Tag Archives: exhibition

Halcyon Gallery Introduces Graceland London to Its Gallery Programme

Artist Graceland London is set to make her Halcyon Gallery debut with its gallery programme. Spotlight on the Shadows is the artist’s first solo exhibition with the gallery and presents an expansive survey of 30 artworks created over the last two years. The collection of pieces provide a visual and artistic insight into the full scope of her vibrant, nuanced, dark and playful sensibility.

As part of the curated display, Halcyon Gallery’s curatorial team has worked with Graceland London to transform 29 New Bond Street into an immersive space, reinforcing the potency of her
other-worldly creations with 3-dimensional installations that recreate her visual inventions across the gallery.

Graceland London’s training in 3D animation and design has significantly informed her practice. It has led her to invent an array of unique characters and motifs that are a part of her distinctive visual language. The universe that she creates beyond the picture surface is conceived through flourescent candy colours and playful articulations of form.

Graceland London’s *There Is Only You,* 2023

Her deep background in art history and fascination with the Old Masters significantly influence her work. Her paintings frequently draw on art historical traditions, incorporating oil painting techniques reminiscent of 15th-century Northern European masters such as Jan van Eyck and Hieronymus Bosch.

However, she also reimagines and repurposes tradition to address contemporary themes. Through the alternative reality that Graceland London creates, she shines a spotlight on the challenges of 21st-century life with the use of symbols and iconography, derived from both art history and contemporary culture. Her art addresses mental health, addiction, conspiracy theories, conspicuous consumption and commercialism, and many of the other themes that characterise our time, with an equal measure of pessimism and humour.

In conjunction with the launch of original paintings at Halcyon Gallery, the London-born artist will release a set of limited-edition Spotlight on the Shadows prints with sister gallery Castle Fine Art.

Graceland London explains: “My artistic approach is a blend of tradition and innovation. I utilise the flat acrylic technique but incorporate a single use of traditional oil paint within each composition. This juxtaposition allows me to marry the vibrancy and immediacy of acrylics with the richness of oils. It’s a deliberate choice to imbue my work with a sense of depth and texture that creates visual interest. By integrating these two mediums, I aim to form a dynamic visual experience that speaks to the intersection of tradition and modernity in art”.

Paul Green, the president and founder of Halcyon Gallery, stated: “We are thrilled to welcome Graceland London to our gallery’s roster. Her bold and innovative approach to painting marks her as an emerging artist to watch.” Kate Brown, the gallery’s creative director, added: “Graceland London’s art invites viewers into a realm shaped by her unique vision, engaging with contemporary themes and challenges. Her work strikes a profound chord with today’s audience.”

Halcyon Gallery’s Legacy

Founded in 1983, Halcyon Gallery specialises in Impressionism, as well as modern and contemporary art. With three locations in London—on New Bond Street and within Harrods in Knightsbridge—the gallery has established a strong presence in the art world.

In 2023, Halcyon Gallery revitalised one of London’s most historic art venues at 148 New Bond Street. Originally built in 1881 and previously home to the Fine Art Society, this iconic space has undergone a complete interior transformation, evolving into a cutting-edge gallery that blends historical charm with 21st-century innovation. Looking ahead to 2024, Halcyon Gallery is expanding its global reach with new galleries in New York and Los Angeles, aimed at engaging new audiences and exploring emerging markets.

The gallery features works by modern masters, acclaimed contemporary artists, and emerging talents, while also dedicating itself to nurturing the careers of artists with exceptional skills. Its mission is to captivate collectors, international museums, and the general public. Halcyon Gallery’s full-service creative team provides expert support for artistic innovation.

Committed to curating distinguished art collections, Halcyon Gallery has a proven track record of placing high-quality works in museums and prestigious public spaces around the world.

Spotlight on the Shadows, The Solo exhibition dedicated to the work of British artist now open at Halcyon Gallery, 29 New Bond Street.

Visit www.halcyongallery.com for more information.

Van Cleef & Arpels opens “Poetry of Time” exhibition in Singapore

From February 12 to 20, Van Cleef & Arpels will bring its ‘Poetry of Time’ event to Marina Bay Sands’ Expo Hall B. We take a look at four major themes that have shaped the world of Van Cleef & Arpels since 1906, referencing pieces that will be on display at the exhibition — read on to discover the creations, and to find out how to visit the exhibition.

Love stories, modern and mythical

Alfred Van Cleef and Estelle Arpels were said to have shared one of those legendary romances – the sort that has inspired sonnets and plays throughout time. It’s little wonder that so much of the Maison’s has been informed by love stories: Take the Aïda & Radamès secret watch, for example. Inspired by Aida – a famous opera that has been sung over a thousand times since its premiere in 1871 – this fascinating piece of high jewellery belies the legend of the tragic romance between an Ethiopian princess and an Egyptian commander.

The watch is wrought of diamonds, mirror-polished gold and a deluge of blue sapphires, turquoise and lapis lazuli – echoing the warm sands of Egypt, and the famed Nile. The watch’s crowning jewel, a 5.93 ct Madagascan sapphire, hides a sliding dial adorned with fine stone marquetry – a subtle nod to the lovers’ secret romance.

Enchanting fairies, ethereal ballerinas

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Louis Arpels – one of the House’s original co-founders – was famed for his love of ballet. He would often bring his nephew and future scion Claude to performances at the Paris Opera. Later, Claude would continue his uncle’s legacy by collaborating with George Balanchine to create Jewels, a three-act ballet that premiered at the New York State Theatre in 1967.

Fairies, likewise, hold the same sort of ethereal fascination for Van Cleef & Arpels – as seen in the diaphanous Lady Féerie watch. But delicate muses do not preclude extraordinary technological additions: In 2021, the Lady Féerie watch won the Ladies’ Complication Watch Prize at the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, a ceremony that many have called the “Oscars of watchmaking.” The diamond-studded fairy uses her wand to indicate the minutes, thanks to a retrograde movement developed exclusively for the brand, while a window of mother-of-pearl indicates the passing hours.

Messages from the stars

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In 2019, the Maison introduced the Lady Arpels Zodiaque Lumineux watches, the feminine counterpart to an existing collection – inspired by the 12 signs of the Western zodiac – for men. Like the original collection for men, the Lady Arpels Zodiaque Lumineux watches utilise a special light-on- demand module that allows electrical energy to be generated mechanically: At the press of a button, the translucent enamel beads on the watch face illuminate, lighting up the corresponding constellation.

These symbolic figures are adorned with precious stones and enamel, using shades that correspond to each sign’s element: Water signs, like Pisces, are glided with blue sapphires and translucent blue enamel beads, while fire signs like Aries are given stones like yellow sapphires and spessartite garnets.

Of flora and fauna

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It’s not just the beauty of nature that Van Cleef & Arpels is enthralled by – it is the constant state of metamorphoses of both flora and fauna that they admire, and aim to encapsulate. See the wondrously complex Dahlia secrète watch, where dozens of corollas in yellow gold and diamonds wrap ensconce a central diamond; the high jewellery watch required over 1,000 hours of work to complete. A system of subtle articulations give movement to each individual petal when touched, giving the watch the illusion of being a live, quivering flower.

Visit this link to book your visit to The Poetry of Time.

This article was originally published on www.lofficielmalaysia.com.

The Sistine Chapel Exhibition makes its way across the globe

Image: See Global Entertainment

You can now have a tour of the renowned Sistine Chapel in the comfort of your own country in the upcoming months. The widely acclaimed exhibition, “Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition” will start in the United States before it ventures out internationally to cities such as Paris, Madrid, Singapore, Toronto and more, according to Artnet.

The exhibition will mirror the previous iteration that was held in New York’s Oculus Train Station in 2017 where full-sized replicas of Michelangelo’s famous Sistine Chapel frescoes will make its way to the various locations.

Image: See Global Entertainment.

This new exhibition will utilise state-of-the-art technology to reproduce 34 pieces that the Renaissance master has created. The selected artworks will be recreated using the Giclée printing process on a nylon surface that is similar to a movie theatre screen.

The Sistine Chapel exhibition is produced by Special Entertainment Events, which has previously organised similar shows including King Tut, the Titanic, and Star Trek. The images of the artworks are shot by Austrian photographer Erich Lessing with the production expertise of Bridgeman Images.

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Viewers will be able to examine these pieces up close unlike the actual Sistine Chapel experience where the artworks are located high up in the ceilings. Being located at eye level, the pieces can be examined more closely. The individual brushstrokes of Michelangelo can be observed as well as minute details, which might not otherwise be observed. Famous creations such as “The Creation of Adam” and the slightly smaller 40-foot-tall “Last Judgement” will be available.

Image: See Global Entertainment

Those who have visited the Sistine Chapel in Italy will remember that a no-photograph policy is strictly enforced within the building. But this exhibition will welcome visitors to take as many photographs as they want.

According to the event’s page, visits to the exhibition will typically last from an hour to 90 minutes and the prices start from US$20.

For more information about “Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition”, click here.

By Joseph Low

This is the Rolls Royce that Indulged Lennon’s Dream of Being an Eccentric Millionaire

The Rolls-Royce Phantom V owned by John Lennon will be on display in London at Bonhams’ exhibit “The Great Eight Phantoms.” Photo credit: Bonhams/Royal British Columbia Museum

The Phantom V previously owned by John Lennon is definitely one you’ll never forget when you see it. And thanks to auctioneers Bonhams, fans of the former Beatle and any other members of the public in the UK will be able to go and see the ‘John Lennon Phantom V’ between July 29 and August 2 at Bonhams on New Bond Street in London.

It’s all because the legendary British luxury manufacturer, Rolls-Royce, has announced it’s going to be celebrating the 50th anniversary year of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” by bringing the colorful Phantom V back home to London for the British public to enjoy, for a short while at least.

Although originally owned by Lennon, the iconic car is now owned by the Royal British Columbia Museum in Canada. ‘The John Lennon Phantom V’ will now make the journey from its home in Canada to London to join ‘The Great Eight Phantoms,’ which is a very special Rolls-Royce Exhibition being held at Bonhams. The auctioneer’s London home where the exhibition is being held is on New Bond Street, which is also an area that was regularly visited by Lennon in this very car during the late 1960s.

Lennon originally took delivery of the Phantom on June 3, 1965, and at that point it was in its original Valentine Black. He later revealed he’d always wanted to be an eccentric millionaire, and the Rolls-Royce would go on to become an important step towards achieving his dream.

In the true rock-star way of things, Lennon didn’t want to settle for an ‘ordinary’ Rolls-Royce, so he went about having it customised. The rear seat was turned into a double bed; a television, telephone and a refrigerator were fitted, and a ‘floating’ record player and custom sound system that included an external loud hailer were also added.

However, the finishing touch was the ‘psychedelic’ paint job Lennon decided to have done by Surrey coachbuilders, JP Fallon, which he asked for in April 1967 as the recording of the game-changing “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” album was concluding.

The car was shipped to the USA in 1970, and in 1977, after a period in storage, it was eventually donated by billionaire Jim Pattison to the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.