Letter from Isabel: Summer Escape

As a child, I remember my mother always took a bath in the late afternoon and in retrospect, I now realise it was to escape from all of us for half an hour… a moment of complete relaxation in her own space: no clothes or restrictions, just soaking away the stresses of the day in cool water (at the time we were living in a small landlocked country in central Africa.)

And so when I saw this beautiful traditional Japanese bath tub, made by Maomi, it brought back such a strong memory of that need to escape and to cut off from those around you but in the safety of your own tub, away from the noise of domestic pressures or work. And actually maybe it’s better than a holiday escape with the inevitable travel chaos and the constant socialising and the pressures of an even suntan? And how much better to be able to reach out for a handwoven towel from our friend Chiara Stella to wrap yourself in afterwards and lie down on your own bed in your own world… gazing out at a Sugimoto seascape.

So Connolly this summer celebrates a different kind of escape, one that embraces freedom and the sea and bathing but not on a beach.

The Japanese Bathtub

Ofuro means private bath and just one look at the authentic yet remarkably modern design of this wooden handmade bathtub, conjures up a desire to take the plunge. The tub is made of cedarwood, whose essential oils are said to have a harmonizing and calming effect on body and soul. The soft wood is caringly shaped by many hours of manual work. It is assembled and compacted using only natural materials. In a time consuming last step, it is sanded so it is soft and gentle to the touch. Crafted by MAOMI, a label for space, composition and design who develop furniture and home accessories and have them produced - locally and globally. Their products and projects are characterized by a functional simplicity that offers room for creativity. Their design is led by body and mind using materials that are sustainable, subtle, and durable, each with its own history and origin.

Sugimoto

“Every time I view the sea, I feel a calming sense of security, as if visiting my ancestral home; I embark on a voyage of seeing.”

Hiroshi Sugimoto

Hiroshi Sugimoto, is known for his profound ability to capture time, stillness, and emotion within a single frame. His Seascapes series, created as part of his celebrated Time Exposed portfolio, reflects a deep exploration of temporality and the elemental. Each photograph distills a moment at the edge of sea and sky— timeless, contemplative, and serene. The works featured in this collection have been part of a private photography archive built over 35 years, which has included iconic names such as Irving Penn, Richard Avedon, Horst, William Klein, Cecil Beaton, and Dora Maar. Sugimoto’s work has remained a standout, not only for its visual purity but also for the emotional stillness it evokes.

While several of these prints now for sale at Connolly have lived on the collector’s own walls, we welcome you to view and to experience the quiet, meditative power of Sugimoto’s vision through ownership.

And to keep up the aquatic theme we have some beautiful oceanic ceramic pieces from Benedicte Vallet at the gallery upstairs showing alongside our selection of Sugimoto seascape photographic prints. And the unique work of glass alchemist Lulu Harrison whose extraordinarily beautiful Thames Glass Collection is created using shells and sand sourced from the Thames. We are showing a few of her unique pieces, whose surfaces are like gently rippling water. The glass has differing levels of opacity and clarity, like a stream with clouds of sandy sediment rising from the actions of some small creature. Tiny bubbles of air are dotted throughout, while colours range from pale aqua blues through to a greenish turquoise, courtesy of minerals such as in the quagga shells. Lulu says, "I want to replace the use of highly processed virgin materials with these abundant waste materials - and to celebrate impurities. My glass isn't perfect; it's a bit wonky and uneven." - Isabel