Working religiously and tirelessly behind canvases, brushes and oils during the Cultural Revolution in China is a group of brave artists who quietly banded together during a repressive period. Showcasing their works for the first time in an exhibition titled “Light Before Dawn: Unofficial Chinese Art 1974 to 1985″, the three distinctive schools of artists, each with a distinctive style will display more than 100 paintings and sculptures.. Heroic artisans out there, this will surely pique your interest.
Find out more here.
Tags: Art, Asia Society, China, Cultural Revolution, Culture, Inspiration, Light Before Dawn
June 17th, 2013
Posted in Musings
To mark the 60th anniversary of the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, a major exhibition will bring together a spectacular array of dress, uniform and robes worn by the principal royal party. Works of art, paintings and objects used on the day will also be on display to recreate the atmosphere of that extraordinary occasion.
In particular, sketches by British couturier Norman Hartnell, whose design for The Queen’s Coronation Dress, considered to be his masterpiece of royal couture, is immortalized in an intricate drawing. In watercolour and bodycolour over pencil, it shows in detail the full-skirted gown with its tiers of rich embroidery terminating in a wide multi-coloured border.
Something you wouldn’t want to miss if you were in London..
Visit the site for more information here.
Tags: Art, Buckingham Palace, Coronation Day, Costume, Dress, Fashion, Insipration, Norman Hartnell
June 10th, 2013
Posted in Musings
This year marks the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. While a slew of celebrations are lined up across the pond, the English department at the University of Texas decided to commemorate the event by creating a portal that gives us glimpses into the writer’s world.
The website, ‘What Jane Saw’ is an online re-creation of an 1813 exhibit that Austen attended, giving viewers a chance to tour and see the artworks as Jane may have seen them. A retrospective of famed portraitist Joshua Reynolds, the exhibition features portraitures whose subjects range from King George III to actress Sara Siddens and other ‘abnormally interesting’ people..
Take a tour here.
Tags: Art, Exhibition, Inspiration, Jane Austen, Joshua Reynolds, Literature, Retrospective, Virtual Reality
June 3rd, 2013
Posted in Musings
The Harry Winston Opus XIII watch throws out conventional rules of timekeeping and takes on a new approach that involves disappearing parts instead.
A manual-winding watch with a 35-hour power reserve, it is crafted out of 364 components and 242 jewels. Each pivoting minute hand is held in place by a steel shaft, which in turn is held in place by two ruby bearings. Boasting a 18K white gold casing and a sapphire-crystal window on the rear, we think this timepiece would sit right at home with the Self-Made man..
Find out more here.
Tags: Craft, Harry Winston, Horology, Time, Watch
June 2nd, 2013
Posted in Musings
One of Singapore’s most notable artist and photographer, John Clang debunks talk of him being sentimental, the nature of commercial photography and the delicate balancing of his own art in this candid interview with Esquire magazine.
Having had a solo show earlier this year at the National Museum of Singapore, where he displayed a staggering series of works documenting families and kinship, the man honors his craft with a sensitiveness and integrity that well reminds us of the Heroic Artisan..
Hear it from the man himself here.
Tags: Art, Inspiration, John Clang, People, Photography
May 28th, 2013
Posted in Musings
“The BBC concluded that in today’s complicated world, there are now seven different social classes. These range from the “elite” at the top, distinguished by money, connections and rarefied cultural interests, to the “precariat” at the bottom, characterized by lack of money, lack of connections and unrarefied cultural interests.”
Most prominent in wealthy, developed nations, divides are blurring and new and emergent groups have sprouted out. Enter the ‘technical middle class’, or the ‘new affluent workers’- codified by their cultural and social capital, this phenomenon is here to stay and pervade in global cities all around, not just Britain we think. An interesting point to leave you pondering on this midweek…
Read the article here.
Tags: Britain, Class System, Lifestyle, Social Issue, Society
May 22nd, 2013
Posted in Musings
It’s fast approaching mid-year, and for those of you whose new year resolutions have been tucked away in dusty corners of the room, it’s time to rev up and get moving again! Here are some recreational activities you can consider to getting your foot in. Rather than the typical, why not opt for these other options that will cater to your various sporting fancies!
Get the lowdown here.
Tags: Exercise, Health, Sports
May 17th, 2013
Posted in Musings
Small acts of love and appreciation work miracles, but who can resist a well-thought out gift that surprises and touches? Here’s a guide to what mum might love, but don’t be lazy- think extra hard what the single-most important woman might really appreciate & serenade her tomorrow…
Get the ideas here.
Tags: Celebration, Gift, Guide, Mother's Day, Shopping
May 11th, 2013
Posted in Musings
An inspiring and ingenious take on architecture and conservation, an old building in Mexico is transformed into a modern-day library with its external glass and concrete structure. Conceived by architects Fernanda Canales and Arquitectura 911sc, and located in the south of Mexico city, in Coyoacán, the ‘Elena Garro Cultural Center’ was previously a two-storey brick and plaster house from the 20th-century. With new life breathed into it, old and new are elegantly melded in a functional and thoughtful manner..
Read more about it here.
Tags: Architecture, Arquitectura 911sc, Design, Elena Garro Cultural Center, Fernanda Canales, Inspiration, Mexico
April 26th, 2013
Posted in Musings
The authority on global affairs and style, the cool quotient of Monocle just about escalated with their recent foray into the Food & Beverage sector. Newly opened on London’s Marylebone neighborhood, the stylish cafe features coffee from Allpress, a menu designed by chef Masayuki Hara, and a soundtrack provided by Monocle 24, the magazine’s radio station.
A hotel, or residential project next? We’d be keenly anticipating.
Read about it here, and take a look at the cafe’s site here.
Tags: Cafe, Coffee, F&B, Lifestyle, London, Monocle, The Monocle Shop
April 19th, 2013
Posted in Musings
