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AT SEA Dryrobe debacles aside, 2020 was the year
when we got in the sea. Feeling blessed that we nestle so close to a coastline, Dubliners took their plunge in droves as they sought to lift their spirits and balm their souls. Our instagram feed was awash with images of varying quality and smugness. Bobbing to the top is the work of graphic designer Niall Meehan with his Sea Studio collection of prints. The “amorphic energy” of the sea is framed in each shot as Meehan captures the perspective of the swimmer immersed in their restorative ritual. Prints and a 2021 calendar from seastudio.ie ROADMAP Michael McDermott IKEBANA Ikebana is the Japanese art of flower arranging. Descending from the ritual flower offerings made in Buddhist temples, it incorporates adorable Japanese traits and philosophies such as wabi sabi and kintsugi in which impermanence, humility, asymmetry and imperfection are celebrated. This book scours the world to find contemporary floral artists who are inspired by ikebana. From Hayato Nishiyama’s shop in the back street of Kyoto to London-based Irish duo Terri Chandler and Katie Smyth who in 2021 will celebrate five years in existence under the acclaimed Worm moniker, this book takes the texture of nature and perennial blooms to sculpt transient beauty. “Even arranging one flower in a vase creates a picture of the universe. The image is universal. This goes beyond my lifetime or my generation. I am just adding the colours of the present time,” says one of the contributors Toru Watarai. Modern Ikebana: A New Wave in Floral Design, by Victoria Gaiger and Tom Loxley, is published by Ludion, €34.90 weareworm.com Snug out… Ah to be cosy in the snug, talking shite. Fallon’s is a personal favourite, but a snug is a hallmark of a great traditional Irish pub. This project, with all proceeds to ALONE, features 12 select snugs by Finn Richards. We shall snug again! Calendars €20. Limited Edition A3 Prints €60 thesnugproject.com 6