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Birks is Canada’s largest chain of watch and jewelry stores, with nearly 30 points of sale across the country. It also produces its own jewelry lines. For the latest financial year, the group recorded sales of $151 million. This company, founded in Montreal in the 19th century, also has a role in the vast reconfiguration of watch retail in North America. In 2017 it sold the American watch chain Mayors, active in Florida and Georgia, to the British group Watches of Switzerland for 106.8 million dollars. The launch of Birks branded jewelry collections in the United Kingdom began in September 2017 through an exclusive distribution agreement with Mappin & Webb and Goldsmiths. The company intends to increase its presence in international markets over the next five years. Europa Star interviewed Grigor Garabedian, head of the Birks Group’s central watchmaking division.

 

In collaboration with Europa Star

 

A first store was opened by Henry Birks in 1879 in Montreal

What have been the major milestones in the Birks’ Group’s history?

Henry Birks opened his first jewelry store in Montreal in 1879. A few years later, he moved to Phillips Square, where one of our flagship stores is still located today. By 1901, the group had expanded nationally, with outlets in Ottawa, Winnipeg and Vancouver.

 

Another turning point was the introduction of the Birks Blue Box jewelry gift concept in 1920. In 1954, the Birks Group opened its first store in a Canadian shopping mall in Dorval. We should also mention the creation of a gift for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1959, followed by our appointment as official supplier for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

 

In 1993, Jonathan Birks sold the company to the Regaluxe Group and in 2005 Birks merged with Mayors to form the group we know today.

How many points of sale do you have today?

Maison Birks has 28 stores across Canada and our jewelry collections are available in 63 retail outlets in North America and the United Kingdom. Our group also operates a Patek Philippe store in Vancouver and several shop-in-shop stores, for example for Rolex in Calgary and Richard Mille in Vancouver.

 

Maison Birks downtown Montreal

What are the main growth drivers for the group?

We seek above all to remain as close as possible to the evolution of our customers’ expectations. For example, in recent years we have noticed that they are increasingly attentive to the traceability and ecological impact of their purchases. Birks has taken many steps to become a more sustainable company. We are proud to source Canadian diamonds and participate in the campaign against “dirty gold”. In addition, the recent renovation of several of our flagship stores in Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto offers a new shopping experience. I think this adaptability will ensure a bright future for us on the Canadian market.

“We have noticed that our customers are increasingly attentive to the traceability and ecological impact of their purchases.” – Grigor Garabedian, head of the Birks Group’s central watchmaking division

In 2017, you sold Mayors to the British group Watches of Switzerland. It also allowed you to develop your brand Birks Jewelry internationally, particularly in the United Kingdom. What stage are these developments at today?

We are continuing to develop Birks Fine Jewelry in the United Kingdom and the United States. We are constantly looking for new opportunities to expand our international presence.

 

Bee Chic series: a part of the income from this series is used to protect Canadian bees, wildlife and natural areas

Do you have an e-commerce platform?

Yes, a wide selection of our watches, for example from Cartier or TAG Heuer, are available for purchase on our online platform. Digital shopping is gaining in popularity. However, we have also noted the importance of maintaining a strong physical connection and personal experience with each customer. We want them to take the time to get to know the brands we offer in a welcoming space and to feel at home in our stores.

Do you also offer pre-owned watches?

In Canada, we have an exclusive partnership with Crown & Caliber, a platform that specializes in second-hand watches and professional authentication. We wanted to be able to offer a trusted service for this segment, which is why we have partnered with a well-known player in the industry. The process is very simple: you can choose between cash payment or Birks gift credit, with an additional 20% value for the second option. You then send the watch to Crown & Caliber for inspection and authentication, before receiving your payment directly by mail.

 

www.maisonbirks.com

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Since 1927, Europa Star magazine is the go-to reference for all things watchmaking. A family business, the magazine remains faithful to the spirit of its founder, the Swiss Hugo Buchser, more than fifty years after his death. Europa Star is broadcast in over 170 countries and puts out five publications a year. Visiting the premier Watch Fair in the Salon de Montréal, the first event devoted to watchmaking in Quebec, Serge Maillard, Europa Star publisher and representative of the company’s fourth generation, sat down with EXCLUSIVE LUXURY for an interview.

 

Serge Maillard, Europa Star publisher

Europa Star was founded by your great-grandfather, Hugo Buchser, in the 1920s. Tell us how it all started.

My great-grandfather owned a watch brand in the 1920s called Transmarine. He traveled all over the world to sell his watches. In 1927, he had the idea to create a publishing house with the mission of connecting all the players of the watchmaking world. Remember, the Internet didn’t exist then! We basically had guides with all the addresses of the watchmakers, suppliers, and professionals in the industry. Gradually, he established a network of magazines, first in Latin America, then in the Middle East. In 1959, he targeted the European market by founding Europa Star. A little later, he created a magazine for the Eastern Bloc market. Let’s skip ahead to the 1990s, with the advent of the internet. We’ve been pioneers in the world of watchmaking with a website dedicated to this industry. At the same time, we launched a magazine in Chinese. The company has existed for four generations. We are constantly innovating, most notably with the recent digitization of our archives.

 

Hugo Buchser, during one of his travels

Let’s talk about your archives. This year you started to digitize your publications dating back to 1959. That’s huge undertaking…

Yes, and it’s not over. We have a total of 300,000 pages to scan. Thus far, we have scanned more than 100,000 pages since 1950. Step by step, we intend to digitize all of our publications since 1927, the date of the first guide founded by Hugo Buchser.

Who is this digital databank intended for?

First, to the watch community: brands, retailers, and collectors. Everyone is now doing research on watches, whether it be professionals or individuals. Since the entire magazine is online, people will understand the bigger context of the time. Digitization is a great way to pay tribute to such an important heritage.

Through your archives, we actually discover the history of the watch, but also parts of history in general. Tell us about the Omega watch.

Recently, a historian used our archives to write an article on the conquest of space. The Omega brand is so closely linked to the first manned missions to land on the Moon. But before Omega, there was also Breitling or Bulova. There has been fierce competition between brands to seduce NASA. Today, one wonders which watchmaker will equip NASA or Elon Musk to Mars!

 

How can one access your archives?

Several annual subscriptions are offered. Some give you access to the archives and the paper magazine, others to the archives and the electronic magazine. Our subscribers also have exclusive access to articles that have the most added value. All subscription rates can be accessed on our website. These are launch packages. We invite the public to take advantage of it as of right now. Each year, our readers will benefit from new content. In addition to new articles, we will continue to digitize our archives.

Your publication is called a “mook,” halfway between magazine and book. Can you explain this concept…

It is an innovative concept composed of two parts: Time.Business and Time.Keeper. As its name suggests, the Time.Business section is devoted to the major issues of the moment and to the fundamental questions that will shape the future of watchmaking. The Time.Keeper section focuses on the product, aesthetic trends, technical developments, and the watch industry. Our files are large and can store up to 50 pages. For example, in our last issue we discussed the Chinese market, the history of the watch in China, its major players, etc. Our magazine reads like a book and can be kept for a long time.

 

How do you explain the longevity of your magazine?

The fact that we are a small, family-owned business helps in terms of flexibility and room to maneuver. Our editorial team is composed of my uncle Pierre Maillard and myself. Our tone is identifiable. We also share a certain idea of ​​journalism: that of always adding value with our articles. It is very important, especially in today’s climate when information seems free.

 

www.europastar.com

 

 

 

Text: Diane Stehle

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Well known in Switzerland and amongst a very select few in the high-end jewelry world, BEAUREGARD fuses watchmaking and jewelry in an unprecedented fashion. Founded by Montrealer Alexandre Beauregard and based in Geneva, the company offers exceptional Swiss timepieces with bold designs, beautifully set hand-polished stones, among other unique elements. As veritable works of art, these breathtaking time pieces can cost up to $250,000. EXCLUSIVE LUXURY met with the talented artist to find out more.

 

Alexandre Beauregard (centre) next to François Ruel, 3D designer (on the right), and Yves Saint-Pierre, lapidary artist (on the left)

When did your passion for watches begin?

 My first experience with watchmaking dates back to my adolescence when I was working with a friend on creating atypical watches in my father’s garage.

 Yet, you didn’t immediately pursue it as a career?

No, life took me in different directions. I created three businesses: a laundry service for major Montreal hotels, a gemstone business, and a property management company. But, ten years ago, my passion for watchmaking came back full force. So, I decided to go to Geneva to meet industry professionals to present my project and seek their advice. For five years, I travelled back and forth every month between Montreal and Geneva. I learned the craft in the field, because given my family life, it was impossible for me to go back to school. Finally, in 2014, I founded the company in Geneva, BEAUREGARD SA.

Your workshop is in Montreal, but your watches are made in Switzerland. Can you explain the creative process…

Switzerland has a unique and mature watchmaking industry and is the only place in the world that possesses all the necessary skills to manufacture luxury watches.

All of our collections are produced and assembled in Switzerland. As a native Montrealer, I chose to set up a stone-cutting and development workshop which allows me to design the pieces and perform the high-end jewelry work in Montreal. Yves Saint-Pierre, a world-renowned lapidary artist along with François Ruel, a specialist in 3D modelling, both assist me here.

Tell us about your collections.

A year ago, our first watch, Dahlia, was selected at the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix. That honor officially marked the birth of BEAUREGARD.

 

Dahlia is a high-end jewelry dial made of hand-polished stones from our workshop and animated by a high-art watchmaking movement with a central Flying Tourbillon. I didn’t hold back in the creation and realization of this collection; I refused to choose between high-end timepieces and high-end jewelry.


 

Meanwhile, Lili was born from the desire to offer the splendor of the Dahlia collection in a more accessible and delicate way. It is a small cocktail watch equipped with a Swiss quartz movement and high-end jewel dial embellished with hand-made petals.

 

Currently, we are working on a round version of the Lili collection that should be released in the coming months, as well as, a men’s collection that will be launched in the spring of 2022.

What are the distinguishing features of BEAUREGARD watches?

BEAUREGARD is the epitome of my passion for fine stones and mechanical complexity, for beautiful objects, and human genius. The dial is the canvas on which I give free rein to my imagination and the most distinctive elements of my creations. Considerable technical work is necessary to ensure that we always meet the standards of high-art watchmaking. It’s imperative for me that my watches are recognizable at first glance and inspire strong emotions.

You were the first Canadian to win the Geneva Watchmaking Grand Prix just a year ago. How did that feel for you?

I was very honored to be selected alongside prestigious brands such as Van Cleef and Arpels, Copard, and Bvlgari. The distinction was a very nice recognition of our work, especially since the Dahlia was the first model we ever presented and we were still such a young brand.

Your logo is “Geneva – Montreal.” Why is that important to you?

I am so proud and in love with my city. Of course, it would be simpler for me to settle in Switzerland, but family is here and I am very attached to Montreal. Beyond the emotional aspects, all of the high-end jewelry work, as well as the creation of each piece, is done in Montreal. I had to mention both for these reasons.

How do you envision the future?

I am a business person and so it’s important for me to achieve commercial success, but watchmaking remains, above all, a passion. Therefore, I see the future as a great adventure with beautiful encounters and shared passions.

 

www.beauregard.ch

 

Writer: Diane Stehle

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For the first time ever, Salon de Montreal hosted an international Watch Fair in Montreal on September 27 and 28 2019 at the enchanting Saint-James Club. This unique event allowed the public to meet the creators of the most prestigious watch brands from all over the world, in addition to discovering exclusive high-end watch models.

 

It is by noticing the scant watch culture in Canada and Quebec that Simion Matei, a businessman passionate about watches, had the idea of ​​organizing a watch fair in Montreal. “Mechanical watch fans like me must quench their passion by browsing American or European websites, because there is nothing here,” says the founder.

 

On top of being a first of its kind, the Salon de Montreal allowed consumers to come into direct contact with watchmakers, a rare privilege in this type of event. Watch enthusiasts and curious minds had the chance to try on and even purchase luxury watches from a dozen independent Swiss, German and Canadian brands, including Maurice Lacroix, Dwiss and Bremont. In addition, José Cermeño, a new Montreal brand, launched his collection at the event.

 

Above all, the public discovered Beauregard, an extremely popular brand in Europe in the high-end watch industry, whose creator, Alexandre Beauregard, is a Montrealer. “This artist collaborates with world-renown jewelers. His watches sell for $250,000 all over Europe, yet he is totally unknown here. Incidentally, his studio is in Montreal! I hope that this show was an opportunity for people to discover him in Quebec, because it is such an honor to have local talent shine internationally.”

 

Simion Matei adds that mechanical watches have no utilitarian function since they are much less precise than quartz or electronic watches. “The purpose of such an event is to show the human genius behind these objects. Each watch has a case that houses over 1,220 pieces assembled in 6 cm2. They are true works of art. Just as we admire a painting by Monet more for its beauty than accuracy, these watches are appreciated for their artistic value and the richness they bring to our culture,” he concludes.

 

www.salondemontreal.com

 

Text: Diane Stehle

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As Gabriel Scott expands opportunities worldwide, the brand seizes momentum as they open their second showroom in the lush area of Mayfair, London. Less than a decade after they launched their now-iconic lighting and furniture company, curious minds want to know what inspires the two architects-turned-entrepreneurs, Gabriel Scott and Scott Richler, in their innovative design process and how their creativity continues to spark prosperous new ventures at every turn.

How did Gabriel Scott all begin?

We had been working together creating custom furniture for local customers. Although it was lucrative, the process was very labour-intensive, so in reaction to that, we wanted to create a collection based on bespoke models we had designed, but through a more standardized process. The Kelly chandelier was dramatic and sculptural and lent itself to that versatility, but only allowed for limited customization. The following year, we designed a system that allowed much more flexibility and creativity. That’s how the Welles was conceived. The Welles is the foundational piece that Gabriel Scott is known for today, it’s our signature piece.

 

Each collection is reminiscent of jewelry. How do you see the connection between lighting and jewelry?

Jewelry is the most natural reference for our work because lighting, like jewelry, is a statement piece; the accessory that plays off other elements, elevates a look, and really makes everything come together. From a design perspective, a lighting fixture is unlike any other element in the room. It hangs unobstructed from the ceiling, so the eye naturally goes toward the sparkle. Jewelry has always been part of our vocabulary. The Harlow, for example, is intimately tied to a timepiece making the reference so natural.

You’ve designed some spectacular pieces for several high-end, world-renown brands. What does the design process look like?

You know, the process varies depending on the brand we are collaborating with. We’ve designed many pieces for the Cartier stores all over the world, and we can really get creative because each store has different design elements that work as our frame of reference from size and shape to colour and application. Getting a chance to be creative and collaborate on the iconic windows for Bergdorf Goodman is where we can create a complete mise-en-scene and that’s a totally different experience from a design perspective.

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

That’s a tricky question. The obvious reference is jewelry. But, the real answer is that although there are creative components to our design process, we work within certain parameters contained within a market. Gabriel Scott is built on a few basic premises: timeless design, built smart, good value, clever engineering, and made local. Our values and point of view is what drives our inspiration.

 

When you visit exhibits and fairs, how do you set yourself apart from the hundreds of other designers that show their work?

That’s a great question. In the design industry, your context is just as important as you product. We present at the Milan Design fair every year, and this year we created an entire structure prompting a voyeuristic effect for passers-by compounded by a warm and inviting space for those who chose to enter the space. Everything from openings to colour scheme was thought out and engineered to create a mood. In order to understand our lighting fixtures, you need scale and context. We fused soft materials, like rugs and curtains, with sharp brass trimming. It was very impactful and extremely immersive. Everything was set in place to lure people in and create an experience from the moment they walked by to the time they spent in our space.

The showroom in SoHo, NYC has been around for five years. What was the thought process behind opening a second showroom in Mayfair, London?

The strategy was to respond to our business coming from Europe and the Middle East. Now we are spread across two continents and that just made more sense. Our showroom in London is located between the iconic Saville Row and New Bond Street; it is prime location for our clientele.

What would be a dream project for Gabriel Scott?

Perhaps more meaningful collaborations. It would be really interesting to work with designers in fashion and art world. Creating an experience which goes beyond the product itself. We would love to immerse ourselves into something that would extend past simply the functional aspect of great design, allowing our sculptures to live as an experience.

 

www.gabriel-scott.com

 

Text: Alecs Kakon

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The Marival Group, a family-owned company that started over 30 years ago, has set a new precedent in the hospitality industry. With unparalleled services and exuberant grounds that will make your jaw drop, the Marival Group welcomes its newest all-inclusive hotel to their roster: Marival Armony Luxury Resort. Located in Punta de Mita, Mexico, Marival Armony boasts high-end services and amenities set against the beauty of a serene and natural landscape.

A Dreamlike Landscape

Marival Armony Luxury Resort officially opens their doors bringing travelers from all over the world together in one of the most spectacular natural backdrops in the entire area. “What makes Marival Armony different than our other hotels is that it’s tucked away into a cove, on the best beach of the Bay. You can walk along the white sand beaches or walk several yards into the ocean for a magical and breathtaking view of the Punta de Mita landscape,” says Nuit Hernández, Director of Sales for the Luxury Market. With the greenery of the mountain set against the lush vegetation, the view from the room overlooks a marvelous cliff on one side, ocean and exuberant greens all around.

What makes Marival Armony different than our other hotels is that it’s tucked away into a cove, on the best beach of the Bay.

 

A One-of-a-Kind Spa

Marival Armony is all about staying balanced with its natural surroundings; allowing for a serene and tropical vacation, guests can expect to unwind in the quiet atmosphere, yet also enjoy the wide array of restaurants, swim-up bars, pools and spa. “The Melange World Spa was designed to evoke international spaces, with each treatment room inspired by countries around the world,” explains Hernández. “Spa guests can take full advantage of Jacuzzis, wet areas, and massages, as well as, beauty treatments like manicures and pedicures. We have Melange Spa in our Marival Distinct Luxury Residences as well.”

Adults Only and Family-Style Accommodations

With the same multi-bedroom units that allow for (inter)generational travel known throughout the Marival brand, Marival Armony is equipped with 1, 2, and 3-bedroom suites to accommodate the same family-style vacations. “Catering to families is part of the Marival brand, but one thing that makes Marival Armony unique is without a doubt its magnificent adults-only grounds, developed in an environment that offers a fully upscale and private experience for those traveling without children,” Hernández explains. Taking hospitality to a whole new level, Marival Resorts has imagined every possible way to make your vacation the best ever.

 

Main bedroom of the Lush suite

More about the Marival Group

Known worldwide for its excellent service and multi-bedroom accommodations, the Marival Group is a pioneer in family-friendly, all-inclusive travel in Riviera Nayarit, Mexico. The portfolio includes the high-end Marival Distinct Luxury Residences and the lively Marival Emotions Resorts & Suites. Between Marival Distinct and Marival Emotions, guests can take advantage of more than 11 restaurants, a ton of activities geared toward kids, teens, adults, and whole families, as well as, nightly shows and an upbeat night life.

Marival Armony Luxury Resort officially opens their doors bringing travelers from all over the world together in one of the most spectacular natural backdrops in the entire area.

www.marivalresorts.com

 

Text: Alecs Kakon

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Printemps Haussmann stores in Paris, Saks Fifth Avenue in New York, Al Badia Golf Club in Dubai, Nobu Downtown in New York, Four Seasons hotels in Las Vegas and, more recently, in Montreal: in all four corners of the world, luxury establishments are devouring her work. It must be said that in her 20-year career, Pascale Girardin has developed a unique style. Whether it be installations, works of art embedded in architecture, tableware or art objects, her signature aesthetic is immediately recognizable. She welcomed EXCLUSIVE LUXURY at her workshop in the Rosemont neighborhood.

 

 

With a welcoming and serene face, Girardin welcomes us this morning in her bright studio of 4000 square feet. Around her, her “brigade,” a team of seven ceramic artists, whose average age (which includes his son Wolfe) must be around twenty-five. “Although I offer my vision to my team while carrying out a project, unlike a chef, I remain open to suggestions. Our exchanges enrich me and allow me to evolve my practice.” Communicate, exchange, evolve. Three notions she will come back to often during our meeting and which seem to be the crux of her outlook to life as well as her profession.

 

Saks Fifth Avenue, New York

 

Moreover, after twenty-five years in her field, in full command of her artistic ability, Girardin decided one year ago to return to school to pursue a Master’s degree in visual arts at UQAM. “I needed to think about the creative process, about the relationship to material in our journey of self-discovery. Often, we are pulled in one way, but we learn that how it turns out is not always what we initially had in mind.”

 

To be open to discovery and to the unexpected is what Girardin quickly learned while working with clay, because it clay can be very capricious: “We must accept that material teaches us rather than trying to control it. I’m developing my skill with the total humility of a beginner, and the more I know, the less I know. But that’s what is wonderful and motivates me to continue! I always say to my customers: ‘It should work,’ but I can never be completely sure,” she explains.

Having studied biology before her formation as a visual and plastic artist, Girardin spent long hours developing the chemical formula that would allow her to obtain the color and the product she imagines. But a host of obstacles can arise in the creation of a ceramic piece: it can explode in the oven, sink, distort, split. You have to be ready to recover from these failures quickly. “In this business, we cannot cry about the past, about all the lost hours. We start again and our thoughts change,” says Girardin.

 

West Edmonton Mail

Reverie and Zen Buddhism

According to Zen Buddhism, when one abandons her conception of what a thing is supposed to be, she can appreciate it for what it is. This is the philosophy that Girardin has adopted full-heartedly. Rather than discarding imperfect works, she places them on a shelf in her studio and waits. “After days, weeks and even months of gestation, I’ll make new connections to the piece and one such connection finally reveals itself as the one that should be pursued.” That is how her totem series was born.

 

Letting go, letting her mind get lost in reverie, that is the artist’s personal mantra. Her blog is also regularly part of these “drift,” that is to say, her wandering artistic vagabond thoughts that can evolve and lead to an idea. Fascinated by scholarly works, she found echoes of her research in those of the French philosopher Gaston Bachelard, who himself was very interested in the role of reverie in creation. From an artistic point of view, she has Japanese sources of inspiration, especially ceramics from the Edo period, known for its minimalist and abstract aesthetics. The current generation, whom she is surrounded by daily in her studio—as well as the School of Visual and Media Arts at UQAM where she teaches—is also a powerful springboard for renewal.

 

In addition to her upcoming orders for Saks Fifth Avenue, the Las Vegas Convention Center and luxury cruise ships, Girardin is planning an exhibition for May 2020 that will combine ceramics, floor installation and video projections. The exhibit will be an opportunity for her to share the fruits of her labour, including her reflection on the link between all of these different mediums, as veritable true “communicating vessels.” An occasion not to be missed.

 

Nobu Downtown, New York

 

www.pascalegirardin.com

 

Text: Diane Stehle

Photos : © Stephany Hildebrand

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After exploring many avenues throughout his lifetime, Robert Rahal took a step back to gain perspective on what it all meant. Leaving a more conventional professional life in the balance, Rahal decided to pursue his passion and tap into the artist within. It was merely 5 years ago that Rahal first touched brush to canvas, but it’s safe to say that the paintbrush has not stopped stroking ever since. Expressing his inner thoughts and feelings in circular form, Rahal’s art is born from an attempt to find freedom within the boundaries of his own inner world.

 

Abstract Expressionism

Producing art that expresses the primal life qualities is what gives essence to Robert Rahal’s work. Through abstract expressionism, he portrays his non-conformity as well as his affinity toward freedom with each perfectly manipulated brushstroke. “When I paint it makes me feel good. Manipulating the paintbrush and feeling it glide across the canvas is where I take solace,” Rahal describes. The refined lines alongside absolute symmetry exposes Rahal’s anxiety and feelings about maintaining control. In juxtaposition, the colours he plays with offer a sense of playfulness and carefree attitude. “My life is the canvas, the outer edges. It’s controlled and provides boundaries,” Rahal explains. “The circle is me, it shows how unfree I feel, but the colour is where I can push myself out of that comfort zone.”

 

Representation and Life

Appreciating art for art’s sake is to understand the process of creation in the first place. The dynamism and movement behind painting in circular motion is the emotion that can be felt when standing before one of Rahal’s paintings. The intention behind each stroke emanates from the 3-dimensional pieces, and for anyone who has seen one of his paintings in person, it’s hard to deny the visceral feeling that is brought on as a viewer. “Abstract expressionism is gestural and filled with spontaneous emotion. My paintings are actions and they are created with movement,” Rahal explains. “Hopefully they make people feel something, because I feel something when I make them.” Whether it is an organic colour combination or a beyond perfect circular shape symmetrically centered and evenly designed, Rahal’s pieces represent him and his view of the world as he perceives it. In turn, it begs the viewer to question his or her own place in the world.

 

Finding Success in Today’s Art World

Reconciling the life of an artist with the reality of making a living, every artist in this day and age must be his or her own entrepreneur. Only a few have been as fortunate as Rahal as to find success so early on as an artist. “I’ve never gone out and hustled my art,” Rahal explains. “Of course, I put myself out there and I’ve had vernissages, but I’ve been in a privileged position in terms of success as an emerging artist.” Rahal has sold pieces at Context Art during Art Basel week in Miami and his art is currently brokered in Boston. Rahal also has local representation and was recently commissioned to create an original piece of art for Raise Your Glass: A Backyard Concert in October 2019 in the Pacific Palisades, benefiting UCLA Health & Teen Cancer America. His piece was an official auction item and was signed by Roger Daltrey and Pete Townsend, of the legendary rock band The Who.

 

Inspiration Can be Found Everywhere

“The way I approach my art is quite organic. I never have a plan, I just choose a colour and go from there; it’s a lucid experience.” Rahal can stand in a museum for hours in front of a painting, not to contemplate the work itself, but to examine the process by which it was created. “I’m fascinated by the movement in Jackson Pollock’s work. His freedom of expression can be found in paint splatterings and it makes me tingle.” Aspiring to let himself go even more so as to appreciate the possibility of imperfection, Rahal approaches his work with steadfast hands. Committed to creating art as an exploration of both life and what it all means—a very existential plight—, he’s learned that the process is a never-ending experience that is constantly evolving. “I used to have a preconceived notion of what art is supposed to be, but I have discovered that it’s a feeling and I’ve learned to trust my process, because we are all in process after all.”

 

 

www.robertrahal.com

 

Text: Alecs Kakon

Photos: © Andrew Nowacki

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