Book review: Gerhard Richter November
Sometimes it is the simple incidents that can lead to some intriguing works of art. In the case of November, Gerhard Richter became fascinated with the dripping patterns his black Edding marker-pen ink made on paper whilst decanting it in 2008. Using benzene, acetone and black tushe, the German artist set about experimenting with the process – thinning the materials and manipulating the patterns and colours. The result is the November series... Read More
Book review: The Colour Revolution
Fashion helps shape our visual landscape and, well, adds a little fun to our lives. However, behind what may seem like a frivolous world are countless brains deciding on what we wear and what colour these garments should be made available in. The colour of the season isn’t just some fluke or flippant decision made by the editor of Vogue but the work of colour specialists who through history have directed trends based on economic forces and shifting... Read More
Book review: London Portrait of the City
‘When a man is tired of London,’ English author Samuel Johnson famously said in 1777, ‘he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.’ And so begins London Portrait of the City preparing the reader for what is a sensory feast celebrating this city. It is easy to mock London. This giant metropolis can seem unruly at times – the transport system is little shaky, the people a little unfriendly and the weather a little... Read More
Book review: Information Graphics
TASCHEN creates visually engaging books. The publisher excels at binding together paper that demonstrated the digital age should never eliminate the desire for the thoughtfully designed and engagingly written physical book. Information Graphics does just this. Its analysis of graphic design past and present together with its rich selection of images provide a wonderful framework for this visual world that is forever evolving but remains as poignant... Read More
Book: Project Japan, Metabolism Talks
Japanese minimalist architecture has had a profound impact on European building design, particularly private housing. Yet there is a complex ideology coming out of a more contemporary Japan that has been one of the most influential, yet elusive, movements in modern architecture. Japanese Metabolism is possibly the first non-western avant-garde. This spirited movement was pioneered by a small group of young architects in the late 1950s whose utopian... Read More
Book review: Deborah Turbeville
Deborah Turbeville has for many years been a great source of inspiration for my work and collections. Our design studio walls at GharaniStrok were plastered with inspirational images of which Turbeville held a strong presence. They included The Bathhouse (1975) – one of my favourites – as well as Nova (Clevedon, London 1973) and Charlotte Gainsbourg, shot in an image reminiscent of a turn of the century Chaplinesque heroine. #gallery-6... Read More
Book review: Redesigning Leadership
Redesigning Leadership is a gem of a book, and like a genuine gem is compact, short, succinct and a pleasure to read. Since it starts with a haiku I will attempt to sum up the book with my own feeble effort. Wisdom in bursts Succinct, real, obvious As all insights should Or as author John Maeda liked to communicate with his team on twitter @mohsenmedic.. according to media savvy Maeda it is best to lead by listening hard preferably face-to-face... Read More
Contemporary art from Turkey
The international art world turns its gaze on Turkey and its vibrant art scene. The art word is always on the lookout for new territories to explore and invest in. India, China, Russia and to some extent Iran have grabbed recent headlines (and gallery space) and now, it seems, the world is shifting its attention in the direction of Turkey. A new book on the subject Unleashed: Contemporary art from Turkey, sets out to document this vibrant scene. #gallery-7... Read More