Installation view of Hollywood Don’t Need Us. (Jeremy Shockley's work hangs on the left and Preston Daniels on the right). Image courtesy of Piermarq. Covet This: A Large-Scale, Smiling Canvas With a Trompe l’Oeil Illusion
Step foot inside Sydney’s contemporary art gallery Piermarq and you’ll be met with a large smiling face seemingly carved from the canvas. But as you approach, the rip reveals itself as a clever trompe l’oeil illusion. The creation is by the American artist Jeremy Shockley, showcased as part of the exhibition “Hollywood Don’t Need Us”.
Alongside the smiling canvas, the exhibition presents a colourful body of paintings by Shockley and his longtime friend, the LA-based artist Preston Daniels. The two southern natives not only share a studio and a colour palette but also and guardianship of several backyard chickens.
Daniels and Shockley are now both very much part of the art world, but still maintain an outsider’s perspective, a rebellion evident in their exhibition. Taking its name from a Don Williams song, “If Hollywood Don’t Need You,” Shockley finds resonance in its portrayal of the relationship between southern individuals and Hollywood or Los Angeles.
“It’s always like you’re trying to figure out if you love Los Angeles or want to leave it. No matter what, I love Los Angeles. But I could leave it, too,” he says.
Shockley’s smiling trompe l’oeil technique has become a signature across his work, and was recently the focal point of Saint Laurent’s latest exhibition held at Rive Droite Los Angeles. The smiling face was featured on “The Sunsetter,” Shockley’s first large-scale painting in nearly a decade.
Alongside “The Sunsetter”, visitors had the opportunity to explore a curated selection of 10 paintings in-store, along with a range of merchandise including totes, postcards, and t-shirts printed which are still for sale online. www.ysl.com.
Eat Here: Lakemba’s Ramadan Nights
You can smell Lakemba’s Ramadan Nights before you see it: spice-rubbed skewers cooking over charcoal pits, aromatic green curries simmering in large pots and a hint of strawberry vapour wafting from a shisha.
Lakemba’s Haldon Street undergoes a vibrant transformation each year for the Ramadan Nights street food festival, which extends throughout the sacred month of Ramadan in Islamic culture. More than just a culinary extravaganza, Ramadan Nights is a celebration of community, drawing people from all corners of Sydney and Australia to savour diverse flavours from around the globe together.
Soaliha Iqbal, a Sydney-based writer, journalist, and podcast host, has been a regular attendee for the past decade, and says it’s one of the most culturally significant events for Muslims in the area.
The festival kicked off in March and is now in its final week with Monday April 8 being the final night for 2024. For travellers or locals yet to visit the street food festival, Soaliha Iqbal offers a must-try recommendation: Kashmiri Chai, a pink tea that is often difficult to source in Sydney outside of the festival. For those seeking a quintessential Ramadan Nights experience, Iqbal suggests indulging in a selection of favourites: jalebi, Kashmiri chai, knafeh, sahlab and murtabak.
This year has also welcomed plenty of new delicacies, including camel milk hot chocolates, halal yum cha and flaming paan street snacks – the latter being the main attraction at the Zabardast stall, the restaurant owner Vipul Mayank’s first appearance at Ramadan Nights Lakemba. The fiery dish consists of beetle leaf filled with fennel seeds, coconut coriander seeds and rose petal jam.
“After a heavy meal, you can eat this fire paan to digest your food and freshen your mouth,” Mr Mayank said.
“It has a very intense flavour and every day we are seeing more and more people come by and want to taste it.”
Shop Here: Matteau Invites the Sydney Community Into Its Showroom
When Ilona Hamer was working as a stylist at Vogue she grew frustrated by the lack of simple yet stylish black swimsuits available, so she decided to create her own. This pursuit for quality essentials led her to partner with her sister Peta Heinsen, and together they launched the resortwear label Matteau in 2015.
Nearly a decade later, Matteau has gained global acclaim for its premium materials and timeless designs. While primarily available online through platforms like Net-a-porter, the brand has one physical store in Noosa, with plans for expansion both locally and internationally.
“We have learned how vital physical retail will be for our future growth and we have exciting plans to expand into new locations, which we hope to share more on soon,” Heinsen says.
The Sydney community will have the first chance to shop the brand in person this week, as Matteau opens its doors to its newly renovated showroom.
“We like things to have a little personality and fit the Matteau vibe … it felt like the right decision to open up the doors of the showroom to our community and welcome them into our world,” Heinsen says.
Opening hours:
Thursday 11 April: 10am–7pm
Friday 12 April: 10am–7pm
Saturday 13 April: 10am–4pm
Gift This: A Sturdy and Chic Umbrella Designed for Rain, Hail and Shine
Step foot in the CBD on a rainy afternoon, and dodging umbrella spokes becomes more pressing than keeping dry feet. It was a similar experience that inspired New Zealand native Greig Brebner to create his own product. While spending time in London in the early 2000s, he saw an opportunity to revolutionise the design and functionality of the humble umbrella. After numerous prototypes and refinements, Blunt Umbrellas debuted in 2009.
Known for their robust construction, Blunt umbrellas are designed (and trademarked) to brace the strongest winds without turning inside out. Today, the brand offers a range of styles and sizes tailored for various occasions.
From the compact and convenient Blunt Metro, with packing that reads “perfect for busy people in busy places”, to the Metro UV which the brand says blocks 99 per cent of UV light, there’s a stylish designs for any occasion.
Visit This: July’s New Flagship Store With a Garden Inside
Brisbane’s Calile Hotel is a favourite among T Australia editors, beloved for its award-winning design and unique cultural experiences. Alongside its iconic 30-meter cabana-lined pool, the hotel boasts a robust retail scene, with local brands such as Dion Lee, Venroy, and Bec and Bridge featured throughout the years. Adding to this lineup, luxury Australian luggage label July has recently unveiled a permanent flagship onsite.
The Miami-cool vibe of the Calile extends seamlessly into its newest addition: the flagship store designed by In Addition and built by Trust Projects. Drawing inspiration from the vibrant James Street precinct, the store’s most prominent feature is the indoor garden teeming with palm trees and ferns.
Director Josh McLean describes the retail experience as an “oasis for the customer,” where Slim Aarons-inspired design creates an immersive environment that invites engagement with the July product and brand.
Whether you’re a staying guest or a visitor to James Street, you can shop new collections, favourite designs, and July’s range of totes at the store.
Consider This: A New Iteration of a Century-Old Writing Instrument
In 1924, German luxury goods brand Montblanc introduced a new writing instrument to the world: an all black fountain pen named Meisterstück, which translates to “masterpiece” in English. The company’s founders, a designer from Berlin named August Eberstein and a Hamburg banker named Alfred Nehemias, were onto something.
With its enduring legacy now spanning a century, the carefully crafted Meisterstück pen has earned its title. Only a masterpiece can explain the extreme appreciation, on the part of Meisterstück buyers, to invest in a tool that costs anywhere from $700 to $12,300 AUD.
Throughout its lifetime, the Meisterstück’s shape has evolved from its simple black safety pen to reflect the influences of different eras. The number “4810” engraved on the two-tone gold nib first appeared in the 1920s as a reference to the height of the Mont Blanc mountain, while the streamline cigar shape and the three gold rings were adopted in the late 1940s and 1950s.
Although, its easily recognisable fountain tip has remained a constant throughout the decades, with various iterations continuing to reappear over the course of a century. This distinctive feature has even made its mark on the digital realm, the pen emoji resembling the timeless design.
“At the peak of the digital age, the Meisterstük continues to be a symbol of culture, creativity and connection,” says Alessandra Eila, Montblanc director of writing culture.
To celebrate the 100-year milestone, Montblanc has returned to its roots, releasing a limited edition Meisterstük range which revisits original concepts including the bent clip and marble effects inspired by early designs. Each pen is decorated with a design nib showing the number “100” as well as the years “1924” and “2024”.
