3.7.09

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY PRESENTS GAY ICONS



AN IMPORTANT PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION RECENTLY OPENED AT THE NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY IN LONDON ENTITLED GAY ICONS. GAY ICONS, WHICH RUNS TIL 18.OCTOBER, EXPLORES GAY SOCIAL AND CULTURAL HISTORY THROUGH THE UNIQUE PERSONAL INSIGHTS OF TEN HIGH PROFILE GAY FIGURES, WHO HAVE SELECTED THEIR HISTORICAL AND MODERN ICONS. THE CHOSEN ICONS, WHO MAY OR MAY NOT BE GAY THEMSELVES, HAVE ALL BEEN IMPORTANT TO EACH SELECTOR, HAVING INFLUENCED THEIR GAY SENSIBILITIES OR CONTRIBUTED TO MAKING THEM WHO THEY ARE TODAY. THEY INCLUDE ARTISTS FRANCIS BACON AND DAVID HOCKNEY; WRITERS DAPHNE DU MAURIER AND QUINTIN CRISP' COMPOSERS PYOTR TCHAIKOVSKY AND BENJAMIN BRITTEN; MUSICIANS KD LANG, THE VILLAGE PEOPLE AND WILL YOUNG; ENTERTAINERS ELLEN DEGENERES, LILY SAVAGE AND KENNETH WILLIAMS; SPORTS STARS MARTINA NAVRATILOVA AND IAN ROBERTS AND POLITICAL ACTIVISTS HARVEY MILK AND ANGELA MASON. THEIR FASCINATING AND INSPIRATIONAL STORIES WILL BE ILLUSTRATED BY OVER 60 PHOTOGRAPHIC PORTRAITS INCLUDING WORKS BY ANDY WARHOL, SNOWDON AND CECIL BEATON TOGETHER WITH SPECIALLY COMMISSIONED PORTRAITS OF THE SELECTORS BY MARY MCCARTNEY. ALL ARE SET IN A STRIKING EXHIBITION DESIGN CONCEIVED BY RENOWNED THEATER DESIGNER ROBERT JONES. SANDY NAIRNE, DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY SAYS: "GAY ICONS IS AN EXHIBITION IN WHICH INSPIRING STORIES, BOTH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC, ARE SHARED. THESE ARE STORIES OF BRAVE LIVES AND SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS, TOLD THROUGH ICONIC PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES CHOSEN BY SELECTORS WHO ARE THEMSELVES ICONS."
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS AMAZING EXHIBITION VISIT www.npg.org.uk

ZADORA TIMEPIECES


ZADORA TIMEPIECES IS A BRILLIANT WATCHMAKING COMPANY THAT BELONGS TO MASTER JEWELER ANDREAS VON ZADORA-GERLOF WHO IS REFEREED TO AS THE MODERN DAY FABERGE. FOR HIS AMAZING SCULPTURED JEWLED TIMEPIECE COLLECTION VON ZADORA-GERLOF HAS REDESIGNED THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF THE WATCH BY PLACING THE DIAL ON THE DRUM WHICH ROTATES AROUND THE EDGE OF THE CASE THUS FREEING UP THE TOP FOR THE INTRICATE JEWELED DESIGN. THE WATCHES USE A MANUAL MOVEMENT DEVELOPED BY ZADORA AND TAKE SEVERAL WEEKS TO COMPLETE, WHICH MEANS ONLY A HANDFUL ARE CREATED EACH YEAR. EACH DESIGN IS UNIQUELY DIFFERENT WITH NO TWO WATCHES BEING THE SAME. ZADORA TIMEPIECES HAVE BECOME HIGHLY COLLECTIBLE FOR THEIR RARITY AND SKILLED CRAFTSMANSHIP, AND ARE AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY FROM BERGDORF GOODMAN AND PRICES START AT AROUND $150,000 DEPENDING ON THE STYLE.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ZADORA TIMEPIECES VISIT www.zadoratimepieces.com




SEARS TOWER OPENS GLASS BOX VIEWING PLATFORMS




NOT CONTENT WITH HAVING THE TALLEST BUILDING IN AMERICA, THE OWNERS OF THE SEARS TOWER IN CHICAGO HAVE INSTALLED FOUR GLASS BOX VIEWING PLATFORMS WHICH EXTEND OUT OF THE BUILDING, 103 FLOORS UP. THE BALCONIES ARE SUSPENDED 1,353 FEET IN THE AIR AND JUT OUT FOUR FEET FROM THE BUILDING'S NEWLY UPDATED SKYDECK. DESIGNERS SAY THE PLATFORMS, CALLED THE LEDGE, HAVE BEEN PURPOSELY DESIGNED TO MAKE VISITORS FEEL AS IF THEY ARE FLOATING ABOVE THE CITY - THE REWARD IS UNOBSTRUCTED VIEWS OF CHICAGO FROM THE BUILDING'S WEST SIDE AND A HEART-STOPPING VISTA OF THE STREET AND CHICAGO RIVER BELOW. "WE'VE LISTENED TO OUR VISITORS AND PEOPLE JUST WANT TO GET CLOSER", SAID RANDY STANICK, GENERAL MANAGER, SKYDECK CHICAGO, "YOU'D ONLY NEED TO SEE THE FOREHEAD PRINTS ON THE WINDOWS TO KNOW THAT VISITORS ARE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO CATCH A GLIMPSE BELOW. NOW, THEY HAVE AN UNOBSTRUCTED VIEW STRAIGHT DOWN AND AN EXHILARATING EXPERIENCE." JOHN HUSTON, ONE OF THE OWNERS OF THE SEARS TOWER, EVEN ADMITTED TO GETTING 'A LITTLE QUEASY' THE FIRST TIME HE VENTURED OUT ONTO THE BALCONY. HOWEVER, AFTER 30 OR 40 TRIPS, HE SEEMS TO HAVE GOT USE TO IT. 'THE SEARS TOWER HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT SUPERLATIVES - TALLEST, LARGEST, MOST ICONIC', HE SAID. THE BALCONIES ARE 10ft HIGH AND 10ft WIDE, CAN HOLD FIVE TONS, AND HAVE GLASS WHICH IS 1.5 INCHES THICK. THE SKYDECK ATTRACTS 25,000 VISITORS ON A CLEAR DAYS. THEY EACH PAY $15 TO TAKE A LIFT RIDE UP TO THE 103rd FLOOR OF THE 110-STORY OFFICE BUILDING THAT OPENED IN 1973.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON CHICAGO AND IT'S AMAZING ATTRACTIONS VISIT www.gochicago.com

BRITISH NATIONAL ARCHIVES FINDS RARE COPY OF DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE



BRITISH RESEARCHERS HAVE ANNOUNCED THE DISCOVERY OF A RARE ORIGINAL COPY OF THE AMERICAN DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, WHICH HAD BEEN HIDDEN IN THE FILES OF THE BRITISH NATIONAL ARCHIVES. KATRINA MCCLINTOCK, A SPOKESWOMAN AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES, SAID IN A RECENT INTERVIEW THAT A AMERICAN ANTIQUARIAN BOOKSELLER ACCIDENTALLY DISCOVERED THE "DUNLAP PRINT", NAMED AFTER THE PRINTER, SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, AFTER GATHERING DUST FOR NEARLY 250 YEARS. THE FIND WAS ANNOUNCED ONLY AFTER IT COULD BE PROPERLY CATALOGED. THE POSTER SIZE PROCLAMATION, WHICH IS IN PERFECT CONDITION AND IS SAID TO BE WORTH MORE THAN £5 MILLION, IS ONE OF ONLY 26 SURVIVING INITIAL COPIES OF THE DOCUMENT THAT CHANGED THE COURSE OF HISTORY. THE MANUSCRIPT WAS HIDDEN AMONG FILES OF CORRESPONDENCE FROM US COLONISTS THAT HAD BEEN INTERCEPTED BY THE BRITISH IN THE 18th CENTURY. IT IS NOT CERTAIN HOW THE NEWLY DISCOVERED COPY CAME INTO THE BRITISH HANDS, BUT IT IS LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN CAPTURED BY THE ROYAL NAVY DURING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR WHICH CONTINUED FOR SEVEN YEARS AFTER THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE WAS SIGNED. THE LAST DISCOVERY OF A DUNLAP PRINT WAS AT A FLEA MARKET IN 1989, AND IT SOLD AT AUCTION IN 2000 FOR £4.94 MILLION. DESPITE ITS VALUE, THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES SAID IT WILL NOT BE SELLING THE PRINT BY JOHN DUNLAP OF PHILADELPHIA, ALTHOUGH IT MAY BE LOANED TO AMERICAN MUSEUMS. "THE AMERICANS ARE VERY EXCITED BY IT", SAID A SPOKESMAN, "WE OFTEN LOAN OUT OUR KEY DOCUMENTS AND I'M SURE IF AN AMERICAN INSTITUTION WANTED TO BORROW IT, WE WOULD CONSIDER LENDING IT TO THEM."

1.7.09

MOLLIE SUDGEN PASSES AWAY AT AGE 86


ENGLISH COMEDY ACTRESS MOLLIE SUGDEN, 86, HAS PASSED AWAY TODAY AFTER A LONG ILLNESS. THE YORSHIRE-BORN STAR DIED IN THE ROYAL SURREY HOSPITAL IN GUILDFORD THIS AFTERNOON. HER TWIN SONS, ROBIN AND SIMON MOORE, WERE AT HER BEDSIDE, ACCORDING TO HER LONGTIME AGENT JOAN REDDIN.


MOLLIE SUDGEN IS CONSIDERED ONE OF BRITAIN'S TOP COMEDY ACTRESSES, AND A QUICK LOOK AT HER IMPRESSIVE LIST OF CREDITS CERTAINLY ADDS MORE THAN JUST A LITTLE JUSTIFICATION TO THAT CLAIM. FOR MANY YEARS MOLLIE SEEMED TO PLAY EVERYONE'S MUM -- SHE PLAYED JIMMY CLITHEROE'S MOTHER IN JUST JIMMY, TERRY SCOTT'S MOM IN SON OF THE BRIDE, CHRISTOPHER BLAKE'S MUM IN THAT'S MY BOY, ROBIN NEDWELL'S MUM IN DOCTOR IN CHARGE, JUST TO NAME A FEW -- ADDED TO THAT ARE SUBSTANTIAL ROLES IN HUGH AND I, UP POMPEII AND ONE OF THE BEST SOAP OPERAS CORONATION STREET. BUT IT IS AS MRS SLOCOMBE IN THE BBC TELEVISION SERIES ARE YOU BEING SERVED? THAT MOLLIE SUDGEN HAS LEFT HER MOST ENDEARING MARK ON THE CONSCIOUSNESS ON THE TELEVISION AUDIENCE AND AMASSED A WORLDWIDE FOLLOWING OF DEVOTED FANS AND ADMIRERS. TRULY MOLLIE SUDGEN WILL BE MISSED . . .

30.6.09

ANTIQUES ROADSHOW ART EXPERT DISCOVERS UNKNOWN GAINSBOROUGH LANDSCAPE


AN ART EXPERT FROM THE ANTIQUES ROADSHOW TELEVISION SERIES HAS IDENTIFIED AN UNKNOWN LANDSCAPE PUT UP FOR SALE AT SOTHEBY'S, AS ONE OF THE EARLIEST WORKS OF THOMAS GAINSBOROUGH, WORTH AN ESTIMATED £750,000. PHILIP MOULD, WHO VALUES FINE ART ON THE BBC1 PROGRAM, PIECED TOGETHER CLUES THAT CONVINCED HIM THAT THE PAINTING WAS OF A SUFFOLK VIEW BEING OFFERED AT AUCTION WAS CREATED BY ONE OF BRITAIN'S GREATEST 18th CENTURY ARTISTS. MOULD CHOSE TO BID FOR THE LANDSCAPE OVER THE PHONE SO AS NOT TO ATTRACT SUSPICION -- HE PAID £67,250 FOR THE PAINTING, AFTER THE AUCTION HOUSE FAILED TO IDENTIFY IT AS ONLY A PAINTING FROM 'THE ENGLISH SCHOOL'. MOULD, WHO RECENTLY PUBLISHED A BOOK CALLED SLEUTH: THE AMAZING QUEST FOR LOST ART TREASURES, CLEANED UP THE PAINTING AND SHOWED IT TO A GROUP OF GAINSBOROUGH EXPERTS, ALL OF WHOM AGREED ON ITS AUTHENTICITY. MOULD IS NOW OFFERING THE RARE WORK TO THE GAINSBOROUGH'S HOUSE MUSEUM IN SUDBURY FOR £750,000. MEANWHILE, SOTHEBY'S, WHICH HAD ORIGINALLY VALUED THE PAINTING AT £10,000 TO £15,000, COULD FACE HAVING TO COMPENSATE THE PAINTING'S VENDOR FOR DRASTICALLY UNDERESTIMATING ITS WORTH.

TATE BRITAIN PRESENTS 'MONOCHROME TILL RECEIPT (WHITE)' BY CEAL FLOYER


MODERN ART ENTHUSIASTS MAY WANT TO CONSIDER A TRIP TO TATE BRITAIN IN THE NEAR FUTURE, WHERE A RATHER UNUSUAL PIECE OF ART IS BEING PRESENTED IN A NEW EXHIBITION, 'MONOCHROME TILL RECEIPT (WHITE)' BY CEAL FLOYER IS JUST WHAT IT SAYS - A TILL RECEIPT FROM A LOCAL SUPERMARKET. PAKISTANI-BORN FLOYER, 41, WHO GRADUATED FROM GOLDSMITH'S ART COLLEGE IN LONDON IN 1994, DESCRIBES THE BRILLIANT WORK AS A MODERN STILL LIFE WHERE OBJECTS ARE IMAGINED RATHER THAN SHOWN. THE RECEIPT LISTS OVER 40 OBJECTS, ALL OF WHICH ARE WHITE, INCLUDING BOIL-IN-THE-BAG RICE, AND ANDREX TOILET ROLL. DESPITE THE ESTIMATED £30,000 PRICE TAG TO THE MUSEUM, THE PIECE COMES WITH A LIST OF INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE ARTIST, STATING THAT A NEW RECEIPT MUST BE USED EVERY TIME IT IS SHOWN. BECAUSE SHE IS BASED IN NOW GERMANY, THE LATEST SHOPPING TRIP WAS LEFT TO EXHIBITION CURATOR ANDREW WILSON, WHO WAS SIMPLY TOLD TO BASE IT ON THE ORIGINAL LIST, NOW ARCHIVED BY THE TATE. HE EXPLAINED: "TILL RECEIPTS ARE LIGHT SENSITIVE AND FALL APART, SO THEY HAVE TO BE REPLACED. ALSO IT IS FIXED TO THE WALL, SO EACH TIME IT IS TAKEN DOWN, IT IS RUINED." HE HAS CALLED THE PIECE 'AN IMAGINATIVE LEAP OF FAITH FROM THE DAILY DRUDGE OF GOING TO THE SUPERMARKET TO THE IDEA OF THE DOMESTIC STILL LIFE PAINTING, BUT ALSO WITH THE SUPPOSED PURITY OF MODERNIST MONOCHROME ABSTRACT PAINTING.'
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS EXHIBITION VISIT www.tate.org.uk

29.6.09

SHANGHAI TANG OPENS NEW KOWLOON BOUTIQUE




SHANGHAI TANG IS THE FIRST LUXURY DESIGNER BRAND TO EMERGE FROM CHINA, WITH A DESIGN MISSION TO REVITALIZE CHINESE INNOVATION AND TO INTERWEAVE IT WITH THE DYNAMISM OF THE 21st CENTURY, HAS OPENED A STUNNING NEW FLAGSHIP BOUTIQUE IN KOWLOON. THE NEW STORE IS HOUSED IN THE FORMER MARINE POLICE HEADQUARTERS, ONE OF THE OLDEST HISTORIC GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS STILL SURVIVING IN THE HONG KONG AREA. ITS STUDIO OF INTERNATIONAL DESIGNERS FROM EAST AND WEST, CREATE MODERN, WEARABLE, SOPHISTICATED CHINESE-INSPIRED COLLECTIONS, COMPRISING A FULL RANGE OF READY-TO-WEAR FOR MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN, ACCESSORIES AND HOME DECORATIONS, USING THE MOST LUXURIOUS NATURAL FABRICS FROM CHINESE SILKS TO THE VERY BEST MONGOLIAN CASHMERE.
COINCIDING WITH THE LUXURY BRAND'S DEVOTION TO PRESERVING HERITAGE WHILE SHOWCASING NEW AND EXCITING PRODUCTS WHICH REFLECT CONTEMPORARY STYLING, THE KOWLOON BOUTIQUE RESIDES IN THE RESTORED TIMBER AND BRICK FACADE OF THE OLD FIRE STATION OF THE HONG KONG MARINE POLICE. BUT THE INTERIOR HAS BEEN FITTED WITH THE WELL UNIQUE SHANGHAI TANG STYLE, BOASTING A LUXURIOUS DECOR OF BLACK LACQUER AND BRIGHT BURSTS OF COLOUR THAT JUXTAPOSES WITH THE TRADITIONAL ASIAN WOOD-BEAMED CEILING AND MIXED WOOD FLOORING. TOPPING IT OFF IS A ROOFTOP TERRACE OVERLOOKING THE TSIM SHA TSUI WATERFRONT AND CLOCK TOWER, TRULY MAKING THE NEW BOUTIQUE A DISTINCTIVE DESTINATION FOR GLOBAL FASHION SHOPPING.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.shanghaitang.com

GIORGIO ARMANI OPENS NEW ROPPONGI HILLS, TOKYO, BOUTIQUE




GIORGIO ARMANI HAS RECENTLY OPENED A NEW DESIGNER FLAGSHIP BOUTIQUE WHICH IS LOCATED NEAR LOUIS VUITTON OVER ROPPONGI HILLS, TOKYO. THE NEW STORE WILL CARRY THE LATEST LINEUP OF THE DESIGNER'S ICON COLLECTION ALONG WITH SEVERAL LIMITED EDITION COMMEMORATIVE ITEMS EXCLUSIVE ONLY TO THE ROPPONGI HILLS LOCATION. THE BRILLIANT INTERIOR WAS DESIGNED SOLELY BY ARMANI HIMSELF AND INCLUDES SUCH DETAILS AS WALLS OF GLASS, POLISHED BLACK GRANITE FLOORS AND THREE EXCLUSIVE VIP LOUNGES FOR THOSE WHO WISH PRIVACY AND PERSONAL ASSISTANCE. THIS IS TRULY ANOTHER BRIGHT GEM IN TOKYO'S INTERNATIONAL AND VIBRANT GINZA DISTRICT

28.6.09

STONEWALL 40th ANNIVERSARY


TODAY WE MARK THE 40th ANNIVERSARY OF THE STONEWALL RIOTS, THAT GAVE WAY TO OUR FIGHT FOR FREEDOM FROM THE OPPRESSIONS OF DISCRIMINATION AND THE STRENGTHS TO GAIN OUR RIGHTS THAT EVERY PERSON DESERVES. . .
THE STONEWALL RIOTS WERE A SERIES OF VIOLENT DEMONSTRATIONS AGAINST A POLICE RAID THAT TOOK PLACE IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF 28.JUNE.1969 AT A WELL KNOWN BAR FREQUENTED BY HOMOSEXUALS CALLED THE STONEWALL INN, IN THE GREENWICH VILLAGE NEIGHBORHOOD OF NEW YORK CITY. THEY ARE FREQUENTLY CITED AS THE FIRST INSTANCE IN AMERICAN HISTORY WHEN THE GAY COMMUNITY FOUGHT BACK AGAINST A GOVERNMENT-SPONSORED SYSTEM OF DISCRIMINATION AND PERSECUTION OF HOMOSEXUALS, AND THEY HAVE BECOME THE DEFINING MOMENT THAT MARKED THE START OF THE GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT IN THE UNITED STATES AND EVENTUALLY AROUND THE WORLD.
VERY FEW ESTABLISHMENTS WELCOMED OPENLY GAY PEOPLE IN THE 1950s AND 1960s. THOSE THAT DID WERE OFTEN BARS, ALTHOUGH BAR OWNERS AND MANAGERS WERE RARELY GAY THEMSELVES. THE STONEWALL INN, AT THE TIME WAS OWNED BY A GROUP IN ORGANIZED CRIME. IT CATERED TO AN ASSORTMENT OF PATRONS, BUT IT WAS WELL KNOWN TO BE POPULAR WITH THE MARGINALIZED GROUP OF PEOPLE IN THE GAY COMMUNITY: TRANSVESTITES, EFFEMINATE YOUNG MEN, HUSTLERS AND HOMELESS YOUTH. POLICE RAIDS ON GAY BARS WERE ROUTINE IN THE 1960s, BUT OFFICERS QUICKLY LOST CONTROL OF THE SITUATION AT THE STONEWALL INN, AND IT ATTRACTED A CROWD THAT WAS INCITED TO RIOT. TENSIONS BETWEEN NEW YORK CITY POLICE AND GAY RESIDENTS OF GREENWICH VILLAGE ERUPTED INTO MORE PROTESTS THE NEXT EVENING, AND AGAIN SEVERAL NIGHTS LATER, WITHIN WEEKS, VILLAGE RESIDENTS QUICKLY ORGANIZED INTO ACTIVIST GROUPS TO CONCENTRATE EFFORTS OF ESTABLISHING PLACES FOR MEMBERS OF THE GAY COMMUNITY TO BE OPEN ABOUT THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATION WITHOUT THE FEAR OF BEING HARASSED OR ARRESTED BY THE POLICE.
AFTER THE STONEWALL RIOTS, THE GAY COMMUNITY IN NEW YORK CITY FACED GENDER, CLASS, AND GENERATIONAL OBSTACLES TO BECOMING A COHESIVE COMMUNITY. WITHIN SIX MONTHS, TWO GAY ACTIVIST ORGANIZATIONS WERE FORMED IN NEW YORK, CONCENTRATING ON CONFRONTATIONAL TACTICS, AND THREE NEWSPAPERS WERE ESTABLISHED TO PROMOTE RIGHTS FOR GAYS. WITHIN A FEW YEARS, GAY RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS WERE FOUNDED ACROSS AMERICA AND THE WORLD. ON 28.JUNE.1970, THE FIRST GAY PRIDE MARCHES TOOK PLACE IN LOS ANGELES AND NEW YORK CITY COMMEMORATING THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE RIOTS. SIMILAR MARCHES WERE ORGANIZED IN OTHER CITIES; TODAY GAY PRIDE EVENTS ARE HELD ANNUALLY THROUGHOUT THE WORLD TOWARD THE END OF JUNE TO MARK THE STONEWALL RIOTS.