Read the intimate interview and learn more about the multi-hyphenate creative who has been collaborating with beverage brand DIAGEO and celebrating creativity.
![Claudia Andujar, [A guest decorated with vulture and hawk down feathers at a feast, Catrimani], 1974. Gelatin silver print. 26.4 x 39.8 inches (67 x 101 cm). Artwork © Claudia Andujar. Collection of the artist.](https://i0.wp.com/theknockturnal.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/103_Claudia-Andujar_-A-guest-decorated-with-down-feathers.jpeg?fit=1170%2C782&ssl=1 "Claudia Andujar, [A guest decorated with vulture and hawk down feathers at a feast, Catrimani], 1974. Gelatin silver print. 26.4 x 39.8 inches (67 x 101 cm). Artwork © Claudia Andujar. Collection of the artist.")
Laser focused in scope but wide ranging in material, The Yanomami Struggle augments fifty years of Claudia Andujar’s emotional photography with eighty works by contemporary Yanomami artists.
With Patrick Martinez’s grand neon installation offering a backdrop with messages like “We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now”, the Whitney Museum of American Art’s annual Art Party felt more united in spirit than ever before.
Don’t show up to the holidays empty-handed. Here’s a handy guide to shopping for every personality in your life, from the homebody and fashion star to the one who’s never home for more than a week at time and who’s always sipping on the latest and greatest. Fizzling with charm, these items are hand-picked for their aesthetic appeal, functional character, and overall value.
For the Nest-Maker
The Napper Weighted Blanket from Bearaby
Bearaby Weighted Blanket
Whether you’re getting one for its proven health benefits or just the chic aesthetic, the weighted blanket obsession has no signs of slowing. Now, Bearaby has created the must-have version that you’re seeing everywhere: the extra-chunky, wide-weave, filling-free weighted blanket that will suit almost any bedroom or living room. With its understated color options such as blue and green, multiple weights for comfort, and offered in both cotton and velvet fabrics, you’ll want to toss two in the cart– one for them, and one for yourself.
Where to buy: Get it from $249.00 at Bearaby.
The Componibili Metal Storage System from Kartell
Kartell Componibili Metal Storage System
Made in Italy, Kartell has been in the business of great design for over 70 years. Proof of this is the Kartell Componibili, a series of modular storage units designed by Anna Castelli Ferrieri in 1969. With a discrete set of sliding doors, the Componibili units are a flexible and customizable storage solution worth showing off as a centerpiece or essential supporting character in a room. The Componibili units are iconic for their sleek and minimalist design and with gold, chrome, or copper finishes, suit nearly any space.
Where to buy: Get it from $365.00 at Kartell.
For the Indulgent
Non-Alcoholic Aperitivi from Martini & Rossi
Martini & Rossi nonalcoholic Vibrante
Founded in 1863 in Italy, Martini & Rossi is known for its signature blend of herbs and spices, which give its products a distinctive flavor that is instantly recognizable. Now, master blenders at Martini & Rossi have been able to access that same remarkable taste along with an ultra-low ABV in the form of the Vibrante and Floreal non-alcoholic aperitivi. These complex, grape-based sips may remind you of the regional flower and fruit-based liqueurs of The Alps with the charmed infusion of Artemisia and Bergamot.
Where to buy: Get it from $17.99 at local shops or online at Binny’s.
Wine Friendly Magnum Two Pack from Riedel
Riedel Wine Glasses “Magnum”
Access all the beautiful, engaging, and sophisticated notes in the aperitivo with Riedel’s new universal wine glass. Designed to optimally access the aromas of all types of wines, many aperitivo are served in stemmed glassware to prevent undue heat and preserve the aromas. Make every sip especially indulgent with Riedel glassware, which is known as a standard in fine glassmaking with the brand’s high-precision manufacturing and generous customer support.
Where to buy: Get a two pack from $40.00 at Riedel.
Tablecloths from Tableau
Tableau Denim Tablecloth. Photo: Tableau
To open your home to friends and family is a noble pursuit, so make the experience unforgettable with beautiful tablecloths by Tableau. Created as a joint venture between Carmit Arabov and entertainment phenom Refael Zuraivin, the brand has leveraged the experiences of its founders to create the ultimate tablecloth. Offered in bold, fashion-forward patterns and fabrics (including an irresistible denim) every tablecloth is stain-proof and machine washable.
Where to buy: Get it from $195.00 at Tableau.
For the Fashionable
Tennis Inspired Sneaker from L.B.M. 1911
L.B.M. 1911 Sneaker
Applying exceptional Italian tailoring and fabrics to the adaptable and comfortable technical aesthetic now here for good, L.B.M. 1911’s thoroughly modern aesthetic will suit anyone keen on looking to communicate uniqueness, an appreciation for quality, and truly quiet luxury. With its iconic pin element, the white sneaker from L.B.M. 1911 can adapt to almost any look with its contrast stitching, hand-painted laces, and textures rendered in white. Composed of 100% leather with a rubber sole.
Where to buy: Get it from $380.00 at L.B.M. 1911.
Cashmere Crew Neck Sweater from GOBI Cashmere
GOBI Cashmere Sweater
By owning its own manufacturing plants and being headquartered in a capital of cashmere, Mongolia, GOBI Cashmere is able to sell directly to consumers, saving them plenty, but also spawning many imitators that simply can’t compete on quality for the price. GOBI’s Cashmere sweaters, pants, and more are made of thick, 100% cashmere (no sheen or sheering), feature rich colors (think lucious blues and tasteful taupes) and made in a tight weave to prevent premature wear.
Where to buy: Get it from $149.00 at GOBI Cashmere.
DouDou Chéri Ring from ManLuu
DouDou Chéri Ring from ManLuu
Creating luxurious, unexpected interpretations of Creole culture, MoAnA Luu has set her visionary sights on high jewelry, art, and more with the House of ManLuu (or Madame Luu in Creole). Re-defining what Creole jewelry is today, the Martinique native is creating intricate, wearable works with an architectural and organic bent. In the case of the DouDou Chéri ring, wearability and impressive luxury are at the center of the story. With pieces featuring precious stones set against a cane-inspired motif rendered in gold or silver, the wearer is in for infinite combinations and expressions.
Where to buy: Get it from $2,200 at ManLuu.
Second Skin Boots by JLO by Jennifer Lopez
JLO JENNIFER LOPEZ Krim Boot
The hottest boots of the season are also the most comfortable! The Second Skin boots come up high enough to stay warm and stylish all season long, and pairing them with a chic skirt or dress is the newest it-girl look, as seen in Fall 2022 fashion week. The boots come in three different styles, the Milit Over The Knee Boot, Krim Boot and the Coblin Over The Knee Boot. There are so many ways to style the shoes and each choice will bring out the inner it-girl within all of us.
Where to buy: Multiple styles available from $69.98 at DSW
For the Organized
The Ribbed Collection by Superio
The Ribbed Collection by Superio
Chic probably isn’t the first word you’d use to describe plastic storage baskets, but Superio’s Ribbed Collection is different. With soft curves and a gentle, pillow-like finish in understated colors like white, lilac, brown, and gray, these stackable plastic storage baskets create a chic look while providing practical organization in your living spaces. Made in Spain and featuring BPA-free plastic, they’re slim enough to fit on crowded shelves, keeping your space organized and looking great. Featuring lids and handle cutouts, they’re also very easy to move around.
Where to buy: Items starting at $4.99 at Superio.
Endurables Reusable Bags by Ziploc
Ziplock Endurables
Seemingly indestructible, Ziploc Endurables can go from freezer, oven, or table- to anywhere else. Made of durable, reusable silicone, a variety of pouch sizes will accommodate all sorts of goodies- from snacks in the car to a full dinner in the microwave or oven. With the ability to be warmed to 425°F, you’ll be able to prepare just about anything. Cool Grab Tabs let fingers stay safe during prep and when it’s all said and done, Endurables are dishwasher safe. Designed for reuse, they’re also completely recyclable for when you’re ready to retire it once and for all.
Where to buy: Multiple sizes available from $10.89 at Target.
For The Vacationer
Resort Gift Box from Maure
The Resort Box by Maure
Partnering with local artisans across the globe to assemble collections of delightful curiosities, Maure’s gift boxes are themed around unique life moments or personalities. Many items are handmade and exclusive to Maure, thus not found anywhere else and unlikely to be produced again. Our favorite, the Resort Box, is inspired by the Mediterranean and features high-style essentials for the perfect day at the beach. More than just a few trinkets, this kit features a selected beach tote, wine valet, bluetooth speaker, towel, and more.
Where to buy: Get it for $285.00 at Maure.
Gift Card from Airbnb
Airbnb Gift Card
Spoil the family with the adventure of a lifetime. Now allowing intrepid travelers to link different accommodations in a single trip as well as explore accommodations based on features including views, pools, and bed type, you’ll be sure to find the right places to call your home away from home. Book in comfort knowing every trip is protected with AirCover, a suite of stress-relieving features including a get-what-you-booked guarantee and a 24-hour helpline, ensuring your trip goes exactly to plan.
Where to buy: Get it from $25 at Airbnb.
Jennifer Elster has always been a deeply reactionary artist. Whether it is rebutting (or accepting) seismic shifts in the culture or simply responding to a question posed or a happening taking place, her multi-modal replies are always candid and fizzling with raw, determined energy.
Elster has always consumed with world as anyone else does- receiving and interpreting on an on-going basis. But rather than letting things happen to her passively, she posits and responds urgently and instinctually. Stepping into the Take Heed show, now on view at The Development Gallery in Tribeca, one feels as if they’re stepping outside for the first time after an apocalyptic event.
Crystalizing the flurry of cultural norms that have been introduced in the past two years, Take Heed is the first honest retrospective of work that was created or heavily reconsidered under the shadow of an on-going global pandemic and an affronting war.
Taking shape amid the soaring columns and roiled tin roof and wood of the Tribeca space, the show feels like a shell of what once was and a space being repopulated once more. The dust has settled but hasn’t yet been swept away. A mount of KN95 masks, a signature element of the deepest valley of the COVID-19 pandemic, are positioned on a pedestal, taking on the performance of a future relic. In fact, preservation seems particularly important to Elster in this show, with many works being encased in plexiglas or wood.
A series of large-scale self-portraits, originally executed in 2016, featured Elster in military fatigues and gas masks. The works, faraway and innocuous at the time of their execution, are revisited within the collective gasp and gaze of an egregious war taking place in Ukraine. Have no doubt, conflict rages globally. But distance can breed unfounded comfort.
Elster’s instinctual quips, done in chiseled marker, are not flailing in conspiracy, but are bright-red warning lights. “Warhead” (2022) is one of the most delicate and thought-provoking pieces the artist has completed in recent memory, adding to an ongoing series of “head” works that address, in the most abstract way, the awe-inspiring dynamism of the human condition.
When Is It Enough?, 2015, 2020, Acrylic on paper with hands and no body, 44.5h x 44w x 44d inches
Unlike previous shows, Elster is no longer angry. She’s done defending herself. Now she is a communicator. Her prophesies have come true and she’s been prepared for a long while. Now she invites the broader world to involve themselves. Of course, there is humor. There is realism. Elster remains as buoyant as ever, motivated by- believe it or not- absolute optimism.
Bowie as the character of Ramona in a photograph taken by John Scarisbrick for Bowie’s 1995 1. Outside album. Styled by Jennifer Elster
Viewers will relish in the opportunity to revisit one of Elster’s most remarkable achievements: the styling of the late David Bowie. In a new installation, the image, which is celebrated for its deeply collaborative and improvised instant, enters into a new territory of multi-dimensional bliss by way of cut web around the enlarged image. “Bowie and I went very deep. I wanted to pay tribute and incorporate but not overwhelm the show.”Elster’s work are available to purchase for the first time at ChannelELSTER.com/art-gallery and on Artsy. Most of the show has sold, but there are collectible Limited Editions Gaeclee canvases and Digital C-Prints that will be available upon proposal.
Take Heed will be on exhibition through January 5, 2023 at The Development Gallery in Tribeca, NYC.
Shop the J. Elster collection here.
The idea of the opera pulling headlines might seem a bit anachronistic; a niche interest suddenly becoming the whole of the zeitgeist. But this is exactly what Festival Verdi has become over its 20 years in current existence.
While a heatwave blankets the world, we’re throwing it back to winter. Earlier this year, we took the redesigned 2022 Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring off-road and into the snowing mountains of West Virginia after a pampered ride from NYC. Both on and off road, the Corsair is a truly impressive SUV, even if it had a little mud on the tires (we got it nice and clean after the test, of course!)
Though secure in its role as a leading art museum in the world, The Whitney Museum of never rests on its vast garden of laurels. With the art landscape fundamentally altered during the deepest portions of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Whitney has weathered on, celebrating this year, once again, its annual Studio Party and latest survey of American art, Whitney Biennial 2022: Quiet as It’s Kept.
This endlessly dynamic museum, now a fixture in its Meatpacking District location, has drawn crowds back with health-conscious policies along with the groundbreaking art included in its survey. The Biennial has become an institution in itself, having been curated on behalf of The Whitney since 1932. For 2022, the Biennial is a communal effort, with almost every aspect crowdsourced and sensitively curated with respect to the physical and psychological boundaries presented by a pandemic.
Whitney Biennial 2022: Quiet as It’s Kept is co-organized by David Breslin, DeMartini Family Curator and Director of Curatorial Initiatives, and Adrienne Edwards, Engell Speyer Family Curator and Director of Curatorial Affairs, with Mia Matthias, and Almeida Baroja supporting this grand effort.
What will strike viewers is how intergenerational and interdisciplinary this exhibition is, sixty-three artists and collectives. The spaces of the Biennial contrast significantly, acknowledging the acute polarity of our society. One floor is a labyrinth, a dark space of containment; another is a clearing, open and light filled.
The Biennial is exciting because it is so of the time. In its eightieth iteration, the Biennial continues to function as an ongoing experiment, where it must be encountered by today’s population. That includes the interactions with the work, intentionally or not. Modern education, domesticity and global birthplaces define this year’s Whitney Biennial output.
Of course, none of the Whitney Biennial (or any of the exhibitions) can happen without support. Returning for in-person experience, the Whitney Museum of American Art Gala celebrated Thelma Golden, the director of the Studio Museum in Harlem, Susan Hess, a distinguished Whitney trustee, and artist Glenn Ligon.
Glenn Ligon
Attendees included Seth Meyers and Karlie Kloss, artists Maurizio Cattelan, Rashid Johnson, and Jeff Koons. Guests including Derek Fordjour, Ivy Getty, Julie Mehretu, Adam Pendleton, and Kennedy Yanko made their way to nearby Genesis House for an after party featuring three floors of entertainment space, including a particularly bouncy set by DJ Aku in the downstairs club and a relaxing library-like atmosphere in the upstairs restaurant, curated by Onjium.
Learn more about The Whitney Museum and how to support here.
The Dubai EDITION hotel is on a mission to counter every accusation posed against the vast metropolis that is Dubai, which happens to be the site of the first EDITION hotel in the region and major moment of growth for the brand.
It’s a tough task: from the moment one lands in Dubai, one is immediately interred into an atmosphere of visually and emotionally grand things. Soaring ceilings in the arrivals hall of DXB pair with acres of chrome columns and baggage carousels. A lavishness in the materials used around the city: copious amounts of chrome, glass, crystallize brick, even the roads gleam with a glossy concrete. On those roads, one will encounter billboards that are football fields-long, colorful posters, blinking signs, and of course, the countless towers that flirt with the sky. Most interiors are luxuriously furnished in the most traditional sense- golds, silvers, patterned carpets, plush furniture and heavy fabrics.
Motor Court of The Dubai EDITION Hotel. Photo: Benjamin Schmidt
It’s exactly all of these things that make The Dubai EDITION hotel that much more successful in its mission. First, the building itself is a black and tinted glass monolith against the skyline of tan and glass. Arrival is an event- the motor court that fronts the hotel is always buzzing with guests and the valet is packed with Ferraris, Mercedes-Benzes, and Land Rovers. It’s leafy with green flora and fauna placing the atmosphere of this area closer to the jungle than the desert.
The Dubai EDITION Hotel Public Areas
Finally, the wonderful moment: once you cross the threshold into The Dubai EDITION, all of that Dubai melts away. Finally, there is nothing to look at. The smooth taupe walls climb to more than 30 feet. Burnished copper and brass replaces mirrored chrome. At all hours of the day, The Dubai EDITION is cool- dimly lit but by no measure dark. It’s refreshing. The lobby has two fixtures that draw the eye: a sculptural spiral staircase dress in white, and the simple barrel ceiling of the excellent Duomo restaurant.
A quiet hallway in at the Dubai EDITION hotel in Dubai, UAE. Photo: Benjamin Schmidt
Your eyes, thankfully, have a moment of rest at The Dubai EDITION and it’s the minimalism of this lobby that sets the tone for the rest of property.
A quiet hallway in at the Dubai EDITION hotel in Dubai, UAE. Photo: Benjamin Schmidt
The Dubai EDITION Hotel Guest Rooms
The guest rooms at the Dubai EDITION Hotel are civil spaces of relaxation, with technology and indulgence at the center of their constitutions. This technology starts at the door, where a doorbell and lights indicating “service” or “privacy” eliminate the need for door hangs. Lighting (always flattering) is synchronized and calibrated to atmospheres at the touch of a button: “daytime” offers full, bright light. “Evening” offers subdued comfort. “Night” offers just enough to avoid fumbling to the bathroom.
Guest Room at the Dubai EDITION hotel in Dubai, UAE. Photo: Benjamin Schmidt
Enter the room and the first things one will notice is the volume and light of the space. The walls, like the lobby, are smooth, mildly polished stone or blonde wood.
A guest room at The Dubai EDITION Hotel, Dubai UAE. Photo: Benjamin Schmidt
Floor-to-ceiling windows and a balcony beckon you into the room and beyond to a view of either the Burj Khalifa or Dubai Creek. Ceilings climb to 14 feet, with blackout curtains and sheer curtains cascade down (operated by the touch of a button, of course).
View from a guest room at The Dubai EDITION Hotel. Photo: Benjamin Schmidt
Typical guest rooms feature a desk, coffee table, and a selection of comfortable seating in casual natural linen. Though I stayed in a standard room, suites feature an even larger balconies, living rooms, and more.
The bathroom at The Dubai EDITION Hotel. Photo: Benjamin Schmidt
The bathroom is a true escape (and, personally, the highlight of the stay), featuring a backlit mirror, separate toilet and shower room (featuring Le Labo amenities), and a deep-soaking tub positioned in front of a full height window, bringing the morning light (or nightly glisten of the city) into the space. This space is truly relaxing in every sense, with the smooth stone or wood touching ever surface.
Dressing room in a room at The Dubai EDITION Hotel. Photo: Benjamin Schmidt
The dressing hall opposite a bathroom features a myriad of closets and drawers, a minibar, a safe, and a Nespresso machine. The bed is low and sleek, anchored to a backlit headboard with reading lights and the full suite of lighting and curtain controls. Nightly turn-down service and full in-room dining service is available by a phone call. The mattress and linens were extremely comfortable (the bed is made up in the European manner with no top sheet but a luxurious duvet).
A bed at The Dubai EDITION Hotel, Dubai UAE. Photo: Benjamin Schmidt
Each evening, I relished coming back to the room and drawing a bath or ordering room service for a late snack. The TV is fully featured with on-demand video and streaming services built in. Every room features a Bang & Olufsen Bluetooth speaker which I had playing relentlessly.
The bathroom at The Dubai EDITION Hotel. Photo: Benjamin Schmidt
The Dubai EDITION Hotel Amenities
Located just off of the dynamic center that is Downtown Dubai, the location is a true treasure with simple access to the remarkable Dubai Mall, the selections of dining options along the road- from tea houses to hookah lounges-, as well as quick access to the other parts of Dubai by metro or car. Getting to the Marina, for example, is only 20 minutes, and DIFC and Business Bay are even closer.
Downtown Dubai at Night. Photo: Benjamin Schmidt
But when it comes to dining or socializing, leaving The Dubai EDITION isn’t necessary. The theatrical Duomo is the most important restaurant in Dubai right now, with guests lingering into the late hours enjoying lush Italian flavors. The pool on the second floor offers a truly unique vantage point, where the Dubai Fountain, Burj Khalifa, and all the towers lay out before you. The 24-Hour Gym is a motivating setting with a massive range of equipment.
Meal at Jolie, the rooftop restaurant at The Dubai EDITION hotel in Dubai, UAE. Photo: Benjamin Schmidt
Finally, on the top floor, there is the urban meadow that is Jolie, complete with a retractable roof and a vast view over Dubai, featuring a vivid menu with global flavors. Jolie also provides room service to guests.
But if all of this is not enough, The Dubai EDITION hotel has a full concierge desk availing themselves to set reservations, secure tickets, arrange appointments, and more. And this was the final mark of the excellence The Dubai EDITION offers: exceptional service in a city that has completely re-written the rules on world-class hospitality.
The Dubai EDITION Hotel
The Dubai EDITION is located at the corner of Dubai Fountain Street and Burj Khalifa Boulevard in Downtown Dubai, UAE. Designed with LW Design Group, The Dubai EDITION hotel features 275 guestrooms and suites from AED 1100. Learn more and reserve accommodation here.
Long considered one of the signature events in the automotive world, the New York International Auto Show returns after 2 years.
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