#pharmacy 2

Newport Street Gallery, dove il mattone è old but gold

News | ‘Queen of the curve' Zaha Hadid dies aged 65 from heart attack

World-renowned architect Dame Zaha Hadid whose designs include the London Olympic aquatic center and Dubai Opera House died on Thursday of a heart attack.

Born in Baghdad she studied Mathematics at the American University of Beirut before launching her career in London at the Architectural Association. In 1979 she established her own practice in London – Zaha Hadid Architects gaining a reputation for ground breaking theoretical works became a revolutionary force in British architecture.

Her first major commission to be built that brought her international recognition was Vitra Fire Station in Weil am Rhein in Germany. Other notable works included the Maxxi: Italian National Museum of 21st Century Arts in Rome, the London Aquatics Centre for the 2012 Olympics and the Heydar Aliyev Centre in Baku.

Hadid became the first female recipient of the Pritzker Architecture Prize and twice won the RIBA Stirling prize, other awards included the Republic of France’s Commandeur de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and Japan’s Praemium Imperiale.

Jane Duncan, RIBA’s president, said: “Dame Zaha Hadid was an inspirational woman, and the kind of architect one can only dream of being. Visionary and highly experimental, her legacy, despite her young age, is formidable.

“She leaves behind a body of work from buildings to furniture, footwear and cars that delight and astound people all around the world. The world of architecture has lost a star today.”

Via The Guardian

Review |Grace Dent reviews Pharmacy 2: I was charmed by its balls and its continuing bizarreness

Damien Hirst’s restaurant Pharmacy 2 at Newport Street Gallery in Vauxhall has a menu by Mark Hix and an interior featuring pill boxes, medical apparatus and wallpaper printed with over the counter drug prescriptions and Grace Dent gives it 4 stars saying

“They do a jolly decent mini-version pineapple upside-down cake. So mini, in fact, we also ordered a daft but delicious absinthe jelly and a single scoop of honeycomb ice cream, which was extraordinary. I was sniffy about Pharmacy 2, but I’ve eaten those words. I need a repeat prescription.”

Via The Evening Standard

News | Joan Baked-well: ceramic sculpture of broadcaster goes on display at National Portrait Gallery

As part of a series dedicated to “powerful women” the National Portrait Gallery are exhibiting a ceramic bust of broadcaster Joan Bakewell by sculptor Glenys Barton. The Sculpture will be joined by two other works by the artist one of politician Glenda Jackson and one of fashion designer Jean Muir. The artist said,

“I always seem to come back to the theme of powerful women in my work and Joan is no exception. That’s why it was so important for me to capture Joan’s strength and charisma in the final form. While hands are very significant, as they’re very often the way we convey our emotions, my biggest challenge was Joan’s smile as she has a very expressive face. But I am very pleased with the finished result.”