Things we love ... in February

Here are 5 Things on My Radar this Month.

I'm often asked where I get my inspiration, and honestly it's an easy answer. There is so much out there in the world being created right now which is beautiful, whimsical, arresting, intriguing — and truly inspirational. We only have to look! Here are some things that have caught my attention.

(Clockwise from top left.)

#1. Barbara Kruger, at the Serpentine Gallery, London.

She cut her teeth as an art director in magazines (like me!), before her trailblazing work as an artist (less like me). Her art packs a graphic punch, widely imitated, though rarely matched. I've always been a fan, and can't wait to see this.

 

#2. Veere Grenney's glossy yellow kitchen in Frederic magazine.

Yellow isn't an easy color to get right, but this shade with a touch of ochre works so well, and by coating most surfaces with it, the small kitchen really sings.

(And if you don't know Frederic, it's one of my fave interior mags — beautifully photographed, and printed in a gorgeous oversized format.)

 

#3. All of Us Strangers.

Seems everyone is buzzing about this affecting film. With good reason. A beautiful meditation on love and loss, with stand out performances from a tiny cast of four (but what a four! Adam Scott, Paul Mescal, Claire Foy, Jamie Bell).

I was also struck by the beauty of the camera work, with shimmery night time scenes, and a rich palette of orange, purple and red.

 

#4. Tessa Hadley, After the Funeral.

People often tell me she's one of their favorite writers, but I'd never read her. So this new collection of stories, with that gorgeous Gerhard Richter cover art, seemed a good place to start. And now I see why she's regularly compared to Alice Munro — her short stories contain whole lives.

 

#5. Hand-drawn tablecloths.

We loved doing this as kids, but why not as adults? How charming it would be to sit down at this table, created by Matilda Bea and Elsa Gladstone.

 

Stay tuned for more things on our radar next month!

 

Jason Arbuckle