No. 41: Gijsje Ribbens

Nienke Sikkema Glassware, Germany travel recommendations, ‘Thanx 4 Nothing’ by John Giorno, Sprite Zero and ‘Exit Above’ by Rosas

Jun 13, 2024

Gijsje Ribbens is an Amsterdam-based fashion image director, stylist, and the founder of RiRa Objects, a platform for exclusive home accessories. Through RiRa, she collaborates with designers Sabine Marcelis, Vincent de Rijk, Muller van Severen, and more. As an image director, she’s been long associated with the coat brand KASSL Editions – you will rarely see her without one of their bags or coats. Gijsje’s style is minimalistic but since she was forbidden to use black & white in art school, she has become a big lover of color too. She’s never met a pink she didn’t like! From Gijsje –

I. a show

My best friend Veerle is a big dance aficionado and always gives me great advice on which shows to see. Recently, I attended ‘Exit Above’ by Rosas (the dance-collective of Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker), and it was really, really good—the dance, the music, the stage design, and the costumes were all exceptional. The cast of dancers was SUPER good too. It’s rare to experience works that feel truly original and super modern. If you have the chance to see a Rosas performance, go. Or if you can’t, look up old works of her.

II. a piece of art

One of the most amazing artworks I’ve seen was the video installation of ‘Thanx 4 Nothing’ by John Giorno at Palais de Tokyo in 2015. The poem and performance by the late Mr. Giorno were just so beautiful. In general, I’m a big John Giorno lover – both his poetry and his designs are right up my alley.

III. a beverage

One of my recent discoveries is Sprite Zero. It’s a really good summer drink and the can design is pretty great too.

IV. a set of glassware

This might be tooting my own horn, but the glassware by Nienke Sikkema that we have at RiRa is just really good. It's not only beautiful—the colors and thickness of the glass have a chupa-chup-like quality—but it also provides the most comfortable drinking experience of my life because the water glasses are so heavy.

V. a weekend away in Germany

Yes, London and Paris are the best, but I also love Dusseldorf, Cologne or Munich for a less expected weekend away. In Dusseldorf, I can’t recommend Sammlung Philara enough and in Munich there’s the best bar experience in the world at Schumann’s.

~ bulletin ~

los angeles

On view: Emily Ferguson’s It Girl upstairs at Nicodim (read her Affection Archives feature!). David Zwirner’s 30th anniversary show. Angel Otero’s The First Rain in May and the late Winfred Rembert’s Hard Times at Hauser & Wirth. Loren Erdrich’s Little Stars at Shrine. Lois Dodd & Ellen Siebers at Parrasch Heijnen. Andrew Kerr’s Mitty Mag at Matthew Brown Gallery. Maia Ruth Lee’s hold shimmer wind at François Ghebaly. Ryan Sullivan, Sebastian Silva, Roberto Matta, JB Blunk, and pascALEjandro at Blum. Phil Davis’ Chorus at Fernberger. Camille Claudel sculptures at the Getty Museum. Ed Ruscha’s Now Then at LACMA.

new york

On view: Jenny Holzer’s Light Line at Guggenheim. Joshua Charow’s Loft Law at Westwood Gallery. Photos from Stephen Shore’s topography series at 303 Gallery. Areum Yang’s Home of Being at Derek Eller. Michael McGregor’s Voyage Voyage opens Saturday at Hashimoto Contemporary. Alex Gardner’s Pyschic Stamina opens Saturday at Perrotin. Simone Bodmer-Turner’s A Year Without A Kiln at Emma Scully Gallery. Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion at the Met. Second solo exhibition of French-American artist Niki de Saint Phalle, featuring five works of her late-career Tableaux Éclatés, at Salon 94.

Affection Archives is a weekly look into the archives of yours truly (Arielle Eshel) and humans I admire. If you’d like to add an event to the bulletin, DM on Instagram or reply to this email.