Welcome to the wonderful world of artist Tal R. We love his sense of colour, his humour and his cut-up Hermès scarves, so we dropped by his studio in Copenhagen.

Photography NOAM GRIEGST / The Horse Rider’s Journal No.7

His name is extraordinary and so is everything else about him. Tal R, as he is called, was born in Tel Aviv, grew up in Copenhagen and today he belong to major galleries around the world: Chaim and Reed in New York, Victoria Miro in London and Contemporary Fine Art in Berlin. He is mostly recognized for his paintings and sculptures in recent years. But at The Horse Rider’s Journal we have also fallen in love with pieces made out of cut up Hermés scarves. “For years I have been buying old Hermés scarves. Mainly at markets around the world and once from a distinguished old and mysterious lady who had a big collection that I bought. All she wanted to tell me was it was from a dead relative, which made it all the more exciting.” He has mostly collected Hermés scarves with equestrian motifs and although Tal R has bought new ones as well, it is mainly the old ones that touches his heart, “because they smell of old perfume and powder. It scares me and mystifies me at the same time.”
But what ever are they for? “I have just shipped one off to New York, but I really do not like the idea of letting them go. I just want them at home on my bed.” •