"And just like that..."
And just like that… Spittle’s 21st birthday newsletter and festive edition 🎄
It has been a surreal and devastating year for all of us, but London’s art scene has bounced back from lockdown with an unprecedented level of commitment, creativity, courage and candour: new galleries and project spaces galore; subversive writing and incisive podcasts have gone viral; and frank introspective discussions about our unique role in society’s progress going forward (including on Clubhouse, #TBT). With this momentum in mind, 2022 looks to be an exciting year!
Thanks go to this week’s extra special contributors for doing all of the hard work for us: Vanessa Murrell (VM), curator, writer and co-founder of DATEAGLE ART, ACJOURNAL (AC), Finn Delaney (FD), Conrad Pack (CP), Krishan Desai (KD), Freeze Magazine (FM), Anna Eaves (AE), Ariel Finch (AF), and a few from your secret Spittlers…
We want to share a BIG spittle-laden air kiss with all of you for subscribing and supporting this project!
This Week:
💦 Poetic keyrings and trackies
💦 Lines of Flight
💦 Tomato leaf joy
Christmas crackers: exhibitions and events NOT to miss during the final days of advent:
🧊 14 December | Opening 5–9pm | End of the Year Showcase & Christmas Market, Koppel 540, 54-56 Oxford St, W1D 1BQ [Tottenham Court Road] | Exhibition runs until 18 December 2021| Free
🧊 14 December | Opening 6–9pm | Ghost Show: The Nightmare Before Christmas (one-night-only group show imagined by Rory Beard and Kavitha Balasingham), hARTslane, 17 Harts Lane, SE14 5UP [New Cross Gate] | Free
🧊 14 December | Opening 6–9pm | The Age of Sagittarius, Damon James Owen and Sam Creasy (two-person exhibition) curated by Brenna Horrox, FILET, 103 Murray Grove, N1 7QP [Old Street] | Exhibition runs until 9 January 2022 | Free
🧊 15 December–4 February | 11am–5pm (Open Wednesday–Friday or by appointment) | Kate Morrell:...Y el barro se hizo eterno (...And the Mud Became Eternal), Chelsea Space, Chelsea College of Arts, 16 John Islip Street London, SW1P 4JU [Westminster] | Exhibition runs until 4 February 2022 | Free
🧊 17 December | Opening 5–9pm | Lines of Flight (group show curated by Joe Bobowicz), Ridley Road Project Space, Studio 9, 51-63 Ridley Road, E8 2NP [Dalston Kingsland] | Exhibition runs until 20 December 2021 | Free
🧊 17 December | Opening 5–9pm | Farrah Riley Gray - Rockin’ Locs, Harlesden High Street, 57 High Street, NW10 4NJ [Harlesden] | Exhibition runs until 30 January 2022 | Free
🧊 17 December | 6.30 pm | Ear Worms (listening circle/write-in in collaboration with Worms Magazine), ICA Bookstore, The Mall, St. James’s, SW1Y 5AH [Charing Cross] | Free
🧊 17 December | 7–9pm | The Ball: (Not Your Usual Party) (immersive party with canapé buffet, wine and performance), Pushkin House, 5a Bloomsbury Square, WC1A 2TA [Holborn] | £50, pre-book here
🧊 17 December | 8pm–late | Dalston Superstore All Stars (Skate Lates with Uniqlo), an open-air skate night accompanied by a Dalston Superstore live DJ mix, Somerset House, Edmond J.Safra Fountain Court, Strand, WC23 1LA [Covent Garden] | Book here, £17.50
🧊 17 December | 8–11pm | Nine Nights:Channel B, (Christmas party), ICA, Upper & Lower Galleries, The Mall, St. James’s, SW1Y 5AH [Charing Cross] | Book here, £5
HOT LINKS: From Christmas crooners to box set binges and post-indulgence easy watching:
The album "Unspirited" by Feigome, which came out on self-released CD at the end of November. CP
If I could time travel anywhere, it would be London in 1969, an incredible time for music, fashion and people doing things that hadn't been done before… And in fashion that meant designers opening stores for women and men that were about style, fantasy and magic and less about business......people for the first time were free to dress however they liked... The Fashion and Textiles exhibition, Beautiful People: The Boutique in 1960's Counterculture is an expertly curated show, taking you straight to the best of what London dressing was back then. There are dedicated spaces to iconic labels such as Biba, Hung On You, Ossie Clark and the Apple boutique… .there was a strong 1930's and 1940's influence in seventies fashion and here it comes alive in bold colours and prints by Celia Birtwell, romantic hippies dressed in Bill Gibb and a wardrobe that could have only belonged to Patti Boyd. AC
From skate-brand to artist-passion-project, hyper-capitalist couture, The Curse of Von Dutch is a wild ride through the history of Y2K’s favourite brand. Available to watch on Hayu and Amazon Prime. SP
Paul Thomas Anderson's new coming of age film, Licorice Pizza set in the seventies, looks great and with a David Bowie soundtrack even better. AC
Podcast: ‘This broken piece of yard’, Episode 2 featuring Danielle Brathwaite-Shirley and June Givanni in conversation with Cairo Clarke. Listen to it here. VM
Video conversation: Andrea Luka Zimmerman and Morgan Quaintance discuss art and class in relation to Zimmerman’s most recent film Art Class (2020) and Quaintance’s Another Decade (2018). Watch here. VM
AQNB Video Premiere: ‘Memory Foam Material’ by Camille Soulat. Watch here. The Marseille-based artist’s latest work explores memory’s intangible print on the mind and how it becomes altered by substances and the environment giving a hyperreal interpretation of geek culture and its on and offline ephemera. VM
Video Walkthrough: Jeremy Deller’s walkthrough of ‘Warning Graphic Content’ exhibition at The Modern Institute, Glasgow and at Art: Concept, Paris which brings together all his print and poster works from 1993-2021. Watch it here, found through this link. VM
Fundraisers
Marni Market works in collaboration with many developing countries creating some amazing bags and furniture, I am obsessed with all of it...especially this wool bag… AC
San Mei, ‘The Dinner Table’, the second edition of their annual winter Fundraiser. It runs until 23 December. Explore and purchase the artworks here. VM
Quench 2, ‘Back In The Habit’, a fundraiser aiming to give artists and curators an opportunity to develop new work and put on exhibitions in Margate. It runs until 9 January 2022. Support here. VM
LGSMigrants Winter Fundraiser, raising money for Traveller Pride, Unity Centre Glasgow, and Bristol Refugee Rights - Pride Without Borders. Donate here. VM
Zadie Xa, Jade Montserrat and Keiken, exclusive poster prints as part of Block Universe Christmas sale. Available here, here and here for £60. Profits go towards supporting the artists and ensuring Block Universe remains a vital independent platform for ground-breaking works. VM
Add-to-cart:
BOOKS AND MAGS
My rec is I’m Very Into You, by Kathy Acker and McKenzie Wark, which is a book of the printed short email correspondence between Kathy and McKenzie following the passion of meeting, I love the mildly confessional format and the title makes it the perfect gift for someone you care about 🤍 AF
ART WORK Magazine, ‘Issue Two’ 40% Christmas sale. Available here for £9. Discounts are available until 31 December. VM
Charlie Godet Thomas, ‘In Writing’ book, TACO! Available here for £16. VM
There have been some amazing street photographers over the last 60 years....even earlier...Pierre Le Gall and Mary Russell captured inspiring people on the streets of Paris and in London, Tom Wood and Sunil Gupta offer an insight into a world long gone. I would love to buy this book on London in the eighties by Sunil Gupta. AC
Shannon Cartier Lucy, who came back to her art after not painting for 10 years. What she creates now is a world of tension of familiar everyday moments with a completely different narrative. I love getting lost in her artwork and finding meaning in the different paintings. In lieu of buying one, I would love a print or a set of cards. AC
Dolly Parton’s W Magazine cover featuring silver bling, a Chanel sparkly jumpsuit, and barbie dolls is a coffee table essential this xmas. “Butterflies don’t sting, they don’t bite, and they are so beautiful,” Parton says in the accompanying interview. “And I just kind of related to them with my own personality.” AMEN! SP
The Ignota Books Ignota Diary 2022. Providing full astrological navigation for 2022, this year’s edition includes contributions from Ursula K. Le Guin, Ithell Colquhoun, Zora Neale Hurston, Carl Jung, Simone Weil, Leonora Carrington, Maya Deren, Aleister Crowley, George Bataille, Timothy Leary, Hilma af Klint, Saint Hildegard of Bingen, William Blake, W.B. Yeats and Octavia Butler. £16.99. SP
APPAREL
Everythingisasignifyoucanreadit: Poetic keyrings and trackies, to see you through the colder months, designed by Ariel Finch. AF
Débora Silva, ‘Visage’ limited edition of 3 silver earrings, DATEAGLE ART. Available here for £100. Profits will be split equally between the artist, DATEAGLE ART and HERVISIONS, to fund future ‘Control the Virus’ exhibitions. VM
Gray Wielebinski, ‘Light Air’ and ‘Dark Air’ limited edition of 100 scarves, DATEAGLE ART. Available here and here for £30. VM
Not all heroes wear capes, but I will be this Christmas: this down-filled cape from Rick Owens will surely make an impact at the dining table: Rick Owens Puffer Cape £2,800. FD
One of Spittle’s contributors will be making sure to be sashaying to their auntie and uncle’s house adorned in Telfar’s reverse sheepskin-lined bag made in collaboration with Ugg. £240. SP
HOMEWARES/COLLECTABLES/ART
WESERHALLE Calendar 2022: Dogs of WESERHALLE: Never miss an appointment (or a run around the park) with this calendar from Berlin gallery WESERHALLE. FM
You have until 20th December to order these beautiful, ethereal candles, carved from clay before being cast and hand-poured with soy wax, from London-based artist Imogen van der Pols. AE
Yulia Losilzon, 'Fungi Folly' ceramic dinnerware as part of 'Roman Road Objects', Roman Road. Available here from £950–1800. VM
Michael Wall, ‘Gnome 2’ sculpture as part of the ‘High Stragness’ series, Conditions. Available here for £200. VM
The friendship and the fallout between Karl Lagerfeld and the incredible illustrator Antonio Lopez was well documented in Alice Drake's The Beautiful Fall, a must-read. So seeing this letter come up on the recent Sotheby's Karl Lagerfeld estate sale was touching. Antonio illustrated the letter and wrote of his and Juan Ramos work trip adventures in Tokyo. The idea that he kept this letter 45 years later is beautiful… AC
Ashish Gupta, ‘Gaze Calendar 2022’ limited edition of 150, House of Voltaire. Available here for £75. VM
When I think of John Booth's artwork, an immediate feeling of joyfulness comes over me. His world is one of colour and beauty. And what could be more beautiful than one of his ceramic heads in a cup? Made with Ian McIntyre as part of Supergroup for the House of Voltaire. AC
Everyone loves the festive period, except me. This is the gift guide for the individuals who want to waste money on themselves, because who else will appreciate your amazing taste? The number one waste of money, in my opinion, is candles. If you must buy one, make it Loewe’s wax moulded candlesticks. Loewe Tomato leaves Candlestick £78 for 3 hours of tomato leaf joy. Yes, you’re burning money. FD
Magda Archer’s paintings showing at Karsten Schubert would make an excellent gift. Their wry humour includes ‘random thoughts’ as well as more savage observations which, combined with her exuberant painting style, fluctuate between lighthearted kitsch and sharp satire. Price on enquiry. SP
CONSUMABLES
Treat yourself to these botanical-infused rums from one of Britain’s first rum distilleries, Scratch. Scratch have a process-focused approach, sourcing their own, homegrown ingredients, resulting in a delicious, sustainable spirit perfect for a post-roast tipple. KD
There is nothing more delicious than dark chocolate from Alain Ducasse and this Lion is delicious and adorable! AC
And to toast the new year! Head to Lant Street Wine for £9.50 bottles designed by Spittle’s interior designer of choice, Jermaine Gallacher! Chin chin, *hiccup*
EXPERIENCES
Look, we’re all gagging for a holiday and those days out to Margate just don’t cut it anymore. When I think holiday, I want gorgeous Men, food and Pinot Noir. Get yourself to Lisbon at once. Eat at Prado or Senhor Uva and stay just down the road at The Palacio Belmonte, beginning at £440 a night, it encompasses Lisbon’s love for art and history, with a sense of decay and Grandeurs past. FD
Love,
London’s beating ‘art <3 <3 <3 <3