I’m so delighted to see the development of 4×4 as it gains traction. Its truly fascinating to discover the art that women choose to live with and find out about their individual connections to it. I’m also extremely touched that every woman I’ve approached to take part in 4×4 has said Yes! Its an absolute pleasure to know that they’ve enjoyed taking part and sharing their love of art.
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So thank you to the four wonderful, inspiring ladies who shared their art stories with us for this episode – fashion stylist Alex Fullerton, beauty expert and broadcaster Emma Guns, business author and podcaster Emma Gannon and style blogger Ashley Wilson. As always, their selection was unexpected and insightful. It just goes to show how personal art is and the importance of it in our lives.
ALEXANDRA FULLERTON IS A FASHION STYLIST AND WRITER. CURRENTLY FASHION DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE FOR GLAMOUR UK, SHE HAS JUST PUBLISHED HER FIRST BOOK ‘HOW TO DRESS‘ WHICH IS THE NUMBER ONE BEST SELLER FASHION PUBLICATION ON AMAZON (ITS BRILLIANT!).
I think the artist was still studying at the RA schools at the time and subsequently Charles Saatchi bought his entire final collection in 2012.
Q1. What is your favourite work and where is it from?
It’s a large scale oil on canvas called Hosiery by Charlie Billingham. We spotted it at the RA Summer Exhibition in 2011, I think Charlie was still studying at the RA schools at the time and subsequently Charles Saatchi bought his entire final collection in 2012.
Q2. Why do you love it?
I love it because it’s ridiculously funny but weird… It’s hot pink and has leopards running all over it – but rendered really naively – you can’t tell which way some are facing and they are all trapped by wire fencing. Or perhaps we are trapped by the fencing.
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Q3. Where does it live in your home?
It’s in our living room in an area we use as a reading nook. It is about 6 foot square so has major impact and as you glance left into the room from the hall it’s the first thing you see in an otherwise very classically styled room. I love Ben Pentreath-style interiors and the lairy pink makes such a brilliant contrast to the olive and sage green walls and dark velvet seating.
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Q4. If money were no object what piece of art would you buy?
My art wish-list is almost longer than my wardrobe wish-list. I would absolutely splash out on a piece by Fiona Rae. I adore her work on a very basic visual level, particularly the colours Cof her early naughties works. The mix of abstract with comfortingly understandable pop motifs, the colours she uses, the textures she introduces… combined, they just make me happy every time I look at them but take me on a mystery tour too. Conversely, Whitney McVeigh is far darker, both visually and with the backstories, as far as I understand them, but she makes the paint come alive – something Fiona Rae does too. McVeigh’s Head portraits are particularly odd and the way she makes her marks are visceral, almost primeval. I like pieces that are provocative so would love to own a piece from her too.
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2×4
EMMA GANNON IS A SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING BUSINESS AUTHOR, PODCASTER AND BROADCASTER. SHE WAS SELECTED IN 2018 IN THE FORBES 30 UNDER 30 EUROPE LIST AND MANAGEMENT TODAY’S UNDER 35. HER LATEST BOOK ‘THE MULTI-HYPHEN METHOD’ AND WEEKLY PODCAST ‘CTRL ALT DELETE’ HAVE LITERALLY CHANGED MY LIFE!
I like the fact that if anyone asks about it, there’s a story and memories behind it.
Q1. What is your favourite work and where is it from? It would have to be the pieces from my boyfriend Paul’s photography collective called Tripod City. We have a framed piece from his most recent collection ‘Sweet Dreams‘ from their trip to Mexico.
Q2. Why do you love it?
I love that it’s art made by someone close to me. I also like to have art of different places around the world in my home, it reminds me that the world is so big, that there is so much to see and to get out of my bubble whenever you can.
Q3. Where does it live in your home?
It’s in our hallway. I like the fact that if anyone asks about it, there’s a story and memories behind it. They also made a film about their time in Mexico called ‘Pinata King‘ which I absolutely love.
Q4. If money were no object what piece of art would you buy?
I would like to have something nude! Maybe I’d buy Amedeo Modigliani’s ‘Reclining Nude’. Apparently, in 1917, the gallery with Reclining Nude on show was almost immediately closed by police due to obscenity. I love that having nude art on your walls can feel like your own small act of rebellion.
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3×4
EMMA GUNS IS A WRITER, PRESENTER AND BRAND CONSULTANT WITH A FOCUS ON BEAUTY. SHE IS THE HOST OF ONE OF MY FAVOURITE PODCASTS THE EMMA GUNS SHOW, WHICH I LISTEN TO WITHOUT FAIL EACH WEEK!
The detail, the red accent, the gold leaf and the fact that whoever this woman is, you can feel her attitude.
Q1. What is your favourite work and where is it from? It’s a pen drawing with gold leaf by Gemma Louise Ward from her Gold Digger exhibition called Cigarettes and Coffee that I bought as a Christmas present for myself four years ago. gemma@thewardettestudio.com
Q2. Why do you love it? I saw it when Gemma had her exhibition and couldn’t take my eyes off it. The detail, the red accent, the gold leaf and the fact that whoever this woman is, you can feel her attitude. Most of the other pieces from the collection are actually portraits with really beautiful faces and hair with the kind of detail you can see in this piece and I also have six of those.
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Q3. Where does it live in your home?
It lives in the living room, but it’s the first thing you see, from the front door, when you walk in. It’s right in your eye-line – deliberately so – and people comment on it every time they come over.
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Q4. If money were no object what piece of art would you buy?
I’d buy some of Volker Kühn’s work. I saw a piece of his at The Grove Hotel years ago and it literally stopped me in my tracks. I’ve thought about that piece so much since I saw it – I even called the concierge years later to find out if it was available to buy – and if they ever sell it I will definitely throw my hat in the ring, but he has so many pieces that I find hard to look away from.
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4×4
ASHLEY WILSON IS FOUNDER AND EDITOR OF A MOTHER’S EDIT A FASHION AND STYLE BLOG.
It makes me smile when I walk in the house and see it everyday.
Q1. What is your favourite work and where is it from? Definitely my large white on black print by Quibe I have hung in my hallway.
Q2. Why do you love it? I love the simplicity of it and the impact just one simple line drawing can have. It’s romantic yet modern.
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Q3. Where does it live in your home?
It’s on the wall at the bottom of my stairs right next to the front door. It makes me smile when I walk into the house and see it everyday.
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Q4. If money were no object what piece of art would you buy?
Probably something from the impressionist era, a Claude Monet – The Water Lily Pond or Sunrise I could stare at for hours on end.
KATEJONESLONDON 