The first retrospective exhibition devoted to the Indian artist Y. G. Srimati (1926–2007) will go on view at The Metropolitan Museum of Art beginning December 15. Featuring some 25 meticulously executed watercolor paintings, augmented by musical instruments, archival photographs, and performance recordings, An Artist of Her Time: Y. G. Srimati and the Indian Style will demonstrate Srimati’s consistent commitment to her vision of an Indian style. Raised in the heated climate of the independence movement—as a teenager, she performed devotional songs at prayer meetings for Mahatma Gandhi—Srimati explored themes from Indian religious epic literature and rural culture, asserting traditional subject matter as part of a conscious expression of nationalist sentiments. Drawn from The Met and private collections, the exhibition will focus principally on the artist’s first two decades—the 1940s and 1950s—when her repertoire was defined and her style matured. The artist’s key works from the 1980s and 1990s, when she resided in New York, will also be on view. The exhibition is made possible by The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Foundation Fund.”Experiencing the political struggle leading up to the transition to an independent India had a lasting impact on Srimati’s work,” said John Guy, The Met’s Florence and Herbert Irving Curator for the Arts of South and Southeast Asia in the Department of Asian Art. “She remained committed to painting as a highly personal expression of her fundamental Indian values.”
You just have to wait for over a year and Italy will welcome you to the world’s first food themed amusement park. Opening in 2018, the park the FICO Eataly park spread over 20 acres and is a venture of Eataly- Mario Bataly and Joe Bastianich’s chain of Italian food stores. To be launched at Bologna, the park promises to be a treat for foodies, also educating them about the preparation and origin of different ingredients and dishes at its 25 restaurants and 40 workshops. In addition, the park holds 500 adult-sized, bright-colored tricycles equipped with shopping baskets, which are apparently the first hybrid bike/shopping carts to be made available in a retail space. What’s more, you can enjoy the sight of grazing lands nine different kinds of cows, five kinds of pigs, five kinds of goats, five kinds of sheep, rabbit, geese, and guinea hens. Whew! That’s quite the Farmville style park! And in case you’re wondering what kind of amusement park comes without rides, fear not—there’s a host of virtual reality rides with names like “Man and Fire”, “Man and Future” and “Man and Bottle” of which the second was designed in collaboration with MIT. Now that’s what we call a real spread!
At $200, the Moschino Barbie and Ken collector’s edition set is the most expensive doll set in production. But that’s just as well, for it is modelled after the Moschino designer himself: Jeremy Scott, and Australian Victoria’s Secret Angel, Stella Maxwell. The dolls’ outfits are replicated from Scott’s eccentric look at the 2015 MTV VMAs that he attended with Maxwell, which was a particularly important event for Scott since he designed both the event’s red carpet and Moon Man trophy. The dolls feature the iconic outfits worn by the couple, with the Ken Doll sporting Scott’s intriguing tux-with-no shirt look, with a print inspired by television test signal stripes! This isn’t Moschino and Barbie’s first collaboration, but it’s definitely the first time that a Ken Doll has been styled by a designer. Moschino had in 2015 designed a duo of Barbies dressed in its signature looks, 700 limited-edition dolls that sold out for $150 each in under an hour! Prior to that, in 2014, Scott’s designed a Barbie-themed collection for Milan Fashion Week.
No one ever forgets Diana, the Princess of hearts. She was the resident royal style icon as well as the people’s princess. A London exhibition commemorating the 20th anniversary of her death will bring back some of Diana’s most memorable outfits to her home, Kensington Palace. The exhibition, Diana: Her Fashion Story, which opens February 24, 2017, will trace the evolution of her style from the demure, romantic outfits of her first public appearances to the glamour, elegance and confidence she bore so well in her later life. Dresses, gowns, and blouses now owned by private collectors and museums around the world will be included in the exhibit approved by the royal family and, particularly, by her sons. Kensington Palace, where she once lived, is now home to Prince William, Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton and their children, as well as Prince Harry.
Hermès is bringing to Mumbai an exhibit of big cats in the art of painter and illustrator Robert Dallet: Fierce and Fragile. To be held from Dec 10 to Jan 12 at Hermès Gallery, Horniman Circle, Mumbai, the exhibit shall remain open to visitors between 11 am and 7 pm. In resonance with ‘Nature at Full Gallop’, Hermès’ theme for 2016, Actes Sud and Hermès are also publishing a book dedicated to the work of Robert Dallet (1923-2006) who dedicated his whole life to the study and representation of wild animals, and was above all fascinated by the beauty of big cats. By presenting a selection of his unseen works (watercolors and gouaches, Indian ink and pencil sketches), this book pays homage to the talent and sensitivity of the naturalist and animal painter with whom the Hermès house formed a deep connection. This book will be available in Hermès stores and Actes Sud bookstores and also at hermes.com . Robert Dallet had a long association with Hermès, creating twenty-five scarves for Hermès including the iconic Jungle love in 2000, Tendresse féline and Les Tigreaux, both in 2012. His work has also graced a myriad of other iconic Hermès products. The Robert Dallet Initiative for Wild Cat Conservation has been created specifically as part of Hermès’s association with Panthera, the global wild cat conservation organization, which was founded in 2006 by Thomas S. Kaplan and his wife Daphne Recanati Kaplan.
St Petersburg just beat the likes of London, New York, Paris, Rome, Venice and Sydney to come out as the best cultural destination for 2016, in the World Travel Awards, the Oscars equivalent of the tourism industry. The Russian city offers everything from great art and history displayed at the Hermitage—one of the biggest art and culture museums in the world, housing 3 million works— to great literary trails, being home to places like the Dostoyevsky Museum and Nabokov Museum. Not to mention marvels of baroque and neoclassical architecture. So now you know where to head for a cultural touch to the holidays.
Maserati are gearing up to release their first production electric car by 2020. This two-seater Maserati Alfieri Electric Sports Car will be built along the same lines as their gas-powered V-6 Alfieri coming out in 2019. The delay, they say, is to assure the lighter-weight chassis design stays within the quality and performance guidelines consumers expect from Maserati. It is surmised that since competitors Porsche and Aston Martin are shooting for their vehicles to have a 200+ mile range, that Maserati will do no less. We’re all set too, for a glimpse of this latest beast.
Microsoft’s Surface Ergonomic Keyboard is the culmination of an continuous effort to find the most comfortable and effective way to improve productivity in their products. Priced at $130 this device crafted for the Surface Pro 4, Surface Book, and Surface Studio boasts of a curved pattern of the keys that fits the natural position of the hands with a gentle swell in the middle that makes the Alcantara-covered, double-cushioned palm rest a uniquely form-fitting device. With strain on the hands and wrist removed by the shape of the keyboard, getting more work done painlessly should be a snap. Here’s to a more comfortable seamless work experience.
DECOR DRAMA | Giving your house a makeover is a daunting task, but introducing nifty style revamps is not so difficult if you know the right additions for the right spaces
Come winter, with all the festivities, and its the start of a new season which makes for the perfect time for any home makeovers you have been thinking about, as you ready yourself for parties, get-togethers, or even for ushering in the new year with some flair in your home. Here, we try to help you actualise your home improvement plans with easy ideas of some quirky design and décor additions which will take the beauty quotient of your house up by notches. We are going to redirect you to some of our favourite indie home décor and new-in-India international home accents brands as we shortlist the must-have accessories for each corner of your house, from the kitchen to the bedroom, living room and also your patio.
THE SUMMER HOUSE | Solid, sombre yet stunning, their range of homeware will amp up the style quotient of any kitchen or dining space
We begin with the critical space at heart of the house, the kitchen, where we concentrate more on getting the appliances, storage and ventilation right, while we forget about that however neat the layout, it calls for some imaginative element to be a design-worthy space. In this context, we prefer to begin at the very basic of all kitchen and dining accessories – the serveware. Cutting through the issue of matching serveware to the room’s overall theme, we bring you the classic and gorgeous range of minimalist accessories for serving and dining from The Summer House. As their brand ethos stresses on combining luxury of handcrafted designs, made in capsule batches by craftsmen, with the sustainability that comes from using responsibly sourced natural raw materials, their product range is something that is simple, functional and well-appointed for living spaces which could be varied in their colour and décor schemes but will still look enhanced with the Summer House touch. The elegance of their made-in-wood, handcrafted, range is particularly delicious, be it the mango wood cake stand, breakfast tray and platters in different shapes, all chemical free and easily cleaned with just a wipe and dry, or the Indian rosewood butter knives, the deep salad bowl and the smooth-surfaced rolling pins. They also have stoneware, like slate and marble platters, and a citrus juicer which looks more like a work of art. With these options in place, you can just buy some
SAFOMASI | Quirky prints are still all the rage, and this brand brings them to your room with their handcrafted linen offering which are a delight to snuggle up with
Moving further in to the bedroom, we will tempt you for a linen overhaul as you sift through a range with names like Safari Tracks, Langur, Big Cat, Spotted Deer and more such whimsical ones. We are talking Safomasi’s awarded brand of quilts, throws, cushion and pillow cases which are heavy on the quirk quotient without compromising the quality of the material or the technique of production. Contemporary in spirit, their bedroom linen makes everyday meet the exotic, as each product is handmade and “and tells the story of a journey, through gorgeous colour combinations and a distinct illustrative style.” Combining the aesthetics and expertise of the founders, Sarah and Maninder, Safomasi collections are launched at frequent intervals, each one reminiscent of a different travel story. And going beyond the artistic value of these, the quilts and cases are also guilt-free fashion for your bedroom as they are screen printed by hand and processed and dyed using AZO free dyes, finally finished to perfection using cute trimmings like zips, tassels, pom poms.
KNOCK ON WOOD | Aptly named the Three Wise Men, this set celebrates wood and its raw beauty in a bold way while also offering a design solution for setting up a reader’s nook
You have a living room which is all set and yet you wonder how can you introduce some variation into it, while still not going big with a complete change of scheme or even taking the oft repeated route of just changing curtains or upholstery? We have a way out of this dilemma – why not create a curiosity inspiring, conversations-only niche or a cozy, laze-friendly reader’s nook inside the same room? The integrity of the layout stays and you still have a whole new corner kitted out. To do so you need some nifty pieces of furniture which would be a combination of streamlined design, utility and droolworthy looks. And here comes in Knock On Wood, a brand offering contemporary furniture with bespoke craftsmanship. Taking one from their Forest collection, we have picked the very nifty Three Wise Men set of two chairs and a table which is perfect for setting up a reading corner as they don’t take up much space and the table has space to stack up your books and perch on the sold wood seats to read and sip some tea. While the design is modern, minimalist and makes the most of it, there is the solid elegance of wood, in all its natural glory. The set, so aptly named, can be set up in your living room, patio or even in an alcove for that cosy corner which is yours to retreat into for some ‘me’ time. And its addition is sure to be noticed, as this is design with a statement.
DIPTYQUE | Opulence and fragrance comes together in Diptyque’s range of designer candles which promise to take on to a wonderland with their heady scents
This one makes for the easiest addition. Candles, from the beloved brand Diptyque. And it won’t be just a candle but a whole world of fragrance that will open up as you set to light these delicious look candles, which are recognisable from afar even as they sit in the colourful jars. So, table tops and mantles, or even nightstands need not be boring anymore as you have the perfect accessory for it in With a wide range of scents to choose from, there are 50 different fragrances, from garden geranium to mountain pine, to amber and patchouli. These hand-poured designer candles are an indulgence not only for the senses but also for those wanting to add in a glam touch to their décor and go for a bit of opulence in their home’s ambience.
The Breitling Jet team thrilled crowds with stunning performances, flying less than three meters apart at speeds of around 700 km/h
The world’s largest civilian professional aerobatic display team flying on jets has completed the two-year tour of the United States and Canada that marked its first incursion into American territory. In the course of this “Breitling Jet Team American Tour”, the pilots of the seven L-39C Albatros thrilled crowds with their stunning performances, flying less than three meters apart at speeds of around 700 km/h. After taking part in 30 airshows, giving 70 public demonstrations, touching down in 35 American states and covering about 46,300 kilometers, the ambassador of the independent Swiss watch brand Breitling bid farewell to the New World on October 21st to 23rd at the first Breitling Huntington Beach Airshow, in California.
A French team flying on Czech jets and supported by a Swiss watch brand was a first for the American authorities
“The American Tour has been an absolutely incredible experience” said Breitling Jet Team Leader, Jacques Bothelin. “We have been privileged to share Breitling’s passion for aviation with hundreds of thousands of fans and to experience unforgettable moments, such as flying over Manhattan.” The Breitling Jet Team did some spectacular flights over some of the most legendary sites of the United States, such as the Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore, the Golden Gate Bridge, Zion National Park and Monument Valley. The squad was able to demonstrate its expertise and professionalism by welcoming on board exceptional passengers, including Mark Kelly, a U.S. Navy veteran and retired NASA astronaut. Pilots belonging to the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and to the Canadian Air Force Snowbirds also enjoyed the pleasure of whizzing through the skies with the Breitling Jet Team – and for once in the passenger seat!
The Team did spectacular flights over sites like the Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore, the Golden Gate Bridge and Monument Valley
“A French team flying on Czech jets and supported by a Swiss watch brand was a first for the American authorities. But having admired its performances in Europe, I knew we just had to have the Breitling Jet Team come to the United States”, said Jim DiMatteo, U.S. Navy veteran and director of the Breitling Jet Team American Tour. “We cooperated closely with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) to negotiate a new framework enabling the team to perform in North America. It took a great deal of work and determination, but I’m proud of the result.”
The squad took part in 30 airshows, giving 70 public demonstrations, touching down in 35 American states and covering about 46,300 kilometers
Breitling set up the Breitling Jet Team 13 years ago to share its passion for aerobatics with a broad audience. Endowed with fast and powerful aircraft flown by highly skilled pilots, this team unique in its world is a perfect illustration of the brand’s cherished values: performance, precision, aesthetic sophistication and innovation.
