A "Cosy", Eccentric Apartment

While I was in Beirut, I attended the shooting of “Doctors”, a Lebanese program where three permanent doctors on the show discuss general concerns about health, fitness and well-being.

The shooting took place in an appartment in Dbayeh, behind the MTV building and it was chosen for its close location but also, because it had an original, modern look.

I savoured how well black, red and white harmonized in one same place.

The appartment belongs to two young siblings. One of them, 25, has decorated it all by herself using nothing but her personality combined with a touch of originality. 

The cosiest part of it all was the little "TV" room next to the main living room where you can chill and play some video games in a chilled, relaxed setting; without forgetting, the little bowl of chocolate under the table in case of a sudden craving. 

Then, the kitchen. As it is a "youngsters" home, the kitchen is not spacious for big gourmet platters. Rather, it is an American Kitchen big enough to bake a Betty Crocker cake or to grill a toast; maybe some pasta too! One detail was striking (for me) more than everything else: the drainer was located in a cupboard on top of the kitchen sink so the water can drop directly into the sink. This way, space is saved on the table and water remains where it belongs!

Even so, my favourite in the house is the dining room. It was perhaps the first thing I saw when I got into the apartment. It reminded me of a setting I could have seen in Disney's Alice in Wonderland cartoon: Black and white wallpaper, alternate black and white "cushioned" chairs, a metallic chandelier, a red bar with transparent chairs and the detail that kills: the red and white mushroom behind the bar. 

I believe it is one of the most stylish houses I have seen from a close perspective. One of the cast said: "How can I concentrate with so much red"; I guess it's a matter of taste. Chaos was always my thing and I believe this house is a blend of chaos and sweet harmony. 

Mark Quinn: weird artist in Lebanon

On Wednesday, September 29th,  Mark Quinn honoured Beirut's most glamourous infrastructure, the Platinum Tower, by having an exhibition of his most influential paintings at the entrance of the building.

The exhibition lasted for two days and saw coming all ages of the social elite of Beirut, including the former Lebanese Prime Minister's wife, Mona El Hrawi.

All paintings and sculptures were for sale and ranged from $ 200,000 to $ 2,000,000.

The artist was there, very discrete and with a typical American tourist style: beige cap, blue jeans and a very comfortable shirt. He was going round the place explaining to several friends, the meaning and the details of painting or crafting.

"Siren", Mark Quinn (2008) 

The most astonishing piece of art, that still, was for me a disapointment, was the Kate Moss statue that Mark Quinn named "Siren" I would like to call ite more accurately the "Kate-Moss-rpeliminaries-doing-yoga-almost naked" sculpture. It was located in a small black room at the end of the big exhibition. The lights were non-existent except for a really strong spot that enlighten the  less than a meter statue.

My opinion? Mark Quinn is not so much my style. although scholars considered him the new Andy Warhol, it was hard for me to depict the fantasy throught his paintings.

His paintings are very easy to describe: most of them were zoomed in flowers that all looked alike. What mostly differed were the range of colours he used. Most paintings looked like this:

"Iceberg on lake tanganyika",  2008 © marc quinn studio

There was another painting which was my favourite and the most different of all, despite the fact that Marc Quinn has 100 of them in different colours in stock... supposedly representing an eye, according to tha artist himself; I personally saw it as a time machine... Actually, the artist leaves it up to your imagination:

"Iris" Mark Quinn (2009)

At the end of the exhibition hall, there was a small corridor, very narrow where all of those who had nothing to do the other morning followed it only to reach  a small white door leading to a huuuuuuge hall still under construction which is meant to be the future Gym & SPA place of the Platinum Tower. The organizers had managed to have a small variety of food, risotto and small apetizers as well a big table with fruits and dessert. A disco ball was hanging from the ceiling and the music was a mix of typical lounge music. Very "gossip girl" situation!

INTERESTING FACT ABOUT THE ARTIST:

Marc Quinn used to colect 10 pints of blood every several week. He froze it in a big pack and crafted it to create his own self portrait in 1991. A Vampire's best friend. The sculpture was not available at the Platinum Tower exhibition.

"Self" Marc Quinn (1991)