**XMAS ADD-TO-CART SPECIAL**
If you’ve left xmas shopping as late as we have, fear not: we present a bumper (!!) festive gift guide just for you, including selections from some of the hottest gallerinas and/or writers around (Kaitlin Phillips eat your heart out… jk, we’re obsessed with you). We know times are hard and purse strings are tight this year, so we’ve offered this bunch the chance to flog whatever they want – from fundraising campaigns, works by their own artists, newsletters and even an Ugly Medieval Owl calendar (a steal at £13.99).
a big spittle thank you to London’s cremedelacreme purveyors of taste for their exclusive recs…
happy shopping kiddos, & happy holidays !!!!
Archie Squire
Founder, a. SQUIRE
The ultimate gift after one of Robert Sandler’s kinetic paintings is obviously Entertaining with the Sorpranos—you can thank me 5 portions of baked ziti ‘in bianco’ later 🍝
Stocking fillers: pretty much anything from Maximilian Davis’ Ferragamo, the English translation of Towards a Gay Communism, Matthias Groebel’s Kunstverein Düsseldorf editions, and TREES.
Marina Moro
Co-director, Final Hot Desert
We recommend everyone buys Snowman by Fischli and Weiss
And that everyone listens to Chuquimamani-Condori’s Christmas mix, Bethlehem
And enjoys Graham Wiebe’s burnt wellness snowflakes :)
Leopold Thun
Co-founder, Emalin
Nikita’s vinyl. A distorted ASMR YouTube video turned into an orchestral sound and light installation. Nikita Gale recorded the sounds of a routine optician’s visit and composed music on top of it with synthesisers. Released as a vinyl, side A is the right eye, side B is the left eye – for the conceptual sensorialist.
Hackney Community Food Hub. The incredible grassroots local charity in East London that we have supported with fundraising projects since the pandemic. Super impactful and compassionate work, ultimately – let’s say it – more important than most gifts.
Donald Judd Review Insults. A collection of Judd’s harshest, snarkiest, bluntest and meanest reviews. Self-explanatory.
Felix Choong
Founder & Publisher, Nice Outfit
Nice Outfit is an exhibition catalogue and theoretical journal - each issue is a companion to an IRL exhibit that contextualises the show’s themes with essays, experimental fiction, and artwork. The second issue is attached to the show ‘Knock Knock’ that took place at Season Gallery in 2022. Interested in the exchange between art practice and contemporary fashion, the show and companion magazine explore themes of comfort and discomfort within the domestic.
Find inside diary excerpts from Tokyo drag queen Zach Langley Chi Chi, a short story by Charlie Fox from the perspective of a girl’s dress, artworks by Julien Ceccaldi and Sin Wai Kin and more contributions from Elise By Olsen, Asa Seresin, Ethan Price, Rory Mullen, Liara Roux, Kerry Taylor and Philippa Snow…
Ed Leeson
Founder, 243 Luz
There is still some great stuff available at If The Olive Trees Knew, the Palestinian Solidarity event that Maria Gorodeckaya, Susu Laroche and others organised a couple of weeks ago. There’s a beautiful small Aidan Duffy available and a Ben Gomes drawing that I recommend you buy. All proceeds go to PSC and Medical Aid for Palestinians.
Lote by Shola Von Reinhold. Gift the most inventive novel of the last decade to your friends and family. This was a big lockdown hit but if you haven’t got around to reading it now is the time. It is witty, decadent, baroque and ruptures the history of white modernism. Shola has an exhibition at the gallery next autumn.
Holiday tip/solitary event: frozen grapes when stoned with the final minute of Bluebeard by Cocteau Twins playing induces a nirvana state.
Solomon Garçon’s solo exhibition ARMS at Studio Voltaire - a challenging, frustrating, nuanced show. Still thinking about it. On til Jan.
Dreamland parfum by Haeckels. What I be smelling of this fall.
Christabel Stewart
Arts Editor, TANK
As far as Christmas gifts go, I’m all about the year ahead. There are many bougie choices, but for the discerning art appreciative audience, you can’t go wrong with the Weird Medieval Owl calendar 2024… A steal at £13.99.
At Tank we’re supporting the Artists Self Publishing Fair (ASP @aspfair), at Conway Hall this Saturday 16th December. If you like leftfield artists and their wares, it’s a classic of its genre (as belied by support from Camden Arts Centre and Picpus to boot).
Ilenia Rossi
Founder, ILENIA
My ultimate Christmas gift go-to is Troy Town, a pottery studio in Hoxton run by artist Aaron Angell - they have anything from cups, teapots and vases. Don't miss their late night drinks and shopping this Thursday, 6-9 pm!
I also love gifting books and I always go to Donlon Books in Broadway market to find a great selection of artist books, rare magazines and coffee table books. Recently I’ve been eyeing Sofia Coppola's Archive!
No Christmas gift guide would be complete without a mention to my favourite Milanese Christmas tradition, the panettone! You can get these at Lina Stores and Marchesi in London.
Eddy Frankel
[iconic] Arts Editor, TimeOut / Founder, OOF
Michelangelo's David (Ginola) Tee. Niche to meet you, this is a shirt of Michelangelo’s ‘David’ but his head is that of French footballing heartthrob David Ginola what played for Spurs and Newcastle. OOF la la, etc…
Art History for Dummies. No offence, but pretty sure you lot could use this.
Dark Arts Name your own coffee. Dark Arts coffee is very good, and they’ll print whatever you want on the box. Find an artist in your life, give them a coffee called ‘your art sucks’. It’s what they deserve.
Isaac Simon
Founder, South Parade
Anya Gorkova's small sugar coated (not quite!) tablets entitled Everyday theyfriend / boyfriend / girlfriend, 2023 ! The show looks towards dating as a departure point and much like swiping left or right, there are over 90 to choose from (here) and affordable at £250 each…
A wonderful book exploring the curatorial methodology of Harold Szeemann ('The Father of Modern Curating') and his extensive, sprawling archive he kept whilst alive! A book one can dip into at any time…
Helen Neven
Founder, Neven
Young Copenhagen-based brand Puer Parasitus provided costumes for a performance I co-organised with art collective PentHouss at inter.pblc gallery last summer, and I’ve been coveting their swishy, delicious, decrepit upcycled puffer and faux fur trimmed ‘Loop’ bags ever since. Upon close inspection at Puer’s studio, I can safely vouch that they could fit a phone, tape measure, battery pack, press release, gum and a very small consigned artwork (uncrated) - what a gallery girl wants, what a gallery girl needs!
Commitment to artists is sacrosanct and what says commitment more than getting ink by one? Current gallery artist Jen O’Farrell designs swirling topographic formations as Pam Andersen-style armbands for hot girls in the wild, while Dominic Myatt serves sketchy sexy with occasional hints at the scatological guaranteed to break any ice this festive season.
Ema O’Donovan
Founder, Xxijra Hii
We have 2 gorgeous limited ed. Laila Majid & Louis Blue Newby risograph prints on our shop for £75 and some small Glen Pudvine tortellinis for £575 (here) both make excellent gifts or you know, just gift thineself ✨
Snap up incredible pieces from Rose Easton’s new store following an excellent exhibition with Arlette! Art and fashion at its absolute best, these won’t be available for long.
A very cool fundraiser to support is Piccalilli’s, with prices from £20 to £500 for booklets, prints, sculptures and small works from some awesome emerging and established artists. My personal faves include Steph Huang, Leo Fitzmaurice, Zac Riley, Lucas Dupuy, Teal Griffin and forever babe Rafal Zajko 💕
I have to shout out my lovely neighbour Studio/Chapple who have excellent works on their shop - my go to here would be works by Solanne Bernard, Athen Kardashian & Nina Mhach Durban.
Finally check out Sundy’s site for some gorgeous pieces from Liam Tickner and Rokas Dovydénas (in collaboration with the wonderful Milda Batakyte) among other things…
Camille Houzé
Co-founder, Nicoletti
My first Christmas gift is a limited edition of T-shirts featuring quotes by Kim Kardashian that London-based artist Ruby Dickson has designed. Ruby is the next artist we are exhibiting at Nicoletti, and we are pre-releasing a series of 10 T-shirts for Christmas as a teaser of what’s to come at the gallery (£35, email to order).
If you are in a funny not funny mood and have friends and family abroad, you can mail them Nana Wolke’s Wanda’s Penalty Charge Notice (2022), an edition comprising a sealed envelope containing a penalty charge stamped with Wanda’s logo and the artist’s signature (£75, Edition of 35 + 3 AP, email to order)
If you want to let your Scorpio friend know what’s going to happen to them in 2024, you can send them a postcard that artist Tyler Eash designed for the 3rd edition of Correspondance Astrale, a horoscope made by contemporary artists. Here is the link to order the postcard for £6 and receive it in your letterbox.
Finally, you could tuck your Kim K tee in leather trousers and take – or find ;) – your lover to Unfold, the best queer-techno party in London, doing a 24h event for NYE, info here.
Niru Ratnam
Founder, Niru Ratnam
I bought Georgia this Sutapa Biswas apron last year and it’s great, particularly when you keep it on at dinner parties at your house for collectors…
Rashi Rajguru & Cameron Scott
Co-founders, Spryte
Firstly, an artist book by the brilliant Lydia Davies, who we streamed earlier this year. These are incredibly well-made and so interesting and are written in a way that will glue to your brain… Through a neighbour’s window, an oscillating door, a discarded souvenir, and an escapist’s hunch, Portals is a selection of unbound short stories that explore the irreversibility of revelation, and a parting with the past at a threshold. Lydia's book can be bought here for £8 + £2 UK P&P.
Secondly, is a cheeky one: we'd be super appreciative if people were to sign up to our free newsletter! We only send key info to announce upcoming streams - no spam. To sign up, people can just go directly to https://spryte.substack.com. Or, you can visit our website here to sign up instead x
Lastly, check out this Sunday's stream, Infinite Tony!
And finally…
we can’t resist a hardbound manuscript ;) and recently came across this gorgeous assemblage of Truman Capote’s actual longhand planning for his chilling non fiction true crime novel In Cold Blood. Want!! nothing could be more perfect for cosying up to the fire with, home alone in the house one cold winter’s evening. This & more (Hugo, Milton, Gauguin, Steinbeck etc) available here 💋
shopping! our little! hearts out
mwah xoxo