Ian Berry in the Rivet 50

Ian Berry joins Hailey Bieber and Bella & Gigi Hadid being named as a Top 50 influential figures in denim for 2019. 

The Rivet 50 was announced by a leading denim industry magazine, Rivet, and named the London based British artist on its list alongside fellow Brits of the calibre of Stella McCartney representing the movers and shakers of the denim industry. 

RIVET 50 serves as an index of the most creative and forward-thinking leaders driving change in the global denim marketplace. And this year, those individuals were nominated and chosen by the denim industry. Thousands of online votes determined who made the list. From mill to runway, designers to celebrities and of course, the artist that made his name using denim, Ian Berry.

Of course it is not the first accolade for Ian Berry, in 2013 he was named in the Top 30 Artist under 30 in the World by art Business Magazine and his success just grows. This summer he had another sell out show in London and has shown all across the USA, Brazil, as well as many European galleries. 2020 will see the start of a museum tour across Europe.  

Ian said ‘It was a total surprise to be nominated to start with as I don’t see myself ‘in’ denim and really I keep a distance from the industry. Denim, It’s just my medium. It was great thought getting many messages from people in the denim industry offering their support and saying they are voting for me - reminding me of how many amazing people I have met over the years I have been working with jeans.’

Extract of the Rivet 50 article.

The shortlist of 100 was announced earlier in the year and split into sections. Executives, with the winners including Levi’s CEO and President Chip Bergh, Designerslike Brit Martine Rose and Mary Pierson of Madewell, Retailerswhich included iconic London store Son of a Stag owner Rudy Budhdeo and Rivet and Hide’s Danny Hodgson (6 of the 50 were British) Supply Chainwhere Alice Tonello of Tonello which is at the forefront of pushing sustainability in the industry and has worked with Ian to help make some of his famous installations, notably the Secret Garden. Ian’s group was the influencersection that included Justin Bieber’s new wife Hailey who is the face of the Levi 501 and the supermodels the Hadid sisters.

‘The flip side of knowing many in the industry meant I was up against many of my friends. All who merited their place on the list. More so than me. Some got in, some didn’t. But I’m happy to see my friend Mohsin Sajid on the list as he puts so much effort in to educating the next generation and his knowledge in denim is amazing.’

Ian has done projects with schools and many schools and colleges do projects on him around the world and believes in giving back and education. In December the former Greenhead College student with return to the college and give the awards and the annual awards evening at the Johns Smiths Stadium. 

Ian concluded.

‘I’m happy to be alongside many on the list who I consider friends in addition to those mentioned like Tricia Carey, Alberto Candiani, Fox and Jeff Garza of Foxhole, Maurizio Donali, Panos Sofianos, Henry Wong and Andrea Venier amongst others.’

 What is Rivet 50?

Rivet’s Influential 50 is an index of the most creative and forward-thinking leaders driving the global Jeanswear industry. The Influential 50 represent the upward direction the denim community strives for with each new collection, innovation and technology.

Ian Berry X NUDE at Stolenspace Gallery

Sat/Sun - 28-29 September

BEN EINE / IAN BERRY / REMI ROUGH / NOMA BAR / DAVID SHILLINGLAW / DESSY / SI SCOTT / PENNY / ROB DRAPER / GÉRALDINE GEORGES

Ian at the opening

Ian Berry has collaborated with Nude to be their tenth artist, and as it’s the tenth year anniversary of their art series, there will be an exhibition in London. Featuring works by ten prominent artists and celebrating the 10th release of the 'Nude Collaboration Series' of Limited Edition works created with the simple brief of ‘Nude’. For the first time ever, all ten pieces are being displayed together alongside new work by the artists at StolenSpace Gallery in Brick Lane, a venue famed for showcasing leading urban and contemporary art. 

For Ian’s series, he made the Garden installation with the flowers layered by Tonello of the previous artists work marking the special occasion and providing an opportunity to look back over the decade of the Nude Series.

Limited edition pieces for sale as well as 10 beer can with each artists work on. All profits from the show will be donated to the charity, Shelter, which aims to end bad housing and homelessness.  

For updates, follow @tenoftenbynude on Instagram

open til 6:00 PM

StolenSpace Gallery, 17 Osborn St, Shadwell, London E1 6TD, UK 

Ian Berry supports Jeans for Genes charity

Jeans for Genes Day is the annual fundraising campaign for Genetic Disorders UK, the national charity that supports individuals and families affected by a genetic disorder and Ian Berry is one of their ambassadors and hosted a party for their benefit at the Catto Gallery in London.

Monies raised by Jeans for Genes Day fund the work of the charity and provide grants to organisations for projects that aim to transform the lives of children with genetic disorders.

While their main week falls in September, they are working tirelessly all year round with many events, as well as selling the tee shirts - like the new Batman collaboration with Warner Brothers. Ian’s event is another example of how people support the cause throughout the year.

Ian Berry modelled the shirts that you can buy here and the special Batman shirts for children are only £9, here. This years Jeans for Genes Day covers the week of Mon 16th to Fri 20th September 2019, so get your workplace or school to join the program.

Ian’s event at the Catto Gallery on Thursday 25th July was a fun night, where Danish Gin makers Kongsgaard Raw Gin provided refreshments, much needed on the hottest day of the year, they also showed their newly designed Limited Edition bottles by Ian Berry.

Ian Berry with Kelly Harrington at the event

For one time only, Ian allowed some of the individual albums from the Record Store to be sold off in aid for the charity as well as the Limited Edition bottles.

The night was capped off by a special performance by Newton Faulkner.

Newton needs little introduction. The English singer-songwriter and musician known for his percussive style of guitar playing In 2007 his debut studio album Hand Built by Robots was certified double platinum in the United Kingdom. The album topped the UK Albums Chart in August 2007. From that album he played "Dream Catch Me" as well as rounded off with Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen.

Ian Said ‘Having Newton perform was extra special, as in 2007 and ‘08 he was the soundtrack to my summers when I lived in Australia. I was working with denim when I left for Australia but it was there I decided to not do ‘the day job’ and concentrate on my art. So it has great memories. I loved that everyone got involved and enjoyed the night and took part with him singing.’

Ian presenting Newton Faulkner to the crowd

The event capped off a successful month for the artist after a sell out show and one that was named a ‘Must See’ by the Londonist and ‘Top seven show in London in July’ by Fad magazine' and filmed for BBC. Follow for more stories for what is coming in a very exciting 2019 for Ian Berry.

You can see more of the brilliant photos by Alex Springer \ VR Agency here

To donate to Jeans for Genes you can click here or if you would like to set up your school or workplace to the program to have your own Jeans for Genes Day follow the links.

Ian Berry x Tonello x Juan Manuel Gomez

A week before Ian Berry opened his solo exhibition in London, he was in Barcelona installing a version of the Secret Garden installation in the Catalan Capital.

The Secret Garden was first shown at the Children’s Museum of the Arts in New York in 2017 and then in Tarn in France. A giant one was installed permanently in San Fransisco - soon to be revealed. All of these were made with the help and technical assistance of Tonello in Italy.

So of course when they wanted a night to mark ITMA, the most important textile & garment technology exhibition which takes place every 4 years, Ian happily obliged to create something with his Italian friends to celebrate their successful collaborations. And friendship was key, and it was also with his long term friend Juan Manuel Gomez that they collaborated.

Ian and Juan or ‘Juanma’, have talked about doing something together for a number of years. Colombian Juan is very talented in both the denim industry, having worked in laundries and now working with Officina +39 in Italy and as an artist in his own right.

‘I’ve respected Juanma’s work for a long time, as well as his style. His knowledge in denim is just brilliant, yet he’s humble and is a universally liked character. We’ve both worked with Tonello and it was a perfect time to work together, so we brought Juan’s magic into the garden trellis adding even more texture, depth and life.’ Ian said.

No Bleach, No Paint, No Dye

Ian himself visited Officina +39 last year in Biela, Italy and learned about their sustainable garment finishing on a tour with Andrea Venier and Juan.

‘Learning more about Recycrom was brilliant and while I say I don’t use no paint, dyes or bleach this became an acceptable exception as it is the tools of the denim industry now to make it more sustainable. Recycrom a revolutionary and sustainable way to transform textile waste into colored powder dyestuffs. Here of course with denim and indigo.’ Ian said.

Tonello’s sustainable technologies were used - the most obvious being the the Laser Blaze - the laser cutter that cut the fabric.But others included the Core, ECOfree 2, and No Stone that are part of the latest Tonello innovation: the All-In-One System. Tonello is always pushing to make their laundry machines and technologies to support the denim industries drive for sustainability. The piece represented may of their qauities, and how better than portraying nature, hanging from a circular trellis.

We have been researching, experimenting and innovating since 1981. And we do much more than just build ‘machines’.

Tonello

Video editing: Carlos Londoño Sound editing: Nicola Cioffi

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The Italian region where Tonello and Officina +39 are from has many decades of authentic denim history, designers as well as world famed brands and of course the supporting suppliers. Many were there on the night in Barcelona along with many of Tonello’s friends and partners from around the world.

Ian Berry and Juan Manuel Gomez in Barcelona for Tonello Inspiring.

The trio of Alice Tonello, Juan Manuel Gomez and Ian Berry presented the piece to the gathered crowd that fell silent. The video of the process playing in the back ground and sound editing by Nicola Cioffi set the ambient tone of the evening. They described their process but also their admiration of one another.

Ian added that it was the English that invented denim, pointing out that the word was born from not wanting it to be called ‘Serge de nimes’ ‘we didn’t want French sounding cloth!

Alice Tonello, Juan Manuel Gomez and Ian Berry presenting their collaboration.

Alice Tonello said of the event.

The combination and the interconnection of different arts give always life to extraordinary results, and I realized it since the first collaboration with Ian Berry. That’s why combining the art of Ian and Juanma with Tonello’s technologies has not only given birth to a multisensory experience, but it celebrated this wonderful connection that leaves you out of breath, for real. A contamination of arts ranging from music, images to denim which allows industrial technology to get a new kind of fascination. A project made even more pleasant from the close friendship that unites us for years, and that makes all our collaboration even more meaningful.

Andrea Venier Offcina+39 manager CEO added:

"Inspiring Night by Tonello, allowed all the participants to enter into an idyllic wonderland for a moment of tranquillity, away from the busy time of ITMA. The Secret Garden of Ian with Juan was like the oasis of inspiration in the centre of the Inspiring Night.

The immersive artwork of Ian and Juanma that uses both art and textile technologies bring all of us into the heart of the denim, simultaneously connecting and challenging our perceptions of the natural world.

The Video Art realized thrill in watching the Artists backstage, giving an unique digital shape of our denim and textile universe. It was the breath-taking end of an incredible Inspiring Night. 

For all Officina+39 team was really inspiring support Alice, Ian and Juanma in this amazing project. Thanks Tonello, Ian and Juama!"

You can see more images of the piece here - and more of the event here

Ian Berry opens 'Hotel California' at the Catto Gallery

Ian Berry opened his Hotel California exhibition with his work made of only denim jeans to great acclaim. By the end of the day, all the work was sold. Attendees all agreed that the work has to be seen in real life and so many were taken about by this new body of work, where Ian turned denim to water in the bright Californian sun.

London also basked in the sunny sunday day that reflected the new radiant work of Ian’s collages of blue jeans. The first show Ian has had with the Catto since his groundbreaking Behind Closed Doors body at the end of 2016 this much anticipated show almost sold out before the doors opened, and the rest soon were taken by eager collectors.

photo by Gökhan Göksoy

You can see more pictures of the opening here

Ian also showcases two of his installation, with the Record Store bridging the gap between the Hotel California album cover by the Eagles with the Hotel and pool themes and his much written about Secret Garden covered the Heath Street windows of the gallery making many a passer by stop in their tracks.

Photos of the art in context in the gallery

Secret Garden London

The show now continues until July 28 at

CATTO GALLERY

100 Heath Street London, NW3 1DP

Monday - Saturday 10 - 6pm

Sunday 12.30 - 6pm

Palm Springs made in the State fabric of California.

As part of the Hotel California body of work Ian included two pieces based on a stunning Palm Springs property, while not a hotel, this property and many like it were originally built as holiday homes. Ian says it still captures the spirit of what he wanted to portray and of course has the architectural qualities contrasted by the pools next to them - and of course the light.

‘I’ve always loved the Mid Century Modern architecture of Palm Springs contrasting with the desert. Everyone talks about my work being made of denim, and of course, it is California’s state official fabric, but my work is more than denim and what interests me the most is how light hits things.’ Ian Said.

Ian was lucky enough that his neighbour owned a beautiful property by Architect Jack Meiselman (Renovated 2013) called III Palms, the Atanasio–Martinez residence. Unlucky for Ian was that they may be neighbours, but only in London. Jack Meiselman, along with his brother Bernie, were the developers responsible for building a number of affordable mid-century modern homes in the Palm Springs area during the 1950s and 1960s and greatly responsible for the "Desert Modernism" movement and Anthony and Valarie’s house a perfect example.

Meiselman homes are famous for having features such as butterfly rooflines, post and beam ceilings, abundant walls of glass and clerestory windows, decorative concrete blocks and great indoor-outdoor flow to take advantage of the Palm Springs climate.

Anthony Atanasio and Valerie Martinez are not just neighbours but friends of Ian’s. For years Ian has been impressed with their credentials as top commercial film directors - lets not forget that Ian’s first professional years were in advertising. The multi-award winning husband and wife commercial directing team, ATANASIO + MARTINEZ have according to critics, consistently produced commercials that "pushes the technical boundaries of what advertising could/should be"

There She Stood in the Doorway

The creative duo have done ads for the likes of Ethihad, Audi, Nike, Budweiser, Diesel and Hotpoint and with talent such as Nicole Kidman and Liam Hemsworth who both highly commended the Anglo-French team as well as the industries award juries.

‘If I was still in advertising working as an Art Director I would be just dreaming of working with Anthony and Valerie. But I’m lucky that I live in a building with such creative people and glad to call these guys my neighbours’ Ian added.

credit http://www.atanasio-martinez.com/

Valerie Martinez at the opening of Hotel California at the Catto Gallery, London

details of the bushes by the Atanasio-Martinez property in Such a Lovely Place. Credit Debbie Bragg

Valerie sat in the chair looking back over her property in Palm Springs. Credit Debbie Bragg

Ian is grateful to Anthony and Valerie for letting him work with their beautiful home to immortalize in denim and they were the first to view in Ian’s studio.

‘All the other pieces in the collection I took the photos and set up the scenes, so I am really happy to have worked with Anthony and Valerie - as not only are they top Directors, Anthony is a great photographer.’

You can see the show until the 28th July 2019 at

CATTO GALLERY

100 Heath Street London, NW3 1DP

Gallery opening times

Monday - Saturday 10 - 6pm
Sunday 12.30 - 6pm

Ian Berry | Hotel California | London Solo Show | Catto Gallery

Ian Berry returns to the Catto Gallery in Hampstead for his fourth solo exhibition with the London Gallery. With previous exhibitions selling out this much anticipated show brings the East London based artist back with a new body of work titled Hotel California with all the work of course being crafted with much detail out of denim.

Since his last London Show, Behind Closed Doors, Ian has spent a lot of time traveling showing his work, from Miami, Kentucky and New York, in the states across France as well as his hometown London where he turned a Soho store front in to a Record Store installation and Selfridges & Co on Oxford Street. It was his trip to California that left a big impact on Ian however, when he went to San Francisco to do a giant installation of the hanging garden trellis, that will hang permanently in the city known as the modern home of the jean.

The title piece of the Show, Hotel California by the Eagles

In the trip he took in both San Fran as well as LA and it was the light and the pools there that got Ian’s attention.

Ian says ‘I loved the Behind Closed Doors body of work both conceptually and technically it was a show that really worked, it was also my own mindset at the time. I was really moved how it connected with so many people. It was quite dark however, and I wanted to do the next show with bright denim. Something that I don’t think people know about my work beside it being made of jeans is the challenge I set of how to look at how light hits things. Like the tiles of the hallway floor, the metallic rows of washing machines in a launderette or a shiny polished bar top.’

In Hotel California it is a technical mastery of how Ian has managed to get the light hitting the ripples in the water, the reflection of palm trees and hotel in the pool, and the bubbles from a swimmer underwater. Ian stayed at the Roosevelt, famed as the first venue of the Oscars, rumored to have the ghost of Marilyn and also, a certain artist painted the floor of the pool in his iconic style. David Hockney. Ian featured the hotel pool in a number of pieces, along with the Mondrian and the Standard.

While in California, Ian forever had a song in his head, and while the working title became the shows title he fully knows the lyrics aren’t really about a hotel in California, that said he recreates the album cover from the Eagles 1977 hit, that does picture the Beverly Hills Hotel.

To connect the show, Ian will have a part of the Record Store installation that will compliment the Hotel California album cover. He will also be installing the famed Secret Garden for the first time in London, come and see his work in real life at the Catto Gallery and see how he adapts the garden to the space.

The Secret Garden in New York

Private View

Sunday 30 June 2019 12:30 - 5:30

Open to the public

1 July - 28 July 2019 everyday

Gallery opening times

Monday - Saturday 10 - 6pm
Sunday 12.30 - 6pm

How to find the gallery

CATTO GALLERY 100 Heath Street London, NW3 1DP

View Google map

If you would like to make an enquiry you can call the Catto Gallery on:
+44 (0) 20 7435 6660
email the gallery at: art@cattogallery.co.uk

Vote for Ian!

Ian Berry has been nominated as one of the 100 nominees for the Rivet 50 - the Fifty influential people in denim for 2019. You’ll find him within the final section, the influencer section along with the likes of the Hadid sisters and Hailey Bieber along with many well known names within denim - many of them Ian’s friends like Christine Rucci - who helped with the Secret Garden, Kelly Harrington, Mohsin Sajid, Ruedi Karrer and Denim Dudes Amy Leverton And Samual Trotman among others.

VOTE NOW www.rivet50.com

Ian says ‘I was surprised to be nominated as I never consider myself to be ‘in’ denim. However giving my email is full of ‘Ian.. I think you influenced this’ It is slightly ironic. But its always an honour to be given a accolade and I was touched when I got many messages from many in the denim industry of support. Over the many years of working in denim I realised I made many friends.

Ironically, some of them I am up against, but I don’t see it like that at all. They are all worthy of the place.

What is nice to see is a big British contingent, from Stella McCartney to Son of a Stag and Rivet and Hide, who are retailers here in London which represents with many others a really growing authentic denim community in the UK. ‘

What is Rivet 50?

Rivet’s Influential 50 is an index of the most creative and forward-thinking leaders driving the global jeanswear industry. The Influential 50 represent the upward direction the denim community strives for with each new collection, innovation and technology.

Watch out for?

Although it says to only vote for catorgories you know about and we’re sure many won’t be familiar, everyone loved the Secret Garden so look out for Alice Tonello of Tonello in the Executive nominees along with Tricia Carey of Lenzing who are both at the forefront of pushing sustainability in the industry.

Ian says ‘it would be unfair for me to say who to vote for, and we have had too many votes here in the UK lately and it becomes way too controversial, however if you see a brand name you like on the list the chances are the person named with it is one of the big driving forces behind it.’

VOTE NOW www.rivet50.com

Voting ends June 28th 2019

Ian Berry on DW Euromaxx

Ian Berry is on DW Euromaxx which is shown in many different countries and languages around the world. Antje Binder visited Ian in his London studio as well as them visiting Selfridges & Co in London where Ian was having an installation that shows his art in denim. You can watch the report on his denim art here.

About DW Euromaxx

Europe in all its diversity and fascination – that's what Euromaxx brings to the screen. Once a week, DW's magazine offers its international viewers absorbing insights into European culture and lifestyle.

Euromaxx reports on Europe with powerful images and exciting stories: architecture and adventure, cultural and culinary explorations, land and lifestyle, modern fashion and music, big names and big events. The TV magazine presents this diversity once a week: 26 minutes packed with interesting reports and portraits. All across Europe, Euromaxx tracks down extraordinary topics and surprises its viewers regularly with captivating stories. Euromaxx is television fare for connoisseurs!

Euromaxx comes to you right from the heart of Germany's capital. We broadcast our magazine from a state-of-the-art studio in Berlin using the latest design trends and innovations in a blend of real-life settings and augmented reality.

Euromaxx made DW the very first TV broadcaster to produce a full-fledged TV magazine reporting on lifestyle and culture in Europe. Through it, Germany's international broadcaster shows viewers the world over a modern Germany as part of a Europe growing together and emphasizes yet again its role as a mediator and facilitator of international dialogue. Euromaxx is produced in German, English, Spanish and Arabic.

Ian Berry in Selfridges & Co London

London based artist Ian Berry is currently showing in Selfridges and Co on London’s Oxford Street.

On the 3rd Floor in the world’s largest Denim Section in the ‘Denim Studio’ you’ll find a mini exhibition of Ian’s work that recently showed at the London Art Fair. Showing the new body of work based on the Hollywood Roosevelt in LA. The famed hotel that held the first Oscars is also where David Hockney painted the base of the pool.

The stand has a touch of his Secret Garden installation, with a trellis of flowers and foliage hanging down all made out of denim.

Time lapse of the making of overnight in Selfridges London

The Roosevelt Hotel, LA

Ian’s mini exhibition is to coincide with the Bright New Things program that Selfridges runs to promote sustainability with style with upcoming brands. Ian Berry’s recycled denim masterpieces demonstrates this message and is a theme across the promoted sustainable companies. From swimwear made out of regenerated ocean fishnets, sneakers made from recycled materials and, of course, vintage denim repurposed to make new stylish and fitted pairs with fellow East London designer, Anna Foster with E.L.V. Denim.

Ian Berry’s Self Portrait in London’s Selfridges

Ian says:

‘I’m proud to be a part of a growing denim community here in London where sustainability, quality, as well as positive ethics are at the heart of everything. Since moving back to London I found a really authentic community of talented designers, brands, stores and even a new mill that makes denim here in the UK (OK that’s in Lancashire)’

‘It’s fantastic to be a part of this great community, with people like Mohsin Sajid with Endrime, Snake and Dagger and many more - too many to name - but one of the common threads throughout them all is how Blackhorse Lane Atelier is so central to them and it’s great that they have a factory here in London that is the only craft jean maker in London.’

Denim Designer Anna Foster used the factory in Walthamstow to make her denim out of reused vintage jeans, which cut out the journey time and therefore the carbon footprint. Each jean is made up of two halves of vintage jeans, and is therefore entirely unique in its colour and fit. By reusing denim, it cuts the water intake and obviously breathes new life into something that could have been destined for landfill. E.L.V Denim operates from an ideal of ‘no waste’ and she creates her jeans with barely any environmental impact.

Anna says

I love denim, but not only that I’m passionate about the idea of reusing this functional fabric and reworking it into new styles.’

Ian Berry with the display in Selfridges.

Ian adds

When I started my work, it wasn’t really the sustainable message I was going with although I was a big follower of Al Gore when I started recycling denim. I used it because I felt it is the material of our time and I portray contemporary life. In the last few years sustainability is the new buzz word, which is on one side great - but only when it is used authentically, and not just for marketing. Of course I’m now happy that people talk of me in the way that my work portrays a sustainable message and it can make people think, but while I obviously care for the environment and over the years realised how bad a denim past has been its was never the core reason behind my work. People like Anna and Han at Blackhorse Lane really live and breathe that message and are doing a great job.

Ian Berry at the London Art Fair 2019

Ian will show a new body of work at the London Art Fair with the Catto Gallery at booth G38 this January. Based on his last years trip to LA and the Roosevelt Hotel.

LONDON ART FAIR

16 – 20 JANUARY 2019

London Art Fair provides a space to showcase the most exceptional modern and contemporary art of our time, to discover and to buy. The Fair is an established destination for both museum quality modern and contemporary work, nurturing collecting at all levels, from prints and editions, to major works by internationally renowned artists. To enable engagement with art, we continue to provide access to talks, tours, screenings and curated spaces, which include Photo50, our annual exhibition of contemporary photography; Art Projects, which features large-scale installations, solo shows and group displays; and – within Art Projects – Dialogues, a guest-curated section of Art Projects intended to encourage and foster relationships between home and abroad.

London Art Fair is an unmissable opening to the international art calendar, with the next edition taking place from 16-20 January 2019 [Preview Evening 15 January].

London Art Fair Aims

We believe that great art provides a lens to see the world through. That’s why every year London Art Fair connects the best galleries from around the world with both seasoned and aspiring collectors, providing a unique opportunity to discover and champion the most outstanding modern and contemporary art of our time.

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