We want to celebrate and learn more about the characters driving the renaissance of the London cultural scene, and what better way than to resurrect THAT’s Interesting.
Last time we had Ilenia Rossi this time out we have Fatima Geffrin. (Ilenia also nominated Matthew Peers who runs Wc2e 9ha coming soon)
Fatima Geffrin is the Managing Director of 16Arlington, one of UKs most talked about fashion brands. The label is known for its modern take on eveningwear and staging runway shows that are usually inspired by cinema, literature, and contemporary art.
What’s interesting in Art:
The Sharjah Biennial which has gone into its 16th edition this year. I lived in Dubai in my early twenties, and hold fond memories of visiting the Sharjah Biennial. I am always left with a deep appreciation and admiration for the Sharjah Art Foundation and their dedication to cultivating the art community in the region. A great example is how the foundation actively engages and looks to preserve Sharjah’s vernacular architecture. Although I’m based in London today, I hope to be able to travel to the UAE to visit this time around again. This edition’s theme, to carry, is more of an inquisition than a theme, that looks into how we navigate life within spaces that are not our own and how we respond to these spaces through the cultures we hold.
What’s interesting in Design:
A beautiful, and fun (!), exhibition opened at Almine Rech Monaco where Francesco Vezzoli celebrates the creative and unexpected unison between Karl Lagerfeld and the design collective Memphis which took place over 40 years ago. In the tribute show, Vezzoli replicates Karl’s iconic Monte Carlo apartment with the original design pieces, and presents new works reflecting portraits of Karl in different eras of his career, encased in baroque-style frames, offering the perfect juxtaposition against the post-modern furnished space.
What’s interesting in Culture:
BODYSUIT, a visionary live work for five dancers by artist George Rouy and internationally acclaimed choreographer Sharon Eyal. Commissioned by Hannah Barry Gallery and co-produced with Hauser & Wirth, the work is a multi-disciplinary live event that brings together movement, light, sound, and environment; it’s a gesamtkunstwerk in every sense of the word. 16Arlington designed the costumes in collaboration with George Rouy that featured 3D details to resemble sweat droplets made out of printed bio-resin. Each panel of 3D droplets took up to 12 hours to complete. I feel very honored that we were part of this incredible project and was very touched to see the final work come to life in January this year. The live work had its US premiere during Frieze LA and will continue to travel to other cities.
What’s interesting in Style/ Fashion:
Bode’s first international boutique which opened during Paris Fashion Week in March this year. I haven’t had the chance to visit yet, but I know for certain that I will have to contain my purse once I do. Bode has a very clear, unique and tangible universe as a brand which makes every visit to their stores unique. When I’m in Paris there are a few boutiques I love to visit of which the Dries van Noten boutique on the Quai is my favorite, and I think Bode will be added to my usual rotation.
What’s interesting in Tech:
A fashion retailer recently announced that it would be using AI to create digital “clones” of 30 models for their campaigns. The models would be retaining the usage rights every time their clone would be used, however there is no mention of how this will affect the creative collaborators that are typically ‘on set’ to bring a campaign to life such as a stylist, hair, nail and make up artists, movement directors, set designers … the list goes on. This announcement is an example of an industry fear that has manifested itself into reality, but what is next?
What’s interesting in Music:
I was fortunate enough to experience Ryoji Ikeda’s Ultratronics, an audiovisual live performance, here in London. Ryoji Ikeda used raw data and mathematical models to create music and monochromatic visuals, it was a very futuristic vision of what a techno party could be in an alternative universe. I was impressed with the crowd in attendance who all seemed to be very passionate – almost no phones in sight throughout the performance which is a rare sight nowadays.
A museum show and a gallery show recommendation
I recently went to see the Noah Davis retrospective at the Barbican that presented over 50 of his works. I was deeply moved by this show as the retrospective delivered its job in walking the viewer through Noah’s journey which is one that is filled with thought provoking works. I loved learning about Davis’s preparation of his canvases with rabbit skin glue which allowed him a small window of time to paint and that gave his works a rich quality to them. The 1975 series of the show was a highlight for me, they were based off of pictures taken by Noah’s mother in the 70s. As I walked towards the end of the exhibition, I felt sad for what could be given his untimely death at only age 32, however equally inspired that he was able to create and give so much to the world in his lifetime.
Fatima Geffrin – I am nominating Faissal El-Malak, a multi-disciplinary artist and dear friend of mine. (IG: @faissalelmalak)
