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Georg Jensen: Scandinavian Design for Living

Art Institute of Chicago

Georg Jensen and his creations are credited with having left an immense imprint on the landscape that defines modern living. This book gives more than a few answers as to the why.

With an idiosyncratic approach and a focus on keeping the balance between form and function, his diverse ranges of both extraordinaire accessories and everyday objects have not only managed to keep pace but also exert influence of the ever shifting culture that defines lifestyles while at the same time managing to embrace a large spectrum of customers, from design aficionados to ones that “just like” what Jensen’s emissions do and how they look.

A maverick that believed in his vision and a torchbearer for Scandinavian design at large that finds homage to him in this book.

The focus is on his silver works but the book also covers his visions for the modern home informed by innovation and the incorporation of a range of different materials – a bit of a counterpoint to the furniture heavy Danish design landscape, which it is usually praised for.

The book also pays tribute to the designers that keep pushing the envelope under the banner of the brand Georg Jensen, e.g. Sigvard Bernadotte and Johan Rohde, who took the DNA of Jensen’s oeuvre, incorporated new methodologies and infused his trademark style with their own flavours. Furthermore his collaborations with other designers, and architects are shed light on, which gives his works another dimension as they incarnate in different, seemingly unrelated contexts.

A lavishly illustrated tome that rests on a solid foundation of elaborate essays that document how a Danish identity was coined in the realm of design – an identity that eventually found its place on the firmament of global culture and became a hallmark in the canon of twenty-first century design.

Thus let us drink cider...

Ah, the ripened extract of pears and apples, which is particularly popular in the United Kingdom and the rest of the Commonwealth, i.e. the ancient libation commonly known as Cider.

There is no shortage of cider varieties: From arid to luscious, sparkling, and opaque with solid residue via brown, amber and clear, the variations are informed by the refining processes between pressing and fermentation.

Local varieties differ in terms of alcohol content and of course the apples that form the foundation of the methods used to create them.

In the land down under that are nowadays at least one hundred and thirty cider producers with more popping up every months. In other words, the taste and market for Apfelwein has grown considerably and the Australian palate has become more sophisticated when it comes to appreciating the wide range of styles that cider comes in. With a growing thirst for true ciders down under, i.e. ones that consist of more goodness than concoction mixed with water and apple concentrate, it is not further wondrous that the yearly Australian Cider Festival, organised by the peak body Cider Australia, is one of the most popular events when it comes to events that celebrate the juice of crushed apples and local cideries.

The 2018 incarnation was a well-curated and expertly organised affair with a range of different ciders on offer along with master classes conducted by industry luminaries and sustenance that was either infused with cider or selected so it would pair well.

Discoveries of the fair were, apart from the never not excellent Willie Smith’s (see feature below), Pomologist Cider from New South Wales Highlands: Made from organically and biodynamically grown heritage apples, their ciders prove to be an excellent pairing with meaty, savoury foods as it compliments the fruit nuances and floral aromas.

Hillbilly Cider’s Vintage was the winner of the day: Double fermented in French oak barrels and reminiscent of its equivalents from the Normandy region, this expression is one to savour and can easily be partaken in instead of a bottle of sparkling wine or champagne with its dry and earth finish.

Sydney Brewery’s Agave Ginger Cider proved to be less of a novelty than the name might initially suggest: Being a tequila aficionado, the medium sweetness is accentuated by a ginger zing, which makes it dangerously more-ish. Along with their Oaked Organic Cider and their Pale Ale, the range that Sydney Brewery had on offer made one plan a visit to their Sydney incarnation to sample what else they have in store.

Change of pace?

Aight.

Enter Tasmania.

Enter Willie Smiths Organic Apple Cider from Huon Valley.

Their basic variant is a 5.4% ABV distinctive cider for craft beer drinkers, taking a page from the book of how ciders were made in the North of France.

An exercise in refreshing as a nuanced acidity is serenades and framed by warm apple flavours and a remarkable tannin structure culminating in an easy cleansing finish. The aroma holds red apple, more than mere hints of oak and fresh citrus, which finds its equivalent on the palate.

This babyh pours a thin wheat gold with a white head, substantiated with a tart apple aroma, oak, mild citrus, and sweet apple notes. The mouth feels spritzy, light bodied, high carbonation, dry tannic finish.

Willie Smith’s Bone Dry Cider, is, as the name suggests, a dry one. What with the first few sips appears to be French in flavour, the Bone dry is based on a style reminiscent of Herfordshire with the main difference being the apples used.

As it is fermented long, sweetness is reduced and the alcohol content being increased due to a second fermentation process in oak barrels which leave their trace on the dark and cloudy final, vigorously sparkling product.

With the nose being predominantly earthy, it is super easy to drink – dangerous at that with the alcohol coming in at 6.8% and a super crisp finish.

Now, Willie Smiths also does limited edition releases.

Unfortunately they are limited.

Case in point, the Willie Smith’s Kingston Black 2017.

Using one of the most converted apples for making single variety cider, and particularly difficult to cultivate  as it is prone to many diseases, the harvest is rewarded with an emission that is high in acid and bitters with enough sugar to give a solid alcohol level.

Now, thing with this complex beauty is that apart from apples, it also gives you nuances of oranges and notes of caramel with a refreshingly crisp finish.

Deliciousness par excellence that makes one wonder what Willie Smiths Sullivans Cove Whisky Aged Cider must be like . . .

Aight - Rekorderlig is an established cider brand from Sweden that produces quality ciders in an array of flavour variations in all colours of the rainbow, all clocking in at a relatively low 4.5% abv alcohol level. While they have always encouraged people to use their emissions as a basis for cocktails, have recently embarked on a new venture, i.e. the introduction of a fresh new range of ready-to-drink bartender quality Cider Cocktails to their repertoire with the aim being to add a twist to their classic offerings.

Based on the DNA of the Swedish summer punch “Bål”, Rekorderlig’s Strawberry-Lime Swedish Punch mixes mint, lime and elderflower with vodka and Strawberry-Lime Cider. What results is a citrusy-sweet fruit punch that does not lack a refreshing taste of summer.

Encouraged by the traditional Daisy Cocktail, made with brandy or whiskey, Rekorderlig’s Mango-Raspberry Daisy infused with Swedish vodka and finished with a citrusy mix of orange and lemon.

Have you heard of “Bramble”? Me neither, but apparently it is a cocktail that was quite popular in the 1980s. While it is fabled that the original was based on a foundation of gin, Rekorderlig’s take on it uses rum and mixes it with their Wild Berries Cider. 

While I can see that readymade cocktails will elicit contorted faces from some hardcore cocktail aficionados, the underlying idea informing Rekorderlig’s approach is the creation of cocktails that can be enjoyed anywhere, from picnics and barbeques to the poolside or beachside – something that has been achieved by them serving it in a sleek, clear 330ml glass bottle.

Check out more of the "Thus, let us drink" series.

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Photos by T

Reigning Men: Fashion in Menswear 1715-2015

Exhibition and Book by Prestel Publishing

Powerhouse Museum

Sydney, Australia

Ah, the Weather Girls.

Their oeuvre and specifically their song “Reigning Men” has left its imprint on popular culture and in this case the fashion industry as it inspired Sharon Takeda to modify the title of said song to fit the exhibition of a spanning three hundred years of menswear based on a thousand piece acquisition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 2008, which was purchased by the museum from the European collectors and dealers Martin Kamer and Wolfgang Ruf.

Reigning Men: Fashion in Menswear, 1715-2015 became the world's largest exhibition of men's clothing staged to date, running the gamut from outfits worn by aristocrats, dandies, macaronis, mods, punks, metrosexuals and everything in between.

The exhibition finally found its way down under following its debut in Los Angeles in 2016, where it is currently on display to coincide with a worldwide renaissance of menswear.

The exhibition is organised thematically, which has the advantage over a chronological arrangement that individual pieces can be show next to each other in juxtaposition to compare and contrast the past and the present along with the evolution in between.

Needless to say that no matter if you are an initiated fashion aficionado or not, it proves to be difficult not to be intrigued by the discovery of how what eventually became the norm in the 21st has evolved to the current state and the connection between seemingly unrelated cultures and how they have influenced each other that are expertly pointed out, think East / West or Military / Leisure wear.

The exhibition was carefully curated by the Powerhouse’s senior curator Roger Leong who accomplished a to create an eclectic cross section of very different ways of dressing away from what the mainstream perceives to be the norm.

The attention to details does not stop with the menswear but extends to the accessories and hairstyles of the mannequins giving the exponates another dimension and adding historical significance.

Prestel Publishing’s book is not unlike the one on Anton Corbjn an opulently illustrated essential accompaniment and extension of the exhibition, documenting three hundred years of men’s fashion. Following the curatorial path that forms the foundation of the exhibition, it traces and captures the essence of different eras and helps in develop a new sense of appreciation for fashion no matter if you are into tailored garments from Savile Row, Zoot suits or the subversive designs of Vivienne Westwood and Rei Kawakubo.

A feast for the eyes that goes beyond mere fashion as it documents cultural interactions and developments.

Radio Birdman

Manning Bar

Sydney, Australia

October 5, 2018

Outlining the impact the brilliant and notoriously volatile Radio Birdman has had on the evolution of punk rock and the independent music scene at large would necessitate a flip chart. Yes, people go on about The Saints. Rightly so. The “I’m stranded”
7” is unsurpassed. However, when it comes to the package, the mélange of protopunk, confrontational attitude and manic energy that manifested in Radio Birdman’s songwriting made them my favourite pre- and first-wave-punk band from the land down under.

It had been a long rainy day and quite a bit of hustling had to be done to make it on time for the performance of Radio Birdman. The fact that a band that was originally founded in 1974 changes not only my mood but also the dynamics of the room within minutes of hitting the stage is testament to their legacy.

Based on the solid foundation that is the band’s motor, i.e. Deniz Tek’s guitar work, Radio Birdman in 2018 sounds like a well-oiled machine that sonically assaults the audience with a contemporary version of the essence of what made bands like The Stooges, Cramps and The Clash and MC5 the mavericks they were.

Serenading the audience with his angst laden vocal delivery and his charismatic stage presence, Rob Younger adds to the vibe that eventually became part of the DNA of bands like The Wipers. Pip Hoyke’s keyboards adds nuances that enhance the exuberant musical prowess of the accelerated dueling surf guitars in a melodic yet frantic manner, which finds the sold out oratorium reveling in it.

A fantastic and powerful performance with no unnecessary word lost in between songs and devoid of nostalgia – Radio Birdman is a legend that has not lost an iota of relevance and is a force to be reckoned with that you would not want to miss out on if you ever get the chance to witness them.

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Photos by T

A Midnight Visit

Sydney, Australia

October 3, 2018

Immersive theatre is a genre for itself. Forget sitting in seat and merely losing yourself in the world it presents by engaging the imagination.

Then again it does neither imply that interaction and participation is an integral component or that the site needs to be specific.

However, all of the aforementioned tends to play a part and add to the total that, if it is done well, becomes much more than the sum of the individual parts.

Enter the triumvirate that forms the team of creatives behind A Midnight Visit, i.e. Kirsten Siddle, Danielle Harvey and Simon Hayward. What they have accomplished is the creation of a world that simulate all five senses, and by meticulously paying attention to details, create scenarios that do not only serve as a backdrop but also as a hands-on museum and art installation: Worlds within worlds than can be explored by audience member as they follow the implicit directive to touch, playfully interact, encounter with the performers and solve puzzles, which makes each facet uniquely personal depending on the route you decide to take.

Summa summarum – the audience is being taken on a journey, which is framed by a story that is based on the foundation of the stimulating oeuvre of Edgar Allan Poe. What makes the production of A Midnight Visit outstanding is that it not merely draws on the prevalent themes that pervade Poe’s lyrical emissions, e.g. culpability, afterlife, (sub-)consciousness, anxiety, hysteria and delusions, but manages to not only allude to and refer to his works but creates a coherent whole out of seemingly disparate pieces and a red thread is spun without forcefully enforcing it.

Employing performers, video projections, installations, sets and soundscapes in a two story abandoned warehouse, the collaboration between Broad Encounters and Groundswell Productions results in an evening that does not bank on previous knowledge of Poe’s work as the production can be enjoyed for what it is face value, but it certainly adds to the experience and it is interesting to see their idiosyncratic take on the characters.

Not unlike Edgar Allan Poe, A Midnight Visit evokes profound feelings yet allows you ample space and opportunity to fill in the blanks – it provides a canvas upon which you project your reactions and fears.

The orchestration of the event is well-paced and the fact that the excitement of sharing a space and become part of the immersive extravaganza does not wear off throughout the experience, is testament to the success of A Midnight Visit – a visit that culminates in the Raven’s Nest, a customized pop-up bar that extends the experience with themed drinks and a well-curated ambience before visitors are unleashed into the night.

A Midnight Visit is something you want you would want to immerse yourself in before the residency ends in December.

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Photo provided