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Philippe Starck Named Mortlach’s First Creative Director
Mortlach Whisky’s journey into its roots of intentional design and heritage craftsmanship is only getting deeper. The Scotch whisky brand has named visionary designer Philippe Starck as its first-ever creative director, a move that will culminate in the debut Mortlach x Starck collection being revealed in the spring. The partnership is a boon for the Mortlach by Design program, which counts Luca Nichetto, Joe Doucet, and Sabine Marcelis among its collaborators.
In other people news, the Noguchi Museum has selected Amy Hau as its next director. Currently the managing partner of architecture firm WXY, Hau began her career as an assistant to Isamu Noguchi and helped steward the Queens institution for three decades after his death. She succeeds Brett Littman, who stepped down in June after five years as director. Jussi Pylkkänen, the global president of Christie’s, announced his departure last week to become an independent art adviser. His nearly four-decade tenure at the auction house, which saw him sell Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi for a record $450.3 million, culminated on with a final podium appearance on Thursday for the Christie’s evening sale of old masters in London. —Ryan Waddoups
The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) and Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) have approved Fentress Architects’ design concept for a new Visitor Education Center at the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial in Arlington, Virginia. The scheme blends traditional and modern elements, featuring stone cladding and a colonnade while maintaining a clean, contemporary look. The center will commemorate the 184 victims of the Pentagon attack and explore responses to 9/11 and the Global War on Terror. Funding has been secured, and the center is expected to be completed by 2026, marking the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attack.
Reebok has entered an exclusive partnership with Los Angeles–based AI and metaverse content firm Futureverse to enhance its virtual offerings. The collaboration, called “Reebok Impact” and slated for a 2024 launch, aims to enhance consumer experiences and interactions with Reebok’s footwear and apparel through AI, Web 3.0, gaming, and metaverse experiences. The partnership seeks to redefine the intersection of fashion, technology, and culture, marking a pivotal moment in Reebok’s brand evolution. Futureverse, known for its unique blend of AI and metaverse technologies, aims to pioneer digital fashion, where every step tells a story.
The Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA) Collection in Montreal, known for its extensive architectural archives, recently welcomed a significant addition from Toyo Ito. The renowned Japanese architect has donated his firm’s work created between 1971 and 1995 to the CCA’s collection, citing the institution’s broad program and commitment to sharing its content as the driving factor behind his decision. This valuable contribution will enhance accessibility for future global researchers studying Ito’s architectural legacy, which includes groundbreaking projects like the Aluminum House and the House at Koganei, alongside other architects’ collections soon to be added, such as Bernard Tschumi, Agrest & Gandelsonas, and Studio Works.
The upcoming Whitney Biennial, opening in the spring, may be the most ambitious one yet. The museum has revealed a curatorial team that includes artist Korakrit Arunanondchai, Inuk filmmaker and artist asinnajaq, experimental musician Taja Cheek, artistic director Greg de Cuir Jr, and multimedia artist and activist Zackary Drucker, alongside Whitney curator Chrissie Iles and curator Meg Onli. The curators will bring forth a diverse program, with Arunanondchai, asinnajaq, de Cuir Jr, and Drucker selecting filmmakers to explore a range of moving image expressions, while Cheek (known as L’Rain) will commission a cutting-edge performance and sound series for the museum’s galleries and theater. This edition, titled “Whitney Biennial 2024: Even Better Than the Real Thing,” represents the 81st iteration of the Whitney’s renowned contemporary art survey, known for pushing the boundaries of artistic expression
Archaeologists, environmentalists, and Native American communities are opposing the construction of an open-pit lithium mine in northern Nevada, which is set to begin full operation in 2026. The Thacker Pass lithium mine, a $2.3 billion project with the world’s second-largest known lithium deposit, is facing criticism for its irreversible environmental and cultural heritage impact. The committee, Atsa Koodakuh wyh Nuwu (People of Red Mountain), consisting of Paiute, Shoshone, Bannock, and other Native American communities, is at the forefront of protests, citing the presence of 923 heritage sites in the area. Despite lawsuits and concerns, the Bureau of Land Management approved the project in 2021, and construction has begun.
