Category: TV
Design Icon x
Have you seen Home on Apple TV? Property porn for the discerning palate, it’s a series that steps out of the shadow of commercial bling to present homes with heart, soul and integrity. I’m only on episode 2. But I think I’ll stay there a while, smelling the air and savouring the view, because I have a new design icon: Theaster Gates from Chicago. The man is an onion – multi layered, multi talented, he defies description in the best possible way.
He says, ‘I am interested in not only found objects but also in discarded knowledge.’ And I think it is this heart that pulls all his work together, whether it is sculpture, pots or interiors. He takes his subject and embraces it’s original essence, unleashing the spirit within.
But even rarer, he doesn’t hoard this spirit – most of his work is on behalf of the community making and re-making community centres, cafes, communal art studios – He touches these places with gold and passes them on. His joy is seeing the connections they make and watching the creative seeds he plants grow.
To see a building taken back to it’s bones and that skeleton, age becoming a work of art in it’s own right is a beautiful thing.
To be in a building with a printing press at one end, an library in another, a potters studio in between and a record collection nestled somewhere else is to be in heaven.
(All pics Pinterest)
This man is an inspiration in its purest form.
Laters, Kate x
Trends x
Has anyone else watched Good Trouble on BBC iplayer? Easy binge watching, like an ever replacing tube of paprika Pringles. One of the main stories is following the trial of a black man shot by police. Prophetic when you think it was made in 2018. But not so when you think how many times a shooting of a black man by police has happened. But it’s the interiors that have stolen my heart. Set in an old movie theatre in the City of Angels – both elements a pleasant spin on the habitual backdrops of New York – the vibe is high ceilings, large spaces, gorgeous flaking period features, with the implication that taste is always more important than high spend, except this would obviously cost for those not in the know, except of course these people know, except they don’t, because it’s all so artful and effortless for them. There’s one particular room – other than the library, the kitchen and the pool – to die for. And that’s Malika’s bedroom – on the wall by the bed is black and gold geometric retro wallpaper, inspired by Art Deco, mixed with the swinging sixties and oozing the era of Biba and Barbara Hulanicki – and it’s singing a sweet song of ‘my time is coming again…’
In fact, Barbara Hulanicki has been designing in her signature style for Graham and Brown wallpaper.
(All pics Pinterest)
Black and gold, geometric patterns circa Biba. It will be a thing.
Laters, Kate x
Just Pose x
Need some fashion inspired binge watching mashed with 80s vibes and pure soul?
Something full of escapism that’s not only big – hearted but revelatory?
(All pics Pinterest)
Watch Pose on BBC2/BBC iplayer. Not only fabulous but utterly fabulous.
Laters, Kate x
Fast and Fearless x
I have a new hero: Doctor Clare Miller, haematologist. A gloriously gutsy wonder woman who’s size belies her inner and outer strength. Let me explain why…
For the last 6 weeks, there’s been a reality tv programme on BBC 2 called Special Forces – Ultimate Hell Week, it’s been following 29 civilian but extreme adventure sports people being put through a facsimile of Special Forces selection tasks. Over a continual 10 days, the ever dwindling group faced two days with five elite fighting units from around the world: The US Navy Seals, Yamam (Israel’s elite counter terror unit), Navsog (the Philippine’s Special Forces), the exquisitely menacing Spetnaz of Russia and the British SAS, all with the aim of extracting a final winner.
It was a trip to the dark side. Each unit had their own unique way of forensically inflicting gruelling, soul-sapping situations to expose vast wells of pain and expose any mental weakness.
The final was on Sunday..and just 6 people remained, including 2 women. Not that this was set up as men v women, despite none of the elite forces allowing women in their ranks. Instead it was about opportunity and equality – the women doing exactly the same as the men. After 9 days, another night of no sleep and intensive interrogation by the British SAS, 3 remained – one woman, two men:
Miller: High energy, high pressure, fearless, pragmatic, brainy and only 5 ft 4 and weighing 8 stone 7lbs (55 kg).
Bent: The giner ninja complete with deadpan coolness and a wink.
Brassington: A carbon copy action man made real.
Immediately they had to run their final race – 15 km over Welsh mountains, carrying 20kg packs, navigating themselves and answering questions enroute with wrong answers encurring time penalties. The SAS guy was looking forward to this one as he didn’t believe a woman had the strength to finish.
Miller came in first.
Bent second.
Brassington third.
They were congratulated and then told SAS guy would need to talk to the colleagues who’d seen them through the full 10 days before making a decision. It felt like the perfect opportunity to opt out of a potentially difficult political decision.
They said of Miller: It’s changed our view on women.
They said of Bent:
Who turned up on the first day in a pair of flowery shoes, never judge a book by it’s cover.
They said of Brassington: He’s perfect SAS material.
So who did they want to win? They said, no question, it had to be ‘The Machine’. Day in, day out, The Machine would get the job done, no matter what. Except we didn’t know who The Machine was.
Until they announced the winner……..
The deserving, the mindblowing, the one and only Dr. Clare Miller!
Go that woman! I bow down to your utter brilliance and determination – There’s not many people in this world who can make the army eats it’s words. You didn’t just have to be good..you had to be made of titanium.
Laters, Kate x
Maison Bentley Style 