BEING MARINA ABRAMOVIC

Sometimes, things just happen. Standing outside Kaldor Public Art Projects, chatting to a client on the phone whilst waiting to go in to the Marina Abramovic exhibition, who should should stroll along but… Marina Abramovic! For ten minutes I had the incredible pleasure of an intimate chat with the most significant performance artist operating today. No, she doesn’t make monumental paintings, or create fabulous sculptures. Neither is her work really ‘body art’. Abramovic operates on a totally different plane, engaging with her audience in a way that throws all preconceived notions of how to be in the world, into question.

It’s entirely fitting that she has installed herself and her show at Kaldor Public Art Projects, such a visionary program instituted by a visionary man who tirelessly strives to bring the most cutting edge art to Australia, for the public, for free. Remember Christo and Jeanne Claude’s Wrapped Island in Little Bay at the end of the 1960s? Kaldor. Jeff Koon’s giant floral Puppy outside the MCA in 2000? Kaldor. 2013’s extraordinary ’13 Rooms’? Kaldor. Gilbert & George at AGNSW. John Kaldor is giant of a man, philanthropist and benefactor on a major scale – we are very lucky to have him on the scene.

As for Abramovic, wow. No, seriously, wow! I have been buzzing ever since I saw the show, and am yet too overwhelmed to even consider going back. It left me so breathless. Firstly, she loves Australia. In fact, loves all primary cultures, she’s almost shamanistic in her way of looking at  world. Repetition, endurance, ritual, silence, pain – these are all key elements of her work. And of course of our every day, an every day she facilitates us zooming in on, taking us outside of ourselves in the process. “My role is to be a servant to the people,” she told me. “The goal is to uplift the people. From the moment I was born to the moment I die, all I can do is make art.” Have I said ‘wow’ yet? What an extraordinary human being, an artist of the Nth magnitude. Truly, quite divine, she exudes warmth and LOVE.

I don’t want to give too much away here. The installation – if you can call it such, she’s in attendance, each and every day, along with a bevy of acolytes who assist the audience through the whole experience, an experience that I witnessed bring people to tears, had them laying down to sleep, off in their own worlds. What I will say, is that it requires surrender. An absolute giving up of self only to find oneself, a putting aside of the quotidian that is made clear from the first gesture: you need to give over your cell phones and any other accoutrements, which are checked into a locker until you depart.

As you might know, I have been a committed meditator for the past 25 years and often attend retreats that involve a number of Marina’s “methods” – endurance, silence, repetition. Visiting Marina Abramovic in Residence has a similar effect on me to one of these retreats – it’s an experience not to missed. The more you give (of time, of yourself, of love), the more you will receive!

FERRARI RA RA RA!

The FF is Ferrari’s first true 4 seater, four wheel drive. Conceived, I’m sure for those Europeans who like to make weekend trips across the continent to chic ski and beach resorts, pulling into 5 star + hotels where a gaggle of staff celebrate one’s arrival, flinging open all hatches and unpacking you and your extensive set of matching designer luggage.

Let’s start with where Ferrari is strongest – the V12 6.3lt 486kw engine propels it to 100km/hr in about 3.5 seconds – that means you’re there in 35 metres! It’s probably the fastest car I’ve driven, not by much, but still the fastest. It really works the neck muscles. 

As impressive as the acceleration, is the stopping power. I tested jamming the brakes from about 100km/hr and everything just stopped. The brakes, they’re major. 

At 4.9 metres it’s really long. And at nearly 2m wide, incredibly stable on 295/35 20inch rims at the back and 245s at the front. That’s a lot of rubber on the ground.  Add to that the new 4RM four wheel drive system and this thing is stuck to the ground and loves to be powered up through corners, in fact it feels like it’s begging for it. Impeccable in inclement weather, of which I had my fair share.

It can be completely customised, and truth be told the model I drove was perhaps a tad over-customised. In white pearl paint with a interior of black leather, red piping, carbon fibre, and signature Burberry check fabric – it was like being constantly hugged by an upper middle Chinese guy who’d just been on a shopping spree.

If you have a look on the website you can see them in dark grey with warm tan interiors – they look much more sophisticated. 

Italian automobile interiors are rarely as good as German ones. This is no exception. I find it a bit too tricky, bitsy, too many plastic feeling things and the multimedia screen could have been out of any car. In a circa $800k drive I expect the best, the most luxurious, the most refined, absolute hand made all the way. The showy test model doesn’t cut it in the interior stakes. But then again, it’s probably just a matter of customising it with a better selection of finishes.

I must comment the excellence of the complete glass roof. It’s incredibly detailed. Curved. And it’s photosenstive tinting to greater or lesser opacity depending on the light levels, like a pair of designer sunglasses.

The outside is beautiful – no question. The endless lines, the organic curves, the beastly haunches, and the exterior detailing are all amazing. I hear some folk are not comfortable with the overall shape and the hatch back rear – but I love it. It’s unusual, but unusual done really well. And besides, I’ve had a thing for hatch backs since I was a kid, I just didn’t ever think Ferrari would make one. 

This thing, like all Ferraris, is a race car. It sounds like heaven from the moment you push the little red ignition button – rah rah! When opened up on a stretch it sound and feels like it’s expanding and swallowing all things you pass. In comfort mode it does drive quite politely around the city but I don’t like it so much, and I don’t think the car likes it either. 

Overall it’s been a joy, although I have felt like I need to be in disguise as I’ve never been in anything or with anyone that attracts attention like a Ferrari – it is like driving a rock star. 

FORTUNY TELLING

I’ve seen a lot of museum shows in my time, but the Fortuny Museum show during the Venice Biennale was probably my best ever institutional experience, do date. The exhibition, called Proportio, explores the history of proportion (a lovely follow on from the Fondazione Prada show) and the way it connects man, nature, and the divine. After such dogmatic Biennale showing, t was a relief to see beauty put so seductively front and shamelessly centre. The show is curated by Belgian interior designer, collector, curator Axel Verdvoort and is the most wonderful, eclectic mix of things. There are painted works, architectural models, video, sculpture, ceramics, audio works, mobiles, books, tapestries, artefacts, it's seemingly endless. There are countless big names (Marina Abramovich who was there, Gormley, Anish Kapoor who was also wondering around) and many whom I had never heard of. But even this amount of material is put together so carefully that one is not overwhelmed by clutter, only by the richness of the content. The works come from all over the globe, from so many different periods. And of course, one could still look into Fortuny's studio space as it was… amazing!!!

VENICE BIENNALE – OVER & OUT...

So, the final day we stayed away from the Biennale itself and focused on other collateral shows around the city. This was by far the best, most inspiring and extraordinary day.

Australian Sam Leach at Palazzo Bembo speaking about his most recent work. I've always loved his work, have longed to own one, and this series just gets better. He speaks about it beautifully. It was all sold before we arrived.

Cy Twombly solo show at Ca'Pesaro Twombly's less seen large scale works. It's very powerful, evocative. One gets completely sucked in by his childlike gestures and the ride starts there.

Rodin & MIranda

VENICE BIENNALE - OUT & ABOUT

The Arsenale is always brilliant – if for nothing else, the spaces it inhabits, all the old port warehouses around the docks, remnants of an era when La Serenissima ruled the world through trade. Such incredible spaces. There were many beautiful things and highlights but again, the whole was too busy and plagued by dogma so that one couldn't help but trudge out of there feeling exhausted and pretty depressed about the world. Again, below are some things I really liked.

VENICE BIENNALE Cont'd...

Day 3

So this is where we start to get out of the national pavilions and into the curated Biennale at large. There are really two parts to the curated show – one is in the central pavilion in the Giardini. The other is in the Arsenale. I’ll talk about the Giardini here, the Arsenale in the next post. It's here that we get what Nigerian curator Okwi Enwazor is about – the world is doomed, West is bad, East is good, Africa is the best, capitalism is the devil, and so on and so forth. Personally, I find it so full of dogma it's scary. I get all these issues and understand the world's unfairnesses, man's destruction, the downside to consumerism, capitalism, all that. But smashing the message into the viewer’s face in an over curated, brutal, blunt was is not the way to go about it. It felt like a massive guilt trip!. Let's face it, where would the art world be without the capitalists, Western money, all the devils? Enwazor’s view is extremely relevant and very important, but it needs to be framed more carefully, it needs to be balanced. It would have been better if there was some sense of optimism, hope, joy at the end of it – but it was very hard to find. I’ve tried to find select a few elements, below…

LIFE IN VENICE

Last Tuesday saw the much anticipated inauguration of the new Australian Pavilion in the Giardini at Venice. This is the first 21st century building to be constructed in the the Giardini and was designed by Melbourne architects Denton Corker Marshall. It is a simple, elegant, supremely confident black box, nestled gently into the landscape at it's approach, cantilevering beautifully over the canal from behind. The importance of Australia now having a permanent pavilion at Venice cannot be underestimated – it will serve as a monument to our increasingly confident contemporary culture but more importantly as a space for Australian artists of all genres to show themselves and their country to the world. The unveiling was presided over by Rupert Myer, Chair of the Australia Council for the Arts, and speeches were made by the project's visionary and fearless leader Simon Mordant, the architect John Denton, Paolo Baratta, President of La Biennale di Venezia, and the sublime Cate Blanchett. A smoking ceremony was offered by indigenous performers which included didgeridoo by William Barton. The pavilion was teaming with Australian artists and supporters as well an many international onlookers, all very apparently pleased what they saw,

The next day marked the official opening of Fiona Hall's epic show. The show is powerful, rich, oozing with messages about our culture today and beautifully put together in collaboration with curator Linda Michael. The reaction so far by collectors and the international art press has been incredible. Well done Fiona! 

Fiona Hall delivers her speech at the opening of her show in Venice

VENEZIA_2

Key of Life

“Writing about music is like dancing about architecture,” said Frank Zappa. Or was it comedian Martin Mull? Or maybe Elvis Costello? Either way, after four days at the Venice Biennale, writing about art seems like a Herculean task. Almost 100 national pavilions – not least among them the very excellent new Australian pavilion by Denton Corker Marshall – and a suite of very grand Italian installations, a seemingly endless array of glamorous parties in glittering palazzi all over town, crazy German drag queens, crowds falling into the lagoon in a frenzy… What’s not to like?! Here, while I get my breath, a few highlights of the past days.

Opening party for the Australian installation

Brunch on the roof of the Guggenheim

Sarah Lucas at the British pavilion. Very titty

Disco techno at the Germanic pavilion

Eva & Eva, again

VENICE BIENNALE – BRINGING IT ON!

As tourist invested as it inevitably is, Venice is of such an extraordinary beauty that it's impossible to be disappointed. I could walk the streets all day and constantly be inspired. The buildings, the gardens, the colours, the details – it’s the most fascinating urban fabric in the world. We moved into a small garden apartment in the Dorsoduro district, a little off the beaten track, more authentic, more local. Very cool. First evening’s dinner with friends at Il Refolo – very relaxed, sat outside with a view across on one of Venice's classical squares, with a view of the church of San Giacomo. A leisurely evening stroll back to base to rest up ahead of a very busy 56th Venice Biennale.

Day 1

A morning with Venetian Heritage a foundation dedicated to restoring important buildings and interiors in Venice and beyond. Our tour was given by Director, Toto Bergamo Rossi. There are so many Titian paintings in Venetian churches, but the most spectacular has to the Chiesa di San Salvatore which houses the incredible Annunciation on the south wall and the Transfiguration altarpiece with its 14th century gold and silver gothic altar. At a restoration laboratory conservators were working on a series of ceiling panels for re-installation in their original position, most of which had been separated from each other and were in the possession of various collectors and institutions around the world. It was incredible to have access to this inner sanctum and watch such detailed. 

After lunch with friends at Il Bacaro on the Campo San Giovanni Crisostomo, Miranda and I went to Palazzo Grassi, acquired in 2005 by French luxury magnate François Pinnault (who owns Gucci, Yves Saint-Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Boucheron, Balenciaga and a handful of other mega brands). The Palazzo is an astoundingly beautiful late 18th century neoclassical building that has been delicately updated by by Tado Ando. Breathtaking! The current exhibition is Slip of the Tongue, a retrospective of French pop artists, Martial Raysse. The combination of the artist’s upbeat but slightly spooky paintings and neon works, the sublime original building and the careful modernisation by Tadao Ando was completely immersive and divine. I was really excited!

After a nap, it was off to Pinault's other museum, across the Grand Canal at the Punta della Dogana, the old customs house. Again, impeccably renovated by Tadao Ando, and right art the tip of the canal as it spill into the lagoon, it is really such a special place. And celebrates the original customs building and gently inserts his classic elements of off-form concrete, steel and glass. The collection is less impressive. To my mind, a too try-hard bit conceptual for the sake of it. Not my thing at all. But then, when you’re this spoilt for choice, there’s always plenty else to intrigue, delight and inspire – and the view across the lagoon Palladio's Church of San Giorgio Maggiore is pretty terrific!

TALES OF THE CITY

As Sydney blew a massive gale last week, I was hunkered down at Mascot airport, waiting for my flight to be cleared for takeoff to San Francisco. Let’s just say i got to know Sydney Airport rather well – and after thirty hours I finally got to SF for what turned out to be a whirlwind visit. I’d been invited by a new client, a 30 year-old venture capitalist with a passion for young startups and a predilection for my kind of architecture. He’s a great guy, someone I know rather well so getting into the swing things was a non-issue. We spent the weekend hanging out at his new digs, getting a real sense of what is still a functioning service garage but will soon enough be a brick and mortar incubator for young talent. And San Francsico, as always, didn’t fail to excite!. The cliché has it that it’s a lot like Sydney, and for its harbour location that’s true. But there’s a genteel grittiness to this West Coast city that I find truly endearing. It palpitates with its Haight-Ashbury hippie past, its 1970s gay activism, the eeriness of its iconic Twin Peaks. But at the same time it is alive with the nervous energy of the nerds, the kids who gather at places like The Battery and spend hours pitching each other – and any entrepreneur who’ll listen – new ideas. The space we’ll be reconfiguring, and where I stayed in SoMa (South of Market street) is a turn-of-the-century red brick block of a building on a street that also houses an art gallery, a commune, an S&M warehouse and a dance academy. Ever niche you can imagine, it’s there, in a state of happy cooexistence. I guess it feels like Surry Hills, 25 years ago. Gee, but it’s great to be back home. At least until I leave for Venice for the Biennale – tomorrow.

ART & COMMERCE

When you study architecture, you’re often told (jokingly, of course. I think…) Get your taxi license just in case! Recently, I was invited onto the Peter Switzer show to talk about how the building industry is traveling right now, and how my metier is a barometer of the economy in a global sense. I don’t want to scoop myself, so you can check it out here:

http://www.switzer.com.au/video/nick-tobias

THE FREE MASON

I’d been hearing quite a bit about Parramatta Artists Studios, but it wasn’t until Samantha Ferris, owner of Galerie pompom in Chippendale invited my on a studio visit to meet Mason Kimber, that I actually got a chance to see it in action. A complex of 14 council-funded, residential and non-residential artists’ studios in a Federation building in the CBD of the state’s second city, the Studios are not only a case study in effective decentralisation, they are a fantastic local government initiative on any level. No matter how much one knows about an artist’s oeuvre, there is nothing quite like visiting him or her at work in the studio, surrounded by their research and their tools and the dabblings and experiments that will eventually become finished work. I make it a point to get to know all the artists I collect, since this is a way of deepening my understanding of their output, and hence my collection. Kimber is perhaps in his mid-20s, is wise above his years: much of his work explores the future whilst taking into account the ancient past, something that interests me in my own work as an architect. We discussed art, architecture and culture in its broadest sense. I came away so inspired that when asked to write the wall notes for his show, I  leapt at the opportunity.

This is what you can read on the walls of Mason Kimber’s show at Galerie pompom, a show both painterly and architectonic, a collection of paintings and wall installations that is great in its humility.  (until April 26th)

Mason Kimber

Oltre la Vista

A visit to Mason Kimber's studio is a great experience, full of interesting contrasts and contradictions. The impact of his recent residency in Rome is evident in the work, especially that his time was spent not only with other artists, but architects, archeologists and other academics.

The fresco (as studied in Rome, Naples, and Pompeii) is one of the bridges between architecture and art. Mason Kimber questions the idea of authenticity and what really makes something authentic in these fresco works. Using the layering of objects, colours, frames and shafts of light to draw the viewer into the scene, he leaves the question of whether one has been placed inside or outside. Is one the viewer or being viewed? Although abstract they evoke a spatial quality, one where the architecture is not clearly seen but certainly felt. Memory is also an important part of these works, not only due to the obvious reference of time, and the physical erosion of the pigments and plaster, but also through information that has been lost as a result. It is interesting to think about how we retain some memories yet forget others, only to remember them again, however not always in exactly the same way they happened. Filling in the gaps becomes a very personal experience and one could argue a creative process – this process certainly helps to take the viewer back in time.

Kimber’s drive to discover the past is found both in his exploration of subject and also through his

dedication to past techniques. The technical research and testing to achieve the fresco textures using plaster and pigments has been extensive. In contrast, the works on canvas offer a multi-layer, multi-framed experience. Although they make reference to the frescos and other classical elements, they are clearly contemporary, using blocks of colour in various

shapes and textures with great painterly confidence, taking the viewer into the depths of the work. The idea of missing information, evident in the frescos, appears again but this time in the form of entirely missing figurative elements, figures in relief, elements in shadow. When we last met I questioned Mason on the purpose of art and he told me it was to explore. One could argue this is one of the central purposes of life itself. The title of the show is Oltre la Vista (Beyond the View) and it is here that the real exploration of life and art takes place.

Nick Tobias

Founding Principal, Tobias Partners Architects

MOSMAN DESIGN AWARD

For the second time now I have co-judged the 2015 Mosman Design Awards with fellow architects Gabrielle Morish & Robert Staas. Turning the community's attention toward design excellence is at the core of my raison d'etre, so I lunged at accepting this role. This year displayed a diverse range of interesting projects, some more excellent than others, however all the winners were fantastic! My special shout out to Clinton Murray and Polly Harrison of Architects in Association for their 36 Plunkett Road  home in off-form concrete. And of course, to the client, without whom it wouldn’t have happened or been anything like it. Mosman Council should be applauded for holding such awards and encouraging their community to think about design in this way – all councils should be doing it!

DIOR AND I

Last night I went to see Dior and I, director Frédéric Tcheng’s film set around Raf Simon’s first haute couture collection for the venerable fashion house, for Autumn 2012. It was surprising enough when the Belgian minimalist was appointed to replace the flamboyant John Galliano at Dior’s HQ on the Avenue Montagne, but what’s truly extraordinary is the elegance and ease with which Simons slipped into his new role. With only eight weeks to prepare his first ever haute couture collection for a house and brand whose aesthetic seemed light years away from his own, he took up the helm with majestic grace. Tcheng’s camera spends most of its time up on the top floor, in the atelier where the petites mains work night and day to realise Raf's vision. His humility is touching, when he confesses what they all knew – that he’s never done a couture collection before. And it’s even more touching when one of the studio staff smiles, “On va l’aider!” (We’re going to help him!) And they certainly do, working against the clock and the odds to bring an absolutely sumptuous couture collection to life. Raf’s vision as a designer is evident, but what also becomes clear is his ability to direct a team, to empower people to express their own creativity in the good of a cause. It takes true leadership, self-confidence and curatorial skill to do that – something I strive for every day. What’s also inspiring is his relationship to contemporary art; at one point he says he needs to look at a piece of art every day. He even conceived his floral catwalk as being as if one was seated inside Jeff Koons’ 'Puppy' sculpture, which was installed in front of the MCA by Kaldor Public Art Projects in 1995. In the end, you leave the cinema inspired to make great things, in the knowledge that beauty for beauty’s sake can be an incredibly motivating force.

NATIONAL PRESS CLUB

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending a National Press Club symposium. I’d never been to one of these before, and it was truly awesome. Packed to the rafters, a lot of media, a lot of politicians, many great curators and gallerists including directors of many major public institutions from numerous states. I took Samson and Griffin along – it was a sit down lunch, televised live, the boys behaved perfectly! Simon Mordant, Commissioner of this year’s Australian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, was very impressive. Clearly a great statesman, Simon did a great job of pulling together the massive amount of work we've doing in the lead up to Venice. He also had the task of overseeing the vernissage of the new Australian Pavilion designed by Denton Corker Marshall, the coordination of the Biennale opening, the seven Australian artists who will be in the main show, the 35 or more other artists who will be in other recognised shows in Venice at that time. In a sense, Simon personifies the importance of private philanthropy for a rich and creative culture – he really brought home, in a major way the message about the importance of the arts in any country. Great stuff. After the lunch, his Commissioner's Council held a private tour of James Turrell show, which is truly fantastic – and it awesome to see it through the innocence of our kids’ eyes, too. We stayed at Hotel Hotel again. It's so cool, but it’s a shame it's in Canberra! We need one in Sydney, tout de suite!

THE ONLY WAY IS SUP!

I’ve felt the first chills of Autumn this past week so have resolved to get in as much time as I can on the water. Not surfing, not sailboarding, not even sailing – Stand Up Paddleboarding! What I love about this sport is the combination of technique, endurance and elegance. I get into a rhythm with my stroke and it becomes meditative. I do a fair bit of paddling in the open ocean and this really gives me perspective on the scale of nature and how tiny we humans really are. Exhilarating!

I’ve been aware of SUP for a few years now – and I remember all those great old 1960s movies of Hawaiians, upright and proud on the waves around Maui in Hawaii. Then all that incredible footage of surf legends David Kalama and Laird Hamilton riding the largest ocean wave ever recorded – when they took to SUP, I know something was up. Kalama and Hamilton began surfing long boards in the breaks, using the wind to glide out while standing up. Then they introduced a paddle, and since that moment its broken up into a few variations. There’s SUP Surfing, as the name suggests, riding the break a little like surfers do. This is done on smaller, more agile boards including anything from small long waves to big wave stuff. Either way, not for the feint hearted!

SUP Cruising on flat water, no wind, quite social, medium sized board. SUP Exploring – anything from cruising around coastal bays, lakes, rivers and whatnot. SUP White water, is literally going down the rapids on an inflatable SUP. Total hard core! There’s SUP Downwind, SUP Flat water racing, SUP BOP (Battle of the Paddle) involves racing from the beach, out through the waves, around a mark and back through the surf. It's like a demolition derby, sur mer.

I have seen the future, and it’s looking SUP.

SUP Surf

SUP Racing

SUP Flatwater Race

SUP BoP

BEACH BLANKET, BINGO!

The Hermès beach party is a yearly rendezvous, and one that I annually miss since it’s held in January and we’re usually traveling. But this year it was in February – and so, finally, I got to go to the ball. I had very high hopes for a glamorous event, but seriously,  I never dreamed it could be this good! A few factors played a part:

The Hermes Factor – the super authentic, highest luxury brand, still family owned and run, unhomogenised, unpasturised, very good for you. There was no expense spared but it was all spent in good ways. The food, the drink, the 'burning man' style DJ podium, the Hermès bangle bars and tons of sand everywhere!

The Karin Upton-Baker Factor – Hermès Australia’s Managing Director is graceful, ever stylish, and ever the wonderfully generous hostess.

The Strickland House Factor – this is still one of Sydney’s grandest old houses, a Victorian mansion  in the Italianate manner, it was the home of Sydney’s first mayor and still stands regally in its own private parkland that tumbles down to the harbour foreshore. It is nothing short of iconic, and it’s really like stepping back in time – not least because all those ugly waterfront homes are blocked from view by its hilly, inlet position.

The Crowd Factor – the guest list was superb. I felt like I was amongst so many old friends, and the best of them, but at the same time able to dip and mingle with new acquaintances here and there. It made the event (which must have been 500 guests strong) feel intimate, comfortable, genuine. Seriously, we really didn't want to leave! We didn't for some length of time...

Well done Karin, well done Hermes....until next time! (hopefully in Feb again ;)

MASERATI, VROOM!

I was recently invited by Oliver Grand to road test the new Maserati Ghibli S, a remastering of the 1967 Coupe classic. My inner revhead rose to the challenge – and it was sheer thrills, no spills!

Read all about it, here.

THAT'S ARTSY!

One of the most intimidating things about collecting art is, Where do you start? Of course, a few good gallerists or perhaps even an art consultant can be of invaluable help here. But another, complementary way is to spend some time on Artsy. For about a year now, I’ve been following the constantly updated listing of galleries, fair, museums in order to keep a finger on the pulse of the international at world – Artsy covers the waterfront, just about everything, from Paul Reubens to Pierre Huyghe. Plus, it’s also the best place to but works online, from about $150 to around $3 million. But even if you’re not in the market, it’s an excellent resource. I’ve just been looking at the page on Anish Kapoor, for instance: a really definitive overview of the career, collections and significance of the Indian artist who must be one of the most important creatives forces of our times. (I’m still reeling from the extraordinary Kapoor show at the MCA two years ago!) What’s really revolutionary, though, is Artsy’s Art Genome Project, essentially a program of defining a series of (for the moment) more than a thousand attributes, or ‘genes’ and applying these to works of art in various combinations, thus creating ‘genomes’ of art. The idea is for collectors, students and critics to be able to readily assess similarities – and differences – between works they are interested in. In essence, Artsy disrupts the traditional process of collecting art, and so naturally enough it has its detractors. But to my mind it’s a lot like real estate, where so much is transacted online these days – but that doesn’t negate the role of the real estate agent, it rather complements it. And the way I know it’s really important to me? Of all the newsletters I have unsubscribed to of late, Artsy is one of the few left standing!

HOUSES

It’s always an interesting process, getting outside eyes on one’s experience, history and practice – and Genevieve Lilley pretty much nails it in the latest issue of HOUSES magazine. She successfully captures the ethic, as well as the aesthetic of myself and the Tobias Partners, and it’s terrific to see pictures of the team at work in the Paddington studio. Especially great is to see my long-time associates getting credit for their work on specific projects, now that they are principals in the firm. Hat’s off to John Richards, Richard Peters and Matthew Krusin – as well as the rest of the Tobias Partners team.