Meet the man who sculpted The Pope – JAGO
The magic of crafts goes beyond words.
JAGO is an Italian artist who works in the field of sculpture and video production. He was born in Frosinone, Italy in 1987, where he attended the art school and then the Academy of Fine Arts.
With over half a million followers on Instagram JAGO conquers, the social media through videos where he is rooted in traditional techniques and establishes a direct relationship with the public by sharing the production process.
At the age of 24 everything changes. Oa presentation by Maria Teresa Benedetti, he was selected by Vittorio Sgarbi to participate in the 54th edition of the Venice Biennale, exhibiting the marble bust of Pope Benedict XVI (2009). There he earned the Pontifical Medal.
The youthful sculpture was then reworked in 2016, taking the name of Habemus Hominem and becoming one of his best-known works.
Since 2016, the year of his first personal exhibition in the capital, he has lived and worked in Italy, China and America. He was a visiting professor at the New York Academy of Art, where he gave a masterclass and several lectures in 2018.
Following an exhibition at the Armory Show in Manhattan, JAGO moves to New York. Here begins the creation of the Veiled Son, permanently exhibited inside the Cappella dei Bianchi, in the church of San Severo Fuori le Mura in Naples.
In 2019, on the occasion of ESA’s (European Space Agency) Beyond mission, JAGO was the first artist to have sent a marble sculpture to the International Space Station. The work, entitled The First Baby and depicting the fetus of a newborn, returned to Earth in February 2020 under the custody of the head of mission, Luca Parmitano.
In November of the same year he created the installation Look Down, an infantile nude image then temporarily located in Piazza del Plebiscito (Naples) and now in the Al Haniyah desert in Fujairah (UAE). On 1 October 2021, he installed the Pietà work in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Montesanto, in Piazza del Popolo in Rome.
Meet the artists creating magic at the World Art Dubai
World Art Dubai is now in full swing with the region’s largest affordable retail art fair welcoming local and international visitors to its eighth edition at Dubai World Trade Centre.
With a 90 per cent increase in artists and 60 per cent increase in galleries exhibiting since last year, 2022’s World Art Dubai is its biggest yet and has witnessed an increase in footfall from those looking to buy art for both corporate and personal usage.
With strong sales seen in the first few hours of the show, Samishka Jawale, the Dubai-based Indian artist from Creative Cubes, the gallery for creative minds welcomed the first sale of the day within just 30 minutes of show opening with their ‘Her Freedom 3’ piece.
“We have been participating in World Art Dubai since 2017 and are very excited to have sold the very first piece at this year’s show – it’s definitely our strongest start yet,” said Jawale. “The piece I sold was all about freedom for women, an important topic which fascinated our buyer.”
Additional artists driving traction to their stands during day one of the show include MSS Arts & Design who are displaying their art pieces complete with Swarovski crystals. “While we do international showcases as well, our concept is so well received in Dubai as we have a really strong, receptive audience, hence we always try to exhibit at World Art Dubai,” said Sarah Moravvej, Artist and Founder – MSS Arts & Design. “We are hopeful for this year’s edition as we are already very pleased with the amount of interest we’ve seen on the first day.”
International galleries making waves include New York based gallery, Tresorie Gallery, and Italian heavyweights TV2 Gallery.
“We’re exhibiting at World Art Dubai for the first time, marking our first visit to Dubai, bringing with us experience from many international art fairs around the world,” said Heba Elbanna, Gallerist – Tresorie Gallery. “Reaction from visitors so far has been positive, people are very friendly and interacting with us about our work. We’re looking forward to meeting even more people over the next few days.”
“This is our second year participating with World Art Dubai, giving eight Italian artists the chance to come and exhibit in Dubai for the first time,” said Sanuj Nair, Deputy Director – TV2. “World Art Dubai is one of the greatest platforms for artists in the Middle East because it’s affordable and really focused on helping artists sell their products across both emerging and established artists to create their own space in the market.”
Debut artist grabbing public attention is Dubai-based photographer Jalal Abuthina, who achieved the highest sales on day one.
“This is my first time exhibiting at World Art Dubai and it’s been pleasantly surprising because I ended up selling nine prints, within three hours of show opening of the series I’m exhibiting,” said Abuthina. “The main reason I wanted to exhibit is because it’s more accessible than many other art fairs in the city and the art which is on sale is more diverse and is priced better for the general population’.
Among the brand-new features drawing interest from crowds is W.A.D Next, the NFT (Non-Fungible Tokens) zone where visitors can learn all about the newest form of art collection, and hear first-hand predictions from the creators about the future of this new medium.
“Dubai is one of the upcoming hubs for NFT’s, so we’re really excited to be here at World Art Dubai for the first time,” said Liz Carvalho, Art Director – Saphira & Ventura Gallery. “We’ve brought a collection of 19 artists from different parts of the world, and we’re pleased to see lots of curious people keen to hear more about NFTs”
The refreshed Urban Art DXB area has also been wowing visitors with its exciting and visual displays and competitions. Led for the first time by Ahmed Al Rashid, the Kuwaiti street artist, the area has expanded beyond the graffiti focus of previous editions, and now incorporates make up faceoffs and vogue dance battles.
“As a person who grew up in the 80s and 90s, I wanted to expand people’s understanding of what urban culture really is – I aimed to bring something new and fresh,” said Ahmed al Rashid. “Urban Art DXB in 2022 is a total mash up of street style – dance, vogue, skating, hip hop, make up and more. Every day we also have four graffiti artists, which we consider to be the main genre of the space, creating artworks across eight hours at the show Fashion is also a huge part of street art and another element we have brought with us is a battle on white mannequins, where our artists aim to design the most creative looks. People have been really intrigued by our area and the reception so far has been incredible – we’re really excited for the rest of the show!”
World Art Dubai will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre, Halls 1-3 from 16-19 March 2022 between 1-9pm each day, except Saturday which runs until 8pm. Tickets cost AED 20 for adults, AED 10 for children, with family packages also available. Buy online to enjoy 20 per cent off ticket cost.
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Meet artist Anna McKeown, whose clientele includes Tom Ford, Jo Malone, Mona Kattan, and more
Well-known entrepreneur Anna McKeown and artist behind ‘Pop & Toast’ has expanded her thriving art business and has relaunched her brand to the ‘Anna McKeown Collection’. The expansion comes three years after launching in Dubai and Ireland, with her artwork now shipped worldwide.
Originally creating ‘Pop and Toast’ in 2018, as a hobby outside of her full-time art-teaching role, McKeown’s artwork has become synonymous with its vibrant bottle prints and bright, colourful abstract magazine cover pieces, inevitably becoming well-known throughout the Middle East and beyond.
In addition to bottle prints, her celebratory-themed art portfolio now features luxury perfume prints, hand-painted custom design champagne bottles, bespoke commissioned art pieces, wallpaper and more – with brands such as Tom Ford, Chanel, and Jo Malone making an appearance.
McKeown has even commissioned artwork for many celebrities including a bespoke perfume bottle for Huda Kattan’s sister, Mona Kattan on the launch of her new fragrance ‘Kunali’, plus a custom ‘CleanCo’ bottle for reality TV couple Vogue & Spencer Mathews and their alcohol-free clean beverage line.
Three years since launching, McKeown, now a full-time artist, has rebranded to The Anna McKeown collection to offer all aspects of an art project from consultation to installation of high-end unique art for individuals, venues and businesses in residential and commercial spaces. Pop & Toast will still feature as a sub-arm of her brand, offering all the favourite ready-to-buy prints too.
She commented: “I enjoy creating artwork that brings vibrancy and energy to a room. The actual process of painting, the use of colour, the fluidity of the paint, the energy that I exert and the solitary nature of my practice, is central to the driving force behind my work. My neon undertones and ‘Pollock’ like splashes are a signature of my style. I believe my work is fashionable and symbolises a celebration or a moment in time. I love the idea that each bottle has a different meaning to every client.”
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Meet your new lucky charms—Laki and Nikko from Italian brand Chorustyle
Italian brand Chorustyle integrates the technology of the virtual showroom with the functionality of e-commerce, virtual.lakinikko.com and launches the first hybrid virtual reality project for luxury with an immersive 3D experience. At the center of the virtual platform are the two iconic cats Laki and Nikko, atelier design objects born from artisan tradition and innovative technology in the most authentic style of Chorustyle. Transforming one of the most beloved animals in the world into a high design object is the challenge embraced by Chorustyle, the project that celebrates Italy’s artisan and creative heritage and has chosen the cat as its symbol.
Chorustyle has transformed felines into precious decorator objects made with artisan techniques and available in small, medium and large formats. Laki is the equivalent of the Japanese talisman ensuring prosperity and happiness. Nikko the dreamer, curled up on a shelf or bed, is conducive to meditation and wisdom. The inspiration of Chorustyle comes from the “study of cats”, an impressive series of drawings by Leonardo da Vinci who considered cats special, even “brilliant”, like many Renaissance artists. Those who do not have a real cat would still want a symbolic one. Laki and Nikko are perfect for someone looking for a lucky charm, a design object, or a subtle light. There is nothing strange in wanting to pet them: after all, neurosciences believe that petting an animal is good for you. Besides their other qualities, we also consider them anti-stress..
Laki, the lucky cat who with its raised paw indicates the path for obtaining what is most desired, becomes an authentic source of inspiration that draws strength from its ability to blend into any setting with poise and elegance. Laki, the bearer of prosperity and happiness, projects a seductive touch of charm, allure and elegance upon the surrounding spaces. Its sinuous shape and glimmering reflections captivate and promote harmony and well-being with the surrounding world, instilling indomitable self-confidence.
Nikko, the cat of serenity, is the path for feeling at peace with yourself. Conveying calmness and imperturbability — an “illuminating ray of sunshine”, as suggested by the etymology — it helps achieve balance and harmony as it watches over people and the surrounding space. Nikko encourages one to fulfill wishes and make dreams come true, becoming a talisman able to grant spiritual and mental well-being. With their elongated shape they offer tranquility and protection and transform any environment, bringing light and warmth.
English