Upon crossing the threshold from the street into the courtyard workshop of Doña Viviana Alávez, the first thing that strikes you is the inviting aroma of beeswax, filling the air with a warm scent akin to that of sweet honey. Alávez tells Something Curated, “The smell of beeswax still makes me smile today after all…
Comprised of paintings, drawings and mixed media ephemera, Accra-based Ghanaian painter Gideon Appah’s latest body of work chronicles the cycle of cultural memory through a series of portraits featuring figures illustrious and forgotten. Set to be presented at the Institute for Contemporary Art at Virginia Commonwealth University (ICA at VCU) from 11 February to 19…
While the narrative around modernism remains largely focussed on Western histories, the reality of the movement’s emergence and evolution is perhaps more cross-pollinated that one might assume. An active dialogue between the East and West, in particular between Japan and Europe, is central to the movement’s compelling story. The transmission of cultural ideologies across continents…
Sameep Padora & Associates (sP+a) is a Mumbai-based architecture studio helmed by founding principal Sameep Padora. The practice’s remit traverses the spheres of architecture, interior design and urban planning, approaching every project as a distinct brief executed by a multidisciplinary team. Padora completed his undergraduate studies in Mumbai followed by a Master’s from the Graduate…
From 11 August 2020, Barbican Art Gallery hosts A Countervailing Theory, the first-ever UK commission by Nigerian-American artist Toyin Ojih Odutola. An epic cycle of new work unfurls across the 90-metre long gallery, The Curve, documenting an imagined civilisation conceived by the artist. Drawing on an eclectic range of sources, from ancient history to popular…
Brazilian photographer Rafael Pavarotti is known for his eccentric and sensitive approach to image making; he meticulously builds stories in his work, carefully analysing composition, colour and light as he does so. Having photographed for magazines like Vogue and i-D, and collaborated with fashion retailers from Matches to Browns, Pavarotti has accrued an impressive client…
Hailing from Amsterdam and based in Bahrain, architect Anne Holtrop’s diverse projects span hotels, museums, runway sets, exhibitions, retail spaces and residences. Process-led and relishing in the quality of raw materials, Holtrop’s distinct approach has garnered him a discerning following. Among his eponymous studio’s recent projects are the Sheikh Isa Bin Ali Al-Khalifa Museum, the…
Chinese designer Rui Zhou’s works explore the relationship between body and garment; the knitwear designer considers clothing as a second layer of skin, embracing a playful and poetic approach to design, while ultimately celebrating the female form. Her delicate works manifest as a spectrum of abstract bodysuits, comprising panels of textiles tethered by neat rows…