Penguin Parade Sculpture Trail

A colony of penguins have shed their tuxedos and descended upon London, calling the Fleet Street Quarter home through January 5th. The “Penguin Parade Sculpture Trail” is made up of  twelve individual penguins decked out in their holiday finest. Each penguin is designed by a different artist in collaboration with Wild in Art and the conservation charity WWF, and the sculptures share interesting facts about our fine feathered friends and the Fleet Street Quarter. Author and stand-up comedian Olaf Falafel provides an audio tour through the parade and visitors can use a map to locate the entire waddling crew. On our recent quest through the neighborhood, we were greeted by penguins Percy, Buddy, Snowy, Santa Paws, Kevin the Kinguin, The Forest at Christmas, and Pullover Penguin.

"Minotaur and Hare on Bench" by Sophie Ryder

While walking around Canary Wharf in London, we found this intriguing sculpture.  Crafted by the globally acclaimed sculptor, Sophie Ryder, this monumental, wired artwork called “Minotaur and Hare on a Bench” is a captivating invitation to the realm of imagination. 

The Lady-Hare, adorned with a hare-like head and a womanly body, stands as an alluring counterpart to the legendary Minotaur of ancient Greek myths.  The sculpture embodies a poetic blend of femininity and nature, offering a mesmerizing glimpse into the artist's interpretation of mythology. Although often portrayed as a fearsome and violent creature that preys on humans for sustenance throughout Greek mythology,  Ryder's rendition of the Minotaur transforms it into a figure that, rather than being menacing, embodies strength, love, and protection, designed to complement her Lady Hare sculpture.

These sculptures make a profound statement in the urban landscape. Their simplicity allows light to elegantly interact with their intricate forms, creating a captivating dance of shadows and highlights that further breathe life into Sophie Ryder's imaginative world, inviting all of us to explore the depths of our own creativity.

"A Wild Life for Wildlife" by Gillie and Marc

Photos by Sophie Singh

Contemporary artists Gillie and Marc, known as “eco warriors, with a deep respect for the close spiritual bond between humans and animals” are taking us to the wild side at The World Trade Center with their latest exhibition “A Wild Life For Wildlife”.  Rabbitwoman and Dogman, Gillie and Marc’s best known and beloved characters, take us on a journey with endangered animals who ride in tandem in hopes for a better tomorrow. Gillie and Marc invite the public to join the beautiful, endangered creatures in a quest to educate the public about each animal’s “life, needs, and threats..putting wildlife conservation at the center of people’s cities and lives.” With a sister exhibition running alongside in London, we can help share endangered species’ stories through the hashtag #LoveTheLast.

“Making Sense” by Ai Weiwei

A modern-day Renaissance Man, Ai Weiwei, the renowned artist, activist, filmmaker, architect and collector, has collaborated with The Design Museum in London, to present “Making Sense” as “a commentary on design and what it reveals about our changing values.” The artist’s collection of objects, ranging from Stone Age tools to porcelain dating back to the Song dynasty, to iPhones and Lego bricks to recreate Monet’s Water Lilies, explore our material culture and tensions between construction and destruction as well as industrialism and craftsmanship. “Making Sense” of the dichotomy of consumption and the repression of the individual, Weiwei challenges us to make sense of our own values and the repression of the individual, all the while giving the middle finger to landmarks known as sites of power around the world. 

Designer of Dreams

Located in the recently-opened Sainsbury Gallery in London’s Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum, “Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams” features over 500 pieces that trace the house of Dior’s work and influences beginning with the inception of the fashion house in 1947. Focusing specifically on Dior’s fascination with British culture, the exhibition celebrates the designer’s successful revival of high fashion in the years following World War II, when countries throughout Europe were still being forced to ration their resources. “In 1947, Christian Dior changed the face of fashion with his New Look, which redefined the female silhouette and reinvigorated the post-war Parisian fashion industry,” explains V&A’s Curator of Modern Textiles & Fashion, Oriole Cullen. The display of 200 rare couture gowns “showcases the ways in which Dior’s succeeding creative directors have been inspired by his legacy,” from the daring designs of Yves Saint Laurent to the ebullience of John Galliano and the minimalism of  current Creative Director, Maria Grazia Chiuri. A collection of Christian Dior’s personal possessions is presented alongside the gowns, including accessories, photography, film, perfume, make-up, illustrations, and magazines, to give visitors a deeper understanding of the man behind the successful couture house.