London Design Biennale

London Design Biennale, Somerset House, Strand, London WC2, until 27th September 2016

Albania Credit - Ed Reeve Images

Albania
Credit – Ed Reeve Images

This is London’s first Design Biennale and is in partnership with Jaguar and Somerset House. Its theme is ‘Utopia by Design’ and there is such a wide-range of works and ideas from writers, artists, designer, architects and scientists drawn from the thirty-seven participating countries that I will in fact leave it to you to go along and discover them for yourselves.  I really urge you to do so because it is worth it as these images suggest.

Lebanon Credit - Ed Reeve Images

Lebanon
Credit – Ed Reeve Images

The Biennale’s president Sir John Sorrell sums it up saying: “The London Design Biennale celebrates design as an international language, which everyone can understand. It does not recognise boundaries or borders. It is always seeking to make the world a better place. All over the world, nations and cities are increasingly recognising the power of design to bring social change and economic growth. They are realising that creativity, with design at its heart, can play a vital role in providing solutions to problems which affect the way people live.”

India Credit - Bradley Lloyd Barnes

India
Credit – Bradley Lloyd Barnes

 

Australia Credit - Ed Reeve Images

Australia
Credit – Ed Reeve Images

 

South Africa Credit - Bradley Lloyd Barnes

South Africa
Credit – Bradley Lloyd Barnes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shenzhen, China Credit - Ed Reeve Images

Shenzhen, China
Credit – Ed Reeve Images

 

Turkey Credit - Bradley Lloyd Barnes

Turkey
Credit – Bradley Lloyd Barnes

 

The Netherlands Credit - Ed Reeve Images

The Netherlands
Credit – Ed Reeve Images

 

http://www.londondesignbiennale.com

Albanian Art in London

Homage to Edward Lear – Bashkim Izano, 12 Star Gallery, Europe House, 32 Smith Square, London SW1, until 19th June 2015

Photos by Jamie Smith - www.jamiesmith.photo

Photos by Jamie Smith – http://www.jamiesmith.photo

For his first exhibition in England the noted Albanian artist Bashkim Izano was inspired by the paintings which Edward Lear executed whilst travelling through Albania in the mid-19th century. Lear’s romantic, atmospheric works influenced Albanian artists of the time and continue to do so in the present day.

Izano’s very contemporary take on Lear combines the nature and folklore of his native Albania in a dramatic way that reflects the fact that he has also worked as a set designer and painted frescos for several Albanian museums. He was also Professor of Painting at the Academy of Arts in Tirana for a period of years. He now lives in the USA and exhibits there as well as in Albania.

Photos by Jamie Smith - www.jamiesmith.photo

Photos by Jamie Smith – http://www.jamiesmith.photo

Exhibition open: 10am-6pm, Monday – Friday
This exhibition is organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Albania in United Kingdom and Ireland

ec.europa.eu/unitedkingdom/…