Mirror Mirror In The Desert

MUSICAL INTERMISSION

DAFT PUNK GET LUCKY Ft PHARRELL WILLIAMS (Live Performance )

Happy Summer feeling song, perfect for this Sunny Friday in London! Pharrell is feeling it too! 

Via www.theinspiration.com

Dashi Namdakov: A Nomad's Universe Exhibition II

Last night I was invited to the opening of A Nomad's Universe , I know I just did a post on this, but I had not even seen the exhibition but had a feeling it was going to be spectacular.

I was not wrong , Dashi Namdakov is an out of this world artist as you can see from the hundreds of pictures I took there was not one piece I did not like. I was like a mad woman with a camera. I had to edit from hundreds , it was hard to take great pictures as the Halcyon Gallery was packed with people in awe. For me this is the greatest, most moving exhibition I have ever seen, If money was no object I would buy almost his whole collection and create my own museum to look at it everyday. Words fail to describe the excellence in craftsmanship, you can feel the soul in every piece as they have really lived.

Thank you to the Halcyon Gallery for sharing with us a true Alchemist and Dashi Namdakov for bringing us your spirit and gift to the world.

Run now to see this you will never forget it.

16th of May-7 July 2012

Halcyon Gallery

144-146 New Bond Street

London

England

www.halcyongallery.com

www.dashi-art.com

All pictures taken by Vision of Splendor,

Picnic Splendor

Photos via Rolls Royce

Photos via Krug

Photos via Bonhams Auction House England

Photos via Bonhams

1957 Ford Carbeque Photos via Top Speed

Martell Trunk made by Pinel

Gorgeous summers days, perfect for a luxurious picnic.

Francis Sultana Vision's

London Based Maltese Interior Designer Francis Sultana has created a elegant line of furniture. With his incredible vision which he honed at the wonderful David Gill Gallery over 19 years working there, his line is made with great attention to detail , clean lines and luxurious fabrics. Modern but yet traditional, the crafstmanship of his pieces stand out in this world of mass market furniture.

His collection can be viewed at David Gills former gallery on Fulham Road London. You must go and visit.

www.francissultana.com

Divine xo

P.s David Gill has moved to his new  gallery to Mayfair, also wonderful and on another posting will do a piece on him.

All photos via Francis Sultana website,1stDibs and Robb Report.

Hacienda de San Antonio

Set on the outskirts of the Municpio de Comala one of Mexico's Pueblos Magicos (Magical Towns) Hacienda de San Antonio  is another of Sir James Goldsmith properties , who obviously had very good instinct for magnificent properties. My previous post was on his beach property Cuixmala, this 19th Century Hacienda is built on a plantation estate on the foothills of Volcan de Fuego. This two story hacienda sits on a 470 acre expanse within a 5000 acre working ranch, coffee plantation and organic farm.

Originally completed in the 1890's by Don Arnoldo Vogel an immigrant from Germany who found that the cool highland was ideal for growing Arabica coffee, which was so successful that it was exported to the German Imperial family. The Vogels built a chapel dedicated to San Antonio when in 1913 the Volcano erupted but spared the plantation.

Works in the hacienda come from Mexico's leading artisans, rich in tradition that make you feel at home, the beautiful rooms come  views and fireplaces for the cooler nights. Dinning on Mexico's traditional recipes, a wide range of organically grown fruits,vegetables, cheeses and meats all provided by their farm El Jabali . For me it would be drinking the fresh coffee straight from the plantation that you can also visit, with views on the volcano.

The activities are special , archeological sites visit , Volcano Excursions , horse back riding , Ariel tours, cheese factory , Coffee roasting tour, Colonial Towns and Museums and Galleries. Phew!

You can also visit the town were you can watch a traditional rodeo, shop some artisan crafts or you can drink some of the local drinks made from tamarind, and other fruits called Ponche or La Tuba a fermented semi alcoholic drink made from palm tree sap, which originates from the Philippines.

Cielito Lindo xo

Click below to Listen to this beautiful famous Ranchera song

Cielito Lindo Lola Beltan

www.haciendadesanantonio.com

www.comalamexico.com

Happy New Year 2012

A new dawn is here, may it be  blessed, may you have the strength and courage to make the changes you always wanted to make, may your dreams come true and your spirit soar. Remember you are not alone, 2012 here we come! Happy Happy New Year to you all! With Love xoxo

"Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself."

Rumi

Namibia by Sebastiao Salgado

visionofsplendor.com

The Serai

This glorious tented camp is set in The Great Thar Desert  a national park on the outskirts of the medieval kingdom of Jaisalmer which was founded in 1156 AD.

At The Serai you will feel as if you are back in in the Victorian days of The Raj in the middle of this vibrantly colored desert landscape, this small jewel only has 21 tents decorated with traditional and local furniture and modern amenities such as Ipod's and quiet air conditioning.

Relax in your living room with a nice drink or the veranda to take in canopy of stars at night. Shop at their magnificently well curated boutique filled with local refined artisanal caftans designed especially for The Serai , buy or admire local paintings , jewellery and more. 

Have your very elegant driver pick you up in a classic desert coloured jeep to drive you into the dunes and then arrive at a magical dinner under night sky with special local performances organized for the evening.

Sounds perfect to me!

Namaste xo

www.the-serai.com

LI CHEN THE SOUL GUARDIAN

AERIEL PAGODA I

AERIAL PAGODA II

FIREMASTER

THE THREE BODIES OF BUDDHA

THE PURSUER

CLEAR SOUL

SNOW WONDERLAND

SOUL GUARDIAN

THE GENUINE STATE

LANDSCAPE IN HEAVEN

GOLDEN PALM

ELEVATION

LORD OF WIND

OFFERING

SOARING DRAGON

CAUSAL (soul)

THE ILLUMINATOR

THE ILLUMINATOR CLOSE UP

  "Behind the Beacon is a ceremonial process; its essence lies in “Yinze”—the full or diminishing glory of the sun and the moon. (Li Chen)

One morning I received a call from a dear friend of mine whose taste and creativity I greatly admire, she recounted to me her trip in Paris and all the wonderful art she had seen but especially wanted to share with me in detail something she knew I would love. Buddha statues like she had never seen, her description immediately resonated with me and the googlelista that I am I fell on Buddhas Big Lap. It was love at first sight for me too, Splendid Buddha, big and round like a baby, strong yet soft, heavy yet light,  almost as if Botero and Buddha had baby via Artist Taiwanese Li Chens mind. 

Li Chen's  Spiritual Invocations come from his deep knowledge and experience in Taoist, Buddhist and Classic Chinese Traditions but most of all from his connection to his soul. That is what make these sculptures be different from the rest, they glimmer within. 

Now how can I invoke one of his sculpture in my house?! 

*When night light Glimmers : The Beacon*

In this Series:

The Pursuer, Illuminator, Angelic Smile, Fire Master, The Pavilion, Aerial Pagoda & Soaring Dragon.

"One evening in 2009, Li Chen returned from a busy day at work to his home. He lit a long unused candles on the family Buddhist altar and enjoyed the warmth of the silence, and the experience brought back memories of one of his earlier drawings titled “Illuminator.” This event was the spiritual beginnings of the artist’s current series of work. For the “The Beacon” Series, Li Chen completed just eight pieces in total. For Li lighting the lamp constitutes an act of “recuperation” and brings with it a certain ritualistic joy. Through the interaction of humanity and fire the burning of materials not only changes the environment, but a certain romantic sentimentality dances in the candlelight. As a result, ones state of mind becomes becalmed, providing an opportunity for one to communicate with oneself. “The Beacon” is far richer and more diverse than any of Li’s earlier work. It also marks the first time the artist has sculpted the human form, deliberately showcasing the characteristic of the Asian physical form. This work makes the connection between people and such high places as towers, pavilions, heavenly fire, containing objects that appear distant, but can be compared with Chinese literati’s slow wander.

  "The meaning of the Pursuer’s candle light can be decided by people’s different definition and thought for life. A white cloud twirling around the waist of the figure is evocative of a dream-like illusion, triggering the imagination and lending a surprising touch of humor to the otherwise thought-provoking theme. Such is the wondrous creativity of Li Chen." (Thomas Lee, President of Asia Art Center)

 ******* NEWS***************** ( Lucky Parisians )

LI CHEN EXHIBITION IN PLACE VENDOME PARIS 2 SEPTEMBER-29TH. 2013. 

   Li Chen has accomplished an artistic style that incorporates Eastern philosophy of Confucian, Taoist, and Buddhist traditions with contemporary thought, evincing the idea of “Spirit of the East.” His sculptures will be showcased at the center of Paris surrounded by historical buildings. While such arrangement seems to emphasise the contrast between two different cultures, they are alike in terms of providing new possibilities and interpretations for our cumulative civilisation and wisdom in contemporary world. Facilitated by the speed of globalisation and technology nowadays, we can thus expect a profound intellectual dialogue between Eastern and Western cultures occurring at Place Vendome. 

  This exhibition is organised by notable non-profit organization—Global Art Center Foundation (GAC), and Asia Art Center, with full acknowledgement and support from the Vendôme Committee (Comité Vendôme), Ministry of Culture (Ministère de la Culture) and Paris City Council (Conseil municipal). After 18 months of deliberated planning by the curatorial team, which consists of international experts from Paris, Netherlands, Italy and Taipei, the team has successfully overcome various obstacles such as transportation, structural calculation, artwork placement, loading capacity, and weather conditions. in the hope to help Taiwanese artist break free from geographical boundary and to engage in the infinite possibilities of the world. 

  As the economy of the east begins to rise and attract global attentions, Li Chen’s artworks inspired by Eastern culture and traditions will surely bring to light a visual and spiritual feast in the world.

    SOURCES

www.lichensculpture.org

www.asie-antiquites.com

To see more like LI Chen see my previous piece on Dashi Namdakov 

Dashi Namdakov: A Nomad's Universe

“I would like to understand Buryat and Buddhist tradition rationally, yet I believe something within me knows it better than I do." Dashi Namdakov

Dashi Namdakov lives in the South Eastern part of Russian Siberia near the absolutely magnificent Lake Baikal, the world’s cleanest and biggest fresh water container - one of the Worlds Natural Heritage Sites. The local people Buryats believe the Lake to be sacred.

Dashi was born in 1967 in a small Buryati village near the Russian Chinese border. His father was a well-known craftsman in the village who was famous for his versatile abilities to make things with his own hands furniture, metal handles and even carpets. His wood-carved sculptures of buddhist gods and tangkas (Buddhist icons) were installed in monasteries. So, from early childhood the kids learnt different skills through helping their father.

This is the atmosphere Dashi has grown up in and by the time he became a young man he had a good command of various manual skills. But at the age of 15 Dashi suddenly got very sick and for 7 long years no doctor could heal him. The boy was near the death's door.

Finally the parents found themselves at a shaman who found the cause of the sickness. It was the negligence that people show to their roots, their predecessors and their names. She made her ritual. Incredible enough but the pain stopped instantly. And 7 days later Dashi was in another city looking for a job. That shaman predicted that Dashi would see a huge success due to his ability to observe the beauty of the surrounding world and to recreate it in metal.

He moves to Ulan-Ude, Buryati central city and starts his carrier in the workshop of the locally well-known sculptor G.Vasilyev. In 1988 Dashi is admitted to the University of Fine Arts in Siberian Krasnoyarsk city. This is where Russian famous artists Lev Golovnitsky, Yuri Ishkhanov, Azat Boyarlin and Eduard Pakhomov taught him the academic art.

After graduation in 1992 Dashi returns to Ulan-Ude. In the year 2000 after his first personal exhibition in Irkutsk it becomes clear that a new star was born in the world of arts. The exhibition came as a furore to the art establishment. The first exhibition was followed by other successful venues in Russia and other countries.

The mysterious images often haunt Dashi during nights when the consciousness is in transition to another world inhabited by celestial creatures and spirits. Dashi scrupulously renders these visions to the paper for him not to forget - and then the night dreams are imprinted in bronze or silver.

Dashi's sculptures belong to other, remote worlds where the man and the cosmos are one, where every single thing is an integral part of the universal construction each having its own individual place and yet constantly reincarnating. This is the oriental idea of the world seeing beauty in the fragile harmony of things and fearing to break this beauty with an awkward move.

This is why old shamans talk to the spirits and heal people in Dashi's world. His old warrior does not look barbaric at all rather he is tired and wise. However one feels that his wisdom does come from a lot of pain. Knowing the real cost of the victory the warrior becomes wise and thus more humane than anybody else. Dashi's women are sensual but shy in the oriental manner. Looking at a wild fallow deer how can anyone fail to see a beautiful girl? If one takes a close look at the world around he must be able to see its beauty.

"The Creator is wiser than you", - say Dashi's sculptures.- "If you take the world as it is its secret beauty will come out to you".

"My Grandpa was a very gifted story-teller. He knew a lot of legends and stories about Buryats. And I remember them with my bones, inwardly. This feeling is very strong and more on subconscious level. I would like to understand Buryat and Buddhist tradition rationally, yet, I believe, something within me knows it better than I do. My teacher at the Art School was Lev Golovnitsky, a very fine and good Russian sculptor. And he helped me to appreciate and understand the art of sculpture and world tradition. And I am a student of Michelangelo and Bourdelle, Bruegel and Old Japanese art. And I am also myself. " (Dashi Namdakov).

Text above from Halcyon Gallery,

I have always been fascinated by Nomadic Tribes and the lands of Mongolia , Siberia, Russia and central Asia. Especially their traditions and mystical faiths of Shamanism and storytelling. Dashi Namdakov has managed to capture all of these things and more in his incredible sculptures, paintings and jewellery design. This is is his first solo show in the UK, The collection includes 45 sculptures and drawings created by the artist over last 12 years and showcases the artist’s extraordinary craftsmanship and highly original style which combines traditional spiritual imagery with present day realities, make sure to also go and see this and the sculpture in Marble Arch. Out of this world.

Thank you Halcyon Gallery for bringing us such a magnificent talent,

16th of May-7 July 2012

Halcyon Gallery

144-146 New Bond Street

London

Photos sourced via,

www.halcyongallery.com

www.dashi-art.com

www.khankhalaev.com