The Perrier-Jouët Arts Salon & Prize

Last night I had the privilege of shooting the inaugural supper of the Perrier-Jouët Arts Salon in the Grand Hall and Wimborne Dining Room at The Ritz for my client Campbell-Bell Communications.

Launched in January 2013 the concept of the Perrier-Jouët Arts Salon stems from the origins of the Salon in Paris from the mid-1700s, bringing together like-minded people under the roof of an inspiring host to refine tastes, must on the Arts, inspire and increase knowledge through conversation.  The Perrier-Jouët Arts Salon aims to bring to life the original spirit of the salon drawing together an eclectic and dynamic group of members to share ideas and debate on developments in the Arts, with a philanthropy goal at its hear.  The Salon will support the selection of an annual prize winner who will receive a substantial sum and experiences to support him/her in the development of their career.

Candidates will be nominated by leaders in the fields of Applied Arts and Craft, and the winner's work will best evoke a contemporary interpretation of the Art Nouveau spirit of the House of Champagne Perrier-Jouët, 'transforming the mundane of everyday life into something truly beautiful'.

Perrier-Jouët Arts Salon Inaugural Members:

CHAIR FOR 2013: Rosy Greenlees, Executive Director, The Crafts Council

Peter Aspden, Arts Writer, Financial Times

Tord Boontje, Artist

Claire Brewster, Artist

Louisa Buck, Arts Writer, The Art Newspaper

Tony Chambers, Editor, Wallpaper Magazine

Claire Coles, Artist

Nancy Durrant, Arts Writer, The Times

Nicole Farhi, Fashion Designer

Harry Handelsman, Art Collector

Stephen Jones, Milliner

Kate MccGwire, Artist

Julia Royse, Curator and Art Advisor

I've only eaten at The Ritz for afternoon tea but was lucky enough to try the menu (after photographing each dish!).  The menu featured the following, with each course accompanied by a different vintage Perrier-Jouët:

Dressed crab roll, spiced apple and grapes  {}  Spiced turbot with mushroom puree and morels  {}  Roast rack of veal, celeriac and truffle  {} Red berry soufflé with buttermilk sorbet

Salon Live at The National Theatre

Back in May whilst on yoga retreat in Formentera I met, over supper, a lovely woman called Helen Bagnall who told me about an event she had been running with friend Juliet Russell since 2008; Salon London.  This has now become London's best cultural monthly showcase of specialists from the worlds of scent, the arts and psychology. The salon was an Italian invention of the 16th century and was a gathering of people under the roof of an inspiring host, both to amuse and to refine one's tastes and increase knowledge, often consciously following Horace's definition of the aims of poetry, "either to please or to educate"

Helen and Juliet have effectively reprised this format to create a series of fascinating events that never fail to surprise and delight.  My first outing at private members club Adam Street featured the writer of Rainy Brain, Sunny Brain, Professor Elaine Fox explaining why you are a glass half-full or a glass half empty sort of person.   An awesome session by Rough Trade's Lucy Tesco offering samples of the soundtrack of the summer, and then mind reader Philip Escoffey who kept us guessing for days after.

The last session was featured as part of the Inside Out Festival at the National Theatre to investigate more about Marianne Elliot's production (now sold out) of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, based on Mark Haddon's novel adapted by Simon Stephens.

The speakers included Marcus Chown, known to many as the Cosmology Editor for the New Scientist,  will be explaining the secrets of life, the universe and everything and for one brilliant transcendent moment you will understand the quantum world  Staff Director Katy Rudd explored the workings of the theatre using lots of interactive audience participation and mathematician David Speigelhalter OBE Professor of Public Understanding and Risk talked the real numbers behind uncertainty, leaving you able to interpret statistics like a pro.

See here for details of the next event.  See you there... x