Originally published on Monday, 29th September 2008

First Days of Decadence

Since the days of the headline-grabbing YBAs – I’m thinking most especially of a certain someone’s fondness for cow-cleaving – it’s all been rather quiet and unspectacular on the Western front.

Now it’s all a little this; a touch of that. Your kitchen’s minimal, your furniture teased with kitsch, your wardrobe and iPod alike are smattered with equal parts ‘80s brazenness and ‘40s glamour. Whatever happened to a bit of grandeur? The Victorian’s may have their faults, but at least they knew how to go all the way (if perhaps not with those harlot-ish table legs).

Despite being unofficially open for bloody ages now, The Last Days of Decadence – the latest addition to the East London club scene – is finally launching legit. Now that its two enormous, bespoke, Deco stained-glass windows have been finished.

Meanwhile, just next door, the preview night of ‘Make Believe’, showcasing ten emerging British artists, is being interrupted by a funereal horse-drawn cart, laden with a 19th Century Snuff Box (geddit?).

Statement is, like, so the new minimal. But will this Reynolds , really turn out to be the new Hirst (his Snuff Box is in a ‘hearse’, see?)?

Guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Snuff Box: The Nicholls & Clarke Building, 3- 10 Shoreditch High St, E1 6PG
Preview: October 2. 6.30 - 8.30pm

The Last Days of Decadence: 145 Shoreditch High St, E1 6JE 
Launch night: October 2. 6pm-2am (9pm for general entrance)
 

by AC