The opportunity to remaster works by Monet was particularly special for Enninful, who cites how the French painter’s work has had a significant influence on his time at British Vogue. “ I love the picture of Parliament,” he explains, referencing the 1904 piece that sees a misty sky interrupted only by the shadow of the Houses of Parliament and a warm, speckled sun. “The minute I saw that (I was inspired),” he says, recalling how he first saw Monet’s art in a museum as a teenager. It profoundly moved him, continuously inspiring his creativity for years to come. “I can give you a real, direct connection. In lockdown, I was thinking of how to create covers and I remembered the painting of Parliament and (for the 2021 September Issue) I had the actress Gemma Chan. You can sort of see Parliament in the background. That was directly based on that picture that I love so much. I also remember, halfway through lockdown, we were all at home (and) I remembered the Water Lilies, and (thought) wouldn’t it be amazing to do 14 covers of people just staring at landscapes. It was another direct correlation of my love for Monet and bringing what I loved about his work into my work in contemporary society.”
“It’s about access,” the editor reiterates, before explaining that the starting point for access with a project like this is education. Intending to remind people that, in a world increasingly framed by iPhone screens, tactility can still be exciting and informative, Enninful notes “There’s so much beauty and creativity (in) the physical experience, whether it’s visiting a gallery or having a picture on your wall,” he explains. “Lito is so great because they (can) take a master (like) Monet, (someone who I have) loved since I was a kid and bring it to the public saying, ‘Hey, it’s accessible.’” He later explains, “That was so key for me. (Showing this art to) people who have never been exposed to (the) money (it’s) worth, people who’d seen the work but didn’t know too much about it, people who had a little (bit of) information and wanted to learn more about it. For me, that was what was exciting, to make art less intimidating…I believe that if we can educate ourselves and give ourselves broader access to things that are important in the world, (then we won’t) lose curiosity. We can’t. Curiosity will lead us forward.”
Making art more affordable was another integral part of this puzzle. “I really love the idea of sort of making the price point of art more democratic,” Enninful explains. With the meticulous renders, which feature every detail from the texture of the paint to the depth of the brushstrokes of the real pieces, available for purchase between €400 and €1000, the collaboration is doing just that. Proving you don’t have to be a millionaire to collect art or have an elitist worldview to appreciate it, the project is redefining what it means to be an art lover, beyond an appreciation for these specific paintings.
Keeping up with changing times is evidently a key aspect of Enninful’s ethos, an element perfectly complimented by the technological advancement showcased by Lito. “I always try to focus on the future in everything I do,” he posits, “and I believe that Lito are modern masters. They have this incredible technology and they can use it to bring art, not just to new generations but also to communities who are not as exposed to the art world as they would like to be. But also, most importantly, when the museum sort of validates technology in that way, it’s quite exciting.” He continues, “I think for the art world, it’s really important. (The Musée d’Orsay and Musée de l’Orangerie) are so respected in the industry (and to) put such an incredible project in their hands and (for them to) really believe that art should go to everybody (is amazing). I’m really all about forward looking and I’m not scared of technology. I’m not scared of AI. God knows what AI is going to do to the art world or to all our worlds in the future, but I’m not one of those that shies away from it. I’ll learn as much as I can about it and hopefully use it to good advantage.”
