Shonibare’s Ship in a Bottle

The long-lasting engineering behind the Fourth Plinth project

For centuries model-makers and artists have played with the challenge of building a ship in a bottle, and in May 2010, British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare MBE erected the largest to date for the Fourth Plinth commission in Trafalgar Square. On view for the past 18 months, the five-meter-long bottle is not only a historical tribute to the location it serves, but it is also a …

Semblance: Collector’s Edition Box Set Giveaway

Exclusive Twitter giveaway of a collection of works by one of London's most remarkable contemporary artists

Even at first glance it’s apparent that London-based artist Von has reason to keep his works in short supply. The level of detail that goes into his original works continues in the production of his limited edition prints, which are masterfully executed by one of England’s oldest printmakers, a family-run studio that dates back to 1880. Since commingling his commercial success with the fine art …

The Eyes of the Skin

A conceptual artist's first solo show explores the duality of human nature using hairnets, fish hooks and more

Rubber dairy hoses, human hair, fish hooks and other oddities serve as standard materials for Manchester-based artist Susie MacMurray, who explores the human condition with a beautifully eerie approach. Curious about life’s delicate balance, MacMurray explains she is fascinated by “how amazing and successful we are” and yet how “fragile and weak” we can be, and her unsettling compositions and shapes poetically express this duality. …