I’m a French-South African art critic and features writer based in London. I write mostly for the Guardian and the Art Newspaper, with bylines in the Times, the Economist, Frieze, Plaster, Elephant and more.
I’m also a musician and an artist and, one of these days, an author — I’ve never been able to think in a single, straight line. I constellate. An editor I loved working with, called Andrew, once compared me to an advent calendar, which made me smile at the time, but now also strikes me as a good descriptor for what I’d like to do here: to give you, each week, a few good things to look at and read and listen to — or walk along — that will hopefully bring some light into your day.
The title of this stack references one of my favourite artworks, a photograph by William Eggleston that I’ve had tacked to the wall above every desk I’ve worked at for longer than I can remember. It features one girl, in a blue dress with white ruffles, lying on a floral sofa with downcast eyes, and her friend, in a batik print red and white dress, leaning in with a gentle gesture and a direct gaze, as if to simply say, I’m here. I’m right here. (As it turns out, that’s exactly what she was saying.)
So, come be here with me too. As my friend Dan would put it, pull up a memory and tuck in. And let me know what it all makes you think of. I love nothing more than going for a walk with a friend. It’s been quite a ride — and it’s moved me to tears — to realise that all the people I hoped would read this basically feel the same. In
“i've missed seeing you and felt like reading your stuff would be a lovely way to feel in your presence and it does and that made me very happy”
“I saw! I squealed! I devoured it!”
“A lovely counterpoint to all the noisy ones assailing my inbox. No chance that I'd unsubscribe!”
“Ooh it’s brilliant! ‘Professional noticer’ is so, so good, and so apt for you.”
And the one that made me blush: “Vom Privaten auszugehen und daraus eine Allgemeingültigkeit abzuleiten: ganz im Sinne Adornos! Und natürlich britische Essaykunst, die Du ganz wunderbar beherrscht. Wirklich wundervoll: Was Du schreibst, wie Du es schreibst und was Du da alles (en passant) unterbringst und an Ideen und Anregungen verschenkst!”
Subscribe to get full access to the newsletter and publication archives.
