Ai Weiwei Day

At the weekend, Mr & Mrs That's Not My Age had an Ai Weiwei Day. The conceptual artist is incarcerated in China, unable to attend his two London exhibitions and banned from blogging, so I thought I'd do this for him. The Lisson Gallery is showing Ai's beautiful paint-splattered Han Dynasty vases.




There are posters of his quotes all down the street, mmm... Bejing take note. A couple of years ago, the Chinese authorities set up CCTV cameras outside Ai's studio and he responded with this marble work of art. Which made me smile. Watching me, watching you, ah ha!



This installation is called Moon Chest (look through the port holes in the wooden chests and you can see all the different moon-shaped silhouettes). Stunning.




Then it was over to Somerset House to see Ai Weiwei's Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads. The Portland stone is the perfect backdrop for the 54-year-old artist's 12 bronze sculptures:




The man who helped create the Bird's Nest Olympic stadium and filled Tate Modern with porcelain sunflower seeds is being detained without charge for 'economic crimes,' like publishing online pornography...



I don't get it. China is reaching out to the west. The west loves Ai Weiwei. Ai Weiwei gets banged up.




Free Ai Weiwei.



Ai Weiwei is on at the Lisson Gallery till 16 July 2011 and Somerset House till June 26 2011.

Sunflower seeds photo: The Telegraph

Maison Martin Margiela 20 The Exhibition

That's Not My Age has a fashion hangover (or should that be a fashover?) caused by an excess of fine clothes and free wine. Last night, I followed the Tabi footprints to celebrate 20 years of Maison Martin Margiela at Somerset House. Have I told you how much I like Somerset House? London Fashion Week's new-ish home is a neoclassical marvel in Portland stone.



That's Not My Age is fond of a post-modern caravan but rather than dwell on rainy holidays up north, tonight's aim is to channel some Belgian glamour:



In true Margiela style, here's an anonymous blogger wearing some Incognito sunglasses:



They belong to my friend and fashion collector, Mr Robert de Niet. Who stockpiles clothes and accessories like it's nobody's business, he was in the exhibition shop faster than I could say conceptual chic:



The exhibition is superb, the clothes are sexy, provocative, clever. Here are my highlights - sorry they're a bit blurry, had to take photos surreptitiously when the men in white coats weren't looking.







Then it was out onto the riverside to enjoy more complimentary wine, quality snacks from Tom's Terrace and a gorgeous summer's evening.





On the terrace, That's Not My Age spotted Grazia's Paula Reed looking lovely in a khaki military dress.



And designer, Bella Freud with a fantastic shoulder bag. I came away feeling thoroughly inspired, happy that I'd celebrated the anniversary in style and longing for a little Margiela in my wardrobe. Oh to live in a trompe l'oeil world.





Maison Martin Margiela 20 The Exhibition is on from June 3 to September 5 2010

Quote of the week: Vivienne Westwood

That's Not My Age loves Auntie Viv and so I was dead chuffed when this black & white image popped into my inbox. Taken in 1998 for Madame Figaro by photographer, JP Masclet, this lovely portrait features in the new exhibition, A Positive View, at Somerset House. Monsieur Masclet tells me that he was shooting inside the designer's Battersea studio but decided to go outside and take one shot with this wonderful 1950s coach, when Madame Westwood quipped, 'Are you trying to say something by putting me next to the back end of a bus?'

A Positive View is at Somerset House from 10 March - 5 April 2010

A Very British Glamour

One of my favourite presents from Mr That's Not My Age is this Norman Parkinson book, full of fabulous photos and the odd mince pie crumb! Here's a small selection of very glamorous images - including a couple taken in Blackpool, Parks on the promenade, would you believe it?


And there's still time to see the exhibition; Norman Parkinson: A Very British Glamour is on at Somerset House until 31 January 2010