Latest news with #VictoriaAndAlbertMuseum
Wall Street Journal
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Wall Street Journal
Adentures in Abundance at the V&A East Storehouse
London The Victoria and Albert Museum, known as 'the V&A,' is the world's largest museum of design, decorative and fine arts. V&A East Storehouse, which opened on May 31, is grandma's attic. The V&A is a neo-Renaissance, tile-clad Victorian pile in South Kensington. The Storehouse is an industrial box in the hipster wilds of Hackney Wick, east of the City of London, repurposed from part of the media center for the 2012 Summer Olympics. The remaking of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park as East Bank, a new cultural quarter, will include the V&A East Museum, opening in 2026.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
V&A announces first UK exhibition devoted to haute couture house Schiaparelli
The Victoria and Albert museum is preparing to open the first UK exhibition devoted to haute couture house Schiaparelli. Set to launch in March 2026, the retrospective will chart the history and impact of Italian fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli, who founded Maison Schiaparelli in the 1920s. It will also explore the present-day incarnation of Schiaparelli, which is now in the hands of creative director Daniel Roseberry. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Victoria and Albert Museum (@vamuseum) Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art will be staged in the Sainsbury Gallery and comprise more than 200 objects, including garments, accessories, jewellery and paintings. The exhibition, created in close collaboration with Schiaparelli, will be the first of its kind to spotlight the London branch of the house, according to the museum. Highlights include the Skeleton dress, which features quilting resembling large bone, the Tears dress, which features a unique 'tear' print, and a hat shaped to look like an upside-down shoe – all conceived in collaboration with surrealist artist Salvador Dali. The exhibition will reference the popularity of Schiaparelli's designs for film and the theatre with artworks by Spanish painter Pablo Picasso, French poet Jean Cocteau, and US visual artist Man Ray on display. Tristram Hunt, director of the V&A, said: 'Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art will celebrate one of the most ingenious and daring designers in fashion history. 'The V&A holds one of the largest and most important fashion collections in the world, and the foremost collection of Schiaparelli garments in Britain. 'Schiaparelli's collaboration with artists and with the world of performance make the Maison and its founder an ideal subject for a spectacular exhibition at the V&A.' Delphine Bellini, chief executive of Schiaparelli, said: 'Elsa Schiaparelli's fearless imagination and radical vision redefined the boundaries between fashion and art. 'This exhibition celebrates her enduring influence through iconic collaborations with 20th century masters and a pioneering fusion of creativity and commerce. 'With its unparalleled collections, expertise in fashion and design, cultural reach, and ability to bridge tradition and innovation, the Victoria and Albert Museum offers the perfect setting to showcase her legacy alongside Daniel Roseberry's creations, which carry her surrealist spirit forward blurring lines with bold, sculptural designs that both honour and reinvent her vision for a new century.' The exhibition is the latest in the V&A's series of major fashion exhibitions which includes retrospectives of Gabrielle Chanel, Christian Dior and Alexander McQueen. Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art will run from March 21 to November 1 2026. Tickets will go on sale in Autumn 2025.
Times
05-07-2025
- General
- Times
V&A can't return looted objects. Our hands are tied by law
The Victoria and Albert Museum director has criticised the rules that prevent the museum from returning artefacts to their countries of origin as 'outdated and infantilising'. Tristram Hunt said the 1983 National Heritage Act and the limitations it imposes on trustees are wrong, and called for the law to be 'amended and changed'. He said trustees should 'have autonomy over their collections to be able to make a decision whether they should be deaccessioned [to remove an item from a museum to return or sell it] on ethical or moral grounds, or not'. The British Museum Act of 1963, which provided the foundation for the 1983 legislation, means institutions such as the British Museum, the V&A, Kew Gardens, and the Royal Armouries are legally prohibited from permanently deaccessioning items in their collections, except under four specific circumstances. They can get rid of an object only if it is a perfect duplicate; if it is unsuitable for retention in collections and can be disposed of 'without detriment to students or the public'; if it is damaged beyond repair; or if it is being transferred to another museum subject to the act. 'When people say, 'Why don't you return objects? You're just hiding behind the law' — the law is the law. Operating under the rule of law, particularly today, seems quite an important principle,' said Hunt, who has been making the case for the law to change since 2022. Speaking at the University of Cambridge's Global Humanities Network last month, Hunt provided some examples of items acquired by the V&A that have a complicated history, but did not explicitly say he would return them. He cited Tippoo's Tiger, which was made for Tipu Sultan, the ruler of Mysore in southern India from 1782 to 1799, and is described by the V&A on its website as one of its 'most famous and intriguing objects'. It was looted in 1799 after the Siege of Seringapatam when the British East India Company stormed Tipu Sultan's capital. Hunt also mentioned a crown and gold chalice seized by British troops from Ethiopia 150 years ago, and Asante crown regalia acquired by the V&A in 1874 from items looted by British troops in Ghana. Last year, a partnership with the Manhyia Palace Museum in Ghana meant the Asante royal regalia collections could be displayed in Ghana for the first time in 150 years in the city of Kumasi via a long-term loan. Ethiopia rejected a similar deal with the seized items. Hunt said: 'The Ethiopian government, for perfectly understandable political reasons, took the view that, you know, 'you offering to lend stuff you stole from us' wasn't politically viable so we've reached a kind of impasse with these objects.' The British Museum, which is not subjected to the same 1983 Act, has long been the subject of debate around the ownership of its artefacts, particularly the Elgin Marbles. For decades, Greece has voiced its desire for the the Parthenon sculptures — which were removed by Lord Elgin, the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, in the early 19th century and transported to the UK — to be returned. Hunt, 51, who was the Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central before becoming the director of the V&A in 2017, also said he was wary of museums becoming too politicised. He said: 'We shouldn't be places where people who are Conservative feel they're not welcome. My salary is paid by Reform voters, Conservative voters, non-voters. If we think we should be places for instilling a sort of social justice mindset, then I think we invalidate our role.' He also reflected on Britain's attitude to decolonisation and historical introspection, in contrast with the more celebratory approach taken in other parts of the world. 'You go to the Louvre, Abu Dhabi, and they are not concerned about this level of introspection. They just say, 'Here is a celebration of great civilisations across time and space',' he said.
Forbes
05-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
SSEF's Advanced Jewellery History Course Provides Invaluable Education
In SSEF's Advanced Jewellery History course, students physically handle and learn how to catalogue ... More jewels of antiquity, such as these Roman gold earrings set with imitation emeralds and pearls (circa 200 A.D.) As any knowledgeable collector or jewelry professional knows from experience, acquiring knowledge and facts about intricacies of fine jewelry design, materials and artisanship is best achieved by viewing, and ideally handling, superb pieces in person. Take for example the expertly curated Cartier survey on view through November at London's Victoria and Albert museum. (Full disclosure: I own a few Cartier jewels, and enjoy their shows and books that present the Parisian heritage jeweler's greatest creations.) Showcasing over 350 spectacular jewels and bejeweled objects, the vast and varied Victoria and Albert exhibit burnishes the Cartier brand and is attracting hordes, despite its steep ticket prices. (Weekday shows cost about US$36.00, while a weekend ticket runs almost US$38.00.) Jewelry Historian Kathia Pinckernelle, M.A. teaches Advanced Jewellery History at SSEF. Pictured ... More here is an Egyptian Eye of Ra Ring made of blue faience, dated circa 1550 and 1292 B.C.. Studying Jewelry At The Swiss Gemmological Institute Attending a carefully curated and invitingly glamorous show such as this one, however, may provide few guarantees of consequential learning. Jostling through museum crowds to glimpse jewels and read their curatorial placards can prove physically and mentally challenging, and in some cases, impossible. When it comes to acquiring depth of knowledge about jewelry, a blockbuster exhibit experience can sometimes turn out to be a bust. Which leads me to the good news for jewelry lovers and professionals in search of authoritative jewelry education. There's an academically authoritative, lavishly illustrated and entertaining in-person course offered by the Swiss Gemmological Institute (SSEF) entitled Advanced Jewellery History that examines the cultural, artistic, economic and psychological significance of jewelry throughout the timeline of Western civilization. (I live in hope for the day when SSEF announces it's offering Pinckernelle's course covering jewelry throughout the history of Eastern civilizations.) A Mesopotamian piglet pendant from 3000 B.C. is part of SSEF's permanent jewelry collection that ... More Advanced Jewellery History students get to see, touch, and feel with their own hands. The curriculum's caliber is rigorous. Sections on gemstone facts throughout human history are scientifically precise yet enjoyable to study-- and easy to absorb. The course's historical narrative begins with the jewelry of antiquity. For instance, the section on ancient jewelry includes authentic Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Roman and Greek jewels that reside in SSEF's permanent collection and which students handle extensively during practical workshops. FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder Jewelry historian Kathia Pinckernelle, M.A. worked at Christie's London and Geneva, and at Cartier, ... More before co-creating and teaching SSEF's Advanced Jewellery History course. As Dr. Laurent E. Cartier FGA, Head of Special Initiatives at SSEF explained in an email, 'Based in Basel, Switzerland, the non-profit SSEF aims to advance the science of gemstone testing and gemological training, while also imparting evidence-based knowledge of jewelry and gemstone history.' This newly updated course serves the needs of the world's jewelry lovers, students and those working in the gem and jewelry trades who are highly motivated to learn jewelry history. It is a five-day crash course offered in person at SSEF's Basel headquarters. Titled 'Advanced Jewellery History', this fact-packed program is taught by jewelry historian Kathia Pinckernelle, MPhil. Tuition costs 4,000 Swiss francs, excluding VAT. Students Give Advanced Jewellery History Course An A What differentiates this from similar courses offered at other institutions is its practical training. Every afternoon of the course, students handle antique, vintage and contemporary jewels from SSEF's permanent collection. Pinckernelle trains students in how to professionally examine jewels with a loupe and catalogue pieces from throughout the narrative of jewelry history in precise detail. 'This practical component of study ensures that students can take home skills that they can then expand on by visiting trade shows, auctions and museums,' Dr. Cartier observed. This Art Deco silver, gold lacquer, abalone and eggshell cigarette case was made with the East Asian ... More labor-intensive technique of burgauté, also known as lac burgauté. This involves inlaying iridescent pieces of abalone shell, often tinted, into a lacquer base, sometimes with additional gold or silver inlay. The outer edges of this hauntingly beautiful scene are framed by tiny eggshell fragments that have been pressed into the lacquer with special tools. In an email, mainland Chinese jewelry store owner and gemmologist Martina Xiaoyun Hu, FGA, described her experience of SSEF's Advanced Jewelry History course. 'I learned so much theoretically and practically from this course. Especially useful were the afternoon sessions spent handling jewelry and learning about European and British hallmarks and assay marks through using the loupe and studying the different marks. This information is valuable to me in my daily work. I strongly recommend this SSEF course to anyone who has basic knowledge of jewelry, but hopes to learn in more depth about antique and vintage jewels.' SSEF director Michael Krzemnicki, FGA recounted in an email how the course originated. 'Back in 2021, we decided to launch this course on jewelry history as a way of exploring the different uses of gems through history, and how these link with different periods of jewelry.' Equally important, he added, 'Students also learn about fakes and imitations (quite widespread in antique jewelry) through time.'The course is given in small groups, with a maximum of nine students, and was conceived in part by Vanessa Cron, founder of the website Research Jewel. The course currently on offer was revised and expanded by Kathia Pinckernelle with Dr. Laurent Cartier, who presents a unit entitled 'Gemstones Through Time,' with collaboration from SSEF's Dr. Akitsugu Sato, FGA Laurent Cartier, Ph.D. presents a unit entitled 'Gemstones Through Time' in SSEF's Advanced ... More Jewellery History Course,with collaboration from Dr. Akitsugu Sato, FGA. According to Dr. Cartier, 'The Advanced Jewellery History course offers designers, retailers, vintage and estate jewelry dealers, marketing professionals, design students and collectors deep and thorough historical content. The history of jewelry and the use of gemstones are very linked,' he continued. 'This fact is what motivated SSEF to offer the course in the first place. Although SSEF is known for testing gemstones,' he observed, 'we also see a lot of jewelry from various eras. We wanted to link these two topics so that we (and students) could more fully understand the jewels and gems we examine in a more complete context.' SSEF's Advanced Jewellery History course has been offered seven times since 2021. The next course session will take place from 13th to 17th of October 2025. As Dr. Cartier related, 'We've had an interesting mix of people from auction houses, major heritage jewelry maisons, jewelry dealers, goldsmiths and jewelry collectors join us as students.' Taught By An Historian Who Worked At Christie's And Cartier Regarding the qualifications of the teacher: As a jewelry historian with a master's degree (MPhil) in ancient Greek and Roman jewelry, Kathia Pinckernelle, FGA is also a gemologist. 'I would like to expand research in the future to jewelry history of China, Japan and India, along with pre-Columbian civilizations,' she wrote in an email. Pinckernelle began her jewelry career in London at the auction house of Christie's, which was founded in that city in 1766. Pinckernelle soon transferred to the Christie's Geneva branch, for which she researched and authored three jewelry auction catalogues per year until 2007. Jewels like this exuberant, circa 1955 platinum and diamond brooch by the Parisian house of ... More Mauboussin are handled, drawn and catalogued by student sat SSEF's Advanced Jewelry History course. According to Dr. Cartier, who is also a lecturer at Switzerland's University of Lausanne and an affiliated associate professor at the University of Delaware, 'Kathia Pinckernelle is a tri-lingual jewelry historian in German, French and English, and the Advanced Jewellery History course is taught in English.' As Pinckernelle put it in an email, 'I believe in jewelry. Its story is a human tale of creativity, beauty, artistry, status, technology, science – and a lot of hard work. It illustrates neatly, and beautifully, the history of humanity.' After she left Christie's, Pinckernelle worked in publishing and taught English in Jordan and in Moscow before returning to Geneva and joining Cartier Tradition, the branch of Cartier that restores and offers for sale its heritage jewels. In that position, Pinckernelle traveled internationally buying important antique and vintage Cartier pieces which she then catalogued.. Pinckernelle has been teaching the history of jewelry at the SSEF since 2022 and also curates the SSEF permanent jewelry collection. 'The SSEF is a foundation with a clear mandate to focus on research and education,' she noted. 'It is a pleasure and an adventure to help them build a jewelry collection for educational and research purposes. For jewelry history course students,' she added, 'Handling and examining various types of jewelry, from vintage masterpieces to fakes from various eras, is absolutely essential to the learning experience.' Dated circa 900 A.D., this Celtic, double spiral bronze fibula brings imparts the material presence ... More of the ancient past to SSEF's Advanced Jewelry History students. When asked if SSEF plans to offer an Advanced Jewelry History course encompassing Asian, Middle Eastern, East Indian, North American First Nation people from what is now Canada, and indigenous tribal jewelers from what is now named the United States, Pinckernelle provided the following answer. 'Jewelry history tends to be very Eurocentric, that's the case also when you look at the literature that is available,' she wrote. 'This course focuses on jewels and jewelry periods that are relevant for the high-end market. Given that we only have 5 days available, it's hard to pack more into that time frame.' She went on to share that, 'SSEF hopes to enhance the course offering by providing a culturally broader jewelry education and by sharing more of its research findings in the future. What a clasp: the back view of the Celtic double spiral bronze fibula showcases the profound ... More technical skill of the artisan who made this piece around 900 A.D. While Kathia Pinckernelle and Dr. Cartier are next giving the Advanced Jewelry History course at SSEF's Basel headquarters in October 2025, they often speak in tandem regarding aspects of jewelry history at international jewelry fairs. They recently presented a panel discussion at the Gem Genève jewelry show in Geneva, Switzerland. Entitled, 'How Art Deco Defied Conventional Materials, Gems and Techniques', this presentation also included jewelry expert Violaine Bigot, Heritage Director at Chaumet in Paris,. Together, these three experts provided historical, scientific, cultural and psychological insights into the creation and significance of Art Deco jewelry and in how far it defied convention (spoiler alert: less than is commonly expected). SSEF's Advanced Jewellery course covers Berlin iron, which is black-lacquered cast iron jewelry that ... More became popular in the early 19th century, mainly in Prussia (now Germany). During the Napoleonic Wars, citizens donated their gold to the Prussian war effort in exchange for iron pieces such as this cross. For those unable to afford the time or money to attend the SSEF course in person, there is a free online teaser , 'Introduction to Jewellery History.' While those who enroll can move through the course at their own pace, this educational opportunity, it should be noted, is available throughout the student's lifetime, and can be accessed across any and all devices.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
I live in London and these are the 11 best things I discovered you can do for free
Announcing an upcoming trip to London is now met with the same shriek as a city break in Switzerland – 'it's soo expensive'. True, with its costly combination of TfL travel, high-end shopfronts and anything-but-budget booze, the capital has a habit of lightening purses. However, away from Michelin meals and the halls of Harrods, there are leafy green spaces, free museums and open-door comedy shows to be found in London if you know where to look. Think galleries, markets, gardens and city farms that are kind to your credit card. From the Victoria and Albert Museum to picnics in Greenwich Park, here's our pick of low-cost activities for thrifty travellers to lean into London. Read more: The best things to do in London with the kids this summer Some of London's top tourist draws open their doors to the public for free. With no entry fee for the Victoria and Albert, British Museum, Natural History Museum and Science Museum, there's a wealth of world-renowned collections, history and art to discover without paying high admission prices. Read more: The museums you should visit in the UK Pubs including the Camden Head in Angel and Battersea's The Candlemaker host free stand-up shows with both big and small names testing new material on patrons. Feeling like splashing £1? Covent Garden's The Top Secret Comedy Club has guaranteed giggles from tried and tested comedians most nights of the week for just a quid. Read more: Best swimming pools in London, from lidos to hotel rooftops Aside from London's signature pigeons, foxes and squirrels, countryside staples such as sheep, cows and pigs also reside in unusual urban corners – better still, it's free to visit furry friends at most of the city's farms. Mudchute Park and Farm, Hackney, Spitalfields and Vauxhall City farms, to name a few, are open for animal fans, with donations welcome. Read more: The best farm stays for holidays in the UK Green spaces are scattered in every borough of London, from the sub-tropical gardens of Battersea Park to the picnic-primed hills of Greenwich and Holland Park's Kyoto garden. Their colours may change with the seasons, but walking routes, sandwich spots and play areas promise to show a different side of the city year-round. Read more: London's best hotels, reviewed With a London summer comes al fresco cinema screenings, from rooftops to the canal side. On the King's Cross 'Riviera', Everyman on the Canal will be screening blockbusters, cult classics and the madness of Wimbledon matches for free on the steps of the canal from 30 June to 17 August. Elsewhere, London Bridge's riverside festival Summer By The River is showing free flicks and Vauxhall's Summer Screen is set for some big-screen blockbusters. Read more: I thought I knew London – then I walked the Capital Ring As the likes of Borough and Camden charge steep prices for their most popular street food stalls, to make the most of a market on a budget, head for some window shopping. Colombia Road's colourful Sunday flower market is well worth a weekend stroll, or peruse Portobello on a Saturday for a bric-a-brac bargain. Read more: Meet the women behind some of Borough Market's most-loved stalls To tower over the capital without splashing out on a slow ride around the London Eye, tickets to London's highest public garden – the Sky Garden – are free. The viewing gallery on the 43rd floor of the 'Walkie Talkie' building offers panoramic views from Fenchurch Street with bars and restaurants onsite. Read more: How to spend £100,000 on a weekend in London For a walking tour of the city's biggest landmarks, follow a stretch of the Thames path from the South Bank east to the Tower of London. This four-mile route passes the Houses of Parliament, Millennium Bridge and plenty of pubs for a pint refuel along the way. Read more: Europe's best walking trails to hike There are free gigs, art and exhibitions to be found at the Southbank Centre for those looking for culture that doesn't charge their credit card. Among events this summer, Freudian Typo invites visitors to consider how the English language 'underpins the globally precarious state of land', Dance Your Way Home showcases a series of artworks, and Iris Colomb performs live poetry. Read more: How Silverstone became a year-round destination for F1 fans You actually can go to a gallery in London without paying a £15 admission fee and spending £5 on a flat white. For your fill of sketches, oil paintings and interactive exhibits, some of the city's most notable showrooms – including the Tate Modern, the National Portrait Gallery, and the Wallace Collection – display their visual masterpieces admission-free. Read more: The coolest running events around the world London institution Ronnie Scott's may be the king of the city's jazz clubs, but for a boogie on a budget, there are plenty of live music venues letting in jazz fans for less. The Old Blue Last in Shoreditch hosts free Sunday jazz sessions in its main bar, as does Dalston's The Haggerston and The Royal Albert pub in New Cross. Read more: The best loud and proud UK Pride events for 2025
