Ornament

The new issue of Contemporary Lynx Magazine spotlights the captivating theme of 'ornament.' This time we embark on a comprehensive exploration of diverse facets related to ornamentation, patterns, textile art, applied art, and the presence of ornament in cinema, fashion, and jewelry design as well as the world of design museums and collecting.

Our journey begins with yet another exciting collaboration on the cover featuring some of today’s most exceptional and pioneering talents — Małgorzata Mirga-Tas, a Polish-Romani artist and activist and her renowned textile masterpiece ‘Sako dziwes pasio khiera’ (‘Every Day Close to Home’). She earned global recognition with her monumental textile work ‘Re-enchanting the World’ at the 59^th Venice Biennale’s Polish Pavilion in 2022. The artist incorporates fabrics adorned with ornaments and patterns, often tied to the people she portrays in her work.

This issue will give you the opportunity to read exclusive interviews with remarkable artists. Discover Refik Anadol, the creator of awe-inspiring outdoor projections and immersive installations and Zuzanna Czebatul, whose thought-provoking installations challenge power structures, ideologies, and politics. Furthermore, we will take you on a journey into the world of Kate Hawkins, whom we visited in her London-based wallpaper studio, CommonRoom.

Get a chance to further explore the theme of ornament in our Essays section, where you can immerse yourself in visual arts, cinema, photography, ceramics, textiles, and embroidery. Can we identify styles rooted in particular cultures, religions, or aesthetics in our globalised world? Is there a contemporary ornamental form, and how can we define it? We examine how contemporary artists incorporate ornament into their work and what it signifies to them.

In the Mind the Map section, we move to Bucharest and delve into the alternative art scene of the Romanian capital. But our travels don’t stop there; we’ll also speak with Andrius Labašauskas and visit Vilnius, celebrating the city’s 700^th anniversary through the lens of the ArtVilnius Art Fair. And when you can read the Collecting section, you will embark on a unique journey to Torrita Tiberina, home to the Fondazione Mario & Maria Pia Serpone sculpture park amidst serene green alleys.

Inside the magazine, you will also find articles about:

• Cultural significance of ornaments in Central European art;
• The origins of design museums and their pivotal role in narrating object stories;
• Studio spaces —their advantages, disadvantages and legal forms of studio ownership;
• Jewellery design;
• Pattern-focused textiles for your home;
• Presence of ornament in European films.