EDITOR’S LETTER
Welcome to The Wick
Dear Culturally Curious,
It’s Mental Health Awareness week as well as London Craft Week and Photo London – lucky then that there is now proof that art and creativity quite literally changes our mental and physical make-up for the better. Time to get exploring.
The weekend saw the 61st Venice Biennale open to the public with much fanfare. Hopping from the Giardini to the Arsenale, from parties in San Marco to stunning institutional shows across the city (all in the pouring rain!) this year was certainly one to remember. The Wick’s standouts were Florentina Holtzinger’s aquatic experiment that was the Austria pavilion, as well as Japan’s Ei Arakawa-Nash’s show exploring the nature of caregiving through a plethora of baby dolls. As Brits, it would be amiss if we didn’t give a shoutout to Lubaina Himid’s stunning pavilion this year, exploring displacement, belonging, and how we make a home. The best of British (all eyes on Preston). Get the full scoop below.
The Met Gala – Fashion is Art – inspired some fantastical looks that deftly played the fashion/art dance with many of the 400+ invitees taking direct cues from works and portraits within the wider Met Collection. Greek deities (Heidi Klum/Anne Hathaway) proved a favourite alongside Klimt (Hunter Schafer), and Singer Sargent’s Madame X (Lauren Sánchez Bezos). The event chaired by Anna Wintour raised $42m. On the morning of the event labour unions staged a “Ball without Billionaires” downtown with Amazon workers taking to a different kind of catwalk wearing placards emblazoned with Labour is Art.
May is busy with socials and last week also celebrated Nick Jones’ new soon to-be-opened venture: St Clement Hotel at 180 the Thames. HTSI was the first in with editor Jo Ellison inviting collaborators and London creatives including Jarvis Cocker, Liya Kebede and Simone Rocha to raise a glass for the magazine’s 700th edition from the penthouse suite with sweeping views over the Thames. The hotel, developed by Mark Wadhwa and Alex Eagle (Creative Director of the project), welcomed guests into the delightfully serene space. The riverside brasserie opens soon – book a spot for sundowners.
It’s Mental Health Awareness week as well as London Craft Week and Photo London – lucky then that there is now proof that art and creativity quite literally changes our mental and physical make-up for the better. Time to get exploring.
The weekend saw the 61st Venice Biennale open to the public with much fanfare. Hopping from the Giardini to the Arsenale, from parties in San Marco to stunning institutional shows across the city (all in the pouring rain!) this year was certainly one to remember. The Wick’s standouts were Florentina Holtzinger’s aquatic experiment that was the Austria pavilion, as well as Japan’s Ei Arakawa-Nash’s show exploring the nature of caregiving through a plethora of baby dolls. As Brits, it would be amiss if we didn’t give a shoutout to Lubaina Himid’s stunning pavilion this year, exploring displacement, belonging, and how we make a home. The best of British (all eyes on Preston). Get the full scoop below.
The Met Gala – Fashion is Art – inspired some fantastical looks that deftly played the fashion/art dance with many of the 400+ invitees taking direct cues from works and portraits within the wider Met Collection. Greek deities (Heidi Klum/Anne Hathaway) proved a favourite alongside Klimt (Hunter Schafer), and Singer Sargent’s Madame X (Lauren Sánchez Bezos). The event chaired by Anna Wintour raised $42m. On the morning of the event labour unions staged a “Ball without Billionaires” downtown with Amazon workers taking to a different kind of catwalk wearing placards emblazoned with Labour is Art.
May is busy with socials and last week also celebrated Nick Jones’ new soon to-be-opened venture: St Clement Hotel at 180 the Thames. HTSI was the first in with editor Jo Ellison inviting collaborators and London creatives including Jarvis Cocker, Liya Kebede and Simone Rocha to raise a glass for the magazine’s 700th edition from the penthouse suite with sweeping views over the Thames. The hotel, developed by Mark Wadhwa and Alex Eagle (Creative Director of the project), welcomed guests into the delightfully serene space. The riverside brasserie opens soon – book a spot for sundowners.
Objects of Desire
Object Art Cure by Daisy Fancourt
Daisy Fancourt’s Art Cure makes a compelling case for the arts not as an indulgence, but an essential part of how we look after ourselves. Exploring the relationship between creativity and wellbeing, the book explains how art can offer comfort, reduce stress and create space for reflection, connection and recovery. Less self-help manifesto than deeply considered argument for art as one of the supports of a well-lived life, a must-read on Mental Health Awareness Week.
Monday Muse
Interview Aoife Leach
Spotlight
Spotlight Azadeh Ghotbi’s Paintings Invite You To Look Again
Video Interviews
Interview The Wick x The Long Now
Visual Arts
