an immersive exhibition experience.

We couldn't help but notice the Bloomsbury aesthetic throughout the show which featured the same muted and pastel colours seen in Vanessa Bell’s work. It reminded us of our project in Ireland which was based around a Bloomsbury palette. Read more about this project here.

There are also lovely details of the building and gardens throughout the show. Chaimowicz has created backdrops with repeated patterns of the Serpentine pavilion using various block printing and painting methods. There is an art deco style to much of the furniture which reflects the original tea room which preceded the gallery in the 1930s. Among the news clippings are pages from interiors magazines showing the interior design elements of his work including his South London home which blended styles from the 30s, 50s and 70s. Interior design enabled Chaimowicz to merge his talents in painting, pattern, design and installation.

It’s a beautiful show which is both reflective of historical design and original in its own way.

The show is open until November 2nd - catch it while you can.

 

“We should resist the tyranny of linear time for one which is much more

elusive, labyrinthian, gracious and once understood, perhaps even kindly.

Once we recognise that it can fold in on itself – wherein, for example, recent

events can seem distant and more distant ones seem closer – we then have a

greater fluidity of means.” – Marc Camille Chaimowicz

Culture Trip: Barcelona

Travel remains a leading source of inspiration for Devas Designs and we are always excited to explore and discover cultural hotspots across the world. Recently one of our team visited Barcelona, a city bursting with colour and culture.

Here's a guide to our must-visit cultural sights in Barcelona:

1/ Museu Picasso

The Picasso Museum houses one of the most extensive collection’s of Picasso’s work with over 4,000 exhibited pieces. Comprising five medieval stone mansions, the museum is itself a beauty to behold with beautiful courtyards and winding staircases. Much of the collection focuses on Picasso’s formative years and the masterpieces he painted during his early teens - while not his most iconic works, they set him up as an artist of immense character and skill and it’s interesting to see his continual stylistic changes. A particular highlight was the room dedicated to his famous Blue period as well as a collection of Cubist paintings. A staggering collection in a stunning setting, one of our must-see Barcelona sights.

2/ Gaudi in Barcelona: Sagrada Familia, Park Guell and Casa Batllo

Sagrada Familia - It would be impossible not to mention Antoni Gaudi’s architectural masterpieces, his most distinctive creations are in Barcelona. The city’s shining glory is the Sagrada Familia, the giant basilica famously known for its continued construction which commenced in 1882. It’s a wild combination of Gothic and Art Nouveau forms and once inside, the stained glass windows cast a myriad of rainbow colours across the space.

 

Park Guell - Perhaps our favourite of Gaudi’s creations due to its natural outdoor elements. It sits on Carmel Hill with views across the city, and provides a beautiful interplay of natural forms and mosaic decorated structures. The main section is ticketed, but the beautiful gardens remain to free to visit, their tall trees provide calm and shade above the bustling hot city in the distance.

Casa Batllo - A smaller but no less impressive construction by Gaudi in the centre of Barcelona. It encapsulates Gaudi’s unique take on Art Nouveau design with its elaborate facade covered in broken mosaic tiles. The skeletal-like balcony details and curved patterned roof again call on organic forms and fluidity. Inside the tiled room and stained glass windows are just as beautiful and arresting as its exterior.

3/ Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art (MACBA)

For those looking for a more contemporary experience, Barcelona’s Museum of Contemporary Art, aka MACBA, is the place to go. MACBA’s collection dates from mid-20th Century to the present day and is known for its hard-hitting modern displays - when we visited there was a riotous exhibition about the influence of Punk on modern art.

Watch this space - Abstract Expressionism at the RA

The Royal Academy of Art has amassed an immense collection of American works from galleries and private collections (over 100 lenders in total) which include works by artists such as Clyfford Still, Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock and Janet Sobel to name just a few.

Abstract Expressionism is widely known as a ground-breaking moment in the formation of modern art. Artists no longer wanted to recreate scenes from life but wanted their spectators to experience paintings physically - for us to 'feel' their emotion through the medium of paint, sculpture and so on. Their often aggressive gestural marks also filled the entirety of the canvas, dispensing with the traditional ideas of composition and geometry. Artists like Jackson Pollock poured, dripped and spilt paint, pushing materials to become free and almost overtake the artist's hand. What was also revolutionary about this way of working was that by desiring physical feelings from their viewer, the Abstract Expressionists weren't creating work just for academics or theorists, but art for all.

There will be some amazing works on display - icons from the movement by the likes of Pollock and Rothko. There's also an assurance that the gender imbalance will be rectified by the inclusion of significant female painters including Janet Sobel and Lee Krasner.

The exhibition will open in September this year.

Botticelli Reimagined

For this week’s art fix we visited the V&A’s hotly anticipated ‘Botticelli Reimagined’ exhibition.

The V&A reminds us that his Botticelli’s work was largely forgotten for 300 years before audiences rediscovered it in the 19th Century. Since then he has informed the work and imagery of artists to come.

What makes this exhibition so remarkable initially, is its sheer quantity of work, from painting to fashion to film and photography to sculpture and tapestry - it’s got it all! There are some truly breathtaking works like Rosetti's La Ghirlandata, pictured below left. Rosetti even owned work by Botticelli, one of which is featured in this exhibition, a true testament of his love of the Renaissance master.

While we loved seeing the traditional works on display, one of the highlights for us was seeing the contemporary piece and how Botticelli’s Venus has been subverted in contemporary art. The photograph in the centre below uses pieces of trash and junk, remoulding it into Botticelli's iconic composition. The beauty of the images lies in Botticelli's Venus icon to survive amongst its mishmashed context - an interesting metaphor for its endurance in contemporary culture.

Inspired by Anwar Shemza

Walking around the Tate Britain last week we were struck by a wonderful Spotlight Display by Anwar Shemza.

Shemza moved to London from Lahore in 1956. In London he abandoned his illustrative and figurative approach that had brought him acclaim in Pakistan, he had achieved widespread recognition in Pakistan but was unrecognised in London

Shemza started his own, new style of compositions which combined calligraphy, Islamic architectural features and abstraction. Some of his influences came from artists such as Paul Klee and we loved the way he blended this abstraction with Islamic artistic traditions.

Hilma af Klint: Painting the Unseen at The Serpentine Gallery

This weekend we visited an extraordinary exhibition at The Serpentine Gallery of a Swedish artist Hilma af Klint. While this exhibition has attracted a huge amount of press, prior to this show she was virtually unknown in the UK.

Being a woman, producing pioneering and unconventional artwork such as this, is probably the greatest reason for af Klint's exception from history. She began her career by painting landscapes and portraits and gained some recognition at that time. It was her protestant upbringing and studies of Theosophy however that was the pivotal inspiration for her abstract works - this was also the first religious group in Europe to accept women in senior positions which must have empowered af Klint herself. Between 1906-07 she created her most revolutionary paintings which derived from automatic drawings she produced during seances - some encompass swirling abstract patterns, others follow geometric structured diagrams.

She painted the work below in 1907, years before Kandinsky or Mondrian or Malevich had ventured into abstraction. Looking into her colourful swirls, bold splatters and geometric shapes painted in the early 1900s it is undeniable that af Klint is a true pioneer of abstraction. 

Hilma af Klint was certainly a complex and creative character, drawing on spiritual experiences and unconscious thoughts. This is an unmissable exhibition and an important step in making sure that she gains recognition - open until May 15th 2016.

Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matisse at The Royal Academy of Arts

We visited ‘Painting The Modern Garden’ … While Monet is at the centre of this exhibition, there are works by Renoir, Cezanne, Pissarro, Van Gogh, Matisse and Klimt to name a few. The exhibition promises to help you see ‘the garden in art with fresh eyes’ and its doesn’t disappoint.

Interestingly the natural garden subject seems to have enabled many of these avant-garde artists to work with a greater freedom than before, freeing their palettes and their brushstrokes. Throughout he exhibition you are greeted with Monet’s stunning gardens until ending in a grand finale; Monet’s great pastel coloured waterlily paintings.

The exhibition opens with a beautiful comparison - Monet's 'The Artist's Garden in Argenteuil' (pictured below left) is placed beside Renoir's painting of Monet painting in the very garden in Argenteuil (pictured below right). This sets the tone for the exhibition, an affirmative statement about the impact Monet had on his fellow impressionists and hints that he influenced not only the garden subject matter but the act of painting en plein air.  

There are some beautiful works by a less famous name, Spanish artist Santiago Rusinol. His paintings are more structured than the Impressionist works on display and convey spectacular modelling of light, like this work below which evokes the brilliant glow of sunset. 

We thought it would be lovely to also share with you some images of Monet's garden in Giverny. These are the gardens Monet spent nearly forty years in his house in Giverny, a period many argue were his most creative. In 1883 he and his family rented the house with its 2 acre land and by 1890 he had saved enough to buy it and the surrounding land. As an avid gardener himself, Monet worked alongside his gardeners and created precise designs and layouts for his garden's planting, resulting in a stunning display. Over time he built up the land, eventually buying a water meadow which he plated up with water lilies. These became the subject of his best known works and the water meadow is now one the garden's most popular features. 

William Morris Gallery

Last weekend we visited the beautiful William Morris Gallery in London. William Morris is perhaps the best known proponent of the British Arts and Crafts Movement. His contribution is particularly marked with the revival of traditional textile arts.

Alongside his textile design, he was also a poet, novelist and social activist. The Arts and Crafts Movement developed in the 19th Century as a result of artists concerns over industrialisation. The Movement placed value on materials and design, advocating art reform.

The gallery is situated in a Grade II listed Georgian house, itself a lovely building. The Walthamstow house was William Morris’s family home between 1848-1856 - he would have been only six when he moved in. Walthamstow was at that time a country village and many have suggested that Morris was later influenced by his time spent there, surrounded by natural forms. Going against industrialisation, Morris’s designs are rooted in nature, drawing inspiration directly from natural forms including flowers, leaves and branches.


For Interior Designers, the Arts and Crafts Movement can be particularly influential as its designs featured throughout household items from wallpaper to furniture and the architecture itself.

Alexander Calder: Performing Sculpture at Tate Modern

This week we visited the must-see new exhibition at Tate Modern, ‘Alexander Calder: Performing Sculpture’. It’s a truly beautiful and poetic exhibition showcasing Calder’s stunning kinetic sculptures.

Calder initially trained as an engineer before moving to Paris in the 1920s to start his artistic career. It was during his engineering education that he became fascinated with kinetics, physics and the nature of materials. In Paris he experimented with kinetic sculptures that brought to life the avant-garde interest in movement. His kinetic works blended movement with sculpture and in 1931 he invented the ‘mobile’ - Duchamp coined the term, having used it to describe Calder’s new sculptures. The poetry and beauty of his sculptures lay in their ability to move of their accord, simply catching the air in the space they hang.


We love pinning inspirational photos on Pinterest and Tate’s Pinterest board is always packed with great images. Their recent board ‘Art, Architecture and the Home’ show artworks in interiors, we liked this image below of Peggy Guggenheim alongside a Calder mobile - https://uk.pinterest.com/tategallery/art-architecture-and-the-home/

We also discovered this image of an Alexander Calder mobile in Georgia O’Keeffe’s house in Abiquiu, New Mexico. The blend of rustic design with the fluidity of his mobile is a perfect balance.

On the subject of artists’s home we were intrigued to find these images of Alexander Calder’s own living room. Having seen his mobiles in a white walled gallery space, it was quite the contrast seeing images of them amongst his colourful furnishings and belongings.