“consistent sweatpants-and-crop-top aesthetic”
This week
💦 Ciao, Milano!
💦 “The proto-influencer role of the art critic”
💦 Halcyon days to Gallery raids
Events
Chilled week this week - very welcome after the follia of Milan. Catch us inn Margate for Marlie Mul opening on Saturday, soaking up some rays and seeking healing from the bracing sea air.
🧊 9 April | 7pm | Global Labour Screen Tracker, (screening as part of Louis Morlæ’s solo exhibition $ID3FA££ $YNDR0M3) Rose Easton [Bethnal Green]
🧊 11 April | 6-9pm | Theo Ellison and Theo Papandreopoulos: Step 1: Request Lambo, Plicnik Space Collective [Deptford]
🧊 12 April | 2-7pm | Marlie Mul: Opening Up, 243 Luz [Margate]
Milano, ti amo
Just as Harriet Lloyd Smith published an article dissecting the existence of a scene in London, it appeared that many of its key players were abandoning the city for Milan to take part in miart (Milan’s answer to Frieze lol), this year including a coterie of familiar, hip young spaces in it’s ‘Emergent’ sector, curated by Kunstverein Gartenhaus's Attilia Fattori Franchini - we counted Brunette Coleman, Ginny on Frederick, Ilenia, Rose Easton, Tina, Roland Ross, Nicoletti and Tina in the mix. Despite one gallerist’s observation that “Tariffs plus the stock market crashing on the first day were not quite the vibe we were hoping for” everyone seemed in good spirits, not least because of the 20+ degree sunshine, abundant availability of sub five euro Aperol Spritz, and a generally relaxed attitude towards smoking – or iqosing – indoors. Roaming around and speaking with those on the press junket, journos generally agreed highlights included zaza’s (fab gallery name) Gina Fischli solo presentation of a baby bathing on a tiled plinth sculpture; Ilenia’s Concorde-designed booth furniture and Nate Boyce abstractions; ZERO’s leather heel of a single Margiela tabi; Galleria Giampaolo Abbondio’s solo presentation of lesser-known Nan Goldin works; Corvi Mora’s solo booth of photographic works by the elusive collective Art Club2000; and Sadie Coles’ shared booth with Sprovieri, which chicly paired Alvaro Barrington and Sarah Lucas with artists like Lucio Fontana, who’s iconic slit paintings were seen all over the city. But what was everyone wearing we hear you ask? For the collecting class in Milan, it’s Hogan trainers, ideally brown suede, tailored wool trousers, ideally with a double cuff, and a gilet, ideally Colmar or Moncler… Practical and chic! We love to see it. In town, the most hyped shows were ‘Steadystate’ at ZERO…’s concrete post-industrial space, which included spittle-faves like Atiéna R. Kilfa and Nat Faulkner, and a work by Ghislaine Leung that was banned from being photographed; a survey on German photography at Fondazione Prada, which although someone proffered “everyone loves or hates” we thought was fairly inoffensive; and a solo presentation of elusive artist Hardy Hill’s lithograph and pencil works that stole our hearts at Fanta. Insta spot of the week was obviously Villa Necchi Campiglio, star set location in scenes of both Luca Guadagnino’s I Am Love with Tilda Swinton, and House of Gucci, with Gaga. At nighttime, everyone seemed to be bopping between PVs, palazzo parties, or bars Bene Bene and Bar Basso, the latter of which operated a ticketing system to order its idiosyncratic – and lethal – half-litre Negronis. In these crazy times, it has to be noted that it was an applaudably elegant week in Milan, with the art world focusing on making as good as possible from an unsavoury and turbulent economic and political situation. Plus, with Salone del Mobile – the most important design fair in the world – opening this week, with new products from the likes of Raf Simons, Hedi Slimane, and apartamento magazine set to make the interior design set gag, these two weeks really are an endurance test for the creative-adjacent Italian scene… Chin chin to that, and ciao!
Hot links
😴 Sweet Dreamz - Fresh off his opening at Cabinet last month, R.I.P. Germain appears on Francesca Gavin’s NTS show, Rough Version. Music features so heavily in his work, it’s great to hear him expand on these influences… enjoy!
😈 “influencer Creep” - for Real Magazine, Sophie Bishop documents the influencer creep phenomenon (and no, she’s not talking about Jeremy Fragrance!). In it, she describes how many professionals, not just influencers, have found themselves self-promoting, self-regulating and self-optimising in order to get ahead in their career.
Add-to-cart
Our favourite-haunt-when-in-New-York, Karma Bookstore, is having a moving sale!! 25-50% in store (and online for us on the other side of the pond). And yes, we know you can get most of the books in old blighty BUT the discount also applies to posters and the like. Naturally, we’ll be nabbing this very sexy Tom of Finland poster… get ‘em while they’re hot ;)
Tom of Finland poster $75, and may more steals, here.