The Artful Life: 6 Things Galerie Editors Love This Week

1. Marimekko Collaborates with Global Artists in Celebration of International Women’s Week

Finnish design house Marimekko has teamed up up with a trio of talented female artists to create incredible custom pieces that blend fashion and art. For the project, the brand collaborated with Cassi Namoda, a Mozambican-born painter whose metaphorical portraits have been shown in London, Miami, and Johannesburg; Los Angeles–based Camilla Engström, whose bright paintings unite lush landscapes with the female form; and Stockholm’s Yoyo Nasty, an illustrator who specializes in bold colors and patterns with a cheeky twist. Each will design a unique and vibrant art piece at Marimekko’s textile printing factory in Helsinki to be sold by Nordic auction house Bukowskis in an online sale taking place through March 8. Then, the work will be transformed into a Marimekko A-line dress, making the concept of wearable art into an actual reality. Introduced in celebration of International Women’s Week, the auction will help support community non-profit Gurls, Talk which promotes mental health and wellness in young women and girls. —Shelby Black

2. Marina Abramović’s “Performative” Opens at Sean Kelly Gallery

Groundbreaking artist Marina Abramović has stunned the world with her provocative performance art for decades, showcasing her unmatched physical endurance and challenging the relationship between performer and spectator. Her latest exhibition, “Performative,” opening at Sean Kelly Gallery this week, presents four pivotal milestones in Abramović’s 50-year career, spanning from her 1973 work, Rhythm 10 where she methodically stabs the spaces between her fingers with a knife, to a video installation of her iconic 2010 MoMA performance, The Artist is Present, where Abramović silently sat for 716 hours, inviting audience members to sit across from her. Abramović will be present at the opening Thursday, March 3 from 6-8pm, and the exhibition will be on view until April 16. —Stefanie Li 

3. Dries Van Noten Launches Artful Beauty Line 

Celebrated in the fashion world for his dazzling use of color, bold prints, and romantic vision, the master of magical design combinations Dries Van Noten now ventures into the world of beauty. Launching this week, a curated edit of ten gender-fluid eaux de parfums express a captivating olfactory spectrum, while a range of 30 lipsticks feature a mesmerizing assortment of rich colors. Not surprisingly, the perfume scents are just as unexpected and modern as his fashion designs. Take Raving Rose, for example, a heady scent combining rose with pink and black pepper—inspired by the French culinary tradition of sprinkling pepper on strawberries to enhance the sweetness. Neon Garden, meanwhile, pairs the crispness of mint with powdery iris, and Jardin de l’Orangerie, blends traditional orange blossom with an earthy sandalwood. In true Dries Van Noten style, the handcrafted flacons and cases themselves have been transformed into works of art that will make a chic statement on any vanity. —Lucy Rees

4. Remaining Macklowe Collection Auction Lots Go On View

Perhaps no 2021 auction garnered more excitement than Sotheby’s November sale of the Macklowe Collection, the historic selection of museum-worthy art previously held by Linda and Harry Macklowe. While the first sale of 35 works achieved a staggering $676.1 million, the second iteration—taking place in New York this May—is expected to realize equally astounding prices. But before the second white-glove event takes place, the 30 works coming to market are being presented in Sotheby’s London headquarters through March 2. On view is the never-before publicly displayed Untitled (1960) by Mark Rothko; Self-Portrait (1986) by Andy Warhol, painted just month’s before the artist’s death; and Gerhard Richter’s expansive, ethereal 1975 work Seestück (Seascape)—each estimated to achieve seven-figure sums.

Also being exhibited are remarkable canvases by Sigmar Polke, Willem de Kooning, Agnes Martin, Robert Ryman, Mark Grotjahn, and Jean Dubuffet, as well as sculptures by Pablo Picasso, Alberto Giacometti, and Jeff Koons. “The May selection provides a true sense of the full scope and depth of the Macklowe Collection,” Grégoire Billault, Sotheby’s chairman for contemporary art, said in statement. “This edition of the sale brings into the spotlight yet more of the key creators, movements, and aesthetics that have defined art over the last 80 years.” Following the London presentation, the works will travel to Palm Beach, Shanghai, Taipei, and Hong Kong before being sold in a live auction in New York on May 16. —Jill Sieracki

5. The Museum of the Future Opens in the United Arab Emirates

The long-awaited Museum of the Future has finally made its dazzling debut in Dubai, where it sits on a grassy podium not far from the world’s tallest tower, the Burj Khalifa. Designed by local architect Shaun Killa of Killa Design, the seven-story oval structure features no internal columns and a window-free façade sheathed in Arabic calligraphy. The elliptical void in the center, meanwhile, represents an unknown future. Overseen by a government-run tech incubator called the Dubai Future Foundation, the 330,000-square-foot edifice is certified LEED Platinum and cost $136 million to build. Conceived as a hub of innovation, the institution is slated to feature a host of immersive exhibitions dedicated to health, education, energy, urbanism, and transportation. —Geoffrey Montes

6. Large-Scale Bronzes by Fernando Botero Enliven the Grounds at the St. Regis Bahia Beach in Puerto Rico

The St. Regis Bahia Beach in Puerto Rico has expanded its already impressive collection of Spanish and Latin American art with four monumental Fernando Botero sculptures. The bronze works, which include Donna su Cavallo, one of the artist’s most famous sculptures, will welcome guests throughout the magnificently planted grounds. Other figures in his signature voluptuous style depict the rape of Europa, Leda and the swan, and a reclining woman eating fruit. Located on 483 acres nestled between El Yunque National Forest and El Spíritu Santo State Preserve, the hotel already boasts works by Héctor Méndez Caratini, Rafael Ferrer, Jorge Zeno, Luis Torruella, and more. —Jacqueline Terrebonne