My essentials: Etienne Farrell’s cultural picks

1. Books

As an Art History undergraduate, I used to question the supremacy of the European white male artist. Art History books and art historians, in general, have disregarded important artists, marginalising them due to gender, racial, or ethnic compositions. I have always been particularly curious about women artists. Two books I read recently, The Mirror and the Palette by Jennifer Higgie and Linda Nochlin’s Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists? discuss women who were independent, successful, and key contributors to the conception of artistic movements, dismissing the popular idea that ‘famous’ female artists are so because of their affiliation with male artists.

2. Film

A series called Arcane, created by the French animation studio Fortiche under the supervision of Riot Games. The attention to detail is incredible. It is a unique blend of hand-painted 2D textures and 3D animation, resulting in a painterly aesthetic that feels alive. The music is cleverly interwoven within the aesthetic. The characters are strong and compelling, set in a steampunk environment, influenced by art nouveau and art deco styles. I particularly admire the studio for keeping a strict stance against the use of AI in anything that has to do with the show, as a sign of respect for the artists who worked on it.

3. Interent/TV 

I limit my time on social media, but content related to children somehow always draws my attention. It saddens me that children are becoming more of an accessory, spending less time with their families and more time with carers or in front of screens. I am not a fan of “quality time”. I believe that children should live with their families as much as possible, observing, bonding, and engaging in meaningful conversations. We are fostering strained relationships and increased feelings of isolation.

4. Music

I listen to music while working because it helps to set the mood, and I usually work on several different projects at once. So lately, I’ve been listening to Beethoven and Chopin while working on some book illustrations, then making rounds between Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bring Me the Horizon, Slipknot, Deftones, and Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes while creating mixed-media sculptures.

5. Place 

I love forests and I love open, rough seas. But if I had to mention one particular place, it would have to be a country cottage that we rented last year in the south of Ireland, surrounded by a grove of very old trees, home to a murder of crows. I miss the treehouse, the icy-cold weather, clean air, the evenings spent reading books by the fireplace, the quiet, the walks in forests and the vast grasslands, and the slow-paced lifestyle in the villages nearby.