Out of Africa June 23, 2014 Ibrahim el-Salahi is finally being recognised as one of the great artists of the twentieth century At long last, galleries and collectors are beginning to recognise the modernist painters of Africa. Central London now has three contemporary African art galleries and last year Ghanaian sculptor El Anatsui was awarded the Royal Academy’s Charles Wollaston award. [...]
Fog of war June 23, 2014 A new exhibition marks 100 years since the beginning of World War I From Robert Capa’s grainy pictures of the D-Day landings to Nick Ut’s photograph of the Vietnamese “Napalm Girl”, many of the 20th century’s most iconic images were taken in conflict zones. Some question the motives of war photographers – studies have shown [...]
History project June 23, 2014 This limited edition walnut projector is part of a “time-capsule” concept album by US composer Deru This stunning carved walnut handheld projector is one of only 500 available. It was designed as part of a multimedia project by Emmy-award winning American composer Deru. The unit will house a “time-capsule” collection of letters and short films, [...]
The daily grind June 23, 2014 The Venus Family from Victoria Arduino is the grande dame of espresso machines Anthony Trollope asked the question, “what on earth could be more luxurious than a sofa, a book and a cup of coffee?” The answer: a sofa, a book and a cup of coffee made with a Victoria Arduino espresso machine. The first [...]
Best of Drawers June 23, 2014 This elegant bespoke chest of drawers is the perfect way to add spice to your living room This towering chest of drawers isn’t just a piece of furniture, but a masterclass in contemporary British design. Standing at just over 7ft high, the Marque One Unit dominates a room while those around it gaze up, reflected [...]
Clash of the Titans June 23, 2014 These titanium watches prove the super-durable metal is making headway in the world of high-end timepieces A couple of weeks ago a rather remarkable auction took place at Sotheby’s New York: a collection of watches I doubt anyone previously believed existed. The unsurprising bit: we’re talking Patek Philippe, whose watches dominate the highest auction prices [...]
Water world June 23, 2014 Women aren’t treated to many top class diving watches but there are options if you know where to look There are regular grumblings on this page about the sexism that continues to hang around the watch industry with all the charm of a fake gold Daytona at the Rolex factory. Things are getting better but [...]
Star man June 23, 2014 This impossibly complicated piece is coming to a store near you There’s a flurry of London watch shop openings in the offing this summer: Richard Mille’s coming to Mount Street, Blancpain to Bond Street and Harrods is opening a second branch of its Fine Watch Room in Heathrow’s re-opened T2. But the most exciting new [...]
Viva Britannia June 23, 2014 Why London’s menswear showcase is proof our fashion industry is in rude health London is unquestionably the world’s most fashionable city. It is also the spiritual home of fine tailoring, so it was a strange state of affairs that, until two years ago, we didn’t have our own dedicated men’s fashion week. Now we have [...]
Can Andy Murray win Wimbledon back to back? June 23, 2014 After ending Britain's 77-year-long wait for a Wimbledon men singles champion last year, the pressure is back on Andy Murray this afternoon as he begins the defence of his title. At his last press conference before the start of the competition the Scot was asked by a journalist how it felt to have the "hopes [...]