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| Sophie Parkin |
It's the biggest, butchest, bitch book of the year, darlings.
"Unfortunately, I don’t feel it is suitable to us at The Arts Club (not the Scottish one!). Our Club has changed slightly and so have our members.
"I am sure you understand my view."
What a peculiar response from an institution which claims to "maintain a special focus on London-based artists." The Colony was all about London-based artists. Has the Arts Club turned into the kind of salon de thé one might patronise on the outskirts of Worthing?
Quite naturally, Sophie is currently raising awareness - to lapse into charity-ese - of her tome with personal appearances and talks: Sophie is, like her vivacious mother Molly, an ambulatory entertainment and orator. So, it was entirely to be expected that she would approach the legendary Arts Club in Dover Street, London, with an offer to give a talk on the Colony and her book. After all, the Arts Club "is very much a place where creative people come together to meet, exchange ideas, eat, drink, entertain and relax," to quote a line from its own website. It boasts: "The Arts Club has reclaimed its place at the heart of the contemporary cultural life in London and on the world stage."
Alas! A letter from the Club to Sophie has fallen into my hands which suggests it imagines itself well above the grizzled alpha hoi polloi who once guzzled and gossiped at the Colony. I won't reproduce the entire document or identify the Hyacinth Bucket who wrote it, but the key de haut en bas passage reads:
"Thank you for your email and the information about your Book [capitalised b as written] – this is certainly a great review of these exciting years and people..
"Unfortunately, I don’t feel it is suitable to us at The Arts Club (not the Scottish one!). Our Club has changed slightly and so have our members.
"I am sure you understand my view."
What a peculiar response from an institution which claims to "maintain a special focus on London-based artists." The Colony was all about London-based artists. Has the Arts Club turned into the kind of salon de thé one might patronise on the outskirts of Worthing?
Perhaps the real problem here is the Arts Club's "complete renovation" in 2011. "It has been completely transformed into a truly world class establishment," it reports, with pinkie out-stretched, in its History. Even better: "The interior has been designed by David D’Almada who has tastefully created a timeless ambiance juxtaposing vintage furniture with new."
Sounds gorgeous. Very P&O cruise liner.
To order a copy of Sophie Parkin's The Colony Room Club 1948-2008, click here. The title is released in December.
16 comments:
Very wittily done Madame. The Arts Club I'm afraid now has airs.
Is she a member of the club? You don't mention that. If she isn't a member, one can understand them turning her down.
I have no idea. But in any case, the Arts Club gives its reason in the quoted letter. No mention of membership.
I don't care.
The Arts club look wonderful. Who wants to be surrounded by drunks in some grotty ale house that was the Colony. I'm joining the Arts.
To write about one Parkin is quite enough
Hear hear above. The Arts is a fabulous place. We don't want some ghastly self-publicist screaming on about a bunch of tossers.
Arts Club sounds like a silly, boring and pretentious yuppie establishment... these types never understand truly creative people or what motivates artists.
Suspect there's more to this tale. Surely the membership couldn't have changed over night.
Very Queen Mary
Huh. No wonder Mr Horsley said to me 'Now the Colony has gone, there's nowhere for people like you and I'.
I went to the Arts Club recently. Dreadful people. Not an artist or creative person in sight.
It's too Russian billionaire-y to be remotely interesting these days.
The place is full of hedge fund people.
Too right. Madame Acarti is obviously very impartial on this one.... Especially when Molly Parkin herself has described him as her 'permanent fiancé'... Might be why we are hearing so much of these two...
I am always responsible in the demonstration of my partialities.
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