Arts and Culture

Review of Reinventing Kaunas - European Capital of Culture 2022

This year the honour goes to Kaunas in Lithuania. It used to be the capital of the country from 1843 to 1915 and is often seen as a rival to the current capital, Vilnius. The city has a rich architectural history embracing modernism, and gothic designs and has a medieval fortress. With such a cultural tapestry, it was particularly befitting for the city to be bestowed with such an accolade.

Women Who Launch - Jag Sihra of Studio Jag

I knew that I wanted to paint and draw and although I had no idea what a design career would look like, I was certain that I would pursue my art,” says Jag Sihra, artist and owner of Studio Jag Sihra, the British brand known for creating hand-crafted silk items.

Featuring An auction of a lifetime, the most expensive whisky in...

Make yours a large one. In fact, the largest. The world’s biggest bottle of Scotch whisky is up for auction at Lyon & Turnbull’s Edinburgh HQ an saleroom on May 25th at noon. A range of charities will benefit from the sale of the 5’ 11” tall bottle containing 311 litres of The Macallan Intrepid 32-year-old single malt whisky. The bottle could break the world record for the most expensive bottle of whisky ever sold which is $1.9m. For any amount the sale achieves above £1.3m, 25 per cent will be donated to the Marie Curie charity. The Intrepid was officially certified by the Guinness World Records when it was bottled last year. The single bottle, contains the equivalent of 444 standard bottles. Daniel Monk and the team behind The Intrepid, a partnership between Fah Mai and Rosewin Holdings, were inspired by a passion for adventure, exploration and a desire to help raise money for charity.

Featuring Ariel by David Wightman at Grove square galleries

On behalf of Grove Square Galleries, The Sybarite are delighted to announce Ariel, a solo exhibition of paintings, prints, and drawings by British contemporary painter David Wightman. Renowned for his striking imaginary landscapes, Wightman integrates collage, colour, and composition to create worlds which blur the lines between fiction and reality. Inspired by the colour theory of Josef Albers and the sublime landscapes of Caspar David Friedrich, these fantasy vistas defy strict categorisation, evoking elements of both the Romantic and the Abstract.

Featuring Pattern Language art gallery by Squeak Carnwath

Jane Lombard Gallery will be hosting Pattern Language, an exhibition of new paintings by Squeak Carnwath.  The artist’s third solo exhibition with the gallery, Pattern Language presents the viewer with intricate visual archives that entangle public observation and private introspection. The exhibition will be on view from April 29th to June 4th, with an opening reception April 29th from 5 - 7 PM. "Pattern recognition is an essential part of the human experience. We pull from memory to make sense of the world around us. Recognizable patterns allow us to understand common rhythms between people, places, and cultures, understanding the new through the familiar by assigning identity and meaning." As an artist, Carnwath paints her own thoughts and observations, often connected to politics and personal narratives, knowing others will create their own recognitions within her compositions.

Featuring Breaking The Bias - McKay Williamson Celebrate Women Artists

Working with an eclectic mix of award-winning female artists from all over the world has given the gallery a distinctly international flavour in the art they can offer.  “As a gallery, we have worked with many female artists over the years and discovered such variety in approaches to their work, that is both dynamic and detailed. Using their truth and personal histories, they have the ability to story-tell through their art which is truly inspiring,” commented Hala Foustok, PR & Marketing Director. Although women artists have been involved in the making of art throughout history, their work when compared to that of their male counterparts has often been overlooked and undervalued. Today we showcase three of the female artists whom the gallery loves for their diversity and ability to convey narratives through visual art.”

Featuring The Anticipated Lubberland Exhibition by Harry Rüdham

The exhibition opened on the 17th February and will run until the 2nd April 2022, compromising 16 paintings and two innovative paperworks. Lubberland takes the Swedish name for ‘Cockaigne,’ a land of plenty in medieval myth, and was first made famous in the broadside ballad "An Invitation to Lubberland," first printed in 1685. With ‘Lazy Land’ an approximate translation, the exhibition’s title sets out its themes – presenting a bold yearning for an idyllic world of ease, abundance and human connection.  Taking combined inspiration from such masterpieces as Bruegel’s The Land of Cockaigne, Hieronymus Bosch’s The Garden of Earthly Delights and Matisse’s Bonheur de Vivre, Rüdham’s paintings are crowded with intersecting figures, stylised as floating or falling silhouettes repeated across each brightly textured scene. As in Dante’s Divine Comedy, in Lubberland Rüdham offers a sense of joyful optimism but also foreboding – set amid the context of a soul’s journey down to Hell and back to Heaven.

Basel - Switzerlands Perfect Romantic Getaway

You might be thinking of cosy chalets with snow-capped mountains in the backdrop. However, I would recommend the hidden gem that is Basel instead. It is far away from the Swiss Alps, but in fact, it is the third-most populous city in Switzerland. With its proximity to France and Germany, it's always been more multicultural than other parts of the country. It is a city that effortlessly intertwines history with modernity. It is a fabulous city for lovers because you have so much to talk about whether it's their cultural, architectural, or gastronomical excellence. With around 40 museums, it is the museum capital of Switzerland. Despite opening around 25 years ago only and being privately funded, Foundation Beyeler is the most visited museum in the whole country. And it's hardly surprising considering the blockbuster exhibitions they keep securing like the recent Goya retrospective. In their anniversary year, this year, they've secured spectacular exclusives like their current Georgia O'Keeffe exhibition with her unique take on capturing the beauty of flowers. Her works rarely leave the United States, so it's a real coup for the local community.

The Sybarite Speaks with Angolan Artist Cristiano Mangovo

The Sybarite interviewed Cristiano Mangovo on his first solo show in France, Humano e a Natureza at AFIKARIS Gallery. Cristiano shares his experience as an artist, how art has helped him throughout his life and his long term goals.

Featuring ADA \ contemporary art gallery present a solo...

After the successful inaugural opening of the gallery and sold out exhibition, titled Gindin Mangoro: Under the Mango Tree, by portrait artist Collins Obijiaku, ADA \ contemporary art gallery presents its next show, The Politics of Shared Spaces, the debut solo presentation by Nigerian artist Eniwaye Oluwaseyi (b. 1994).

The Sybarite Speaks with Cameroonian Artist Jean David Nkot

Jean David Nkot is the Cameroonian artist and creative mind behind the success of The New Hercules, his latest series and new exhibition at AFIKARIS Gallery in Miami Beach. The Sybarite spoke with Jean David about what made him become an artist, his current work and what success means to him.

Review of Henry's Townhouse / A Home Away from Home