Friday Tip: A thousand words

We have a few keen photographers at Conran Towers: Yannick, an architect at Conran and Partners, makes short films with his brother, and our CEO Roger Mavity takes some remarkable fine art pictures.

Sam and Stephen, Conran Singh‘s resident shutterbugs, recommended Edward Burtynsky’s acclaimed ‘OIL’ show at The Photographers’ Gallery for this week’s Friday Tip. The show explores our relationship with the black gold on which we rely, and the landscapes the oil industry leaves behind.

One of Edward Burtynsky’s breathtaking oil landscapes

It closes on 1st July, so this is very much your last chance.

If that doesn’t tickle your fancy, you could also check out The Conran Shop’s summer sale…

Happy weekend everyone!

Conran: CEO Speaks!…plus something for the (hot!) weekend

Last night I was invited to the Royal College of Art for a panel discussion in front of about 80 students.  The other people on the panel were Paul Priestman, from design company Priestman Goode, Melanie Howard, a futurologist, and Sarah Weir, Arts and Culture Head at the Olympic Delivery Authority.

Theme of the evening was ‘Fasten your Seatbelts…’ a reference to the fact that we will be in for a bumpy ride in a tough economy. Oddly, a tough economy might be good for young graduates: they don’t yet have mortgages to pay and kids to feed, so they can afford to work much more cheaply.  In a time when money is tight that gives them a real advantage.

There was much agonising discussion about how things would be in a continuing recession.  I suggested that we stopped worrying about it, and let George Osborne do the worrying for us, since there’s nothing we can do about it anyway.

After the session we had several glasses of wine, a wander around the degree show and a chance to meet the students.  The degree show was interesting  – I concentrated on the photography as I jealously wanted to be sure that none of the young students had work any better than my own.  I got chatted up ferociously by a vivacious Indian design student.  I naturally assumed that she was unstoppably drawn to my debonair charm.  Afterwards, my wife cruelly pointed out it was more likely that she simply wanted a chance to interview for a job at Conran.

Oh well, life is filled with little disappointments.

Something for a (hot!) weekend in London

Temperatures soaring needn’t mean you have to miss out on a bit of culture; London’s al fresco venues are buzzing with music, theatre, art, design and much, much more.

Just 5 mins walk from Conran Head Office the other side of Tower Bridge is morelondon. Its outdoor venue ‘The Scoop’ always has a varied programme of free events and performances over the summer months and they’ve just kicked off with a scottish-play themed bang.

Running over this weekend is The Pantaloons riteous performance of Macbeth

Get ready for killer lines, killer crimes and some seriously weird sisters as The Pantaloons theatre company return to The Scoop with more of their own brand open-air Shakespeare mayhem following last year’s hugely successful Romeo & Juliet.Time: 14.30 & 18.00

Location: The Scoop at More London

Admission: FREE

The Scoop at More London Free Festival – Fringe – June