My fascination with artists and their homes

 

I have just discovered the artist Pierre Bergian, from Bruges, Belgium, through two paintings from his most recent body of work which focuses on interiors. Oh, joy!

 

Pierre Bergian, Palazzo Mora in Venice, 2011, Oil on panel, 80 x 95 cm

I also had the fortune to receive from the artist images of his home and studio, a real treat for someone like me interested in art and in interior design.

Photographing where artists live is one of my passion and this time, without any travel involved I was able to enter into this inspiring home, full of color, full of life, full of art as in the above image of a living-working room.

His art instead is quite subtle, almost ethereal as you could see opening his website HERE.

Pierre Bergian, Abandoned Room 2012 Oil on panel 40 x 47 cm

We can imagine any story for this interior, grandeur, mystery, solitude…

A subtle palette, a minimalist approach, with just a few lines evoking the story of these  interiors.Usually painting is about “adding” and photography is about “deleting” but here obviously there is abstraction, due to only selected lines and objects.

 

Artist Pierre Bergian at work.

 

Pierre Bergian, Temple, 2012, Oil on panel, 71 x 80 cm

 

In a living room of his home-studio we find antiques, a faded Persian rug, a Thonet chair, a collection of precious white and blue china (do I spot Meissen?) on the wall.

 

Inspirations…

 

A well lived, simple kitchen with an interesting Venetian Terrazzo floor.

 

Brushes, painter palette, drawings, unfinished paintings,

books…functional lighting.

 

A lively living room facing a garden and another more

classic room with a Murano chandelier.

 

A glimpse of the decorated floor, a classic bust in a niche.

 

Another work area, a large simple table filled with books and magazines,

different old chairs add a Bohemian touch.

As I said I am always fascinated by how and where artists live and I have many images of artists’ houses I will share with you in the near future. I believe that in every home there is (or there should be) the true soul of the owners, like in this inspiring one.

If you are in London don’t miss his latest exhibition with an intriguing title:

All photographs by Pierre Bergian with express permission of the artist.

©2013 Tent London Interiors writes about new trends, timeless decor, iconic pieces, design ideas, or at times just musing about "a certain Italian way of doing things".
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Eclectic designer and his Parisian apartment

 

Éric Allart is an interior designer, a decorator and an artist, passionate about design, always in search or creating himself beautiful, unique pieces. He loves mixing styles, genres, and he is always moved by curiosity and passion for beauty.  In Paris he lives in an apartment that reflects his creativity, his ability to mix styles and centuries and…he obviously has no fear of color!

 

Coffee table by Fred Brouard (note the book on Fornasetti…one of my favorite artist-designer) and above the fireplace a metal sculpture (by Éric Allart) becomes a mirror, on the sides of the mantel two vintage lamps create symmetry.

 

Antique wrought iron chairs in a foyer with a Fred Brouard’s sculpture on the wall. I love the approach and the blending of different styles and centuries.

 

Here is a great idea  if space is limited, a pile of tabourets that can be used for sitting when guests arrive. I could also see the same concept for storing items not used frequently in cylindrical boxes, creating an interesting totemic sculpture. 

 

Verner Panton suspension lights, a saturated blue paint on the walls and “Pyramidale” lamp by extraordinary designer Gabriella Crespi.

 

A 1970 stunning aluminum desk and in front a creation by Allart, the lamp “Derviche” made of black laquered metal with fabric shade. For his creations Allart prefers the use of metal, mainly bronze, and he always create unique pieces or in a very limited edition.

 

A simple but very inviting kitchen with antique chairs and an English vintage suspension light.

 

I am in love with the color of this custom cabinet painted in "Lamelle de Champignon" by Emery & Cie, and I want to say…a Black and White photograph, as seen in the corridor, is always an elegant touch.

 

A beautiful Fred Brouard’s sculpture and a bas-relief on the wall.

Photography by Nicolas Millet for Côté Maison.

©2013 Tent London Interiors writes about new trends, timeless decor, iconic pieces, design ideas, or at times just musing about "a certain Italian way of doing things".

If you receive this post by Email and wish to leave a comment please click HERE and go to the comments section. I love to hear from you!

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Artist Sandro Chia returns to Italy

In a new book on Artist’s houses in Tuscany there is among others the house of Sandro Chia.
Near Montalcino, Tuscany, the internationally famous artist bought about twenty years ago a medieval  castle, a twelve-century fortress called Il Romitorio, on a hilltop, surrounded by oak  forests.  Here he spends time during the year when he needs a rest from frenetic New York or sunny Miami, also to reconnect with his native Tuscany, that he left for North America in the 80’s.
Original stones, fallen roof tiles and original beams were restored and reused to give new life to the castle, at the same time of the restoration the vineyards were planted and now, after several years, Il Romitorio produces fine  wines and grappa with the help of expert oenologists and tasty but light olive oil  comes abundantly from the surrounding olive groves.

The library with  large and well used bookcases, antique cotto floor

and charming pale green antique armchairs.

 

Sandro Chia’s paintings from 1980’s and 1990’s on the walls of the library.

The large living room with a gorgeous original floor restored to perfection, 17th century chairs,

a large tapestry and a wooden religious sculpture on the walls.

The attic was transformed in the artist’s studio, with a perfect light for

reading, meditating and working.

A luxurious retreat but with the unpretentious atmosphere of a country house, well lived and full of personality.

The book “Toscana, case d’artista” is written by Mariella Sgaravatti,  with photography by Mario Ciampi.

©2012 Tent London Interiors writes about new trends, timeless decor, iconic pieces, design ideas, or at times just musing about "a certain Italian way of doing things".
If you receive this post by Email and wish to leave a comment please click HERE and go to the comments section.  I love your comments!

If you need help to enjoy your home more, please send me an email.  It will be an investment in happiness at home, because a well designed house is always a good part of a great life and a beautiful room will make you happy every time you walk in!

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2013 Venice Biennale and more on contemporary art

 Image by Marco De Scalzi

Like a bomb exploding on the Lagoon…Massimiliano Gioni will be the director, in 2013, of the
Venice Art Biennale. (On the left a painting by Elizabeth Peyton, on the right Gioni with a work of Paul McCarthy).

Not bad for a guy who is only 38 years old, who started with Flash Art magazine and revealed immediately a great talent for communication and the ability of easily wading through the difficult art world.

Image by Marco De Scalzi                                                         Image by Miranda July

Massimiliano Gioni’s curriculum is fabulous, just to name a few positions he was director of the 8th Art Biennale in Gwangju, South Korea, he is Head curator at the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York, he curated the 4th Biennale in Berlin together with Maurizio Cattelan and Ali Subotnick, he is the artistic director of the Fondazione Trussardi in Milan and on and on…

Image by Jason Nocito

Massimiliano Gioni with Ali Subotnick and  Maurizio Cattelan in Berlin, 2006.

Image by Marco De Scalzi

Massimiliano Gioni in Milan, at Manzoni Theatre, where an exhibition dedicated to the Swiss artist Pipilotti Rist was recently held. 

He has  also founded Family Business, a New York gallery in partnership with Maurizio Cattelan,  integrated into the Anna Kustera gallery and dedicated to new, previously un-exhibited artists.
Gioni was in Vancouver a few years ago, invited by the Contemporary Art Society of Vancouver and I had the pleasure of listening to his brilliant lecture on contemporary art and to chat with him at the following reception hosted by Monica Reyes.  We all agreed that he was one of the most interesting personalities we had met, so young and so brilliant.

                                                                   *****

Talking about contemporary art…if you live in Vancouver and  have an interest in contemporary art or simply want to know more about art consider joining CASV, it will be an incredible experience meeting all those great art personalities.  Just last night we were invited by Bob Rennie, principal of Rennie collection,  one of the largest collections of contemporary art in Canada, to see the latest installation of Vancouverite Damian Moppett. It was very interesting to hear the long talk of Bob Rennie about his passion for contemporary art and later to be able to wander around the building, in working spaces and best of all in his private office, of course filled with art.
I wish I took pictures but I was too busy looking around, taking mental notes of furniture, art, objects and of course talking…!

Image by Rafal Gerszak

Image by Rafal Gerszak

Damian Moppett installing his pieces at Rennie Collection.

©2012 Tent London Interiors writes about new trends, timeless decor, iconic pieces, design ideas, or at times just musing about "a certain Italian way of doing things".
 
If you need help to enjoy your home more, please send me an email.  It will be an investment in happiness at home, a well designed house is always a good part of a great life and a beautiful room will make you happy every time you walk in!
 
If you receive this post by Email and wish to leave a comment please click HERE and go to the comments section. You’ll make me happy!

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Voyeurism

Rome, Piazza di Spagna, Palazzetto dei Borgognoni.

Don’t we all become voyeurs at times? Especially when our passion is Interior design? Have you ever been in a major artist’s house? Well today I will show you the House- Museum of one of the greatest modern Italian artists. 

 

Giorgio de Chirico 1888-1978 was a pre-Surrealist Italian painter and sculptor, then Surrealist and finally founder of pittura metafisica. His surname is traditionally written De Chirico (capitalized De) when it stands alone.

D'après Giorgio is a project by Luca Lo Pinto: for a full year it will be possible to see his house while many internationally renowned artists will be interacting with the space and his creations.
Giorgio de Chirico lived for the last 30 years in the top three floors of Palazzetto dei Borgognoni, in the central and gorgeous Piazza di Spagna (Spanish steps) in Rome, and here from January 27th, 2012 there will be an alternating display of installations by famous designers and artists  like Martino Gamper, Luca Trevisani, Carlo Mollino and many more.

Let’s go in…

 

De Chirico’s study and Library.

 

Very 1950’s De Chirico bedroom.

From the House-Museum website: “The apartment’s rooms and 1950-style furnishings were restored following a rigorous study of old photographs and historic anecdotes. The same method was applied to the arrangement of the paintings and sculptures. On the main first floor, the luxurious rooms evoke a Rubenesque vision of grand 17th century style salons with their red damask curtains, numerous ornate gold frames, wooden cherubs, marble tables and silverware, Persian carpets and Louis XVI-style armchairs. Conceived as a magnificent ‘living gallery’, this area of the apartment was once a lively, vibrant place of gatherings and receptions.”

His books, his colors, his tools for his art and a drawing in the background.

A very classic living and dining areas divided by red drapes, like a theatrical scene. As in many elegant houses of the time the living room often was more a “gallery” of antiques and art, used only for major entertaining, while the real daily social life happened in smaller and more comfortable rooms.

Photography by Massimo Listri

A vignette showing his bar: memory lane…I remember when everyone was drinking Punt e Mes as aperitivo, quite unusual now to find it in Italian bars. Drinks are like fashion, one day hip, the next day obsolete.

A piece by  contemporary artist Paul Armand Gette, B&W photography La toilette de la Nymphe,  between the original objects of De Chirico’s house.

Another installation: on the left an original sculpture by De Chirico, on the right Martino Gamper’s Chair 'n' Box, 2008. As a background De Chirico famous metaphysical paintings.

A new bulb for an old lamp and an extraordinary sculpture on the right.

During the year the public will also be able to see for the first time many photographs from the Fondazione Isa and Giorgio de Chirico archives and a series of art critics, curators and artists will accompany visitors to present their vision of the whole project.

“They say that Rome is at the centre of the world and that Piazza di Spagna is in the centre of Rome, therefore, my wife and I, would indeed be living in the centre of the centre of the world, which would be the apex of centrality, and the apogee of anti-eccentricity.”

Giorgio de Chirico

Photography by Lorenzo Gigotti


©2012 Tent London Interiors writes about new trends, timeless decor, iconic pieces, design ideas, or at times just musing about "a certain Italian way of doing things".
If you receive this post by Email and wish to leave a comment please click HERE and go to the comments section.

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Just for fun…double vision Art

Classic works of art re-imagined using photography.
Adobe has sponsored this fascinating creative competition where artists are encouraged to submit a “remake” of a famous work of art using photography. Of course some submissions are quite hilarious or ironic and although the winner has not been chosen yet (the competition is now closed), Canadian art blog Booooooom! has been posting some of the submissions:

  
“American Gothic” by Grant Wood; “American Gothic” remake by Jesse John Hunniford



“The Artist’s Mother” by James Abbott McNeill Whistler; “The Artist’s Mother” remake by Roxana Azar


 
“Grande Odalisque” by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres; “Grande Odalisque” remake by Craig White



“Self Portrait” by Frida Kahlo; “Self Portrait” remake by Bazooka Betty



“Der Arme Poet” by Carl Spitzweg; “Der Arme Poet” remake by Regina Speer


 
“Girl reading a letter by an open window” by Vermeer; “Girl reading a letter by an open window” remake by Wanda Martin.



“The Girl With The Pearl Earring” by Johannes Vermeer; “ The Girl With The Pearl Earring” remake by Nienke Zondervan

I am fascinated by the art of photography and by art in general, Vermeer being one of my timeless artists favorites, to the point that once having a 5 hours connection in Amsterdam, even if tired after a long flight from Vancouver  I took the tram and went to see again his stunning paintings at the Rijksmuseum. On the next flight I felt so refreshed and inspired.



“The Death of Marat” by Jacques-Louis David; “The Death of Marat” remake by Ewa Wiktoria Dyszlewicz



“Napoleon I on his Imperial Throne” by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres; “Napoleon I on his Imperial Throne” remake by Isabella Materne and Christiane König.

This contest is absolutely brilliant and it inspired so many artists to create something totally new from iconic images, have you also noticed how gender is not so important any more?

Who is your favorite artist? Have you ever pushed the limits to see some of his/her projects?


©2011 Tent London Interiors writes about new trends, timeless decor, iconic pieces, design ideas, or at times just musing about "a certain Italian way of doing things".

If you receive this post by Email and wish to leave a comment please click HERE and go to the comments section.

I love to hear from you!

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A-Efendy Antiques and Art, Artists, photography, Tent London Interiors