Art exhibition: Messums London presents Kitty Shepherd's new work until December 7th

From now until December 7th, Messums London is hosting a new highly anticipated series of vessels and tiles by internationally recognised British ceramic artist, Kitty Shepherd (b. 1960). 

Known for her bold use of colour with slip, Shepherd’s practice is centred around her manual dexterity and exceptional craft aligned with her passion as an observer of cultural ephemera, and the emotional attachment we feel for inanimate, immediate items that conversely form an integral and lasting part of our collective experience and identity.

There is an innate juxtaposition between the timelessness of the extraordinarily fine craftsmanship involved in the creation of Shepherd’s ceramic pieces and the shapes she chooses to employ, and the transient, mass-produced consumer objects that form the subject matter of their vibrant surface decoration.

“I believe that many of the objects we are attracted to today have been with us all of our lives. They may live deep inside our DNA, quite literally the fabric of who we are. I continually ask myself what are my favourite things and also the following questions: Why these objects? What power do they hold for me? What meaning? What memories do they conjure up? What emotions? And most importantly, what stories do I tell myself about them and through them? How have they become a part of who I am and what part of me do I leave behind in them?” – Kitty Shepherd

Shepherd’s work makes unexpected – often humorous – connections between iconic images and designs that she recalls as cultural milestones; for example, the Zoom Lolly Vase (2020), in which she places the repeat motif of a Zoom ice lolly over a backdrop of the CND peace logo – global consumer capitalism meeting international political activism, turning an innocent children’s treat into a sinister reminder of the pervasive impact and quasi-fetishisation of the arms race in the second half of the 20th century. 

The result is art as a form of play, involving the reframing of objects within a world of attention and manipulation of context; a context standing in a metaphorical relation to the world of everyday life.

Image from Messums London 

MESSUMS LONDON of 28 Cork Street, London, W1S 3NG is a 2,000 sq ft exhibition space on Cork Street behind the Royal Academy. It hosts a rolling programme of exhibitions for our contemporary artists, and is run under the umbrella MESSUMS ORG.

Made To Be Remade collection in Chasing Circularity unveiled by adidas at Design London

Germany-based sportswear brand adidas presented Chasing Circularity exhibition during Design London Festival in September 2022 to showcase the progress it has made to drive its sustainability progamme.

Trade visitors were treated to the latest innovations through the one-off exhibition at Greenwich Peninsula.

One of the key focus of the exhibtion  was the unveiling of a tracksuit under the adidas by Stella McCartney brand, which was described as a “first of its kind sportswear garment designed to demonstrate the potential of a circular fashion ecosystem”.  

The gender-neutral tracksuit was made using viscose and was designed in collaboration with an EU Consortium.   It will be available from 6 October.

In charting adidas' journey since the launch of its FUTURECRAFT.LOOP programme introduced in 2019, the company's Senior Director of Sustainability Concepts (Footwear and Apparel), Paul Smith, (pictured here|) said the exhibition was to give visitors a look into adidas' "made to be remade" journey to push further into sustainability.  

He said adidas wanted to show how it has progressed from having its first shoe made entirely from one material, and then ground down to be remade into a new product after use, thus kick-starting the brand's circular transition towards producing a wide range of products.

By using a unique technology, consumers can wear the new adidas by Stella McCartney tracksuit until it’s worn out, and then return it by scanning the QR code on the adidas app. The product can be sent back to Infinited Fiber Company’s recycling stream where it can be broken down to be reused. This is an advantage of its Made To Be Remade concept to ensure less waste goes into the fashion eco-system.

When adidas first revealed FUTURECRAFT.LOOP in 2018/19, its’first shoe made entirely from one material was ground down and remade into a new product after use, and kick-started the brand’s circular transition towards producing a wide range of goods.  

Smith said the latest Made To Be Remade apparel and footwear collections have been made in collaboration with an EU Consortium, demonstrating the potential of a circular fashion ecosystem.

Across a three-year timeline, the consortium collected and sorted post-consumer end-of-life textiles, which using pioneering Infinited Fiber technology, have been regenerated into a new textile fiber called Infinna™️. Made from 99% post-consumer textile waste, Infinna™️ looks and feels just like virgin cotton. Infinna™️ fiber, which by fiber name belongs to the viscose family, is then turned into a yarn blended with organic cotton for garment production.

Creating an innovative piece for its Made To Be Remade program, this unique technology means consumers can wear the new adidas by Stella McCartney sportswear set until it’s worn out, and then return it by scanning the QR code on the adidas app. The product can be sent back to Infinited Fiber Company’s recycling stream where it can be broken down to be reused, ensuring less waste goes into the fashion eco-system.

As part of the collection, adidas also unveiled its latest Made To Be Remade Ultraboost running shoe, which was initially launched last year. 

Meanwhile the label’s Terrex Made To Be Remade Padded Anorak, an insulated jacket made with the new loop creation process, is a trail-ready piece that provides a better alternative to the standard economy of make, use and dispose.  Smith added that this Anorak is a great example of how adidas can bring in more and more complexity into a product.

Photos © Lucia Carpio 2022 taken at the adidas Chasing Circularity exhibition during Design London Festival held in September 2022 in Greenwich Peninsula.

V & A's FASHION IN MOTION: Daniel Lismore featured on August 5

Multidisciplinary artist Daniel Lismore,, hailed by Vogue as "England's Most Eccentric Dresser", will be the next featured designer in the V&A’s Fashion in Motion series. 

To be held in London Victoria &Albert Museum's Raphael Court on the 5 August, the four free fashion presentations will showcase highlights from Lismore’s recent exhibition Be Yourself, Everybody Else is Taken, alongside his new ‘Jubilee’ look on view for the first time.

Lismore is recognisable for creating three-dimensional sculptural ensembles which mesh together past, present and future. His work is a psychedelic mash up of haute couture, charity shop finds and vintage fabrics, and sustainability sits at the heart of Lismore's design philosophy through reuse and upcycling.

Sustainability sits at the heart of Daniel’s design philosophy, and with each ensemble he practices creative re-use and upcycling. 

Twelve life-size ensembles – standing at 6’4” – will be showcased, examining social, historical and cultural themes central to Lismore’s work and life as a ‘living sculpture’. 

Daniel Lismore said: “I am delighted that my sculptural looks will be showcased at the V&A. The pieces are a product of 20 years of collecting, collaboration and travel – each individual accessory, textile and adornment has a unique and personal story. I hope that visitors will be inspired and empowered by my life as a living sculpture to express themselves however they choose.”

Oriole Cullen, V&A Senior Curator Exhibitions said: “Daniel Lismore’s spectacular sculptures embody his unique lived experience, we are excited to present his dramatic and uncompromising vision of beauty and authenticity as part of the V&A’s Fashion in Motion series.”

A prominent fixture on the London Fashion and Art circuits, Daniel was Creative Director of luxury label Sorapol where he dressed Nicki Minaj, Mariah Carey, Naomi Campbell, and Boy George amongst others. Daniel has designed for English National Opera and has exhibited at the Venice Biennale, Miami Art Basal and Reykjavik Arts Festival in 2018.

FASHION IN MOTION: Daniel Lismore is supported by Libbie Scher Mugrabi