Arts and Culture
What to look out for at 1–54 art fair 2021
Hand-crafted, luxury experiences curated by our team—speak to our concierge to learn more
Having beaten all the odds last year and still put on a show, 1-54 has never been off our radar.
Back with a bang this year, keep your eyes for the below galleries and the exceptional artists they are highlighting this year.
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Since creating the character in 1953, Ian Fleming has taken us round the world through an array of adventures, car chases, romances and incredible locations. For the last 15 years Daniel Craig has been the embodiment of the British secret service agent and although he wasn’t the first, nor the last, his departure is the perfect time to reflect on a film franchise - and more importantly, filming locations - that have had audiences captivated since 1962. Want to live like James Bond? Let us show you exactly where to go.
The Sybarite speaks to Cameroonian artist Ajarb Bernard...
The Sybarite interviewed Ajarb Bernard Ategwa on his new show Kwata Saloon at AFIKARIS Gallery. Exhibition will run until September 28th in Paris. Tell our readers a bit about yourself I am Ajarb Bernard Ategwa, a self-taught artist. I am inspired by daily life scenes and I seek to transcribe the bustle of Douala and the richness of the Cameroonian culture. My work is inspired by scenes from everyday life. As an artist, I feel that I have a duty to mark my time. It is therefore important to me that my paintings project what I experience in my time. Also, if my painting lasts for 200 years, people who see it at that time will be able to project themselves back 200 years ago and understand a past era. I find this interesting, because I am not sure that the scenes we see today will be the same in two centuries. Painting scenes from everyday life is therefore a way for me to mark my time and, I hope, future eras.
Afikaris gallery / Kwata saloon by artist Ajarb Bernard...
Kwata Saloon, presented from August 28—September 28, 2021, pays tribute to the ephemeral hair salons popping up each year in Cameroon between November and December, and from which Atwega's new body of work draws its inspiration. August 2, 2021 (Paris, France) – After having brought visitors to the mines of the Democratic Republic of the Congo with Cameroonian painter Jean David Nkot’s Human@Condition (May 29—July 7, 2021) and reflected on power by confronting the gazes of John Madu and Ousmane Niang (Figures of Power, July 10—August 24, 2021), AFIKARIS Gallery turns to the site of a cultural and social practice that binds generations and genders alike: hair salons. Kwata Saloon unveils a new body of work by Ajarb Bernard Atwega (b. 1988, Kumba, Cameroon), focusing on hairstyling as a source of social connection. On view from August 28—September 28, 2021, the gallery transforms into an immersive beauty parlor as the large, acidic canvases and smaller portraits that populate its walls – echoing the posters traditionally displayed in salons and the headshots shared on social networks – project scenes of togetherness, conviviality, and cultural bonding.
Ryan Saghian, Founder of Ryan Saghian Interiors
Emerging as one of the designers of his era, and reaching international acclaim before the age of 30, Ryan Saghian is one to look out for. Ryan is the award winning founder and creative mind behind the success of Saghian Interiors. In celebration of Pride Month, the Sybarite spoke with Ryan about being a young interior designer, the biggest struggles and lessons he learnt throughout his career and how he will never stop surprising his audience.
Review of The Art Of Banksy: Unauthorised Private Collection
“The Art Of Banksy” has finally arrived onto London’s cultural scene and we couldn't be more thrilled about it.
Review of The art of Banksy: Unauthorised private collection at 50...
“The Art Of Banksy: Unauthorised Private Collection” is the finest and largest privately-owned exhibition of artwork from the controversial British “street art” artist, Banksy. A full immersion into Banksy’s mysterious universe with more than 70 pieces executed with different techniques: oil, acrylic on canvas, stencils, videos and photographs... giving you a real taste of the “internationally known, identity unknown” artist. Banksy himself has given no acknowledgement or authorisation of this collection in any way and none of his pieces have been taken from the street. The right place to discover one of the most admired and recognized artists among art lovers and younger generations. Step in, take a look inside and get ready to be welcomed by darkness. An enveloping multimedia installation has been created entirely just for you revealing and highlighting Banksy’s most iconic pieces. His illegal artworks produced on the street address universal themes such as politics, culture or ethics challenging the rules of the contemporary art game.
Review of James Barnor: Accra/ London, a retrospective at...
The exhibition, named Accra/ London, a retrospective, shows the ease and warmth of Barnor’s photography in drawing together the era of Ghana’s pre to post colonial independence, and the Black British culture that was booming in swinging London in the 60s. His work, perhaps not as well known in his active years, shows the images he captured in both Accra and London from the 1950s to 1980s. The retrospective begins in Accra in the 1950s, where Barnor set up the Ever Young Studio, a photography studio known for its impeccable retouching skills. Barnor referred to Ever Young as a sort of ‘community center’, drawing in people from all walks of life. And from the get-go it is clear Barnor is a master at capturing the joy in near independence Ghana, and the ease of the highlife era in Ghana. If you have ever visited Ghana or spent a significant amount of time there, you will know Ghanaians to be abundantly friendly and incredibly welcoming people, and this sentiment is felt through all of Barnor’s photography.
James Nicholson, deputy chairman of leading auction...
The Sybarite spoke to James Nicholson, Deputy Chairman of Dreweatts and International Head of Jewellery, Silver and Watches. James has over 30 years experience in the jewellery industry, and gave The Sybarite some incredible insight into the world of Dreweatts auctions. We spoke to James about some of the most unique pieces he has come across in his career, the younger audience attracting luxury goods at auction and how buying unique period jewellery is a much more environmentally responsible thing to do.
Featuring Gallery 1957 presents ‘Could You Be Loved’, by Eric...
For the inaugural exhibition, “Could You be Loved” we will be presenting new works by Ghanaian figurative painters Eric Adjei Tawiah and David Aplerh-Doku Borlabi. 14 May – 17 June 2021 About David Aplerh-Doku Borlabi (b.1987, Ghana) Aplerh-Doku Borlabi was formally trained at Ghanatta College of Arts and Design, the alma mater of his mentor,acclaimed contemporary artist, Amaoko Boafo. Borlabi’s early works applied his foundational learning in academic painting, creating naturalistic compositions, and for years he grappled with finding a visual language that felt authentic. After 7 years of painting, Borlabi turned to his natural environment to embody his own culture and ethnic identity. Growing up in the CoCo Beach area of Accra, the coconut tree and fruit is a part of the artist’s daily visual experience, and after spending a day sketching at the beach recently, the thought of using the coconut in his work emerged. From a distance, the mixed media works of oil paint and coconut husk on canvas, appear as richly toned brown skin. The intrinsic properties of the coconut husk’s multiple layers, long hairs, and varying shades of brown whimsically renders skin texture and bone structure, while emulating the way natural light surfaces on skin.
Dolly Kola-Balogun, the Abuja-based young Nigerian gallerist
A gallerist, hotelier and entrepreneur, she describes herself as always having been the youngest person in the room, but not in a negative way. Calling in from Abidjan, Ivory Coast, she tells The Sybarite all about her quest to scout the African continent for artistic talent, the importance position art has in social movements worldwide and the advice she has for young people trying to make it on their own. What brings you to Abidjan? I'm here for work. One of my gallery partners is a gallery based in Bamako and we are doing a lot of collaborations together. We've done previous ones, but now we are starting to do more to ensure that there's more artistic exchange between the Francophone and Anglophone world. So I came from an exploratory visit. I was in Bamako just a week ago and now I'm in Abidjan for a series of meetings. Abidjan reminds me of a smaller, Francophone Lagos.
Chopard’s Latest Unique Piece Perfect to Celebrate...
February 12th 2021 marks the beginning of the Year of the Ox. An Earth sign, emblem of the twelfth lunar month, the ox represents a period conducive to both nature and agriculture. This generous animal ensures prosperity and is a symbol of strength of the coming year. To honor the occasion, each year since 2013, Chopard has created exceptional L.U.C Haute Horlogerie timepieces, with an artistic interpretation of the Chinese Zodiac. Faithful to the tradition, Chopard has consistently worked with the best Japanese lacquer artisans who craft dials using the historic Urushi lacquer technique. The result is an exquisite edition of 88 dials produced by the workshops of the century-old Yamada Heiando company and made by master lacquer artist Minori Koizumi. The unique craftsmanship of Maki-e technique is used and captured between the layers of lacquer drawn from the sap of the Toxicodendron vernicifluum tree, gold flakes illuminate a background that features a golden ox with straight horns and an abundant coat, harnessed to a wagon.
Featuring Expert astrologer Susan Levitt on your fortune – metal...
2020 as we all know has been a rough ride and although 2021 seems like a continuation of all the chaos that's been going on, we're hopeful that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Different from Western astrology, Chinese astrology takes a look at the year in which you were born which is matched to a particular animal from the Chinese zodiac. It offers pieces of advice and sometimes words of caution or things to avoid and look out for in that given year. If you are new to this, we highly recommend having a read at your own Chinese zodiac and understanding your characteristics and qualities which can be very interesting. You might even be surprised at what you'll find out. Or better yet, have a more intuitive reading and forecast of your present and future through a private session with Susan who will also be able to answer your burning questions. For those interested in finding out what the Year of the Ox brings, have a look below and in case you're unsure of which animal you belong to simply scroll down below to see what year you were born in under that particular animal.
