Latest news with #Fieldfisher
Arab News
2 days ago
- Business
- Arab News
EU antiques import clampdown could gut trade, warn dealers
Dealers wishing to import goods such as archaeological treasures will have to provide documentation and proofThe regulation is a European response to developments spanning terrorism in the Middle East to changing attitudes to cultural appropriationPARIS: New European rules designed to crack down on the trafficking of stolen antiques and art are causing alarm among gallery owners, with some dealers warning of suffocating red tape that will affect sector is bracing for the implementation of Regulation 2019/880 on June 28 which will introduce strict new requirements for imports into the European Union from non-EU wishing to import goods such as archaeological treasures will have to provide documentation and proof that they have been exported from their country of origin items including artworks, coins or books that are worth more than 18,000 euros ($20,500) and are more than 200 years old will also be subject to the restrictions.'We'll end up buying nothing outside the European Union,' warned Antonia Eberwein, vice president of the National Union of Antiques Dealers (SNA) in warned that the markets for archaeological items, as well as pre-Columbian, Chinese or Indian art 'risk being depleted, without putting an end to illicit trafficking, which by nature is invisible and undeclared.'Pierre Valentin, an art and heritage specialist at London-based law firm Fieldfisher, believes the aim of the regulation is 'laudable' but that implementing it could lead to an 'evidential nightmare for collectors.'In some cases, goods will have left their country of origin centuries ago before changing hands several times among collectors, with today's owners left needing to prove their property was exported legally.'We're being asked to provide things that don't exist,' said Eberwein, calling the regulation 'absurd' and the evidence requirement 'a total lack of understanding of the realities' of the regulation is a European response to developments spanning terrorism in the Middle East to changing attitudes to cultural links between organized crime, terror groups and trafficking in cultural goods have been repeatedly raised by international police group Interpol and the United and Daesh group were both found to have looted archaeological sites under their control in Iraq and Syria to help fund their EU regulation, which was first proposed in 2017 following years of Daesh attacks in Europe, refers to the pillaging of archaeological sites reaching 'an industrial scale.'The European Commission estimated in 2017 that the illicit trade in cultural goods could be worth up to 6.0 billion euros a year, putting it on a par with drugs, arms or counterfeit goods trafficking.'Money is the life blood of war for the terrorists who attack our continent or who fight in Iraq and Syria,' then EU economic affairs commissioner Pierre Moscovici said at the is also growing sensitivity in Europe about the continent's colonial history and its role in looting artistic and cultural major European institutions from the British Museum to the Louvre in Paris are analizing their collections and, in a small number of cases, returning items to their countries of de Lamaze, president of France's Council of Auction Houses, which regulates auction houses, said the changes would have some positive effects and 'will enhance transparency for buyers and collectors, and strengthen the role of auctioneers.'But it also risks bringing 'a heavy administrative burden and a slowdown in activity.'Auctioneers 'will now have to systematically rely on experts to trace the history of artworks — a task that is difficult, if not impossible,' especially in the case of inherited items with no documentation, he countries, such as Mexico, 'ban all exports and claim their entire archaeological heritage,' noted Alexandre Giquello, head of France's Drouot auction views the regulation 'very unfavorably' and warned of 'significant economic losses.''While the aim is commendable, it could penalize a large part of the market by introducing a very convoluted process that is slow to implement and will drastically increase delays,' he gallery owner David Ghezelbash, who specializes in archaeological items from Greece, Egypt and Italy, said he was 'not concerned,' operates outside the EU, including with American museums, and he already regularly commissions independent experts 'to trace the history of each work, as far as possible.'He acknowledged that 'a grey area' would be formed for objects without documented provenance, however, especially inherited pieces which risk being discredited.
The Independent
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Quilts created during Covid pandemic to be celebrated in new exhibition
Quilts created during the Covid pandemic to show 'beauty can be born from terrible circumstances' are to feature in a new exhibition. When the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020, Richard Kenyon, an employment lawyer at Fieldfisher, thought up a plan to create a sense of community and reduce isolation through quilting, which he first grew to love in 2014 after suffering a major heart attack and having a quadruple heart bypass. Initially hoping to bring together his work colleagues, the project grew to incorporate roughly 150 people from all over the UK and abroad, including Mr Kenyon's neighbour, British fashion designer Zandra Rhodes, who designed garments for Diana, Princess of Wales, and Freddie Mercury, among others. The group collectively made seven quilts which are roughly 1.5m wide and 2.5m tall (5ft by 8ft). 'The project was a little bit like the virus itself, but in a beautiful way – it took a while to get going and then more and more people got involved,' the 58-year-old, who is based in Bermondsey, south-east London, told the PA news agency. 'There's a big quilting community in Dulwich, south London, that took part and there was a teacher in Pudsey in Yorkshire whose nine-year-old class contributed to the quilts. 'I run a football team and we weren't able to play during Covid and so arranged Zoom calls which turned into a sewing circle and they all created their own strips for the quilts, some of which were inspired by Newcastle and Manchester United. 'Every day the postman was arriving with more and more of these contributions, which was lovely.' Speaking about the design of the quilts, Mr Kenyon said he hoped that, when viewed together, they highlight how the project provided a sense of community despite being born out of such isolation. 'Each quilt is made up a series of blocks and each one is A4,' he said. 'In the centre is a red square, which represents the home – so we're all at home in isolation – and then there are four legs that come out from that which represent the electronic communications network that was keeping us together. 'When you put all the quilts together, the electronic arms link each other with the homes in isolation and when you see them all together, you can see this community. 'There's so many materials and ideas and colours people have used for their blocks – it's beautiful.' Each quilt also features a verse from punk poet John Cooper Clarke's poem Arts 'n' Crafts because Mr Kenyon felt it perfectly encapsulated what the project was about. 'The poem came into my head when I knew lockdown could be a possibility as there's a line in the poem which goes 'Time, time, time to slay' which is about suddenly having time to spare,' he said. 'Everything just really flowed on from that.' Many contributors also sent Mr Kenyon handwritten letters or emails conveying their happiness at being involved. The seven quilts will be showcased together for the first time at Poulet, a restaurant and bar, at 37 Maltby Street in Bermondsey, south-east London. Everyone who has contributed has been invited, and the general public will be able to see the quilts from 12pm-5pm on May 28 and 29. 'The five-year lockdown milestone felt like the right time to finally show them off,' said Mr Kenyon. 'Lockdown is something people have very mixed memories of and I think we've come to think of it negatively and forget there were some positives, like when we were clapping for the NHS and there was a general sense of 'we're all in this together'. 'I want to remind people that positives and beauty can be born from terrible circumstances.' Following on from the exhibition, Mr Kenyon hopes the quilts find a 'permanent home or permanent loan'. 'They are a piece of history and the amount of people, including cultural icons alongside experienced quilters and absolute beginners who ended up contributing, means (they're) worthy of being kept and seen more widely,' he added.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Quilts created during Covid pandemic to be celebrated in new exhibition
Quilts created during the Covid pandemic to show 'beauty can be born from terrible circumstances' are to feature in a new exhibition. When the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020, Richard Kenyon, an employment lawyer at Fieldfisher, thought up a plan to create a sense of community and reduce isolation through quilting, which he first grew to love in 2014 after suffering a major heart attack and having a quadruple heart bypass. Initially hoping to bring together his work colleagues, the project grew to incorporate roughly 150 people from all over the UK and abroad, including Mr Kenyon's neighbour, British fashion designer Zandra Rhodes, who designed garments for Diana, Princess of Wales, and Freddie Mercury, among others. The group collectively made seven quilts which are roughly 1.5m wide and 2.5m tall (5ft by 8ft). 'The project was a little bit like the virus itself, but in a beautiful way – it took a while to get going and then more and more people got involved,' the 58-year-old, who is based in Bermondsey, south-east London, told the PA news agency. 'There's a big quilting community in Dulwich, south London, that took part and there was a teacher in Pudsey in Yorkshire whose nine-year-old class contributed to the quilts. 'I run a football team and we weren't able to play during Covid and so arranged Zoom calls which turned into a sewing circle and they all created their own strips for the quilts, some of which were inspired by Newcastle and Manchester United. 'Every day the postman was arriving with more and more of these contributions, which was lovely.' Speaking about the design of the quilts, Mr Kenyon said he hoped that, when viewed together, they highlight how the project provided a sense of community despite being born out of such isolation. 'Each quilt is made up a series of blocks and each one is A4,' he said. 'In the centre is a red square, which represents the home – so we're all at home in isolation – and then there are four legs that come out from that which represent the electronic communications network that was keeping us together. 'When you put all the quilts together, the electronic arms link each other with the homes in isolation and when you see them all together, you can see this community. 'There's so many materials and ideas and colours people have used for their blocks – it's beautiful.' Each quilt also features a verse from punk poet John Cooper Clarke's poem Arts 'n' Crafts because Mr Kenyon felt it perfectly encapsulated what the project was about. 'The poem came into my head when I knew lockdown could be a possibility as there's a line in the poem which goes 'Time, time, time to slay' which is about suddenly having time to spare,' he said. 'Everything just really flowed on from that.' Many contributors also sent Mr Kenyon handwritten letters or emails conveying their happiness at being involved. The seven quilts will be showcased together for the first time at Poulet, a restaurant and bar, at 37 Maltby Street in Bermondsey, south-east London. Everyone who has contributed has been invited, and the general public will be able to see the quilts from 12pm-5pm on May 28 and 29. 'The five-year lockdown milestone felt like the right time to finally show them off,' said Mr Kenyon. 'Lockdown is something people have very mixed memories of and I think we've come to think of it negatively and forget there were some positives, like when we were clapping for the NHS and there was a general sense of 'we're all in this together'. 'I want to remind people that positives and beauty can be born from terrible circumstances.' Following on from the exhibition, Mr Kenyon hopes the quilts find a 'permanent home or permanent loan'. 'They are a piece of history and the amount of people, including cultural icons alongside experienced quilters and absolute beginners who ended up contributing, means (they're) worthy of being kept and seen more widely,' he added.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Further sexual abuse claim filed against Kevin Spacey at the High Court
A further sexual abuse claim has been lodged against Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey at the High Court, according to filings. Ruari Cannon is suing Mr Spacey as well as two organisations connected to the Old Vic Theatre in London, with court records showing the claim was filed on Wednesday. Dushal Mehta, of law firm Fieldfisher, confirmed to the PA news agency that he had issued a claim on behalf of Mr Cannon, and also said that he had waived his anonymity in the claim. No details of the allegations involved are currently available. Mr Spacey was previously acquitted in criminal proceedings of several sexual offences alleged by four men between 2001 and 2013. One of the men, who cannot be identified, has also sued Mr Spacey over his claims he was sexually assaulted by the actor and suffered 'psychiatric damage', which the actor denies. Mr Spacey's law firm in the civil claim, Carter-Ruck, stated last May the allegations in that claim are the same as those from the criminal trial. The actor has previously denied allegations of inappropriate behaviour and criminal wrongdoing. In an interview with former GB News presenter Dan Wootton last year, he said: 'I take full responsibility for my past behaviour and my actions, but I cannot and will not take responsibility or apologise to anyone who's made up stuff about me or exaggerated stories about me.' Mr Spacey, a two-time Oscar winner, is known for the US adaptation of House Of Cards along with American Beauty. His Academy Awards were for best supporting actor for The Usual Suspects in 1996 and best actor in 2000 for American Beauty, which also secured him a Bafta for leading actor.
The Independent
12-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Further sexual abuse claim filed against Kevin Spacey at the High Court
A further sexual abuse claim has been lodged against Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey at the High Court, according to filings. Rauri Cannon is suing Mr Spacey as well as two organisations connected to the Old Vic Theatre in London, with court records showing the claim was filed on Wednesday. Dushal Mehta, of law firm Fieldfisher, confirmed to the PA news agency that he had issued a claim on behalf of Mr Cannon, and also said that he had waived his anonymity in the claim. No details of the allegations involved are currently available. Mr Spacey was previously acquitted in criminal proceedings of several sexual offences alleged by four men between 2001 and 2013. One of the men, who cannot be identified, has also sued Mr Spacey over his claims he was sexually assaulted by the actor and suffered 'psychiatric damage', which the actor denies. Mr Spacey's law firm in the civil claim, Carter-Ruck, stated last May the allegations in that claim are the same as those from the criminal trial. The actor has previously denied allegations of inappropriate behaviour and criminal wrongdoing. In an interview with former GB News presenter Dan Wootton last year, he said: 'I take full responsibility for my past behaviour and my actions, but I cannot and will not take responsibility or apologise to anyone who's made up stuff about me or exaggerated stories about me.' Mr Spacey, a two-time Oscar winner, is known for the US adaptation of House Of Cards along with American Beauty. His Academy Awards were for best supporting actor for The Usual Suspects in 1996 and best actor in 2000 for American Beauty, which also secured him a Bafta for leading actor.
