I moved to France a year ago and this summer, in between living situations, I decided to stay in the south of France before finding a new home (thanks to Airbnb monthly discounts equalling rent payments!). In month two, I lived in Avignon, Provence. The city walls trapped in the 40-degree heat in a pretty stifling way. But there’s something about giving way to feeling hot and sweaty after months of grey cold. I love living a season (of the year and of live) in-between like this. Life is a house of cards, but nothing has collapsed by temporarily removing myself from the thick of life (read: busyness, opportunity, happenings) for something a little simpler, just for a little while.
Let's stay in touch (intellectually).
selection of articles, interviews, blogs et al.
For years, Vipoo Srivilasa has created blue and white ceramics, only to veer away from the palette during lockdown. Now, for an exhibition at Bunjil Place Gallery titled Generation Clay: Reimagining Asian Heritage, he embraces the aesthetic once again, with other artists in tow.
Reflecting on Art Basel Paris and Paris Art Week (16th–20th October), I’ve been returning to the idea of set and setting. It’s a term used for psychedelic drug use – set being one’s mindset and setting being the physical environment – but fitting for perceiving art, too. If set and setting are off, the experience can be jarring; if right, it’s conducive to an enriching encounter.
For some reason, Art-o-Rama – an art fair in the southern French city of Marseille – has three Google reviews, including a one-star labelling it for “pseudo fashion intellectuals” and those “armed with easy money”.