portrait

What's Next Podcast Episode 44 /  by James Whitaker

James Whitaker Portrait

James Whitaker

Being interviewed for Therese-Marie Hinrichs’s podcast, What’s Next - Rethinking Architecture was a delight and a privilege.

Therese was a wonderfully enjoyable host to chat with and it was great to explore what I’m passionate about. I hope it’s as enjoyable for you to listen to as it was for us to record!

“On a planet of finite resource, if you’re going to make something you’ve got to make sure that thing is great.”
— James Whitaker

Notes

The piece of furniture in Edinburgh that I was thinking about is the Bed Box project by Oli Chapman.

The space standards set out by the Greater London Authority (GLA) that I mention are here on page 49.

The Banshees of Inisherin, which has rekindled my enthusiasm for Guiness, is terrific and well worth a watch.

What's Next Podcast

What’s Next Podcast by Therese-Marie Hinrichs

Family Tree /  by James Whitaker

This summer was my mum and dad's golden wedding anniversary. With the whole family gathered in Liverpool to celebrate I took advantage of the moment and photographed all their sons, daughter-in-laws and grandchildren. Here's a little selection.

What Paul Daniels told me about halos /  by James Whitaker

Paul Daniels portrait by James Whitaker

Paul Daniels was a really lovely guy to photograph. He was warm and friendly, and incredibly generous with his time. I met him in his dressing room before a show and Debbie McGee was there, repairing his jacket. There was the obligatory magician's rabbit hoping around. It was everything I could have hoped for from a meeting with the celebrity TV magician of my childhood.

As we walked down the street to where I wanted to take the portrait Paul started to explain to me the origin of the halo. He explained that back in the day sculptors started to add disks above the heads of their famous subjects to prevent their face from becoming awash with bird poo. With time this purpose was forgotten and the discs were simply associated with important people, and then in turn saints.

Now, a lot of my knowledge comes from stories like this. Often the stories are told to me in the pub where alcohol may have been consumed. Despite the world wide web being on my phone, in my pocket, I don't fact check these things. Wikipedia is not consulted. Had I referred to Google I would have found countless articles about the origins of the halo, almost none of which refer to bird excrement. But then why let facts stand in the way of a good story?