One of my favourite recent exhibitions – bringing together an amazing array of artists from the 1980s onwards – all of whom have built their own ‘brands’ – embracing commerce and the mass media to extend their reach and turn their creativity into a decent money-making career.

Andy Warhol infamously claimed that “Good business is the best art.” Languishing as a penniless artist was not something he was prepared to do.

Pop Life included installations from Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami and many more.

Tony Gatlif’s 1992 feature length documentary dispenses with words and focuses on the use of images and music. Latcho Drom ‘Safe Journey’ in Romanian is a cinematic chameleon: travelogue, musical, part ethnography, the film is a romantic, idealised view of gypsies starting in Rajasthan, Egypt, Romania, Istanbul, Hungary, France and finally Spain.

This desk was designed by French sculptor, designer, urbanist and architect Maurice Calka, 1921-1999. During his career more than fifty monumental pieces of work of all types were created.

The Boomerang Desk, pictured, was a smaller version of his iconic P.D-G desk, (Président Directeur Générale), which received worldwide acclaim. Both are recognised as highly influential pieces of 20th century design and were the forerunners of the objects designed during the rest of the following decade.

Designed in the late 1960s, the materials are moulded plastic and fibreglass. Only 35 were manufactured in varying colours by Leleu-Deshays. The design was based on the form of a polished stone. President Pompidou owned one of the four or five P.D-G desks in the 70s, and shocked traditionalists when he placed it in the Baroque interior of the Elysée Palace.

Ed Ruscha (pronounced Rew-shay) as his announcement card for his first exhibition made clear exhibits at the Hayward Gallery.  I had forgotten about the brilliance of the brutalist architecture at the Hayward, my Friday night visit would have been worthwhile even if the gallery had been completely empty.

Ruscha use’s banal words as shapes, treating as them as objects, noting that they ‘live in a world of no size.’  ’Noise’ (1963) alongside ‘Boss’ were my favourite paintings from this series. ‘I always looked at a word like it was a horizontal bunch of abstract shapes, which is really what it is.’

The Mountain series started in 1997, the mountains were there to support the drama of the abstract words.  The idea being that if you looked at the words long enough, they lost their meaning.

The frames are also brilliant, notably glass-less canvas in deep aluminium box frames.

I love Established’s latest offering.  Stained oak parquet flooring in graded colours, produced as an edition of 8.  It ideally needs a room with minimal furniture, a ballroom, gallery space or entrance hall.
The designer visits the site and calibrates the design to the space, creating a completely unique design.  Wall to Wall by Shay Alkalay and Yael Mer for Established & Sons, 0207 968 2040.  Image by Ed Reeve.

Just the best nail colour ever!  Looks great on guys too.

I buy tons of Riedel glassware, in particular this stemless collection.  I also love the water glass from the ouverture collection.  As with my own design philosophy, they are timeless, classic and contemporary.

A recent meeting with my client in Primrose Hill.  I wouldn’t normally share a glass with anyone but how could I resist a pink and grey bird.

Porsche 912 in frog green.  It’s my dream car and I came across this one outside my favourite kitchen shop David Mellor on Sloane Square.  I spent a considerable amount of time looking at it last night in the pouring rain.  It’s owned by David’s son Corin and was parked outside as part of their 40th year birthday celebrations.  Every line is perfect.  I am just a little worried it won’t fit under the Christmas tree and the greens might clash….