Art World News

Winter Art Market

Winter Art Market

TUSCUMBIA – The Tennessee Valley Art Association is hosting its 4th Annual Winter Art Market November 28–December 23 at the Tennessee Valley Museum of Art.  

The TVAA member opening is on Saturday, November 25 as art association members get an early preview and first-chance shopping.

Dozens of artists and artisans create a unique holiday shopping experience, with hundreds of one-of-a-kind pieces of art to choose from.

Three-quarters of the Winter Art Market proceeds go directly to the individual artists and small businesses creating the artwork, while one quarter supports the Tennessee Valley Art Association, a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit.

“Artists really love this event because it brings them sales and exposure, without as much work and stress as a traditional art festival. As an art association, we’re glad to be able to support artists in this way.” said Christi Britten, the Tennessee Valley Art Association’s executive director.

“When you shop at the market, you also support the TVAA.” Britten added. “Your purchases help us build our community and children’s theatre programs at The Ritz, bring more exciting art exhibitions to the museum, and offer more arts education through our new Tennessee Valley School of Arts.”

Museum hours are Tuesday-Friday 9am-5pm and Saturday 10am-5pm

Museum admission is $5 for adults, $3 for students, and free for TVAA members.

Declining Stock and Decent Financials: Is The Market Wrong About Weng Fine Art AG (FRA:WFA)?

Declining Stock and Decent Financials: Is The Market Wrong About Weng Fine Art AG (FRA:WFA)?

It is hard to get excited after looking at Weng Fine Art’s (FRA:WFA) recent performance, when its stock has declined 24% over the past three months. However, the company’s fundamentals look pretty decent, and long-term financials are usually aligned with future market price movements. Specifically, we decided to study Weng Fine Art’s ROE in this article.

Return on equity or ROE is a key measure used to assess how efficiently a company’s management is utilizing the company’s capital. In simpler terms, it measures the profitability of a company in relation to shareholder’s equity.

See our latest analysis for Weng Fine Art

How Do You Calculate Return On Equity?

Return on equity can be calculated by using the formula:

Return on Equity = Net Profit (from continuing operations) ÷ Shareholders’ Equity

So, based on the above formula, the ROE for Weng Fine Art is:

2.9% = €604k ÷ €21m (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2022).

The ‘return’ is the income the business earned over the last year. That means that for every €1 worth of shareholders’ equity, the company generated €0.03 in profit.

Why Is ROE Important For Earnings Growth?

We have already established that ROE serves as an efficient profit-generating gauge for a company’s future earnings. We now need to evaluate how much profit the company reinvests or “retains” for future growth which then gives us an idea about the growth potential of the company. Assuming everything else remains unchanged, the higher the ROE and profit retention, the higher the growth rate of a company compared to companies that don’t necessarily bear these characteristics.

Weng Fine Art’s Earnings Growth And 2.9% ROE

On the face of it, Weng Fine Art’s ROE is not much to talk about. Next, when compared to the average industry ROE of 4.1%, the company’s ROE leaves us feeling even less enthusiastic. Weng Fine Art was still able to see a decent net income growth of 18% over the past five years. So, there might be other aspects that are positively influencing the company’s earnings growth. Such as – high earnings retention or an efficient management in place.

Next, on comparing with the industry net income growth, we found that Weng Fine Art’s growth is quite high when compared to the industry average growth of 13% in the same period, which is great to see.

past-earnings-growth
DB:WFA Past Earnings Growth November 21st 2023

The basis for attaching value to a company is, to a great extent, tied to its earnings growth. What investors need to determine next is if the expected earnings growth, or the lack of it, is already built into the share price. By doing so, they will have an idea if the stock is headed into clear blue waters or if swampy waters await. If you’re wondering about Weng Fine Art’s’s valuation, check out this gauge of its price-to-earnings ratio, as compared to its industry.

Is Weng Fine Art Making Efficient Use Of Its Profits?

Weng Fine Art has a low three-year median payout ratio of 16%, meaning that the company retains the remaining 84% of its profits. This suggests that the management is reinvesting most of the profits to grow the business.

Moreover, Weng Fine Art is determined to keep sharing its profits with shareholders which we infer from its long history of paying a dividend for at least ten years.

Summary

Overall, we feel that Weng Fine Art certainly does have some positive factors to consider. With a high rate of reinvestment, albeit at a low ROE, the company has managed to see a considerable growth in its earnings. While we won’t completely dismiss the company, what we would do, is try to ascertain how risky the business is to make a more informed decision around the company. Our risks dashboard would have the 4 risks we have identified for Weng Fine Art.

Valuation is complex, but we’re helping make it simple.

Find out whether Weng Fine Art is potentially over or undervalued by checking out our comprehensive analysis, which includes fair value estimates, risks and warnings, dividends, insider transactions and financial health.

View the Free Analysis

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

HSBC HK unveils art exhibition on fraud prevention

HSBC HK unveils art exhibition on fraud prevention

HSBC is launching a bank-led fraud () fair, an art exhibition aimed at promoting public awareness of fraud prevention. Taking place at Airside, Kai Tak from 22 November until 11 December 2023, the fraud fair plays on the Chinese word “呃” (fraud), which sounds like the English word “art”. 

The fraud fair comes as Hong Kong sees a significant rise in fraud incidents. HSBC cited the government’s official figures that, the number of deception cases in the first half of 2023 increased more than 50% year-on-year. Online deception accounted for over 75% of the reported cases. The total pecuniary loss amounted to HK$2.69 billion. 

In partnership with creative agency Hungry Digital and PR agency Hill & Knowlton, the fraud fair will showcase over 20 physical and interactive artworks that highlight common fraud tactics through the use of vernacular language and derivative art techniques.  

These artworks have drawn inspiration from the experiences of the members of the public, who have fallen victim to various types of scams. These exhibits aim to establish a stronger connection with audiences and make it easier to comprehend the impact of these fraudulent activities. 

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In a conversation with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, Cheuk Shum, head of marketing, wealth & personal Banking, HSBC, said that the fraud fair targeted the mass audience as the bank hoped that it could help raise awareness of different kinds of fraud and prevention amongst the general public. 

“Anything can be an art piece when it’s done to an extreme, including fraud. In this campaign, we played on words such as “fraud” () and ‘Art’. Also, HongKongers have become more interested in viewing art in recent years. We found that purely informative, video or print ads may no longer catch audiences’ attention.” 

“Therefore, we hope to offer an experiential, immersive, interactive and fun experience for them through an exhibition in a shopping mall, which is suitable for all age groups,” Shum added. 

Don’t miss: DMA Convo: HSBC’s Cheuk Shum on how to better work with AI-generated celebrities in digital campaigns 

To establish a stronger connection with audiences, HSBC has invited local singer Jackson Wan (尹光) and local DJ Ah Jeng (阿正) to produce an art piece that leveraged face-swapping technology. Once visitors look at the camera, their faces will be transformed into Wan and Ah Jeng’s faces immediately. The exhibit aims to educate visitors to prevent “Deepfake” video call scams. 

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Luanne Lim, chief executive, Hong Kong, HSBC, said: “With the prevalence of online deception, maintaining customer confidence in digital banking is crucial. As we navigate our digital lives, it is imperative to address fraud and build trust through customer education and protection. HSBC not only provides cybersecurity thought leadership and resources but also increases its technology investment to combat fraud. We remain committed to exploring various measures against the ever-evolving tactics employed by scammers today.”  

Over the next few months, HSBC will step up credit card service protection by allowing customers to disable or set limits for card-not-present transactions. The bank is also offering an enhanced authentication process for online transactions through the HSBC HK mobile banking app as an alternative to the use of a one-time password via SMS. 

Maggie Ng, head of wealth and personal banking, Hong Kong, HSBC, said: “Fraud prevention is a complex topic, but we don’t need to be a subject matter expert to protect ourselves. All it takes is heightened awareness and good common sense.” 

“Everyone can be a smart user of digital banking by staying vigilant against suspicious websites and safekeeping sensitive personal information. Our exhibition aims to educate and empower customers on how to avoid scams. At HSBC, we prioritise customer protection and will continue to collaborate with customers and industry stakeholders to ensure a safe banking experience for all,” she added. 

Rudi Leung, director and founder, Hungry Digital, said: “Nowadays, virtually everyone, regardless of age or education level, can become victims of different scams. Our task is to turn a dull topic into an interesting, interactive, and engaging experience for the masses. In view of that, we chose Wan and Ah Jeng, who are comedians from the older and younger generation respectively.” 

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New Zealand Buy Now Pay Later Business Report 2023 Featuring OpenPay, Afterpay, humm, Laybuy, Zippay, Payright, Genoapay, and Art Money

New Zealand Buy Now Pay Later Business Report 2023 Featuring OpenPay, Afterpay, humm, Laybuy, Zippay, Payright, Genoapay, and Art Money

DUBLIN, Nov. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — The “New Zealand Buy Now Pay Later Business and Investment Opportunities Databook – 75+ KPIs on BNPL Market Size, End-Use Sectors, Market Share, Product Analysis, Business Model, Demographics – Q2 2023 Update” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.

BNPL payments in New Zealand are expected to grow by 17.0% on an annual basis to reach US$1.5 billion in 2023.

Medium to long term growth story of BNPL industry in New Zealand remains strong. BNPL payment adoption is expected to grow steadily over the forecast period, recording a CAGR of 10.7% during 2023-2028. The BNPL Gross Merchandise Value in the New Zealand will increase from US$1.3 billion in 2022 to reach US$2.5 billion by 2028.

The BNPL payment industry in New Zealand has recorded strong growth over the last four quarters, supported by increased ecommerce penetration. This report provides a detailed data centric analysis of Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) industry, covering market opportunities and risks across a range of retail categories. With over 75 KPIs at country level, this report provides a comprehensive understanding of BNPL market dynamics, market size and forecast, and market share statistics.

It breaks down market opportunity by type of business model, sales channels (offline and online), and distribution models. In addition, it provides a snapshot of consumer behaviour and retail spend dynamics in New Zealand. KPIs in both value and volume term help in getting in-depth understanding of end market dynamics.

Reasons to buy

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Scope

New Zealand Buy Now Pay Later Market Share Analysis by Key Players

  • OpenPay
  • Afterpay
  • humm
  • Laybuy
  • Zippay
  • Payright
  • Genoapay
  • Art Money

New Zealand BNPL Market Size and Spending Pattern, 2019-2028

  • Gross Merchandise Value Trend Analysis
  • Average Value Per Transaction Trend Analysis
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New Zealand Buy Now Pay Later Revenue Analysis, 2019-2028

  • Buy Now Pay Later Revenues
  • Buy Now Pay Later Share by Revenue Segments
  • Buy Now Pay Later Revenue by Merchant Commission
  • Buy Now Pay Later Revenue by Missed Payment Fee Revenue
  • Buy Now Pay Later Revenue by Pay Now & Other Income

New Zealand Buy Now Pay Later Operational KPIs & Statistics, 2019-2028

  • Buy Now Pay Later Active Consumer Base
  • Buy Now Pay Later Bad Debt

New Zealand BNPL by Purpose, 2019-2028

  • Convenience – Short Term Loans
  • Credit – Long Term Loans

New Zealand BNPL by Business Model, 2019-2028

  • Two-Party (BNPL offered by retailers)
  • Three-Party BNPL Offering

New Zealand BNPL by Merchant Ecosystem, 2019-2028

  • Open Loop System
  • Closed Loop System

New Zealand BNPL by Distribution Model Analysis, 2019-2028

  • Standalone
  • Banks & Payment Service Providers
  • Marketplaces

New Zealand BNPL Analysis by Channel, 2019-2028

  • Online Channel
  • POS Channel

New Zealand Buy Now Pay Later in Retail Shopping: Market Size and Forecast, 2019-2028

  • Gross Merchandise Value Trend Analysis
  • Average Value Per Transaction Trend Analysis
  • Transaction Volume Trend Analysis

New Zealand Buy Now Pay Later in Home Improvement: Market Size and Forecast, 2019-2028

  • Gross Merchandise Value Trend Analysis
  • Average Value Per Transaction Trend Analysis
  • Transaction Volume Trend Analysis

New Zealand Buy Now Pay Later in Travel/Entertainment: Market Size and Forecast, 2019-2028

  • Gross Merchandise Value Trend Analysis
  • Average Value per Transaction Trend Analysis
  • Transaction Volume Trend Analysis

New Zealand Buy Now Pay Later in Services: Market Size and Forecast, 2019-2028

  • Gross Merchandise Value Trend Analysis
  • Average Value Per Transaction Trend Analysis
  • Transaction Volume Trend Analysis

New Zealand Buy Now Pay Later in Automotive: Market Size and Forecast, 2019-2028

  • Gross Merchandise Value Trend Analysis
  • Average Value Per Transaction Trend Analysis
  • Transaction Volume Trend Analysis

New Zealand Buy Now Pay Later in Healthcare and Wellness: Market Size and Forecast, 2019-2028

  • Gross Merchandise Value Trend Analysis
  • Average Value Per Transaction Trend Analysis
  • Transaction Volume Trend Analysis

New Zealand Buy Now Pay Later in Groceries: Market Size and Forecast

  • Gross Merchandise Value Trend Analysis
  • Average Value Per Transaction Trend Analysis
  • Transaction Volume Trend Analysis

New Zealand Buy Now Pay Later Analysis by Consumer Attitude and Behaviour

  • Sales Uplift by Product Category
  • Share by Age Group
  • Share by Income
  • Share by Gender
  • Adoption Rationale

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/y4y0cd

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Celebrating Our Remarkable Campus Transformation

Celebrating Our Remarkable Campus Transformation

Triton Center is dedicated to expanded and centralized support for students at the heart of the UC San Diego campus. The Student Health and Well-Being Building will consolidate and expand access to health, mental health and well-being resources. The Student Success Building will feature an expansion of the Teaching + Learning Commons program and facilities for the Triton Transfer Hub, Global Initiatives and campus support and administration.

Two transfer students, Arleth Marisol Chavez-Rodriguez and Rei Perez Munoz, shared their experience with the Triton Transfer Hub and what Triton Center will bring students.  “Triton Transfer Hub and Triton Center are, and will be, so important for students for exposure to different mindsets, cultures, lived experiences, in a vibrant, dynamic and diverse campus town square environment,” said Chavez-Rodriguez. “Access to these experiences and opportunities help us grow and succeed, help students realize they are not alone here.”  Credit: Erik Jepsen UC San Diego

How Shanghai’s art scene is absolutely buzzing, plus exhibitions to go see

How Shanghai’s art scene is absolutely buzzing, plus exhibitions to go see

Art021 was stuffed to the gills on opening day despite a torrential downpour – which could have something to do with the fact that ticket scanners stopped working in the late afternoon and everyone could get in for free.

In total, the fair counted 80,000 visitors, close to the number that went to Art Basel Hong Kong in March. West Bund does not provide visitor numbers.

This year, international auction houses and galleries also had their biggest ever presence at the annual China International Import Expo, the world’s largest trade fair – which was attended by Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese – as the city looks to encourage more cross-border sales of art and artefacts through its massive free-trade zone.

In the thick of it: artist’s layered oil paintings convey nature’s many forms

Galleries were realistic about the state of the Chinese economy and the impact of the downturn on art-buying appetite.

Works at the two fairs were nearly all paintings, which are generally easier to sell than sculptures and video works, and covered a broad price range, from around US$3,000 to a few that cost upwards of US$300,000.

Gallerists generally found the market in the city of 25 million to be exhibiting more resilience than fairs in other Asian cities held since May, when post-pandemic recovery in China ran out of steam and led to a general downturn across the region.

“We have no problem in selling smaller works and those are gone very fast. It’s just that collectors need more time to consider big works,” said Vivian Har, the Hong Kong-based executive director of Tang Contemporary Art, whose booth at Art021 had works by 20 artists, including Korea’s Woo Kukwon.

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A photo that is part of “Liu Heung Shing: Lens, Era, People”, the largest solo exhibition of the Hong Kong-born, Pulitzer-winning photojournalist to date, at the Pudong Art Museum in Shanghai. Photo: Liu Heung-shing

Anything above US$300,000 would struggle in this climate, said Timothy Taylor, a London-based gallerist who was taking part in his eighth fair in West Bund.

But like Har, he said his booth did well, selling works by artists such as Alex Katz, Eddie Martinez and Daniel Crews-Chubb, as well as Alicia Adamerovich, who has never shown in Asia before.

Collectors who attended the fairs were mostly from Shanghai or other mainland Chinese cities, but many curators and artists also flew in from all over the world, especially for the opening of the 14th Shanghai Biennale and a mind-boggling 200-plus exhibitions that the government says are taking place in commercial and non-profit venues around town.

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The first work that visitors encounter at the 14th Shanghai Biennale is Trevor Paglen’s “Prototype for a Nonfunctional Satellite (Design 4; Build 4)”. It is a prototype of a sculpture designed to be placed into orbit for purely aesthetic purposes which was never launched. Photo: Enid Tsui

These include a major Henri Matisse exhibition at UCCA Edge, the Shanghai outpost of the Beijing non-profit institution, in the new gallery area along the recently gentrified Suzhou Creek waterfront.

The largest-ever retrospective of French artist Raoul Dufy is being held at the West Bund Museum, presented by venue partner Centre Pompidou. The French museum, where workers held a one-day strike in October ahead of a five-year renovation project that will keep the centre closed from 2025-2030, will renew its five-year partnership with the West Bund Museum when the current contract expires in 2024, says Zhou Tiehai, director of West Bund Art and Design.

Meanwhile, many out-of-town visitors took the opportunity to check out Deji Art Museum, G Museum and The Cloud Collection – Contemporary Art Center (owned by three collectors) in Nanjing, as well as the centennial retrospective exhibition of Zao Wou-Ki at the China Academy of Art in nearby Hangzhou.

Kyoto art fair looks to stand out by embracing city’s Zen Buddhist temples

Closer to Shanghai, there is also the Qatari contemporary art exhibition at Yuz Museum, now located in Panlong Tiandi, a new development resembling an ancient water town.

Here are a few recommended exhibitions that are continuing in Shanghai:

1. ‘Cosmos Cinema’, the 14th Shanghai Biennale

This exhibition features works by 80 artists selected by the curatorial team led by Russian-born Anton Vidokle who, among other roles, is a filmmaker who has spent years investigating the cultural influence of a 19th-century school of thought called Cosmism.

This philosophy suggests that our world includes the dead and gone, and that there is a way through space exploration and technological advancement to achieve immortality and find unlimited resources.

Thankfully, the biennale is not a glorification of the billionaire space race. The two pieces that bookend the vast display of over 200 works beautifully capture humankind’s doomed belief that the answer is somewhere “out there”: Trevor Paglen’s Prototype for a Nonfunctional Satellite (Design 4; Build 4) and models by Ilya and Emilia Kabakov, depicting their utopian “The Center of Cosmic Energy” (2007), which recall the most famous of modern unbuilt monuments, Vladimir Tatlin’s Monument to the Third International.

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Models made by Ilya and Emilia Kabakov to accompany sketches of their utopian “The Center of Cosmic Energy” (2007). Photo: Enid Tsui

The entire show’s stress on relativism and alternative points of view is heavy-handed at times, but the well-curated selection and sensitive display (designed by Hong Kong’s Collective studio) makes this a must-see.

“14th Shanghai Biennale: Cosmos Cinema”, Power Station of Art, 200 Hua Yuan Gang Lu, Huangpu District. Until March 31, 2024.

2. Tan Jing and Shubigi Rao at Rockbund Art Museum

Two powerful solo exhibitions by two women artists take place at one of the very best private art institutions in China.

Shenzhen-born Tan Jing stirs up family history and out come wafts of tom yum soup, released as special floor tiles are broken up as visitors tread on them. Her paternal grandparents were both Cantonese-Thai, born in Bangkok, who moved to China in the 1960s.

Videos combine Tan’s visits to her Thai relatives with fictional exchanges with her late grandfather. “Inlet of Arid Dreams” is a wonderful show about not belonging and I like how the tiles connect to her and husband Zheng He’s chosen new home in Jingdezhen, the capital of pottery.

Meanwhile, Singaporean artist Shubigi Rao continues her long-running “Pulp” series with “These Petrified Paths”. A new feature film of the same title was shot in September 2022 in Armenia during the Armenia-Azerbaijan border clashes, and looks back at a history of “cultural genocide” and the women who were dedicated to preserving libraries and Armenian literature.

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Installation view of “Shubigi Rao: These Petrified Paths” at Rockbund Art Museum. Photo: Yan Tao

The film is screened in the gallery directly beneath a 12-metre-high pylon that extends all the way up the three-storey central atrium, representing a “tree of knowledge” and existing power structure that can be disturbed from the bottom up.

A visit to the Rockbund Art Museum should include a stroll around the newly completed Rockbund Neighbourhood of shops and restaurants that tastefully combines new builds with 11 restored heritage buildings.

“Tan Jing: Inlet of Arid Dreams” and “Shubigi Rao: These Petrified Paths”, Rockbund Art Museum, 20 Huqiu Road, Huangpu District. Until February 25, 2024.

3. Liu Heung-shing at the Pudong Art Museum

“Liu Heung Shing: Lens, Era, People” is the largest solo exhibition of the Hong Kong-born, Pulitzer-winning photojournalist to date, featuring around 200 images taken since 1978, when he began working for Time magazine and the Associated Press in Beijing.

He captured important moments of history, such as Mikhail Gorbachev’s resignation as Soviet President in 1991; ordinary moments made extraordinary because of time and place, such as a 1981 photo of Chinese students sitting in a brightly lit Tiananmen Square at night, studying for the recently reinstated university entrance exams; and intimate, lighthearted portraits of countless celebrities and artists.

“Liu Heung Shing: Lens, Era, People”, Pudong Art Museum, 2777 Binjiang Avenue, Pudong New Area. Until December 17.

4. Ellen Pau’s first mainland China exhibition

Ellen Pau’s first-ever solo exhibition in mainland China, “Inauspicious Symbol”, is being held in a small, obscure and semi-private venue which may seem out of keeping for the influential video art pioneer. But read the new essay by the Asia Art Archive’s Anthony Yung, about the strategy of secrecy and private codes long adopted by Hong Kong artists, and the underwhelming location makes sense.

Here are rarely seen early works by Pau, including the newly restored Glove (1984), shot in 8mm, and Operation Theatre (1995), which adopts the point of view of a surveillance camera inside the hospital where Pau worked for many years as a radiographer.

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Installation view of Ellen Pau’s first mainland China exhibition, “Inauspicious Symbol”. On the left is “Pledge” (1995) made up of two LED panels. To its right is “Speculative Generations of Flora 0” (2023). The video installation “Vogue” (1991) can be seen in the foreground. Photo: Enid Tsui

It is also encouraging to see works addressing Hong Kong issues on view in Shanghai. Here, the placement of Pledge (1995) next to Speculative Generations of Flora 0 (2023) directly addresses the promise of 50 years of no change in post-1997 Hong Kong.

The former is a pair of LED screens showing over-the-top “lifelong” guarantees for products gleaned from popular advertisements, while the new work is an AI-assisted video showing the evolution of the Bauhinia × blakeana, Hong Kong’s official flower.

“Ellen Pau: Inauspicious Symbol”, Totalab, Room 302, Building 5, 8 Hengshan Road, Xuhui District. Until December 20.

Domaine Des Etangs, Auberge Resorts Collection hotel review

Domaine Des Etangs, Auberge Resorts Collection hotel review
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Why book Domaine Des Etangs, Auberge Resorts Collection?

Because Domaine Des Etangs proclaims itself to be in the business of art de vivre, and, for once, the marketing bumf is on the money. Walk in forests where dragonflies buzz and orchids bloom in secret copses. Ride (or nip off in one of their hybrid cars) over rolling hills, past tranquil ponds and rain-green pastures – and monumental art installations. Repeat-visit Dyades, a modern French locavore restaurant that makes the ingredients of their vegetable garden sing. Row lopsidedly across the lake after too much rosé.

Set the scene

The Rapunzel turrets of a romantic chateau are reflected in a glassy lake wrapped up in 2500 protected acres of forest, ponds and meadows, posing pastures for sleepy herds of Limousin. Inside, art and design are everything. Rooms are filled with beautiful canvases, pieces and objets; modern and antique furniture combine; and the bones of the building – stone walls, exposed eaves, gargoyles and floorboards – have been restored to perfection. Everywhere you turn there is a vast sculpture, monumental or sound installation. The current, estate-wide exhibition, Primordial Waters, running till late spring, displays artist commissions from the likes of Nina Cannell, Tomoko Sauvage, Daniel Steegmann Mangrané and Sissel Tolaas. An impressive and ambitious permanent art collection ranges from Olafur Eliasson to Hergé Tintin illustrations. The sublimely minimalist and peaceful gallery, La Laiterie, harbours an Yves Klein.

The backstory

First mentioned in the annals of history in 1270, this was once the fiefdom of the knights of Chasteigner de la Roche-Posay. Since 1986 it has been owned by the Primat family; daughter of the family, Garance Primat, first oversaw the world class restoration of the ancient chateau and original farm buildings. She is the prodigious art collector on the scene. This year, it entered the Auberge Resorts Collection, but it’s clear that its spirit, graciousness and slowness remain gratifyingly unchanged.

The rooms

Seven Isabelle Stanislas-designed suites unfold in the 13th-century chateau and environs, and in six far-scattered farmhouses. I stayed in Printemps, a suite in La Longère, the long farmhouse barn, which had exposed stone and timber-clad walls and a blood-red sofa.

The area

The wooded, wet, green and pleasant foothills of the western edge of France’s Massif Central epitomise what the French call La France Profonde. This is a France that’s deeply French, in the country sense of the word, a land of shepherds, farmers and chasseurs. Domaine des Etangs officially resides in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, though locals still call it Limousin (of the eponymous dialect, and Limousin cattle).

The service

Friendly, kind, brisk, and leaning more towards laissez-faire Gallic than breathing down your neck.

Food and drink

Eating well is a huge feature – from the perfect crepes, homemade jams and market fruit of breakfast to Dyades locavore menu, noted in the Michelin guide, which makes the herbs, flowers, fruit and vegetables from the kitchen garden shine. The same kitchen, in the château’s former stables, does the room and farmhouse service. Don’t miss wine-tasting – ‘potager pairing’ – in the spiral-shaped organic garden. Or the piquenique, which can be eaten in a silent glade of your choice: doorstop baguettes packed with gruyere, Maison Larignon ham, crudites, with lentil salads, local wines and a little pud.

The spa

There’s Moulin Des Etangs, the characterful spa in a restored stone-flagged mill house on the lake for facials and body work. Beneath the Château, the indoor area has a Roman-inspired hydrothermal circuit experience that includes a tepidarium, a steam room, frigidarium and ice bath and vitality pool.

For families

Children are catered to imaginatively, but in a non-structured, left-to-their-own-devices type way. There’s a pretty playground with a zip wire, a tennis court floating on a lake and a vast beamed attic filled with board games, snooker and trunks of fancy dress.

Accessibility

There is one accessible room for people with reduced mobility, on the ground floor, in one of the towers of the Château. The restaurant, reception, bar and boutique are on the ground floor of the Longère and accessible for guests with reduced mobility. The hotel also has two lifts to the children’s attic.

Anything else to mention?

Go on an outing with the groundsman Jean-François Magnan. A childhood spent wandering in this ancient forest – being chased away by the gamekeeper – instilled in him a lifelong love of the estate. It’s all very Gloire de Mon Pere, and the best way to reassure oneself that rien a changé. He has a deep knowledge of local history, and is the best person to tap up for the story of the chateau.

Joe Shymanski’s art being shown, sold at DC’s Downtown Holiday Market

Joe Shymanski’s art being shown, sold at DC’s Downtown Holiday Market

The booth has been crowded even without Shymanski being there to see it.

WASHINGTON — Well-known D.C. photographer Joe Shymanski’s legacy has endured beyond his untimely death earlier this year.

On Sept. 6, WUSA9 reported that family had reported Shymanski missing. Later that same day, police told WUSA they’d arrested a man for murder.

But Shymanski leaves behind a legacy of art that is still being shown and sold today at D.C’s Downtown Holiday Market.

A press release for the market says, “Since our inception, Joe Shymanski has been a beloved vendor and local photographer. Alton McDougle, his business partner, is thrilled to continue his legacy and represent his booth this year. In honor of Joe, Destination DC has created the ‘Joe Shymanski Memorial Scholarship Fund’ to provide high school students a chance to pursue their dreams in photography and media.”

The booth has been crowded even without Shymanski being there to see it.

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On Monday, Shymanski’s alleged killer was formally charged with his murder.

Brandon Ross Holbrook, 48, of Reedsville, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a Calvert County grand jury and formally charged with the murder of Shymanski.

Holbrook is being charged with murder, first and second degree assault, and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

Holbrook is due back in court on Dec. 4, 2023 for his arraignment. He is being held at the Calvert County Detention Center.

WATCH NEXT: Judge orders DC photographer’s suspected killer to be held without bond

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Wander Through a Geometric Field of More Than 400 Pyramids in Jim Denevan’s ‘Self Similar’

Wander Through a Geometric Field of More Than 400 Pyramids in Jim Denevan’s ‘Self Similar’

Photos by Lance Gerber, courtesy of Manar Abu Dhabi, shared with permission

For artist Jim Denevan, a paramount element of his creative practice centers on building experiences within landscapes through art and temporary events. Known for his large-scale land works that shape expanses of sand into precise geometries (previously), he allows time, weather, and changing tides to gradually reform the compositions back into natural terrain. Opening today in the capital of the U.A.E., Denevan’s expansive “Self Similar” is part of Manar Abu Dhabi, a new initiative celebrating public art and illuminating the city’s landmarks and vistas with light.

Bordered by the Arabian Sea on Abu Dhabi’s Fahid Island, visitors can reach the installation via a bridge that aligns with its geometry. “As I draw and shape these forms, an invitation is made; it emerges. An ‘entering into’ takes place,” he says of the creative process, mirroring the experience of wandering through the composition. The piece’s 19 rings and 448 pyramids span nearly a square kilometer, and at the work’s highest point, it reaches 27 meters tall.

Denevan, who is also a chef, founded Outstanding in the Field in 1999, inviting people to meet and dine at temporary tables in stunning locations before packing up and leaving the location just as it was. “In the tables he sets and the land artworks he creates, there is an element of organic impermanence at play,” says a statement on his site. The size and scale of his installations range from small compositions on beaches to city-size interventions that stretch miles, each in response to a specific site.

Manar Abu Dhabi continues through January 30, 2024, and you can explore more on Denevan’s website. You might also enjoy this music video from earlier this year, directed by Owen Brown of CNTRL5 and featuring the band ARIZONA, which centers around a 90,000-square-foot installation by Denevan in a dry riverbed in the American Southwest.

Manar Abu Dhabi continues through January 30, 2024, and you can explore more on the artist’s website.

 

An aerial view of a giant land art installation featuring 19 concentric circles of 448 pyramids formed from sand. The installation is on the shore of the Arabian Sea.

An aerial view of a giant land art installation featuring 19 concentric circles of 448 pyramids formed from sand. The installation is on the shore of the Arabian Sea.

A detail of sand pyramids.

Numerous sand pyramids in a geometric pattern.

A vertical view of a geometric installation in the sand featuring concentric circles of pyramids. Two figures stand in the center.

An aerial view of a giant land art installation featuring 19 concentric circles of 448 pyramids formed from sand. The installation is on the shore of the Arabian Sea, and a figure stands in the center.  A vertical view of a land art installation at night, illuminated by hundreds of lights on top of sand pyramids organized in concentric circles.

A figure walks among a land art installation of sand pyramids.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article Wander Through a Geometric Field of More Than 400 Pyramids in Jim Denevan’s ‘Self Similar’ appeared first on Colossal.