OUR TRENDING WEEK

Introspective journeys by James Turrell through the most fascinating of light management tactics - spiritually uplifting colored light - the outstanding ability of artist-illustrator Piet Parra to masterfully capture the discomfort of the everyday, a collection of jewelry by Yohji Yamamoto aimed at lovers of mythology and mystical beliefs, and the amazing landscape enhancement through aesthetically pleasing buildings by recent winners of the renowned Pritzker Architecture Prize. We have compiled some very interesting topics ranging from the latest in fashion to a visit to some of the artists you should meet. 

YOHJI YAMAMOTO LAUNCHES A JEWELRY COLLECTION 

Yohji Yamamoto has recently presented a capsule collection of sterling silver finished jewelry that consists of three rings of fantastic influence. Two of them pay homage to the father of the night creatures, Dracula. The third portrays the more sinister image of Medusa, a creature of Greek mythology. 

Also taking vampire inspiration, the talented designer has created two different models, "Vampire Fang Ring", in which you can see half-open lips that reveal a pair of sharp predator fangs and the "Vampire Blood Ring" uses a similar design to the previous one, although this time it includes a bloody drip.

The characteristics of the "Medusa Ring", its snake hair and cruel features are surrounded by a dramatic carving that gives the ring a sinister harmony. All of them share a carving on the inner band with the signature of the designer Yohji Yamamoto.

JAMES TURRELL, INTO THE LIGHT

Junichiro Tanizaki wrote that "If it weren't for the shadows, there would be no beauty," in his wonderful book, Praise of the Shadows. Certainly, light and darkness have inspired humanity in all aspects of life - the quintessential binary represents day and night, good and evil, and much more. One artist who has constantly worked on light, shadow and space is James Turrell, the prodigious American artist who has made a name for himself since the mid-1960s through his fascinating control over light and beauty.

Turrell is now a powerhouse working on major personal projects such as Roden Crater, his most ambitious work to date, and his work can be found in all of the world's renowned institutions, including his permanent and impressive installation at the Chichu Art Museum in Japan.

"My work is more about your vision than my vision, although it is a product of my vision. I'm also interested in the sense of presence of space; it's the space where you feel a presence, almost an entity - that physical sensation and power that space can give."

His work has no object, no image, no focus. No object, no image and no focus, what are you looking at? You are looking at yourself. Turrell manages to create a wordless thinking experience through light, which contains a fascination that no other material object can emulate.

MEET PIET PARRA

You may not know him by the birth name of Pieter Janssen, but you will probably hear a bell when you hear his alias Parra - this is a famous Dutch illustrator, painter and animator who has been creating incredible works of art for more than two decades.

Parra's work is vast, ranging from video creation to sculpture, painting and sneakers design. If we were to analyze the work of this talented artist, we would have to say that it is based largely on the contrasts and effects caused between the everyday and the uncomfortable, his two main sources of inspiration . His pieces are simultaneously figurative and abstract, as well as colorful and simple. Without a doubt, there is something beautiful in the way Janssen finds these balances. Finding motivation in such general things gives Janssen a lot of space to exaggerate what he perceives, to install irony and humor into themes we can all relate to.

Parra has been able to accomplish something that many of his fellow artists have not been able to do so easily - establish a style that is both completely recognizable and unique.

YVONNE FARRELL AND SHELLEY MCNAMARA WIN 2020 PRITZKER ARCHITECTURE PRIZE

In architecture, there are two Irish pioneers: Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara, founders of Grafton Architects in Dublin. With a deep knowledge of place gained through their research, a keen power of observation, open and always curious explorations and a deep respect for culture and context, Farrell and McNamara are able to make their buildings respond to an environment and a city in the most appropriate way, while remaining fresh and modern and that is why they have been the winners of this year's Pritzker Architecture Prize. 

Over the decades, both Farrell and McNamara have changed the landscape of their homeland's capital with a careful collection of buildings that counteract the impersonal hustle and bustle of everyday life. Their buildings go beyond the commonly imposed building limits and make Dublin itself work better for its inhabitants. For example, in one of Grafton's pieces, a residential complex in Dublin called North King Street Housing (2000), the pair created an inner courtyard that, in the jury's view, offered a "welcome respite from the crowded adjacent streets", going from being a monumental institution to a place intimate enough to promote community within it.

"We have often struggled to find a space for the application of values such as humanism, craftsmanship, generosity and cultural connection to every place and context in which we work," McNamara said. "It is therefore extremely gratifying that this recognition is given to us and our practice and the body of work we have managed to produce over a long number of years.

For the gallant admirer, Grafton's cutting-edge structures can also be seen around the world, from Italy's Bocconi University to Peru's University of Engineering and Technology.