Art and Culture: Tschabalala Self’s Lady in Blue Brings Colour and Contemporary Womanhood to Trafalgar Square, London

It is a delight to see Tschabalala Self’s sculpture Lady in Blue finally installed and unveiled on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square, London. A 10-foot-tall bronze depiction of a contemporary metropolitan “everywoman”, she wears a flowing dress patinated in a vibrant lapis lazuli blue, creating an arresting presence against the architecture and historic surroundings of one of London’s most iconic public spaces.

Tschabalala Self’s sculpture: Lady in Blue, taking pride of place in Trafalgar Square, London,
in the company of Nelson's Column.
Photo by Lucia Carpio

Self’s proposal  was voted in the public ballot called by the Mayor of London - Sadiq Khan, so it is particularly satisfying to see the finished work now taking its place in Trafalgar Square.

The Fourth Plinth is regarded as one of the world’s most important public art commissions, bringing new work by internationally renowned artists to the heart of London. Lady in Blue is the 16th commission since the programme began and follows Mil Veces un Instante (A Thousand Times in an Instant) by Mexican artist Teresa Margolles.

Tschabalala Self's Lady in Blue will remain in Trafalgar Square until August 1, 2028. 
Photo by Lucia Carpio

Set against a beautiful blue sky on a warm autumn day, Lady in Blue makes a particularly striking impression. The work pays homage to a young metropolitan woman – a “quotidian figure” reflecting many of today’s Londoners – and was inspired by Self’s desire to bring a contemporary “everywoman” to Trafalgar Square.

Colour plays an important role in the sculpture’s visual identity. Made from bronze, the figure’s dress is painted a vibrant blue, while her jewellery replicates the rich colour of lapis lazuli, a rare rock that has been used as a pigment since antiquity. The intense blue gives the figure an immediate visual presence while also connecting the contemporary work with a much longer history of colour, adornment and artistic representation.

 Tschabalala Self’s Fourth Plinth commission: Lady in Blue in Trafalgar Square, with the National Gallery and St Martin-in-the-Field Anglican Church behind it.
Photo by Lucia Carpio

The work also demonstrates how fashion, art and public sculpture can intersect. The figure’s distinctive silhouette and intensely coloured dress are central to her visual impact, transforming clothing from a simple element of the figure into a powerful statement of identity, presence and self-expression.

Before the final decision was made, maquettes of the seven shortlisted proposals were displayed at the National Gallery, giving the public an opportunity to see the competing designs and cast their votes. More than 10,000 people participated, offering their views and feedback as part of the selection process.

Although the ultimate decision was made by the independent Fourth Plinth Commissioning Group, the public’s votes and comments played an important role in informing its final choice. The result is a monumental bronze “everywoman” whose vibrant blue dress gives the work an unmistakably contemporary visual language.

The New York-based artist is also presenting a concurrent special project in the viewing room at Pilar Corrias Gallery, London, which delves deeper into her concept of the “quotidian figure”. The project runs until 7 November, offering a further opportunity to explore Self’s distinctive approach to representing everyday figures and contemporary identity.

Photos by Lucia Carpio

London Event: The Decorative Fair Returns to Battersea with 130 Dealers and a Rich Mix of Design Periods

The Decorative Fair returns to Evolution London in Battersea Park from 29 September to 4 October 2026, bringing together 130 specialist dealers offering an eclectic mix of antiques, fine art, decorative objects, furniture and 20th-century design.

Image: The Decorative Fair - Battersea London

Now established as a major fixture in London’s interiors and collecting calendar, the Autumn Decorative Fair provides a marketplace for decorators, designers, collectors and private buyers seeking distinctive pieces with the potential to give interiors individuality and character.

For dealers, the Autumn edition represents an opportunity to unveil collections accumulated over the preceding months, while for interior designers and decorators it arrives at a key point in the project cycle, when new schemes are being developed and sourced. Large furniture, seating, mirrors and lighting are traditionally among the strong categories at this time of year, alongside the smaller decorative elements that complete an interior.

The breadth of the offering means that visitors can source everything from major furniture pieces and works of art to textiles, ceramics, jewellery and decorative accessories, with the Fair spanning design and craftsmanship from antiquity to the present day for works of art, and from the 16th to 20th centuries for furniture and decoration.

New dealers broaden the offering

Five new participants are joining the Fair this autumn, adding further specialist expertise to an already wide-ranging line-up.

Earl & Rymer will present decorative antiques, art and antique country furniture, while Indigo Antiques specialises in Oriental, Chinese and Indian antiques. Stephen Kalms Antiques brings a focus on fine silver, and Textile Antiques will showcase fine European textiles dating from the 16th to 18th centuries. Furniture Odyssey will concentrate on 18th- to early 20th-century furniture, with particular expertise in upholstered pieces.

They join returning specialists whose offerings encompass a remarkably broad spectrum of collecting categories. These include ethnographica, Spanish antiques and art, contemporary sculpture, vintage Chinese indigo textiles, Brutalist artworks, vintage couture jewellery and bags, treen and folk art, antique prints, British studio pottery by Lucie Rie and Hans Coper, Delftware, African modernism, Art Nouveau glass, antique maps, painted European furniture, fine antique silver, antique frames, post-war British and Scandinavian jewellery, English blue-and-white china and vintage watches.

The result is a deliberately eclectic environment in which historical pieces can sit alongside modern and contemporary works, reflecting the increasingly individual and layered approach to interior design.

Fine art across the centuries

Alongside decorative antiques, the Fair features a substantial selection of fine art dealers covering different periods, styles and media. Visitors will find works ranging from Old and Modern Masters, including still lifes and portraits, to sporting, equine and country-house paintings, contemporary pictures, Modern British artists and Scandinavian modernists.

The established dealer community includes names such as Sans Pretention, Nick Jones, Dorian Caffot de Fawes, Macintosh Antiques, Wakelin & Linfield and Rebecca Christie Miller, alongside a younger generation of dealers including Punch the Clock, 1923 Antiques, Gilbert Bannerman and Brillig & Borogrove.

This combination of established expertise and emerging dealers is central to the Fair's character, bringing together traditional collecting disciplines with a more contemporary approach to sourcing and displaying antiques and design.

John Vanbrugh inspires the Autumn Foyer Display

The Autumn Foyer Display will provide a historical focus, exploring furniture and decoration from the period spanning the lifetime of architect, designer and dramatist John Vanbrugh (1664–1726), whose tercentenary is being marked in 2026.

The display will feature pieces dating from the reigns of Charles II, James II, William & Mary, Queen Anne and the first Hanoverian monarch, George I. It will examine the changing influences on British interiors during this period, including Continental styles brought to Britain by a Court that had spent periods in exile in France, the Dutch Republic and the Spanish Netherlands.

It will also highlight the arrival of increasingly exotic imports from the Far East and the subsequent development of a more distinctly English decorative language during Queen Anne's reign in the early 18th century.

Organised by the Fair's press office with contributions from multiple participating dealers, the Foyer Display changes three times a year, using historical themes to highlight the breadth of specialist disciplines represented at the Fair.

Tribal Art London joins the Autumn programme

The Autumn Decorative Fair will also host Tribal Art London on the Mezzanine. The specialist event brings together dealers presenting carefully selected ethnographic works from across the world.

The display will encompass sculptures, masks, textiles and ritual objects, offering visitors an opportunity to explore artistic traditions and cultural heritage from a diverse range of societies.

With its combination of historical furniture, fine art, textiles, decorative objects and contemporary collecting interests, the Autumn Decorative Fair continues to reflect the increasingly eclectic nature of today's interiors market — where period pieces, modern design and art can be brought together to create highly personal spaces.

Art, Fashion and Popular Culture News: Celebrated Japanese Artist Yayoi Kusama Dies Aged 97

Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, one of the most recognisable and influential figures in contemporary art, has died aged 97.  A statement released on August 27 announced that she died in a Tokyo hospital on August 14 due to multiple organ failure but 'continued to paint until her final days, never setting aside her brush'.

Renowned for her distinctive use of vibrant colours, polka dots, pumpkins and repetitive patterns, Kusama created a body of work spanning painting, sculpture, installation, performance and film. Her bold visual language transformed spaces into extraordinary immersive environments, captivating millions of people around the world.

A 15-metre four-storey-high replica of  Japanese artist Yayoi Kuysama was installed outside the Harrods department store in Knightsbridge, London during a 2023 store-wide promotional campaign
highlighting the artist's collaboration with Louis Vuitton. 
Photo by Lucia Carpio 

Kusama’s practice was closely associated with the avant-garde movement and explored themes including psychology, feminism, minimalism and the nature of perception. Her innovative approach to repetition, infinity and reflection established a distinctive artistic vocabulary that has continued to influence contemporary artists and designers.

Among her best-known works are her celebrated Infinity Mirror Rooms, immersive installations in which mirrors, lights, colours and patterns create the illusion of limitless space. These environments offer visitors a highly sensory experience in which the boundaries between the artwork, the viewer and the surrounding space appear to dissolve.

Yayoi Kusama's signature dot motifs added the artist's touch on Louis Vuiton iconic
monogram accessories and ready-to-wear apparel.

Her instantly recognisable aesthetic also extended beyond the gallery and museum world. Kusama collaborated with major fashion houses, most notably Louis Vuitton, bringing her signature dots and colourful motifs to clothing, accessories and retail environments and introducing her work to a wider international audience.

Yayoi Kusama in a shop window visual at the Harrods London department store during a store-wide promotional campaign highlighting her collaboration with Louis Vuitton.  
Kusama's signature use of polka dots is a recurring theme in her artwork,
symbolizing infinity and the concept of self-obliteration.
Photo by Lucia Carpio

From her early experiments in Japan to her emergence as a major figure in the international avant-garde and contemporary art scene, Kusama developed an artistic language that was both highly personal and universally recognisable.

Her combination of bold colour, repetition, pattern and immersive experiences made her one of the most celebrated contemporary artists of her generation, while her influence extended well beyond fine art into fashion, design and popular culture.

The promotion campaign of the Louis Vuitton x Yayoi Kusama collaboration in February 2023 at the French maison's store on Paris' Champs-Élysées Avenue featured a giant figure of Kusama appearing to be painting her famous polka dots on the facade of the store. 
Photo by Lucia Carpio

Congratulations: South Korean Artist Jongjin Park Wins 2026 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize

South Korean artist Jongjin Park has won the 2026 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize, with the announcement made on 12 May at National Gallery Singapore*.

Awarded annually by the Loewe Foundation, the prize recognises artists whose work demonstrates exceptional technical skill and creative vision, while shaping the contemporary craft landscape internationally.

Park’s latest body of work is currently on display during London Craft Week as part of Origin of Materials, an exhibition presented by Soluna Fine Craft for the International Pavilion of South Korea. The exhibition runs from 11 to 17 May at St George Street Gallery in Mayfair.

Click HERE for more details on Park's winning entry and the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize.

Alongside this year’s winner, Origin of Materials brings together four alumni of the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize in a curated presentation of collectible Korean craft. Among them is Dahye Jeong, whose practice centres on horsehair inspired by Korea’s historic millinery traditions for men. Using traditional Korean weaving techniques, Jeong transforms the material into intricate three-dimensional works.

The exhibition also features 2023 finalists Choi Keeryong, Kyouhong Lee and Woosun Cheon. Choi works with glass using inlaid colouring methods influenced by the Korean sanggam technique traditionally associated with celadon ceramics. Lee explores the physical limits of glassmaking through works informed by traditional Korean domestic objects, while Cheon creates vessel-like forms from metal wire, drawing inspiration from Korean ceramic jars.

The 2026 prize also highlights the continuing influence of London-linked artists within contemporary craft. This year’s finalists include Xanthe Somers and Jobe Burns, both of whom reflect different approaches emerging from UK-based practices.

Somers uses ceramics to investigate the emotional and political dimensions of domestic labour, incorporating postcolonial narratives and references to weaving and cloth-making traditions. Burns, meanwhile, works with industrial materials and production methods to examine the legacy of labour in the West Midlands, combining artisanal techniques with industrial processes.

Together, the finalists and exhibitors reflect the increasingly international outlook of contemporary craft, where traditional materials and methods continue to be reinterpreted through new ideas, technologies and cultural contexts.

*Singapore exhibition

The winning piece and works by all 30 finalists of the 2026 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize are now on view at the National Gallery Singapore until June 14.  Address:  1 St Andrew’s Road, Singapore 178957

Artist Focus: New David Hockney Exhibition to Open at Serpentine North in London

A new exhibition by the celebrated British artist David Hockney will open at London Serpentine’s Serpentine North Gallery on 12 March 2026, presenting new paintings alongside the artist’s monumental frieze A Year in Normandie. The exhibition, titled A Year in Normandie and Some Other Thoughts about Painting, will run until 23 August 2026 and marks Hockney’s first presentation at the Serpentine. Admission will be free.

David Hockney, London 2023
(Image credit: © David Hockney Photo Credit: Jean-Pierre Gonçalves de Lima)

The show follows the artist’s major retrospective at Fondation Louis Vuitton in 2025, which featured more than 400 works spanning seven decades of his career. In contrast, the Serpentine exhibition offers a more intimate view of Hockney’s recent practice.

“David Hockney’s work invites us to look closely and rediscover the world around us,” said Bettina Korek, chief executiove of the Serpentine, adding that the gallery was pleased to present the works free of charge in the park setting.

At the centre of the exhibition will be A Year in Normandie (2020–2021), a panoramic frieze being shown in London for the first time. 

David Hockney: A Year in Normandie and Some Other Thoughts about Painting, installation view, Serpentine North, 2026 © David Hockney. Photo: George Darrell

Extending around the perimeter gallery, the work charts the changing seasons around Hockney’s former studio in Normandy, France. Created during the spring of 2020, when global lockdowns brought much of the world to a halt, the piece comprises more than 100 digital paintings produced on an iPad. Working quickly and intuitively, Hockney captured shifts in light, weather and landscape across the year.

David Hockney: A Year in Normandie and Some Other Thoughts about Painting, installation view, Serpentine North, 2026 © David Hockney. Photo: George Darrell

The format of the work draws inspiration from Chinese scroll painting as well as the eleventh-century Bayeux Tapestry. The resulting compositions combine broad areas of bold colour with playful, pop-like details as spring gives way to summer, autumn and winter.

David Hockney, Abstraction Resting on a Red and White Checkered Tablecloth, 2025. (Image credit: © David Hockney. Photo: Prudence Cuming)

Alongside the frieze, the exhibition will debut a new body of paintings created for the Serpentine. The series includes five still lifes and five portraits depicting members of Hockney’s close circle, including family members and carers. Each painting is arranged with a frontal composition and incorporates a recurring gingham tablecloth motif.

In these works Hockney merges abstract and figurative approaches. The artist has long argued that figurative painting is inherently abstract, as it exists on a flat surface. A large-scale mural by Hockney will also be installed in the garden at Serpentine North. The printed work depicts a tree house from the spring section of A Year in Normandie and will be displayed at the rear of the gallery, echoing its origin in the artist’s own garden in Normandy.

“I have always believed that art should be a deep pleasure,” Hockney said in a statement. “There is always, everywhere, an enormous amount of suffering, but I believe that my duty as an artist is to overcome and alleviate the sterility of despair. New ways of seeing mean new ways of feeling. I do believe that painting can change the world.”

Hans Ulrich Obrist, the Serpentine’s artistic director and curator of the exhibition alongside Claude Adjil, said Hockney continues to experiment with painting at the age of 88.  He noted that the new portraits explore both the presence of the sitters and the act of seeing itself, while the frieze offers a personal reflection on the passage of time.

A catalogue designed by Hockney will accompany the exhibition, published by Serpentine and Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther und Franz König. The publication will include essays by Marco Livingstone and Olivia Laing, as well as a conversation between Hockney and Obrist.

Separately, the artist will unveil a new commission at Turner Contemporary in Margate on 1 April 2026. Created to mark the gallery’s 15th anniversary, the work will transform the Sunley Gallery’s floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the North Sea, measuring approximately seven by ten metres.

A Year in Normandie and Some Other Thoughts about Painting - Serpentine North Gallery - 12 March - 23 August 2026     Admission Free

Images courtesy of  The Serpentine, London

Interiors Fair: Decorative Fair Winter 20–25 January 2026 - Set to Inspire New Interior Design Directions

Interior design trends continue to evolve year by year, shaped by cultural shifts, lifestyle changes and new ways of living. As 2026 begins, a fresh wave of design thinking is emerging—one that places greater emphasis on personal expression, comfort and thoughtful functionality.

Savino Del Prete 

These emerging influences will be on full display when The Decorative Fair Winter Fair returns to Battersea Park, London, from 20–25 January 2026, offering interior designers, collectors and homeowners a timely source of inspiration for the year ahead. 

Christopher Hall Antiques

Organisers say the fair will reflect the desire for interiors that support mood and wellbeing, whether calm, expressive or deeply personal.

Two Poems Gallery

Widely regarded as London’s premier antiques, design and decorative arts event, the Winter Fair will bring together approximately 130 specialist exhibitors, presenting a wide-ranging selection of pieces spanning the 1700s to 1979, alongside works of art from antiquity to the present day.

Gallery Yacou

The fair runs concurrently with The London Antique Rug & Textile Art Fair (LARTA) on the Mezzanine level, further strengthening its appeal for collectors and interior professionals. LARTA features around 18 specialist dealers, showcasing carpets, rugs, textiles and associated works of art from cultures with long and distinguished traditions of woven design.

Dorian Caffot de Fawes

Across the fair as a whole, exhibitors will present decorative and fine furniture, silver, glass, ceramics, folk art and vernacular objects, alongside paintings, maps, prints and sculpture. Luxury items including jewellery, watches, vintage couture, luggage and handbags will also be available. Outdoor spaces are equally well represented, with statuary, garden furniture, planters, urns and larger architectural elements included in the mix.  

V Design

Shapero Rare Books

Organisers have confirmed the return of Shapero Rare Books and Dinan & Chighine, both leading print specialists, to an already extensive roster of established exhibitors. They are also welcoming a new generation of younger dealers making their Winter Fair debut, bringing a diverse range of material—from painted Gustavian furniture and sculptural natural history objects to contemporary still life paintings, traditional antiques and sporting works.

Visitors will be greeted on arrival by the Foyer Display, curated by the fair organisers using items sourced from multiple exhibitors. This year’s installation is set in the early 1920s, a pivotal moment when emerging modernism and early Art Deco began to intersect with the lingering influence of Art Nouveau and fin de siècle aesthetics—just before the landmark 1925 Paris Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes reshaped global design.

Held three times a year at Battersea Park, across the river from Sloane Square and the King’s Road, The Decorative Fair has championed cultivated, collected interiors for more than 40 years. It remains one of the UK’s most influential and inspiring destinations for distinctive antiques, design and art.

For more information, click HERE.

Images from The Decorative Fair 2025 events.

Exhibition Review: Towner Eastbourne presents Impressions in Watercolour: J.M.W. Turner and his Contemporaries

Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775–1851), better known as J. M. W. Turner, is widely hailed as one of Britain’s greatest and most influential artists. Alongside his celebrated contemporary — and lifelong rival — John Constable, Turner reshaped the course of landscape painting. Born just a year apart, the two came from markedly different backgrounds, yet shared a determination to elevate the landscape genre and redefine how the natural world could be seen.

Joseph Mallord William Turner, Sarner See, c.1844. Private Collection. Photo © Fisheye Images

As Tate Britain prepares to open a major exhibition devoted to these two giants, another institution is marking a significant Turner milestone. To celebrate the 250th anniversary of Turner’s birth, the Towner Art Gallery in Eastbourne, East Sussex, is turning the spotlight not on the oil paintings for which he is best known, but on the medium that shaped his early career and remained central throughout his life: watercolour.

The Towner exhibition, “Impressions in Watercolour: J. M. W. Turner and His Contemporaries”, running until 12 April 2026, brings together an exceptional selection of Turner’s watercolours alongside works by artists from the flourishing British watercolour tradition of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It offers a rare opportunity to see how Turner, even in his youth, pushed watercolour far beyond topographical accuracy towards the atmospheric, luminous effects that would come to define his mature style.

Joseph Mallord William Turner, Mount Pilatus from across the Lake of Lucerne, c.1844.
Private Collection. Photo © Fisheye Images

Turner’s story is one of ambition and relentless curiosity. From modest beginnings, he travelled widely — across Britain and throughout Europe, from the Swiss Alps to the Italian lakes and the banks of the Rhine — seeking dramatic vistas and shifting weather that could challenge and expand his artistic vision. In doing so, he redefined landscape painting as something poetic, emotional and profoundly modern.

J. M. W. Turner’s watercolours are presented alongside those of his notable contemporaries, highlighting Turner at his most experimental and expressive through a selection of his landscape and seascape works.
Photo courtesy of Towner Eastbourne.

Today, Turner remains a cornerstone of British cultural identity — immortalised on the £20 note and revered as the creator of some of the most iconic depictions of sea, sky and light ever painted. The Eastbourne exhibition is a timely reminder that his genius was not forged in oil alone, but also in the shimmering, transparent delicacy of watercolour — the medium through which he first learned to capture the world anew.

Visitors from the South Sussex coastal towns will be delighted to find works depicting familiar landscapes. Turner created many pieces for the Sussex esquire John Fuller (1757–1834), including Pevensey Bay from Crowhurst Park (1816), an etching on paper showing sweeping views over Bexhill — a stone’s throw from Eastbourne — from the elevated vantage point of the Pelham family estate, with the Eastbourne headland visible in the distance.

Joseph Mallord William Turner, A boat near a buoy in a rough sea, c.1830.
Private Collection. Photo © Fisheye Images

Interpretive notes accompanying the displays highlight Turner’s relationships with other significant artists of the period, whose watercolours — drawn from the Towner Collection — are showcased alongside his own. Their inclusion demonstrates the dynamism of the British watercolour movement during this era.

Among the key figures is John Robert Cozens (1752–1797), a British Romantic watercolourist whose atmospheric style greatly influenced the next generation, including Turner. By 1794, as Cozens’ health declined, his physician and patron Dr Thomas Monro employed young artists such as Thomas Girtin and Turner to copy Cozens’ compositions. Girtin sketched the outlines; Turner washed in the colour and effects. The two young artists, close in age and modest in background, became friends and even shared a studio, though their careers diverged — Turner advancing through the Royal Academy, while Girtin pursued a more commercial path under the tutelage of Edward Dayes (1763–1804). Girtin is often credited, alongside Turner, with transforming watercolour into a medium of grandeur and atmosphere. His Windsor Park and Castle (c. 1796–98), viewed from the Thames, is among the notable works represented.

The exhibition also includes works by Louis Thomas Francia (1772–1839), a French émigré who joined Girtin’s Sketching Society and, upon returning to Calais, tutored the prodigiously talented Richard Parkes Bonington (1802–1828). Other contemporaries represented include David Cox (1783–1859), known for fresh, spontaneous studies and loose, textural brushwork; Peter de Wint (1784–1849), celebrated for his warm, luminous English landscapes; and a strong line-up of later practitioners such as Amy Reeve-Fowkes (1896–1968), Alfred Rich (1856–1921), Albert Goodwin (1845–1932), Frank Dobson (1867–1963), Thomas Bush Hardy (1842–1897), Henry Hine (1811–1895), George Clarkson Stanfield (1828–1878) and Anthony Vandyke Copley Fielding (1787–1855).

From Sussex itself, the exhibition features Harold Swanwick (1866–1929), who settled in the village of Wilmington near Eastbourne and found inspiration in the South Downs and its farming communities. His works sit alongside local scenes from Eastbourne, Alfriston, Seaford and Brighton — images that will charm residents of the south coast.

Also represented is Charles Knight (1901–1990), who lived and worked in Brighton and played a key role in the artistic community of Ditchling. His watercolour style was shaped by John Sell Cotman (1782–1842) of the Norwich School, whose own works, including the highly prized Trees near the River Greta (1805), appear in the exhibition. Cotman’s simplified forms and muted harmonies anticipate modernist sensibilities.

Through this exceptional range of works, the exhibition traces Turner’s artistic development from a topographical draughtsman — producing precise architectural and landscape views, as was common in late 18th-century Britain — to a visionary experimenter. By the 1790s, he was already demonstrating remarkable technical skill, often depicting ruins, castles and sweeping landscapes influenced by picturesque and Romantic ideals. Throughout his career he filled dozens of sketchbooks with watercolour studies, many later serving as the basis for oil paintings. His watercolours of the 1820s and 1830s are widely regarded as his mature period, marked by atmospheric luminosity and techniques — thin washes, wet-on-wet blending, minimal outlines — that anticipated Impressionism. In his later years, his watercolours became increasingly abstract, helping fuel a vibrant British watercolour movement stretching across several generations.

“Impressions in Watercolour: J. M. W. Turner and His Contemporaries” is organised by the Holburne Museum in Bath, which this year published a book of the same name with Pallas Athene, featuring an extended essay by Turner scholar Ian Warrell - curator of the exhibition - examining the works and the artists who shaped Turner’s world.

Many of the pieces on display come from a private collection assembled by Sir Hickman Bacon (1855–1945), a baronet who acquired a remarkable number of Turner’s sketches, helping preserve some of the artist’s most intimate works for posterity.

Towner Eastbourne is hosting a number of events including panel discussions, tours and courses to enhance a deeper experience of the exhibition. 

Photos courtesy of Towner Eastbourne.

Art Exhibition: Eden Project Marks 25 Years with Landmark Art Exhibition ‘Spirit of the Harvest’ by John Dyer

The Eden Project - the iconic Eco visitor attraction in Cornwall, UK - is currently showcasing Spirit of the Harvest, a major new exhibition by its long-standing Artist in Residence, acclaimed Cornish painter John Dyer. The exhibition celebrates three of the world’s staple food crops — rice, bananas and potatoes — and the global communities who cultivate them.

'Tropical Banana Wildlife Beach, Costa Rica', 35.5 x 35.5 inches acrylic on canvas.
John Dyer Painting of the Caribbean Rainforest.

Running until 9 February 2026, the exhibition marks 25 years of both the Eden Project and Dyer’s residency. It brings together art, ecology and international storytelling in a vibrant exploration of the connections between people, plants and planet.

The entire Link Building between the Rainforest and Mediterranean Biomes has been transformed with deep terracotta walls, creating a striking backdrop for Dyer’s vivid paintings. Alongside each canvas, interpretive panels delve into the botany, cultural heritage and sustainability of these essential crops, aligning the Eden Project’s scientific mission with the expressive power of art.

'Andean Potato Pickers, Amaru, Peru' by John Dyer

“Rice, potatoes and bananas connect every culture on Earth. Painting them for the UN’s Years of Rice and Potato showed me how these crops hold our shared story — where art, people and plants meet.” John Dyer, Artist in Residence, Eden Project

A Global Story in Paint

At the centre of Spirit of the Harvest are four new large-scale paintings, each measuring 35.5 by 35.5 inches, depicting the world’s three principal staple crops. These recent works are displayed alongside earlier plein-air pieces created during Dyer’s expeditions to Peru (2003), Costa Rica (2003 & 2005) and the Philippines (2004) — projects undertaken in collaboration with the Eden Project, the United Nations, and the International Year of Rice and Potato initiatives.

Spanning more than two decades (2003–2025), the exhibition represents a vivid and historically significant body of work that chronicles Dyer’s enduring commitment to portraying humanity’s bond with food, farming and the natural world. The result is a rich, colour-filled visual narrative — a celebration of connection, culture and care at the heart of the global harvest.

For one, the Tropical Banana Wildlife Beach celebrates the lush biodiversity of the Caribbean-coast of Costa Rica, featuring vibrant banana groves, wild sloths, howler monkeys swinging through canopy, toucans perched above neon blossoms, and turquoise sea beyond white sands. Reflecting on small-scale farming and rainforest ecosystems, Dyer applies a radiant palette of emerald greens, sun-lit yellows, deep aquamarines and bursts of scarlet to evoke life, movement and colour. 

Images: John Dyer Gallery

To view the exhibition, click HERE. 

For Collectors - All paintings from Spirit of the Harvest are available exclusively through the John Dyer Gallery, each signed, archived with full provenance and accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. Free worldwide delivery is included. Purchasing directly supports Dyer’s ongoing environmental and educational projects.

Art and Textiles: Scabal Unveils Dalí-Inspired Fabric Collection

Scabal, one of the United Kingdom’s most renowned producers of luxury fabrics, is set to unveil a new collection of twelve exclusive fabrics, each inspired by a different painting by Salvador Dalí. 

The collection is presented in collaboration with LAPADA, the Art and Antiques Fair which returns to Berkeley Square, London from 28 October to 2 November 2025.

LAPADA fair in London's Berkeley Square brings together dealers showcasing expertise across the full spectrum of art and antiques — from fine furniture, paintings, and carpets to tapestries, antiquities, clocks, ceramics, silver, decorative objects, and jewellery.

The launch marks the introduction of Scabal’s Limited Edition by Dalí collection—a line of bespoke suits crafted from the brand’s signature Vision fabric.

Reflecting the vivid hues of both butterfly and figure in Dalí’s The Mimetic Character, this fabric translates the artwork’s surreal anatomy into woven form. A satin weave line evokes the elongated limbs of the insect-like silhouette, while a graceful curved stitch traces the rounded edge that frames its body. The interplay of these elements creates two distinct stripe depths, lending the fabric a quiet dynamism and a sense of movement that echoes Dalí’s original vision.

The collaboration revisits a remarkable moment in fashion history. In 1971, Salvador Dalí envisioned the future of menswear through a series of twelve visionary paintings, created exclusively for Scabal. More than five decades later, the British brand has drawn inspiration from those original works to produce a collection that blends art and tailoring in a uniquely modern way.

Each fabric in the collection captures the spirit of a specific Dalí painting, reinterpreting his surreal colours, forms, and motifs through a contemporary lens. Every suit will be custom-made and finished with one of five exclusive linings, reflecting both the artist’s boundless imagination and Scabal’s exceptional craftsmanship.

Taking its cue from Dalí’s 4 Cravates, this design centres on the striking black-and-white stitching that defines the multiple collars worn by the painting’s refined School Kid. Against a softly mottled grey ground, an irregular white stitch is woven into one of two stripes, introducing a tactile, graphic rhythm. The second stripe features a structured green weave that mirrors the distinctive form of the four cravats themselves, uniting texture, tone, and artistry in a single, elegant composition.

“Dalí’s work was ahead of its time, and this collection allows us to explore how his creativity can continue to inspire modern tailoring,” said a spokesperson for Scabal’s design team. “We’ve revisited the colours, shapes, and intricate details of his paintings to create fabrics that bridge art and fashion.”

Drawing on Dalí’s The Stylish Footman, Scabal’s designers have transformed the ink illustration of a lion’s head—poised on the figure’s shoulder—into a contemporary textile masterpiece. A micro-weave fabric, featuring a repeating motif shaped from the elegant curls of the lion’s mane, lends intricate texture and a refined lustre to a deep, dark blue ground. Subtle red tones, woven through a delicate check pattern, recall the painting’s original palette, creating a sophisticated dialogue between art and cloth.

Founded in 1938, Scabal has long been associated with sartorial excellence, supplying fabrics to leading tailors and fashion houses worldwide. Alongside its textiles, the company produces its own range of made-to-measure and prêt-à-porter suits, jackets, and shirts, available through Scabal boutiques across Europe and Asia.

Still a family-owned business, Scabal continues to operate its heritage mill in England, which has been weaving since 1899. With full European production and direct sourcing of premium raw materials, the brand prides itself on maintaining complete quality control—from “sheep to shop, field to fold, and camel to coat.”

The Limited Edition by Dalí collection reaffirms Scabal’s place at the intersection of fine art and fine tailoring, celebrating a shared legacy of creativity, craftsmanship, and timeless style.

To view the Vision collection, click HERE.  

Exhibition Review: Grayson Perry’s Delusions of Grandeur: Craft, Play and Provocation - Final Weeks at the Wallace Collection

The Wallace Collection in London, long celebrated for its Rococo treasures and Old Masters, opened its doors earlier this year to a bold new chapter with Grayson Perry: Delusions of Grandeur.  Now still running until 26 October 2025, there are a few weeks left to visit this exhibition which has been billed as the museum’s largest contemporary show to date, and it more than lives up to the claim.

Bringing together more than 40 newly created works, the exhibition demonstrates Perry’s enduring fascination with craft, narrative and social commentary. Visitors will encounter an eclectic mix of ceramics, textiles, tapestries and works on paper, 

Bringing together over 40 newly created works, the exhibition demonstrates Perry’s enduring fascination with craft, narrative and social commentary. Visitors encounter an eclectic mix of ceramics, textiles, tapestries and works on paper, as well as a wallpaper (in collaboration with Liberty) - many of which are threaded through with the artist’s mischievous alter ego, Shirley Smith. These playful yet incisive pieces are displayed in dialogue with the museum’s permanent collection, offering fresh interpretations of the Rococo opulence that has long defined the Wallace.

“It’s about walking into a palace of grandeur and then asking—what is really grand?” Perry explains with a grin. “I love Rococo because it’s decorative, it’s excessive, and people dismiss it as frivolous. That makes it the perfect playground for me.”

These playful yet incisive pieces are displayed in dialogue with the museum’s permanent collection, offering fresh interpretations of the Rococo opulence that has long defined the Wallace.  One notable example is François Boucher’s celebrated Madame de Pompadour (1759), an oil on canvas from the Wallace Collection, to which Perry has responded with his own work, Hospital Queen, created in embroidery and mixed media.  

Dr. Helen Jacobsen, Senior Curator at the Wallace Collection, the collaboration has brought a fresh perspective to the museum’s permanent holdings. “Grayson has a rare ability to tease out the spirit of our collection without reverence,” she says. “He has allowed Boucher, Fragonard and Watteau to sit in conversation with his own work—and in doing so, he makes the Wallace feel alive in new ways.”

At its heart, Delusions of Grandeur interrogates ideas of making and authenticity. Meticulously crafted objects, often requiring hundreds if not thousands of hours to produce, are positioned alongside works created with the click of a mouse. 

The juxtapositions invite questions about value, time and the role of the artist in an age where technology increasingly blurs the line between tradition and innovation. Perry does not offer neat answers, but rather provokes reflection on our collective drive for perfection and the nature of artistic labour.

The show also ventures into the realm of ‘outsider art’. Works by Aloïse Corbaz and Madge Gill—visionary figures who pursued their creative practices outside conventional art circles—find resonance within Perry’s own personal and artistic journey. The inclusion of Gill is particularly poignant: she exhibited at the Wallace Collection in 1942, a discovery that inspired Perry to weave her story into his own exploration of art, childhood and belonging.

Marking his 65th birthday, Perry uses the exhibition to reflect on the wider culture of collecting and the often-overlooked politics of decoration. With characteristic wit and sharpness, he challenges traditional hierarchies, asking viewers to reconsider where value lies—whether in the gilded excess of Rococo or in the irreverent, handcrafted exuberance of his own practice.

For all its intellectual weight, the exhibition is anything but austere. Perry’s signature humour and theatricality animate the galleries, ensuring the experience is as entertaining as it is thought-provoking. Visitors are likely to leave not only with a deeper appreciation of the complexities of craft and authenticity, but also with the sense that they have glimpsed something of Perry’s own playful, restless imagination.

Delusions of Grandeur stands as a landmark exhibition—one that reframes the dialogue between past and present, tradition and experimentation, seriousness and satire. It is, above all, a testament to Sir Grayson Perry’s place as one of Britain’s most intriquing artistic voices.

Photos by Lucia Carpio

Luxury brand: Louis Vuitton's luxuriously crafted travel trunks and luggage have a timeless appeal

It’s not that the French fashion and luxury luggage brand Louis Vuitton has been keeping a low profile.

Louis Vuitton luggage remains one of today's most sought-after in vintage markets.
These were seen at the interiorboutiques.com stand at the Winter Decorative Fair in Battersea Park, London,
January 22 - 26 2025.
Photo by Lucia Carpio

Just last week, on the opening day of Paris Men’s Fashion Week, Louis Vuitton unveiled its Fall/Winter 2025 menswear collection, helmed by artistic director Pharrell Williams. The show generated significant media buzz, largely due to its collaboration with Japanese designer Nigo. A nostalgic ode to the 2000s, the collection reflected the duo’s 20-year relationship, dating back to their work on Billionaire Boys Club in 2004.

Historically, Louis Vuitton luggage was used by royalty, aristocrats, and celebrities.
Owning a vintage piece is often seen as owning a piece of history.

Then, this week, came another major announcement: Louis Vuitton will be the title sponsor of Formula One’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 16, 2025. With prominent trackside signage, the official race name will be the Formula One Louis Vuitton Australian Grand Prix, featuring LV-designed trophy trunks on the podium. This partnership falls under the 10-year sponsorship deal that Louis Vuitton’s parent company, LVMH, signed with Liberty Media-owned Formula One last October—covering brands such as Louis Vuitton, Moët Hennessy, and TAG Heuer.

Meanwhile, Louis Vuitton’s long-standing collaboration with Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murakami is celebrating its 20th anniversary. To mark the occasion, LV is relaunching the collection with a campaign fronted by Hollywood star Zendaya, who was only eight years old when the original collaboration debuted. Murakami’s vibrant and playful designs made a major impact two decades ago, and the new “extensive re-edition” includes over 200 pieces, ranging from bags and footwear to fragrances and sunglasses.

Yet, despite this flurry of high-profile projects, Louis Vuitton was noticeably absent from the latest Lyst Index ranking of the world’s hottest brands.

This week, when global fashion search platform Lyst released its Q4 2024 Lyst Index—a quarterly ranking of fashion’s most sought-after brands—Louis Vuitton failed to make the Top 20.

Lyst, which tracks over 200 million shoppers annually, compiles the Index based on online searches, product views, sales, and social media engagement over a three-month period. According to Lyst, 2024 was a year of transformation in fashion, with consumers reassessing the value of luxury labels. Miu Miu dominated, taking the No.1 spot in three of the last four quarters, with Loewe briefly disrupting its streak in Q2. Prada remained a consistent Top 3 brand, while Saint Laurent climbed steadily within the Top 5.

The rest of the ranking saw significant movement, reflecting shifts in consumer preferences. Notably, Coach skyrocketed 10 places to No.5, experiencing a 332% year-on-year surge in demand thanks to a Gen Z-focused strategy and strong holiday sales.

LV’s menswear AW25 collection, blending streetwear influences with its luxury heritage, showcased boxy bomber jackets, distorted camouflage, checked Damier prints, shaggy cardigans, and flared denim. While tailoring was minimal, the collection embraced bold accessories, catering to younger consumers with chunky furry slippers, miniature bags, phone cases, backpacks, and even travel trunks.

Early Louis Vuitton flat-top trunks, wardrobe trunks, or pieces with exotic finishes can be especially valuable.

An antique Louis Vuitton steamer trunk or wardrobe trunk in excellent condition is valued for
 its age, provenance, and rarity.  Unique features like custom monograms, original interiors, and labels from different boutiques add to their value.

These were spotted at the interiorboutiques.com stand during the Winter Decorative Fair in Battersea Park, London, in January 2025.

It’s a stark contrast from the brand’s origins in luxury travel trunks. Yet, despite the shift in aesthetic, Louis Vuitton luggage remains one of today's most sought-after categories, both in contemporary and vintage markets.

With a legacy dating back to the mid-19th century, Louis Vuitton trunks and suitcases are crafted from premium materials like canvas, leather, and brass hardware, ensuring their durability and timeless appeal. The classic monogram canvas, Damier checkered print, and other signature motifs have never gone out of style, making vintage pieces highly coveted by collectors. Vintage trunks are often used as statement pieces in home decor. Their timeless elegance makes them versatile as coffee tables, storage units, or conversation starters.

Perhaps, in today’s volatile fashion landscape, Louis Vuitton should consider refocusing on its core business—luxuriously crafted travel trunks and luggage—an evergreen symbol of prestige, heritage, and craftsmanship.

The vintage Louis Vuitton luggage featured here were spotted at the Winter Decorative Fair in Battersea Park, London from January 22 - 26 2025.  The fair offered a unique mix of antiques, design and art for interiors and exteriors as well as collectable pieces of outstanding craftsmanship.  All photos by Lucia Carpio.

Market update:  

In the week of January 29, reports emerged that French luxury conglomerate Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH) faced declines in both revenue and profit, reflecting the impact of challenging market conditions in fiscal year 2024.

For the year, group revenue totaled €84.7 billion, marking a 2% decrease compared to the record-breaking figures of 2023. However, on an organic basis—adjusted for currency fluctuations and portfolio changes—revenue showed a modest 1% increase. In the final quarter, the group also achieved 1% organic revenue growth, surpassing market expectations.

Performance by Division

Fashion & Leather Goods (including Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Loewe, Givenchy, and Celine) recorded €41.1 billion in revenue, a 3% decline (organically -1%) from the previous year.

Wines & Spirits saw an 11% revenue drop (organically -8%), bringing in €5.9 billion.

Watches & Jewelry declined by 3% (organically -2%) to €10.6 billion.

Perfumes & Cosmetics was a bright spot, growing 2% (organically +4%) to €8.4 billion.

Selective Retailing—which includes DFS, Sephora, and Le Bon Marché—increased 2% (organically +6%) to €18.3 billion.

Profit Decline

LVMH’s profitability also took a hit:

Profit from recurring operations dropped 14%, totaling €19.6 billion.

Net profit attributable to shareholders fell 17% to approximately €12.5 billion.

Despite the declines, LVMH remains the world’s largest luxury group, navigating economic headwinds while maintaining growth in selective areas.