Regular Event:
26th Apr 2025 -
27th Apr 2025
Join us for the URSULA Weekender from 26th – 27th April, presented by URSULA, a contemporary culture magazine by Hauser & Wirth. This landmark celebration of contemporary culture serves as a dynamic generator of innovation and content. The inaugural URSULA Weekender launches at Braemar’s Village Hall with a programme celebrating the best of contemporary culture across diverse disciplines, including art, writing, fashion, music, and food.
In association with The Glenrothes, Ruinart, Dover Street Market, Comme des Garçons and hosted by the Fife Arms.
Tickets are £10 per talk – all proceeds to go to Braemar Community Fund.
With a selection of talks over the weekend book your tickets here.
Saturday, 26 April 2025
Village Hall, Braemar. Entry 10 minutes before the start of each talk. All talks last approximately 45-60 min.
11:00 AM
Ben Okri OBE in conversation with Randy Kennedy, Editor-in-Chief URSULA magazine.
Ben Okri OBE – A Booker Prize-winning novelist, poet, and essayist, Okri is one of the most celebrated literary voices of his generation. Best known for his novel The Famished Road (1991), which won the Booker Prize. His writing explores post-colonial identity, African mythology, and the human condition.
Randy Kennedy – Editor-in-Chief of URSULA magazine. He is a distinguished journalist and author. Before leading URSULA, he spent two decades at The New York Times, extensively covering the art world.
12:15 PM
George Rouy, PJ Harvey, and Marco Capaldo from 16 Arlington on collaborating with the costumes for Bodysuit moderated by Randy Kennedy.
George Rouy – British artist whose dynamic and signature use of the human figure, vexed with desire, alienation and crisis, speaks to the extremities of our time: portraits of identity in a globalised and technologically driven 21st Century.
PJ Harvey – A two-time Mercury Prize-winning musician, poet, and visual artist. Since her 1992 debut album Dry, Harvey has been an influential force in alternative music. She is also an accomplished writer and composer.
Marco Capaldo – Co-founder of the London-based fashion label 16 Arlington, Capaldo is one of the most sought-after designers in contemporary fashion. 16 Arlington has dressed celebrities such as Alexa Chung, Emma Corrin, and Kendall Jenner.
15.00 PM
Talk with Swiss graphic designer Dino Simonett and Remo Hallauer on Comme Des Garcons publishing and the new perfume book moderated by Randy Kennedy. Dickon Bowden and Daisy Hoppen from DSM will also be present.
Dino Simonett – Swiss publisher and founder of Simonett & Baer, known for high-quality art and design books, including collaborations with Comme des Garçons.
Remo Hallauer (COO) – Chief Operating Officer and graphic designer specializing in avant-garde editorial projects, shaping the visual identity of publications for Comme des Garçons.
Dickon Bowden & Daisy Hoppen (Dover Street Market) – Bowden is a key figure at Dover Street Market, overseeing collaborations and special projects for the renowned retail concept founded by Rei Kawakubo. Hoppen is a leading creative communications expert and founder of a PR agency representing influential designers and artists
16:15 PM
Dame Sonia Boyce OBE RA in conversation with Ekow Eshun about their projects.
Dame Sonia Boyce OBE RA – over the course of four decades, Sonia Boyce OBE RA has developed a powerfully original practice that transcends boundaries as an interdisciplinary artist and academic working across film, photography, print, sound and installation. Boyce creates immersive and experiential spaces that explore themes of play, disruption and revelation in which the audience become active participants.
Ekow Eshun – A leading cultural critic, writer, and curator. Eshun has curated major exhibitions at institutions such as Somerset House and the Barbican. He is the author of Black Gold of the Sun, a memoir exploring race and identity, and frequently writes for publications like The Guardian and Frieze.
Sunday, 27 April 2025
Village Hall, Braemar. Entry from 10:30 AM. All talks last approximately 45-60 min.
11:00 AM
Charlotte Jansen in conversation with Sam Jacob about The Cosmic House.
Charlotte Jansen – A journalist, author, and critic specialising in contemporary art and visual culture. She is the author of Photography Now: Fifty Pioneers Defining Photography for the Twenty-First Century (2021) and a contributor to The Guardian, The Financial Times, and Frieze.
Sam Jacob – An architect, writer, and curator, Jacob founded Sam Jacob Studio and a co-founder of the experimental architecture collective FAT (Fashion Architecture Taste). His work is known for its conceptual and playful approach, challenging conventional architectural narratives.
11.45 AM
Closing Remarks and Thanks
