Objects of Desire

The Wick Culture - Juergen Teller umbrella for Saint Laurent

Object Juergen Teller umbrella for Saint Laurent

Stepping out in the rain will be a whole lot more enjoyable with a Juergen Teller umbrella in hand. Waves will lash above your head on this design, part of a special lifestyle collection curated by Teller and Anthony Vaccarello for Saint Laurent to mark Teller’s career-spanning exhibition I need to live at the Grand Palais Ephémère in Paris, sponsored by the fashion house. Each piece bears the photographer’s work. Add it to your Christmas wishlist to set yourself up for many winters to come.

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The Wick Culture - Artycapucines handbag by Billie Zangewa for Louis Vuitton, 2023

Object Artycapucines Handbag by Billie Zangewa for Louis Vuitton

In one of our favourite art and fashion crossovers of 2023, Johannesburg-based Billie Zangewa has transposed one of her evocative silk collages onto a Louis Vuitton handbag as part of its Artycapucines series. Zangewa often draws on intimate moments of everyday life in her work – in this instance a trip to a pool with her son Mika, depicted at the water’s edge beneath a terracotta sky. As with the original artwork, The Swimming Lesson, 2020, part of the scene appears to have been torn off, a characteristic trait of the artist, who is drawn to “unfinished things”, as she puts it. The negative space leaves the viewer to complete the picture.

To create the bag, the raw silk was scanned and printed on leather, while metallic embroidery and beadwork bring the pool and Mika to life.

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The Wick Culture - Hand-painted Bauble, Sola Olulode. House of Voltaire

Objects Hand-painted bauble by Sola Olulode

£50

This year, we’re turning our Christmas tree into a gallery for artworks by leading lights. Figures kiss under the mistletoe on these shatter-proof baubles, hand-painted by British-Nigerian artist Sola Olulode, known for her wistful images celebrating Black identity, womxnhood, non-binary people and queer love. Who doesn’t love a little romance at Christmas time?

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The Wick Culture - Brass galleon pendant by Luke Edward Hall

Objects Snarkitecture tree decorations

£17.50

Snarkitecture’s Daniel Arsham and Alex Mustonen have given traditional tree decorations a subtle twist for Seletti. Among their perfectly imperfect creations is a melting snowman, broken bells and a disintegrating bauble. All come in their trademark white, of course.

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The Wick Culture - Decoration Triton by Luke Edward Hall

Objects Brass galleon pendant by Luke Edward Hall

€4.50

True to form, the British artist Luke Edward Hall turned to classical inspiration for his Christmas decorations for Svenskt Tenn. Named after the Greek god of the sea, Triton is a collection of brass pendants with a tinge of the baroque, including this galleon pendant that makes us want to sail back in time.

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The Wick Culture - © Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat

Objects ‘Trumpet Skateboards’, by Jean-Michel Basquiat

€550

On this Black Friday we’re forgoing the sales, instead suggesting gifts that give back to communities in need of support. Art-loving skaters shouldn’t go without this triptych of boards bearing Jean-Michel Basquiat’s 1984 work, Trumpet. Inspired by his passion for jazz, it features classic Basquiat hallmarks, such as a stick figure and crossed out letters. Perhaps more suited to a wall than a half pipe, it’s one of many artist editions sold by The Skateroom, which puts a share of its profits towards empowering youth around the world, building new skateparks and developing education facilities.

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The Wick Culture - Emmely Elgersma, Pistachio Stool © Sarabande Foundation

Objects Pistachio stool by Emmely Elgersma

£456

Your loved ones will sit pretty on this stool by sculptor and ceramist Emmely Elgersma for The Sarabande Foundation, knowing that proceeds from your gift will support its mission to provide artists with studio spaces and new opportunities. The pistachio-coloured stool is made from a confection of papier maché, recycled IKEA Mammut, polypropylene, newspaper, acrylic and varnish. It looks good enough to eat.

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The Wick Culture - Courts and Fields 4 ©Ishkar

Object Courts and Fields 4 rug, by Christopher Le Brun

£5,000

Ishkar is a London-based business that sells artisanal wares by makers in war-torn and politically unstable countries, giving them economic opportunities and helping to keep regional crafts alive. It was only a matter of time before Ishkar co-founder Edmund Le Brun tapped his artist father Christopher to collaborate with the artisans. He has designed a series of rugs in limited-editions of five that are made to order by highly skilled hands in Afghanistan. It takes two weavers up to six months to translate his colourful, abstract designs into Ghazni wool, known for its luxurious finish. Weaving is one of the few professions that women are still permitted to do by the Taliban, because it can be done in their own homes. Gift yourself or someone you love a rug, and you’ll be giving the weavers a vital lifeline.

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The Wick Culture - Brass serving spoon by sebastiao Lobo

Object Serving spoon by Sebastião Lobo

€140

For serving spoons with a difference, turn to L’Oeil de KO. This platform for artisanal objects is brought to us by Studio KO, the Paris and Marrakech-based architecture practice behind the Yves Saint Laurent Museum in Marrakech. Anything will taste good served from this curvaceous brass beauty by Lisbon metalsmith Sebastião Lobo.

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