Serpentine Pavilion 2018 review Unveiling a concrete tapestry in a garden..

by Tiziana Maggio

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This summer a dark fence is going to stand in the lawn of the Serpentine Gallery in London’s Kensington Gardens. On Tuesday 12th June, the new Serpentine Pavilion 2018 opened to the public giving at a first view very little of itself away, if not just two textured overlapping rectangles. In fact, as soon as I arrived my partner of adventures Roro stated: ‘It looks like a prison’.

However, from a closer look the structure reveals to be formed by undulated roofing tiles stacked together and romantically woven on to steel poles which welcome us in a courtyard-like space with a shallow triangular pool covered by a curved mirrored canopy. Also we realised that the two nested rectangular spaces are wisely placed parallel to the Serpentine Gallery one and the Prime Meridian of Greenwich the other. 

I have to say that after the tree-inspired Pavilion created last year by Diébédo Francis Kéré, this black textured walls are everything but unwelcoming or rough: in fact with a cafe, chairs and light and breeze filtering through the decorative tiles, they will offer for the next four months a relaxing and intimate place to recover from the either rainy or hot city’s buzz and enjoy a calendar filled of art events.

Plus, the distorted images reflected by the ceiling and the water highlight how simple materials like cement can create complex pieces of tapestries. The Mexican architect Frida Escobedo, who was mingling around at the opening, invites us to enjoy the water and a cool splash for our suffering soles in the hopefully warm days of this London’s summer. 

Establishing her practice in 2006, she led several projects in her country, London, California and Lisbon. After Zaha Hadid inaugural Pavilion in 2000, Frida is the second solo woman to be chosen for the Serpentine Gallery’s annual commission. Also, at 38 years old, she is the youngest architect of any of her predecessors achieving the prestigious leading role, becoming the 18th architect selected to design the Pavilion.

‘My design for the Serpentine Pavilion 2018 is a meeting of material and historical inspirations inseparable from the city of London itself and an idea which has been central to our practice from the beginning: the expression of time in architecture through inventive use of everyday materials and simple forms’ stated Escobedo.

Serpentine Director Hans-Ulrich Obrist and CEO Yana Peel explained that Escobedo’s Pavilion is “a beautiful harmony of Mexican and British influences” and an ‘architecture for everyone which promises to be a space of reflection and encounter”. In fact the young architect wanted to reinterpret the permeable “celosia”, a type of breeze wall which is a common element in the Mexican residential properties to get some restorative and cool siesta-times, creating a very precious British reference for us.

Go: the Pavilion is always worth a detour from your running around.

Don’t go: if you prefer your sofa, couch potato!

Published on Look Lateral Magazine

Giorgio di Palma. A ceramist to watch out for: Interview with Giorgio di Palma, who is pushing ceramic forward

by Tiziana Maggio

Just one heartfelt piece of advice: remember his name. For his disruptive approach to the ceramic, we could define him as the Damien Hirst of this craft, but actually, to be more precise, Giorgio is like Damien before getting his god-like attitude and marketing power. In fact from his workshop in a tiny center in the south of Italy, Giorgio is revolutionizing his art.

Class 1981, he studied Archeology to then actually started working as IT technician. However, after few years he finally decided to listen to his true passion, the ceramic craft, and follow his call back home in the small town of Grottaglie, which actually is historically well known for its century old ceramic tradition. It is not a coincidence then that since he moved back home in 2010, Giorgio has been producing an incredible collection of ceramic art which are starting to attract interior designers and art collectors’ interests. His artistic statement is all about a personal and ironic approach: ‘I work my own way, without focusing on the technique, and I always avoid giving my objects a real function. I produce ceramic items which are not needed. In an era of excess and wastefulness, my aim is to create objects fallen into disuse, useless, but impossible to leave behind. They will outlive us, because now they are made of terracotta, hence immortal. Through a special time machine called ceramics I enjoy transforming the useless into the eternal and consecrating the moment.’

I have got to know Giorgio primarily via email and it immediately transpires how down to heart and committed this artist is.

Do you have a mentor in your professional and personal life?

In my life I have always been surrounded by people who inspired me, hence I don’t think I have ever had only one mentor. I might sound pretentious but I believe in myself so much that I could call myself the Giorgio di Palma’s mentor. This does not mean that I believe I can do anything I want. With time I have learnt that in every craft and industry there are experts that could be my teachers and mentors. Hence if I want to make marinated anchovies I will ask for my mother’s instructions and if I want to create a complex ceramic piece, I will ask my father for some advice.

Who is a living artist you admire and you would collect?

My house and studio are full of art made by artists I was lucky enough to meet and get to know closely. I need to know the artist personally in order for me to collect his pieces, in fact behind every piece I have, there is a story to tell. Hence I would say I collect stories, not art.

What can you not stand in the art world?

I have to say I cannot stand the art world as a whole. I never wanted to call myself ‘artist’ and I always avoided the path of art galleries-collectors-price politics. 

Some of my pieces are displayed in museums where a wider audience can see them and enjoy them. However, I usually sell in my studio and in few selected shops: my buyers can be either the kid who needs to buy a gift for his aunt and the person who falls in love with a unique original piece.

What’s your biggest achievement so far in life and career?

Maybe my biggest one has been to came back and make a living in my hometown Grottaglie, in Southern Italy.

Are you interested in Italian politics?

Fundamentally no. I voted just three times in my life and I deeply regretted each time. I believe citizens can’t really decide on complex topics like vaccines, Euro, etc..There are designated people with specific expertise who know what and how to decide on those matters. We should just convince them to do that. Instead on ethical choice, rather economic-political matters, citizens should decide.

Where do you see yourself in 20 years?

I see myself ‘escaping’ from Italy often but also having Grottaglie as a base for me to come back.Like his ceramic lollipop and balloons, Giorgio is a straightforward and extremely enjoyable artist who can surprise you with a genuine approach that will definitely further his career in the directions of being internationally collected and unanimously acclaimed.

The EY Exhibition: Impressionists in London,    Tate Britain, London

by Tiziana Maggio

A very familiar story of talented people who had to flee to Britain to escape war in France

In Brexit times, this exhibition is a very useful reminder of how Britain was perceived by some talented people, threatened in their own countries. Britain was the place to be, to emerge and to be appreciated more than anywhere else in Europe at that time.

Nowadays, can we still say the same?

Without getting too political, this exhibition is an incredible collection of great pieces by DeNittis, Monet, Tissot, Sisley, Derain and Legros.

Go: if you want to have the great confirmation that art has always been with no barriers or borders. 

Don’t go: if you think that history doesn’t teach us much.

LAPADA Art & Antiques Fair in Berkeley Square, Mayfair, 2016? No, Thank you.

The art displayed at LAPADA 2016 was like your bookshelf: you know your books, you know the story and you know if they are interesting or NOT.

When you are tired of them though, you display some always fashionable Lalique vases, some overpriced African art and vintage diamond rings.

Done! the fee for the stand is almost covered.

Don't go: if you have some gardening to do.

Go: if you missed all the Art Fairs in 2015 and 2016.

Painting by Phil Shaw.  (Same old same old.)