We live in a fascinating retail era. As the aftershocks from retail parks, Amazon and the ‘death of the high street’ reverberate, a recalibration of shops and their function seems to be taking place. From ‘Boxparks’ made of shipping containers to pop-up concession shops-within-shops, from lifestyle record/book/coffee stores to ad hoc hipster street stalls, there are untold experiments in getting people not just spending their money, but enjoying doing so.
In the early 1980s, archaeologist Paul Bahn brought a group of visitors to the Pech Merle Museum of prehistoric art in the Lot valley, which at the time was curated by Michel Lorblanchet, a leading authority on Palaeolithic art. Some 30 years after that first meeting the idea for their book 'The First Artists: In Search of the World’s Oldest Art' was born. Here, these two leading lights discuss the oldest and, arguably, greatest art of all.
It's hard to think of anyone who could have created 'The Grammar of Spice' with its seamless weaving of decoration and reference, poetry and history. As a designer, Caz Hildebrand has worked on books by some of the people most responsible for broadening the vocabulary of seasoning in western cooking, notably Yotam Ottolenghi, and Sam and Sam Clark of Moro. And, as we shall see, she has had her own journey through the understanding of global cuisines, which has tied into her own work.
A pioneer of video art and conceptualism in the 1970s, American artist William Wegman has had his paintings, photographs, videos and drawings displayed in museums and galleries around the world. But he is most famous for his photographs of Weimaraner dogs, posing for individual portraits or pictured together in a whole host of elaborate set-ups.
In the House of Dior’s 70th anniversary year, 'Dior Catwalk' brought together for the first time all the collections, from Christian Dior’s first spectacular show in 1947 to Maria Grazia Chiuri’s debut in 2017. Adélia Sabatini, editor and co-author with Alexander Fury, talks about the detective work involved in unearthing rare photographs and the ways in which Dior’s iconic New Look has been interpreted by the couturier’s successors.
Historic interiors consultant and author of 'Anatomy of Colour' Patrick Baty explains how paint can reveal the secrets of a building’s past.
Author, lecturer and curator, William A. Ewing, talks to the celebrated photographer, Edward Burtynsky, about his working methods and the breathtaking imagery in his book 'Essential Elements'.
For those not familiar with the art world, contemporary art – with its unlikely objects and impenetrable language – can seem alien and intimidating. In this interview, curators and authors of 'Who’s Afraid of Contemporary Art?' Kyung An and Jessica Cerasi do some helpful demystifying.
Hannah Lane, co-author of 'Dress with Sense: The Practical Guide to a Conscious Closet', is at the forefront of sustainability in fashion and working to reduce waste in the fashion and textile industry. Here she talks about the positive changes that people can make to benefit their wardrobe, their pocket and the environment.
Gabby Dawnay & Alex Barrow discuss the joy and knowledge in children's picture books and striking the right balance between image and text.