• Yinka Shonibare, “Wind Sculpture in Bronze I”, 2022.

    An Art World Superstar in Stockholm

    Written by Lina Aastrup

    Wind Sculpture in Bronze I” is a dynamic, large-scale work reminding me of a silk scarf caught by the wind. Making a two meter tall bronze sculpture seem light as air is an impressive feat, but knowing Yinka Shonibare CBE is one of the most celebrated artists of our time this comes as no surprise. The abstracted leaf patterns show this is not just any old fabric, but a reference to Dutch wax batik fabrics – a signature motif of Shonibare’s art with a complex colonial history.

    ”The mixed origins of the fabric – factory-made by the Dutch, based on Indonesian batiks sold to Britain’s West African colonies, embraced there and considered in the world’s eyes as authentic African products, make a perfect vehicle to inspire conversations about our multi-layered identities and global interdependence.” - Yinka Shonibare CBE.

    This is however not the first time Shonibare blesses the Stockholm art scene with his presence, he was a resident artist here at Iaspis in 2004. During this very productive time he created the sculpture “Vasa Ship” (2004) for Moderna Museet, a gigantic ship in a bottle where the sails were replaced with Dutch wax batik fabric, symbolising movement and migration, recurring themes in his artistic practice. “I was so fascinated that in Sweden there is this monumental failure that is celebrated in this way” - Shonibare made everyone laugh at the press viewing when commenting on the work and the Vasa Museum in Stockholm. Another work from the same period is the brilliant video work “Un Ballo in Maschera” (2004) based on the killing of king Gustav III and co-produced by SVT and Moderna Museet which was actually Shonibare's first in this medium. 

    Wind Sculpture in Bronze I” will be installed in the Princess Estelle Sculpture Park at Royal Djurgården in Stockholm and will be unveiled to the public on June 2, 2022.

    Yinka Shonibare, “Un Ballo in Maschera”, 2004. Co-produced by SVT Fiktion in collaboration with Moderna Museet.
    Yinka Shonibare, “Vasa in a Bottle”, 2004. Photo by Moderna Museet/Prallan Allston.
    Yinka Shonibare fabrics. Photo by Moderna Museet/Åsa Lundén.
    Yinka Shonibare, 2014. Photo by Marcus Leith RA.
  • Interview with IDUN Minerals

    Written by Yasmine M

    IDUN Minerals has been on the market for 11 years and have been focusing on good and carefully selected ingredients since day 1. My first encounter with the Swedish brand, was 7-8 years ago when I tried IDUN’s mineral powder foundation, thanks to a family member. A product, I never had for myself, since friends were always asking to use it – we all loved it.

    IDUN Minerals has been a favorite for those lucky enough to have found it, but a unicorn for others that haven’t heard of it before. This year, the brand has transformed its packaging and design, for not only an even more sustainable approach but, an international and design rebranding – which they call IDUN 2.0.

    For this reason, I wanted to learn more about the new makeover but mostly their thoughts on the beauty industry today. Honored, I got to talk with their CEO, Caroline Thunstedt.


    Hello Caroline! Lovely to have a moment to ask you a few questions! Talk me through the latest makeovers by IDUN Minerals A couple of years ago we decided to set the long-term goal of having a circular business model by the year 2030 and this meant we had to start investigating how to upgrade and redefine the brand. We started evaluating our packaging and packaging materials. We realized that there was a lot to be done in terms of both quality and environmental improvements.

    What was the first thing you did to evaluate the packaging?
    The first thing we did was to move packaging production from Asia to Europe, unnecessarily long transportation was the first problem we identified that we needed to solve. Most of the world's packaging for makeup is made in Asia and transported a long way to Europe. We have therefore chosen to move all packaging production that was previously done in Asia to manufacturers in Europe, where the ingredients are mixed and filled. In this way, we were able to ensure that transportation emissions decreased, but at the same time we also took the opportunity to improve the quality of the packaging and reduce the amount of material used.

    After a visit to FTI, the plastic recycling plant in Motala, Sweden, we also realized the importance of the packaging being made of bright plastic and mono / separable material. Otherwise, it cannot be recycled. Mirrors have been removed and materials have been replaced to try to make a product as sustainable as possible. For example, our packages for blush and bronzers are nowadays made of paper (renewable raw material), completely separable, and without a mirror (to ensure recyclability). The goal is a circular business model by the year 2030.

    What is clean beauty to you? And do you think the term clean beauty has changed throughout the years?
    Our tagline has been “Simply pure & clean” since we launched in 2011. Back then we only focused on the ingredients and avoiding unnecessary ingredients. For example, we have always avoided talc, bismuth, perfume, and cyclic silicones in our products. Today, we call ourselves a conscious beauty brand because there is so much more than clean. Today we talk about ingredients, manufacturing processes, packaging production, transportation, packaging material, CSR responsibilities, and much more. Consciousness is the new clean for us.

    What does IDUN take inspiration from?
    For us, education and information are key. We constantly strive to learn new things to improve ourselves. One example is seeking inspiration from other industries, like the fashion industry for example where some brands have been very inspirational in disclosing manufacturing plants to secure full transparency against consumers. We are also inspired by strong female voices who aren’t afraid to be who they are. The Swedish DJ duo Rebecca & Fiona is for example a big inspiration of ours, not only being extremely talented in music production but also two very inspirational entrepreneurs. We are actually so inspired by them so we have started a collaboration with them this summer, more info to come about that

    What’s your own favorite product from IDUN?
    If I can only pick one, and trust me that is hard, I guess I need to say the mineral powder foundation. I have a very uneven and red skin tone, so I use foundation every day and want to have a base that feels weightless and natural on the skin. The fact that it contains 100% highly purified minerals and lets the skin breath with natural finish & SPF15 makes it perfect for everyday use. I love it!

    What’s the product you feel everyone should have in their bathroom this summer?
    SPF, SPF, SPF – the single most important product to protect your skin and for a true “anti-age” effect.  This summer I will be using the brand-new products from IDUN Minerals; Solsken SPF50 which is a primer and sun protection product in one as well as our new tinted lip elixir with SPF15. The lip elixir is the perfect combination of glossy color and protection, I have longed for this product a long time and can’t wait to wear it all summer long.

    What’s your personal goal and hope? 
    My personal long-term goal is to change the beauty industry for real and to make an impact. Our struggle is changing the perception of what “luxury” beauty is. A lipstick with a higher price point is expected to feel heavy when you hold it in your hand. We have a new lipstick packaging which is 59% lighter compared to our previous one and not only that, it is also made of mono-material (meaning it can be recycled) and produced in Europe (which means less carbon emission thanks shorter transportation). But the big question is if the consumer is willing to pay for this new, lighter packing and accept it as the new luxury? This is where the importance of good and clear communication comes in.

    .

    How many ideas do you have just in your head right now, waiting to be created?
    I have so many ideas but as a brand we also need to listen to the consumer and her feedback, we create the products for her and the next step for us is really to gather all the feedback from making this big packaging shift to find clear path going forward.

    IDUN has always been in a class by itself, focusing on sustainability and clean beauty for the past 11 years. How do you as a CEO cope with a changing beauty industry, for example with social media changing how consumers purchase beauty products?
    Personally, I love social media and that it helps us stay connected with our customers. Together with my colleagues, I manage our messenger chat function and just love to see what kind of questions people ask and what they are interested in. This means that even if we are a global brand, we can stay close to the consumer, wherever they are located. 

    What’s the next step for the brand, to have IDUN minerals continue to flourish in a changing industry?
    We will continue changing our packaging during the coming year. To be honest, we will never be done, there is always improvement to be done since there constantly new techniques, innovations and new solutions available. We hope to continue to be agile and on the forefront in testing the new innovations. In Sweden, we are very good at sustainability and therefore our brand is much appreciated on other markets.

    Will you launch in any new markets this year?
    This year we are looking forward to increasing our presence on the US market as well as launching IDUN Minerals with the beauty destination Douglas in Germany.

    Get to know IDUN Minerals product range, on their website idunminerals.com

  • Women In Motion 2022 Award Goes to Viola Davis

    Written by Yasmine M

    From May 17th-28th, 2022, Kering's present Women In Motion live from the 75th Festival de Cannes. Conversations that celebrate achievements for women in cinema, but also beyond the film industry. Kering’s programme celebrates the progress of women in society and beyond. 

    This year Kering and the Festival de Cannes will present the 2022 Women In Motion Award to Viola Davis

    In 2015, Kering became an official partner of the Festival de Cannes and launched the Women In Motion program with the aim of shining a light on women’s contributions to filmmaking, both before and behind the camera. Since then, the program has become a platform of choice for helping to change mindsets and leading conversations about the status of women in the arts and culture. Through its Awards, the program recognizes inspirational figures and young talents, while its Talks provide an opportunity for leading personalities to share views about women's representation in their chosen professions.

    Luckily you can follow the events as if you were there, from live Talks webcasts to prize ceremonies and new podcast episodes. On Kering's Instagram, and YouTube, you can follow the conversations and listen to inspiring talks. Hosting is the producer and journalist Géraldine Sarratia live from the Kering suite at the 75th Festival de Cannes. 

    First out on 19th of May Kering and Women In Motion welcomed the one and only Viola Davis. Viola Davis is one of the few Hollywood personalities to have won a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, four SAG Awards, and what Hollywood calls the Triple Crown of Acting: two Tony Awards, an Oscar and an Emmy, for her roles in the stage play King Hedley II, Fences and its remarkable film adaptation, and the TV series How to Get Away with Murder. This astonishing record also makes her the only African American actress to have received so many nominations and awards for her roles in theater, television and film. 

    Elizabeth WAGMEISTERSo, Viola just had a memoir that was published. What was that process like: writing, for you?

    Viola DAVIS: That process was very cathartic. You know, I started writing the book during the pandemic, when I felt like I was having a really existential crisis of meaning: you know, BlackLivesMatters was happening, of course Covid over it all, and the LGBTQ community fighting for their rights, we had a very sort of contentious election, and all of the sudden, I am starting to look at my neighbours different, I am starting to look at my white counterparts different – I’m sure they’re not looking at me differently, not negative or positive, but just in a way that is more “woke”. And with all of that, questioning connection, questioning what am I doing, what is all of that? And whenever you have an existential crisis, I always say, it’s time to press the reset button, right? Like, when your cell phone is messing up, they tell you to turn it off, right? Then, turn back on? And so that’s what I did: I went back to the beginning, with my book, to Viola as a little girl.

    Elizabeth WAGMEISTER : Where do you think that come from: that belief in yourself? Even during the tough times, you knew that your deserved more and have bigger things ahead of you.


    Viola DAVIS: I have absolutely no idea where it came from. I’m sure that when my life is over and – for me, my belief – and I meet God, he will explain that to me. “Why did you inject that in me?”, you know? All I know is that I have it. Just like if you did a DNA profile, you don’t know what is going on in you, you really don’t. And then you get your DNA, and you are like, “you’ve got to be kidding me”. But what I know that I know that I know is that there is something about getting your heart broken a lot – and it breaks, and it breaks, because you know, especially if you are living a life, you are going to get heartbreak, so you hit the bottom, you get the heartbreak, and then you have the choice to just sort of wallow in it, and stay there, or it gives you clarity of what life is really about.

    You know, I was watching a programme where this guy was driving home. It was sort of a little tragic. He was driving home because something had happened to his daughter. He was absolutely beside himself.
    But he made an observation, as he was driving back to his house to see what was going on with this daughter. He saw everything with such clear clarity: the trees, the birds on the side of the road, you know, the water. All of the sudden, he was like, “Wow, this is a route that I take every single day, and all of the sudden, I am seeing it with a totally different vision, like an X-ray vision”.
    And I think this is what happens, even when you get your heart broken a lot in life. You then appreciate life. Like, I’m telling you right now: I appreciate a good meal. I appreciate a full refrigerator. I appreciate clean sheets. I appreciate going to a furniture store and buying a new bed. I do. I appreciate soap and water, because I never had it. And I think that is what I got from my life. I appreciate things that other people take for granted.

    Elizabeth WAGMEISTERRight. Right. You are talking about heartbreak and how those moments can really end up resulting in the best – it depends what you do with it. Acting: this whole industry is an industry where you hear the word “No” a lot.

    Viola DAVIS: You hear a lot of words a lot.

    Elizabeth WAGMEISTER:  But a lot of words a lot, especially the word “no”, when you are coming up through auditions, and they don’t see that you are the right fit. Is there a moment in your mind that sticks out as a moment of heartbreak or rejection, through your career, that really was a moment for you, where you were able to see the positive, and grow from it?

    Viola DAVISWell, let me tell you something. I could point to those moments, but I will say this: seeing the positive of it takes time. 

    Listen to the entire conversation in the video above or here

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