Fabergé: the Figurine

Fabergé (by Henrik Wigström)

a Gnome-shaped Lidded Scent Flask

circa 1912

     Stout and bearing a cheeky pout, this pointy-capped creature stands with a glowing confidence. Hands snuggled within either pocket, his pose assures one of his ability to guard and protect his perfumed charge, precious as it is. His eyes, emblazoned with two cabochon gems, burn with a will that is constant and ever-alight; with a gaze that is steady and direct. This gnome knows the importance of his role as well as the dedication with which he wishes to oversee it. He remains resolutely picturesque in stature; he is cheerfully eager to fill the shoes of one who is reliable and credible. He is, all in all, as dependable a caretaker as are the materials which define him - true and trustworthy, his Carnelian heart is as strong as diamond, sapphire and gold combined.

Keen Krampus

by [unknown]

Confectionary Box (with Krampus)

circa 1919 (?)

     A sweetly disconcerting twist slithers its way beneath the leather skin of this boxed bonbonnière. Whether it be a savoury selection of dark chocolates or candied fruits, pairing an irresistible delicacy with the image of a monocled, observant Krampus draws out a cautionary sense of doubt from those whose fingers may have lingered too near its red lid. Devilishly devious, Krampus’ entire being is meant to thrill and terrify naughty mischief-makers and wrong-doers; each December he preys on them, taking the place of Saint Nicholas and ‘gifting’ each and every one with a set of sneaky, character-forming lessons. It is therefore a wise and wonderful measure of design to combine the paradoxical elements of ‘nice’ and ‘naughty’ into one, creating for this object d’art an alluring candour of mischievousness that has the ability to attract even the most obedient of sweet-tooths.

Dior

Victoire de Castellane for Dior

‘La D de Dior’ Granville watch(es)

2016

     Beyond superb! A piquant pastiche of succulent colours, de Castellane’s recent œuvre of timepieces demonstrates a fearless experimentation with the colour wheel. For this particular watch, fifty tangerine-orange garnets (‘spessartites’) bezel a deep bay of diamond-specked lapis lazuli, creating an eye-watering pairing of perfect complementation (emulating something of Autumn’s setting African sun). The golden hands within the bay glide with each second as do water nymphs with currents - supple, slender and silent, though ever-present. Equally bezelled with gems, the crown is encircled by a halo of nearly ten diamond drops. It, too, complements the lapis face with its delicious smattering of winking whites, candidly drawing together the quarterly points with the singular manual point. And possibly the most dashing of details, the watch’s patented pistachio-glossed strap demands its own pride of praise. It lolls out from either end of the face like an enamelled tongue, keen to set its tastes on the wrist of one who embodies all that Dior requires of the contemporary lady.

El Anatsui

El Anatsui

Stressed World

2011

     Sewn together with copper wire, more than 2’000 bits of discarded aluminium tinker and breathe in unison, forming Anatsui’s curious perception of what the married words ‘stressed’ and ‘world’ mean to him. Bent, scarred and coloured differently, each aluminium scale (once a bottle cap or component of a food tin) embeds into Anatsui’s work an idiosyncratic history of its past use, however long a time this may have lasted. It creates for itself a tiny but significant niche from which it may comfortably expose its story with humility, forming a link that is both invaluable and inseparable to those surrounding it. As one, the scales crystallise into a single breadth of hide, barked and wrinkly, but entirely intact. Their collective imperfections strive to illustrate the strength in their continued existence; the fight against deterioration and their disposal as things supposedly no longer needed and wanted. They emulate the drive behind evolution, or at least that which defines the constant regeneration of something’s purpose and function, as well as the unlikely place from which a new face of beauty may surface. Anatsui’s metal weave expresses the power of self-healing; the ability to grow from pain and use one’s wounds beneficially; the test of tolerance and sustainability, and the resulting reaction and recognition of one’s new skin.

Hidden, Never Lost

by (signed) ‘Reg/yo’ (?)

Untitled

circa 1930s (?)

     A picture whose rustic strokes define an anonymous pledge of passion, here is a scene beautified by the timeless undertone of simplicity. The hands that once flitted across the board of paper, surely as coarse and thick then as it remains today, channelled an impression that was immediate and profound to the observer’s eye. Something characterised this moment in time as purposeful; as meant to be translated by and through the keen fingers of one who recognised the specific beat of its short-lived heart. Maybe this something lay in the way the patches of snow scaled the tree’s bark; in the scattered scintillation of gritty ground beneath the cart’s wheels and the horse’s hooves, encircling the onion-domed church; or possibly in the steely skies themselves, blanketing the square in a peculiar warmth not commonly exuded by grey tones. Unassuming and humble, this vignetted village centre slumbers with an ease that is oblivious to the passing of time. Its painted ambiance emulates a calm, sluggish way of life, one that is both paced and unchanging, regardless of what might live beyond its protective mountains or, indeed, its carton surface.

Norman Bluhm

Norman Bluhm

Crustadele

circa 1976

     A film of feelings finely lining the face of a star. Grazing the depths of Outer Space, she exhales a light both brilliant and blinding, as fierce as a lemon’s spray. Each drop boosts her imploding life, shedding a fan-like trail out from her tail, so tart and darkly turbulent. From this to that and from here to there, her moods determine her destinations. She sways angrily from right to left, shooting through time without fearing its loss; without sensing its weight; without knowing its name.

Circled Chocolate

Chocolats Fins de Villars (Fribourg, Suisse)

Circular [printed] Paper ‘bonbons’ Box

circa 1950s

     Intimate, picturesque and, in some sense, consoling. Pairing the aspect of water with that of a round shape may elude to the way in which ripples affect perception. Soothing in their fluidity, they can redefine and animate the features of an object; they designate themselves as ever-changing windows into a reality within a reality, making the observer see a three-dimensional space ‘through’ an ephemeral, two-dimensional plane. The vignette crowning this boîte illustrates a sage clay-roofed home partially sheltered by a thick clove of trees, which in turn look out upon a lake whose peaceable waters are lazily grazed by no more than an oar, a sluggish boat and perhaps the lurkings of a few sly fish and drafts. But equally blanketing this ambiance is a hint of nostalgia, nameless and unseen. Like the force of that which causes the birth of a ripple (something which, after making contact with the water’s surface, nearly always disappears from view), this unnamed nostalgia may also have served as the force from which this watercolour was born. What we, the audience, may perceive as familiar and comforting, let alone idyllic, varies among us slightly, like the way a disturbance in clear water may distill a handful of distortions reflecting one thing. Unlike the chocolats fins (which likely vanished instantly), it is no wonder that this nostalgic force chooses to remain, over sixty years since its printing, happily forlorn within its circular confines, never to set off beyond its gilt rim.

Ulyana Sergeenko

(by?) Ulyana Sergeenko 

Brocaded Coat

2010 (?)

     A masterwork of embroidered finery, this floor-length robe resembles the fiery hide of a predatory beast, beautifully formidable and dangerous. Every one of its threads undulates and slithers in unison with the steady prowling of its mistress, as does each hair lining the fur of a calculating lynx or leopardess. As a work of art, its energy lies in its bold proclamation of presence rather than in a sly, survivalist mimicry of its surroundings, an ability which this robe proudly lacks. Its will to live (or indeed, its method of hunt) uses this energy of personal aesthetics to pacify any reservations or doubts felt by its audience (its prey). It draws in its victims under the false pretences of innocent charm; it toys with their weakness to want a little bit more, to see what lays beneath the décor. This coat trickily plays a game tailored to its own advantage, engrossing all who pause in its shadow - savagely slaying all who melt in its wake.

Paul Poiret

Paul Poiret

Carte Postale for la Poudre de Rosine (published by Robaudy)

circa 1920

     Crouched like flamboyant birds of prey, these exquisite fabric-covered creatures exist to elegantly cup trays of blush power. Their thick-stringed, tasselled headpieces permit one’s fingers to slide off the domed (and ‘pillbox’) hats with smooth sophistication, allowing minimal contact with the headpieces themselves. Snuggled within, the lidded trays, cylindrical and cool-coloured, face upwards - rather as a nesting chick greeting its parents, eager for attention. Raised on a slight pedestal, each is appropriated an importance like an artefact within a museum. Its focus is emphasised through the relationship of its placement, the aesthetics of its display case and the strength of its visual vernacular. The latter point is likely this trio’s strongest aspect: each in its own way lures in the lingering eye with its high-strung mesh of popping, tightly-spun colour. A kind of kaleidoscopic effect tunes in one’s vision, delicately reeling the observer nearer and nearer with its swirling, hypnotising pattern. Camouflaged to entice, Poiret’s creatures are both crafty and cunning, set on using their instinctual call to harness as many powder-hungry joues as possible to their will.

Through the Eye of Time

Egypt’s Middle Kingdom (i.e. 11th - 14th Dynasties)

a Talismanic, Flat-Openwork Bangle [British Museum no. EA24787]

circa 2055 - 1650 B.C.

     Cradled within a one-registered weave of soldered silver and gold, an orderly procession of ‘amuletic' animals and symbols fixedly parade within their ancient pride of place. From dashing hares and all-seeing wedjats to watchful, ever-alert hawks, each icon stoically tunnels within its allotted slot among its dignified comrades, securely encased by two mirrored eaves of hammered gold. Their unified purpose is one of protection and power, an energy with which they positively imbue their wearer. On his or her behalf, they fight off the dual-faced cunningness of evil; they guard one’s unassuming wariness with the fidelity equal to that of [wo]man’s best friend; and in rotational turn, each banishes the unrelenting daemons borne from within the human soul itself, again and again, like warriors within a dimensionless battle. Additionally, in terms of aesthetics, it is said (by an anonymous member of the British Museum (London)) that both the bangle’s tapering tails are rather ‘clumsily’ hewn, especially in light of the comparative details set inside the band margins. However, is it not a matter of perspective which acts to define the truth behind an individual's impression - an idea which, in fact, may make a bangle such as this nothing less than a pool of collected, many-faceted opinions regarding the certainty of beauty, despite its imperfections? Perhaps the answer lies in the folds of history, waiting to be rediscovered by those imprisoned in a cycle of life that it, and only it, chose to enforce from the start.

Tim Burton

Tim Burton Publishing, Inc. (Dark Horse Deluxe)

Playing Cards

2009

     Fifty-two paper scales of pure quirkiness. From a pin-haired, bad-postured bobble head creature to one whose bulbous green balding scalp boasts of no more than three strands of poorly-coiffed fluff, each illustration offers its card a unique insight into the many-wheeled, illustrious mind of Tim Burton. His drawings are simple; they refrain from overwhelming the otherwise blank space with too much contemporary pretension. Rather like singular leaves floating aim-fully (contrary to what many may assume) on the face of a wide, still lake, the illustrations seemingly bask in bays of calm silence inherent in their cards’ flat shape. They swirl gently within their four-sided realms, lost in thought as they possibly ponder the strange weirdness they see in our, the audience’s, own world. They have purpose; they remain fixedly separate from the over-faceted woes and ways borne from our world. They are modestly confident. They are happy and free, senselessly so, and always willing to play (and win) at their own game.

An Ever-Budding Culture

Leningrad State Hermitage (main collection)

Enamelled Silver Jewellery Box with Lid

circa 1679

     Vibrant, dainty and immaculate. Rather like musical notes eloquently drawn along their registered sheets, each flower head garnishing this box stretches and un-furls in a similar, albeit mirrored, fashion. They sing of a time that is now past; of a lady (or man) whose wearable treasures once happily nestled within the safety of their miniature confines. They silently relate to us their unified story of all that they have yet seen, even though we may only ‘hear’ it through studying and questioning their aged, weathered faces. Sinuous and sweet, the flowers’ enamelled complexions grace the box like twelve separate caryatids, each in its own niche of individual prominence and each, undoubtedly, an invaluable chapter fortifying the memory of s/he whose hands lovingly created the box from the very beginning.

21st Century Short Film

Friend Request Pending (directed by Chris Foggin)

starring Tom Hiddleston, Philip Jackson and Judi Dench (etc.)

2012

     In no more than twelve minutes’ screen time, Judi Dench brilliantly enacts the trivial woes and fever-some turmoils classically evoked by social networking. Through her aged 60-something character, Mary, she illustrates the unyielding ups and downs of mood inflicted by the ways of Facebook, as merciless and tiresome as they can sometimes be. In the hopes of securing a date with a gentleman whom she terms ‘a real fox’, Mary ‘Friend Requests’ him and, within a matter of moments, finds herself attempting to assume a role far unlike her own - that of an online coquette. Almost predictably, an all-too familiar sense of near-sightedness sets in on the scene. Robert, the man in question, seemingly fills the shoes of one who takes a few precious millennia to respond to a message, thus initiating a debilitating frustration in Mary. As the viewers, we witness an almost comical deterioration of her common judgement; she loses her dignified sense of self while pondering aloud illogical worries of what might lay behind Robert’s elusive actions. For a brief pause in time, Mary falls prey to the virtual deceit of the internet, translating the ambiance of the peaceful, light-coloured dining area in which she sits into an extension of endless muddle and mild, un-anchored chaos. The climax of the film’s story nearly pinnacles with the viewers’ collective pity for Mary (what with the consideration of her age and the wisdom expected to accompany it) when it is she, however, who reigns tall in the end. Reason regains prominence in her perspective, enabling her to recall that true communication lies in motive and effort, and not simply on a freely accessible digital platform. Foggin’s film is a work of art in that it encompasses a great lesson in so little a frame and, most importantly, that it serves as its own clever ‘Poke’.

Ways of India

by a Rajasthani jeweller

Wedding bracelet

circa 1990s

     Meant to colourfully enhance the countenance of one who is about to step beyond a certain youth into the realms of married life, this bracelet traditionally rests along a woman’s (or, in many unfortunate cases, a child’s) bare upper forearm. Its red-flamed tassel, chorded to finely-strung cotton and gilt threads, hangs at a length from which one’s fingers may easily tug and tighten the bracelet at will. Entirely hand-sewn and pieced together, its face of beads may either be gilt silver or (for those who may afford more) entirely gold, with this particular bracelet being that of the former style. The beads’ supportive orange-and-green weave connects to two thread-wrapped stems, ending by one end forming a thick loop through which the other end, headed with a ridged gilt bead, may be slipped and securely tussled. Still a contemporary design favoured among Indian women of nearly all castes, a wedding bracelet such as this is nonetheless worn by those with privilege and fortune. It is a piece whose vibrant heritage reverberates with all that was and is Mother India, though whose beauty cannot always be held or beheld by all of her children.

21st Century Film

The Revenant (directed by A.G. Iñárritu)

starring Domnhall Gleeson, Tom Hardy and Leonardo DiCaprio (etc.)

2015

     This film contains a rich trove of contemporary talent. Of its many scenes, each as diverse and poignant a vignette as those which precede or follow, not one lacks character. They saunter and stretch among one another with supple ease, like the bellows of an accordion, each accorded a role to specially galvanise the audience with its invaluable visuals and each fixedly and faithfully remaining in its allotted space, therefore forming a series of shots which could not be appreciated in any other order. From scenes in which there are but moments of silent, skyward-bound views of forest canopies and brittle, frost-cloaked fields to those which teem with primitive tensions and the raw, beautiful dramatics of nature, there brews a singular, unified voice of a man who is just as much fighting to survive as he is surviving to fight. Played by the wonderful DiCaprio, Hugh Glass is forced to not only trudge through harsh seasonal conditions and unimaginable, unfortunate events, but equally through the torturous and often unseen turmoils of human nature. The film illustrates his journey in various shades dependant upon Glass’ state of mind, something which is nearly always fringed with a shadow of hopelessness, however slimly. The shades are brilliantly translated through subtle cinematic effects such as focused lighting or detail, snippets of muffled, distant dialogue and even stills of complete stillness. The Revenant is a work of art in that it behaves as an open threshold to pure, un-trimmed emotion. Its creation is composed of a pool of efforts which pay homage to one whose personal conviction to avenge the loss of his wife and son deserves nothing less. As the last scene suggests, Hugh Glass chooses to live beyond death so long as he faces it directly and fearlessly, and so long as he strives to breathe.