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Otago Daily Times
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Obituary: artist whose colour palette and politics made her name
ROBYN KAHUKIWA Robyn Kahukiwa was an intensely private woman who always claimed that her art spoke for her. The Australian-born painter, then Robyn Fletcher Crenshaw, moved to New Zealand as a 19-year-old in 1957, having trained as a commercial artist. An early inspiration for Kahukiwa's own art came from discovering her Māori heritage (Ngāti Porou, Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti, Ngāti Konohi, and Te Whānau-a-Ruataupare) on her mother's side. Art was not a career option at that time in New Zealand and Kahukiwa worked as a highly-respected secondary school teacher at Mana College as a day job, while also raising a family with husband Dooley Kahukiwa, whom she married in 1965. The feelings she needed to express found their wellspring through painting and Kahukiwa soon gained a following in her home base of Wellington. Influenced by the likes of Frida Kahlo and Colin McCahon, her works stood out in the annual Academy of Fine Arts exhibitions in which she took part for most of the 1970s. Her first solo show was held in 1971, at Wellington's Red Cottage Gallery. As her work matured, Kahukiwa explored themes such as motherhood, womanhood, Māori identity and sovereignty. She was unafraid to mix bold political statement with mundane settings, many paintings were inspired by the Porirua streets where she lived. Environmental themes often cropped up and as her knowledge of her heritage deepened Kahukiwa would also draw upon Māori mythology and spirituality. In the early 1980s, thanks to a grant, Kahukiwa was able to become a full-time artist, supplementing what she earned from sales with prolific and acclaimed work as an illustrator and writer of children's books. Noted collaborators included Patricia Grace and Joy Cowley. In 1983 her big break came, the "Wāhine Toa" exhibition. Its images of strong Māori women electrified audiences, it toured the country for two years. Kahukiwa was in demand, and her works were snapped up by private collectors and public galleries alike. She became one of the most widely represented artists in New Zealand's public art collections. Her work also attracted international attention, and Kahukiwa participated in group exhibitions and workshops in Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States and in 2023 had work exhibited at the Sharjah Biennial. Ever the teacher, Kahukiwa became a valued mentor and an inspiration for generations of young artists, Māori and non-Māori alike. Her influence and impact on New Zealand art was recognised in 2020 when Kahukiwa was awarded Te Tohu Aroha mō Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu, the Exemplary/Supreme Award at the Te Waka Toi Awards. One of Kahukiwa's last major shows was in 2024, at the New Zealand Portrait Gallery. The gallery wrote, "Robyn Kahukiwa's artworks have made a difference to Māori". "They have provided not only beauty and strength but inroads into our mātauranga, and the multi-layered, inter-generational and ever-evolving stories that are part of our cultural landscape." Robyn Kahukiwa died on April 11, aged 86. — APL
New Indian Express
11-05-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
His Divine Feat of Clay
In back-of-beyond Molela, an hour's drive from Udaipur in Rajasthan, master potter Jamnalal Kumhar sits outside his modest home crafting clay figures. Votive panels of gods and goddesses, as well as figures of horses and other animals, are lined up against the walls in his courtyard. What sets this village's pottery apart is its deep spiritual significance—its clay figures are crafted for worship and are commissioned by communities that believe these sacred images will protect their villages. The 58-year-old soft-spoken man offers kulhads of freshly brewed chai to the visitors. Over the past 30 years, he has emerged as the face of Molela pottery, having participated in a number of exhibitions in India and abroad, such as the Kalagram Crafts Fair, the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, the Academy of Fine Arts, Prague, and the Frida Steinburger Exhibition, Israel. For 16 generations, Jamnalal's family has crafted these sacred figures. 'There was never a formal process of learning. As children, we simply helped our parents—shaping clay, firing kilns, or collecting raw materials. It was a way of life,' he smiles.
Express Tribune
05-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Gen Z embraces rising value of vintage fashion
Sale of vintage clothing has been revived online as well as stores. Photo: DW From niche to mainstream, second-hand fashion is enjoying record demand as online vintage clothing sales boom. But what makes cast-off clothes so attractive to young people? As per DW, browsing for special clothes is one of Leonie's favorite hobbies. However, the 27-year-old fashion design student doesn't focus on the new collections from fashion companies. She instead looks specifically for second-hand pieces. And she finds most online. "It's like a digital treasure hunt," says Leonie, describing her approach. It's important to enter the right keywords - and in different languages. That's when she's most likely to come across an unusual find. It's a great feeling. Leonie is not alone in her fascination with vintage. While vintage shopping used to mean rummaging through sometimes musty, cluttered stores, the online trade in second-hand products has been booming for years. Second-hand has always been a part of youth fashion, says Elke Gaugele, Professor of Fashion and Styles at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. But pre-worn apparel is presented differently in the media these days. The change in image is reflected in the semantic shift from "second-hand" to "pre-loved" or "vintage." By definition, vintage means that an item of clothing is at least 20 years old. But this is not the case online. The hashtag "vintage" also includes much newer items, including second-hand . Yet the term vintage exudes a feeling of exclusivity, and often also a price premium. "Buying vintage is incredibly closely linked to self-perception," says fashion journalist and social media consultant Valentina Herbort. She runs a Gen Z-focused Instagram channel with more than 70,000 followers titled: "The most important things in fashion & (pop) culture explained with substance & love." Herbort sees the vintage trend primarily as a response to the desire for individuality. "Thanks to globalisation, Gen Z has much broader fashion choices than previous generations. This gives rise to the desire to find their own individual style." However, this is not so easy in a digital age where trends emerge in real time. "We all watch the same series and have the same inspiration," she says of mass media consumption. "That's why we all buy the same 23 items at Zara, even if there are 100 in the selection." Value for money In addition to the desire for uniqueness, Herbort also notes Gen Z's renewed focus on product quality. New jeans, for example, are of inferior quality to older models, and wearers "can tell the difference straight away," she says of the allure of used apparel. "That's a strong selling point: buying something better for less." Sustainability and fair fashion production also play an important role for younger generations when buying clothes. The fast fashion industry has long been criticised for poor working conditions, underpayment and environmental pollution. The vintage trend is "a conscious response from Gen Z" to this exploitation of people and the planet, said Elke Gaugele. While giving clothing a second life is a more sustainable use of resources, trend researcher Eike Wenzel doubts that the vintage trend will actually result in fewer fast fashion purchases. "Vintage is not a way out of the consumer society," she said. Colombian Sandra Calderon sells special one-off pieces via her Instagram profile, "Revancha Vintage." She says the image of vintage is also changing in her home country, and is part of a movement away from second-hand clothes towards unique pieces that tell a story. "There is a huge supply of very high quality vintage, but the prices are sometimes inflationary, because it's trendy," she explained. "Sometimes a vintage piece costs more than something new. This contradicts the idea that vintage should be an affordable option." Calderon's vision for the future matches with Leonie's closet - which is 90 per cent filled with vintage pieces. "Vintage and second-hand fashion should not just be a trend, but the first choice," she said.
Times of Oman
05-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Times of Oman
Vintage fashion hype: Gen Z on a treasure hunt
Vienna: Browsing for special clothes is one of Leonie's favorite hobbies. However, the 27-year-old fashion design student doesn't focus on the new collections from fashion companies. She instead looks specifically for second-hand pieces. And she finds most online. "It's like a digital treasure hunt," says Leonie, describing her approach. It's important to enter the right keywords — and in different languages. That's when she's most likely to come across an unusual find. It's a great feeling. Second-hand clothing goes mainstream Leonie is not alone in her fascination with vintage. While vintage shopping used to mean rummaging through sometimes musty, cluttered stores, the online trade in second-hand products has been booming for years. But among 15 to 30-year-olds, or so-called Generation Z, vintage has become a mainstream trend. Second-hand has always been a part of youth fashion, says Elke Gaugele, Professor of Fashion and Styles at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. But pre-worn apparel is presented differently in the media these days. The change in image is reflected in the semantic shift from "second-hand" to "pre-loved" or "vintage." By definition, vintage means that an item of clothing is at least 20 years old. But this is not the case online. The hashtag "vintage" also includes much newer items, including second-hand . Yet the term vintage exudes a feeling of exclusivity, and often also a price premium. What makes vintage so attractive? "Buying vintage is incredibly closely linked to self-perception," says fashion journalist and social media consultant Valentina Herbort. She runs a Gen Z-focused Instagram channel with more than 70,000 followers titled: "The most important things in fashion & (pop) culture explained with substance & love." Herbort sees the vintage trend primarily as a response to the desire for individuality. "Thanks to globalization, Gen Z has much broader fashion choices than previous generations. This gives rise to the desire to find their own individual style." However, this is not so easy in a digital age where trends emerge in real time. "We all watch the same series and have the same inspiration," she says of mass media consumption. "That's why we all buy the same 23 items at Zara, even if there are 100 in the selection. Getting value for money In addition to the desire for uniqueness, Herbort also notes Gen Z's renewed focus on product quality. New jeans, for example, are of inferior quality to older models, and wearers "can tell the difference straight away," she says of the allure of used apparel. "That's a strong selling point: buying something better for less.' Sustainability and fair fashion production also play an important role for younger generations when buying clothes. The fast fashion industry has long been criticized for poor working conditions, underpayment and environmental pollution. The vintage trend is "a conscious response from Gen Z" to this exploitation of people and the planet, said Elke Gaugele. While giving clothing a second life is a more sustainable use of resources, trend researcher Eike Wenzel doubts that the vintage trend will actually result in fewer fast fashion purchases. "Vintage is not a way out of the consumer society," she said. This is confirmed by some vintage influencers on social media who unpack piles of online orders in so-called "thrift hauls." What's more, vintage is no longer a timeless concept but, like fashion in general, is subject to trend cycles. In other words, what's trendy is not simply what's old. For example, "Y2K" is one current trend, which celebrates the 2000s — with low-rise pants, lots of glitter and a deliberately cheap look. So is fast fashion being replaced by "fast vintage," so to speak? Eike Wenzel agrees. More than just a trend? But for Valentina Herbort, the enthusiasm for vintage is mostly a positive development in terms of sustainability. "People are realizing the benefits of quality second-hand clothing and are opting for vintage instead of fast fashion in the long term," she said. Colombian Sandra Calderon sells special one-off pieces via her Instagram profile, "Revancha Vintage." She says the image of vintage is also changing in her home country, and is part of a movement away from second-hand clothes towards unique pieces that tell a story. But vintage markets in Europe can contradict the principle of pre-loved apparel, she says. "There is a huge supply of very high quality vintage, but the prices are sometimes inflationary, because it's trendy," she explained. "Sometimes a vintage piece costs more than something new. This contradicts the idea that vintage should be an affordable option." Calderon's vision for the future matches with Leonie's closet — which is 90% filled with vintage pieces.
New York Times
31-03-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Her Enamel Creations Are Rarely More Than 2 Inches Wide
Vanessa Lecci has had many jobs throughout her working life: art conservator, professional volleyball player, gem setter, engraver, metal worker, fresco restorer, theatrical set designer, teacher, clock decorator, art framer and coach. But in the world of watches, she is known best as a master enameler. 'Enameling is not just a technique,' said Ms. Lecci, 52. 'It's a world. It is not boring, it's not monotone. I fell in love with it.' Ms. Lecci always liked working with her hands. She grew up in Salve, a small town in southeastern Italy, where, she said, 'my mother was a sculptor, working in stone, wood, marble and alabaster.' 'I was always in her studio, helping her do the polishing and finishing,' she continued. She also had a great-uncle who owned a forge: 'In his atelier I saw how fire transforms metal.' At 14, she entered the metal and jewelry division of an art institute in the nearby town of Parabita, where she studied skills such as enameling and gem setting. And after graduation, she enrolled at the Academy of Fine Arts in Lecce, Italy, to earn a degree in art history. But then she became a professional volleyball player, a sport she had started playing as a teenager. 'What I loved about volleyball was above all the team spirit,' she said, 'this synergy where each player brings their touch to create something great.' And playing for various teams provided an unexpected gift: 'My sports career brought me by chance to Switzerland,' where she coached the sport in Neuchâtel before turning to the local watch industry for employment. Time to Be Independent Ms. Lecci's first enameling job, in 2003, was to create Cartier's in-house atelier. 'At that time the enamelers were very rare and all independent, and Cartier was the first maison to internalize the business,' she said. Three years later, she said, a colleague 'went to Girard-Perregaux as director and I went with him and I set up the enamel and setting atelier.' She moved to Patek Philippe in 2011, 'but I was not at peace with myself,' she said. 'I think it was time to be independent. I left Patek and in 2013 I started my own atelier.' She has worked on a variety of projects for many watch houses, from Louis Vuitton to small makers such as T3 Special Watches. One she recalled warmly was a 2016 commission for Vacheron Constantin, the Ciel de Corée, or Korean Sky. 'The main challenge was the use of a new technique in watchmaking, from Asia: invisible cloisonné,' she said, a project she undertook with Jiyoun Han. 'A real four-handed work, with 1,500 stars arranged on different layers of enamel and the Milky Way made in invisible cloisonné. This project took a month and a half of work.' Ms. Lecci now has two studios at her home in Neuchâtel, where, she said, 'it is quiet, calm, and I can work without interruptions.' One is an enameling workshop and, the other, a studio where she paints decorations on traditional Neuchâteloise pendulum clocks. She also has a second enameling workshop in a building on a hillside overlooking the city center; tours of that space may be arranged through Homo Faber, a cultural organization with a website that lists artisans around the world who open their ateliers to visitors. She also has conducted workshops on enameling, including at the Musée International d'Horlogerie (M.I.H.) in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. 'She has participated on numerous occasions at the M.I.H. to promote the expertise and mastery of enameling, a craft she practices with remarkable dedication and enthusiasm, one that she conveys beautifully to a wide audience,' Nathalie Marielloni, the museum's vice curator, wrote in an email. 'Her contributions to the field are widely recognized and greatly valued.' Nearly 400 Colors Ms. Lecci's enameling process starts with designing a minute and often intricate pattern in a rainbow of colors for a space that is rarely more than 48 millimeters (1.9 inches) in diameter. 'I have a mortar and pestle to grind the pigments, refine the powders and prepare the enamel shades with a perfect texture for application,' she said. 'I hand-grind all my powders to decide different particle sizes for each color.' As for colors, 'I have nearly 400 enamel colors,' she wrote in a follow-up email, adding that they are made of metal oxides, with other oxides to provide color. The enamels are toxic, Ms. Lecci said, so 'I carefully store them in small glass and plastic containers, according to their sensitivity to humidity. To protect myself, I wear a respiratory mask with a filter and I sometimes wear gloves and protective clothing.' She applies enamels with brushes barely thicker than a human hair, then fires the results in a kiln at 800 degrees Celsius (1,472 degrees Fahrenheit), a temperature that earned the process the French label of grand feu, or grand fire. 'My kiln is medium sized,' she said, 'large enough to fire one piece at a time, but not too large, so I can ensure precise temperature control.' The firing is done in stages, one color at a time. It is an inexact art, bordering on science, knowing which colors to use, and how each color will actually look after the firing, and if the firing will crack the item. Multiple Techniques There are various types of enameling technique and Ms. Lecci prefers two: cloisonné, which deposits enamel in pockets outlined with thin wire, and cabochon champlevé, which deposits enamel in cavities engraved into the base metal. But not content with the two techniques, Ms. Lecci invented a new one. In 2009, the founder of Parmigiani Fleurier, Michel Parmigiani, turned to her for enamel work for its 46.7-millimeter Toric Tecnica Carpe watch, a one-of-a-kind piece in 18-karat gold. 'It brought together multiple enameling techniques rarely combined,' she wrote in an email. 'I introduced a technique I had developed myself, which I call 'convex and concave' — a variation of cabochon enameling, where the material rises and recedes in relief, capturing light in a completely new way. I wanted to bring movement to the enamels, to step away from the traditional way they had been used, and create a more fluid, organic dynamic.' Ms. Lecci said the experience was a defining one for her and led to a continuing collaboration with the Parmigiani brand. Every year, Parmigiani Fleurier introduces a watch on Dec. 2, Michel Parmigiani's birthday. Last year, it unveiled L'Armoriale Répétition Mystérieuse, a 41.6-millimeter timepiece with a concealed dial in polished jade, issued in a five-piece limited edition. As the watch has a so-called cathedral gong system, 'the time is revealed through sound,' Guido Terreni, the brand's chief executive, wrote in an email, 'allowing the entire surface of the front to be dedicated to artistic craftsmanship — a pastel green translucent enamel guilloché pattern created by Ms. Lecci.'
