Following in the footsteps of regional painters like Grant Wood and Andrew Wyeth, artists are turning to local scenes and materials for inspiration. Expect to see regional and tribal patterns, along with an explosion of African contemporary art.
environmental impact. And collectors are getting involved too: the Guardian newspaper describes an ‘arts and craft renaissance’, while the Smithsonian magazine notes that hobbies like crocheting, flower-pressing and baking have all increased during COVID-19. The luxury fashion house Hermès invited people to meet its artisans at its Hermès in the Making events in Copenhagen, Michigan and Miami – giving audiences an insight into its craftsmanship. Over in New York, Jason Wu’s ready-to-wear NYFW catwalk collection echoed the artisanal materials taking
Below: To bring an organic rawness, Raphael Mazzucco’s original mixed media artworks are embellished with elements of nature, including tree bark, foliage, feathers, flowers and sand. The photographer set up his studio outside in the forests of Connecticut, allowing nature to intervene. He adds: “Out here, the wilderness and open space are bringing me back to nature again. It’s almost like taking a deep breath and feeling beautified. Nature is intertwined within the photography, like it’s grown out of the earth.”
NATURE AND CRAFTSMANSHIP
There is something genuine and intimate about a hand-finished artwork, which is fuelling a growing preference for artisanal art and Décorative items over mass-produced homeware; not least because of its positive
RETRO
décor features include patterned wallpaper, retro oak furniture, shaggy carpets, wiggle mirrors and terrazzo. The ‘70s were also instrumental in the design of new furniture styles, with curvy, chunky shapes defining the era. Keen to explore more trends from before they were born, young people are also spearheading the ‘avant-basic’ genre – characterised by the psychedelic style of the ‘60s – and adopting elements from the ‘80s, including glass, chrome and marble. REGIONAL ART After more than a year of strict travel restrictions, many of us have explored our local areas, creating a greater sense of regional identity. Sotheby’s, one of the world’s largest brokers of fine art and collectibles, predicts that ‘local will be the new global’, allowing local styles and art movements to become more pronounced in the face of globalisation.
Above: Stephen Roby’s abstract oil paintings
According to Professor Gage Averill at the University of British Columbia, the rise of television and film streaming services such as Netflix is supporting a new wave of nostalgia for millennials and Gen-Zers (those born after 1997). Talking to USA Today, he explained: “Everybody’s super- overstimulated, so taking it back to simple things definitely brings some joy to people.” The growing popularity of social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok has also contributed to the boom of ‘Y2K’ style. Short for ‘the year 2000’, this kitsch aesthetic includes beanbags, disco balls and lava lamps. However, more Instagram and Pinterest users than ever have been embracing the ‘70s style, made popular by TV shows such as the BBC’s The Serpent. Seen everywhere from the Met Gala to the Parklife music festival, this free-spirited look embodies rule-breaking, and the
incorporate Cubist elements such as geometric shapes and bold statement colours in a similar style to Pablo Picasso.
Below: The Bisaillon Brothers’ Pop Art creations are created in New York, where Andy Warhol helped to shape the genre in the 1960s.
18 FINE ART COLLECTOR AUTUMN / WINTER 2021
FINE ART COLLECTOR AUTUMN / WINTER 2021 19
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