NORDIC DELIGHTS JUNGLE RETREAT FASHIONING A LOOK ELEVATING THE JEWEL LOS ANGELES ART PANAMANIAN PARADISE Plus: Wdventure Cruising, a French Fairytale, Objects of Desire and much more WINTER 2018 From the Editor CHRISTIAN SCHWALBACH W hile finding a precise definition of art has been a bit of a boondoggle since the time of the Ancient Greeks – and we are no better at it now – understanding the role that art plays in our society has always been a more productive, and enlightening, enterprise. Whether they are for pleasure or worship, displayed for private contemplation or public discussion, our highest creative endeavours have both enriched and reflected the cultures that gave birth to them. In this edition of CENTURION, art is a recurrent leitmotif, taking centre stage in our feature on the rapidly developing art world of Los Angeles. It has long attracted aficionados of culture (think back to J Paul Getty, whose namesake museum is one of America’s best), and now the City of Angels is vying to become a global art capital, one that, as our correspondent Alix Browne notes in her story starting on page 70, has managed the “Hollywoodisation” of blockbuster art but also harbours a burgeoning contingent of under-the-radar venues, galleries and artists that are the beating heart of the city’s creativity. On the other side of the Pacific, we visit another emerging art capital, HongKong, where this year two new urban development projects have debuted with art central to their missions, and a purpose-built art-centred district, West Kowloon, is making its way towards completion. You can read that feature starting on page 63. Taking a wider view, our culture editor, Brian Noone, profiles provocative Belgian artist Koen Vanmechelen on page 66, probing at how, exactly, the artist can consider his livestock development and new research parkcum-zoo as works of art. Elsewhere in the issue, we showcase the newly restored majesty of the artfilled Château de Villette outside Paris; we delve into the thriving classical and jazz music scene in Scandinavia; we look at the intricacy of global bohemian couture and the subtle sophistication of Louis Vuitton’s new fragrances; and we explore the artistry of how unusual settings can elevate a gem-encrusted piece of jewellery to a masterpiece. We hope you enjoy these and many other stories we have amassed herewith, and, as always, we look forward to hearing your thoughts at: mail@centurion-magazine.com BRITTLE BLACK This issue’s cover is a work by German artist Martin Lehmer: Untitled (Detail), 2018, broken and reassembled MDF. Photographed by Simon Freund. For more on how previous covers were made visit centurion-magazine.com/covercraft 12 CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM YOUR CODE FOR EXCLUSIVE ACCESS TO CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM: RL15CM
