Vietnam
On my first morning in Hanoi I was woken by church bells from the nearby French Gothic Cathedral of St Joseph. The sensation of having awoken in France was heightened by a breakfast of strong, dark coffee made with a… Continue reading
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Vietnamese Art and History
On my first morning in Hanoi I was woken by church bells from the nearby French Gothic Cathedral of St Joseph. The sensation of having awoken in France was heightened by a breakfast of strong, dark coffee made with a… Continue reading
THE VENICE BIENNALE
In a crowded contemporary art world driven by gallery exhibitions, museum shows, art fairs, biennials and auctions are taking place all around the globe, the Venice Biennale generally serves as an excellent point of reference to pause and reflect upon… Continue reading
Takashi Murakami in Boston
Unfortunately, eccentrics are ofttimes underrated – or overlooked. Socially, they can be considered unstable and therefore, somehow, unacceptable – that is if one is under the thumb of bourgeois morality. In the American South, however, family eccentrics are a point… Continue reading
Takashi Murakami
Unfortunately, eccentrics are ofttimes underrated – or overlooked. Socially, they can be considered unstable and therefore, somehow, unacceptable – that is if one is under the thumb of bourgeois morality. In the American South, however, family eccentrics are a… Continue reading
Japanese Cloisonné: Polished to Perfection
Arguably, a thoroughly unexpected celebrity became entranced by Japanese cloisonné – Rudyard Kipling. He describes his reaction to seeing the cloisonné process like this: ‘It is one thing to read of cloisonné making, but quite another to watch it being… Continue reading
Polished to Perfection
Arguably, a thoroughly unexpected celebrity became entranced by Japanese cloisonné – Rudyard Kipling. He describes his reaction to seeing the cloisonné process like this: ‘It is one thing to read of cloisonné making, but quite another to watch it being… Continue reading
Chen Hongshou: Repentant Monk
The year 1589 marked the beginning of the Ming dynasty’s death rattle. Halfway through his reign, the Wan Li Emperor’s (1573-1620) most able minister, Zhang Zhuzheng, died and the Emperor, long chafed by him, indignantly refused to carry out his… Continue reading
Repentant Monk
The year 1589 marked the beginning of the Ming dynasty’s death rattle. Halfway through his reign, the Wan Li Emperor’s (1573-1620) most able minister, Zhang Zhuzheng, died and the Emperor, long chafed by him, indignantly refused to carry out his… Continue reading
Collector Extraordinaire
Stornoway’s Museum nan Eilean, in Scotland, may well be hosting its most eclectic exhibition to date. On the walls, there are watercolour paintings and drawings depicting people, places and monuments in India and Java. Next to these are stone sculptures,… Continue reading