Art Exhibition: Rio Kobayashi, Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos Caballero among key designers exhibiting at Cromwell Place during London Design Festival

As part of the annual London Design Festival (LDF), held this year 16 - 24 September, the Brompton Design District -  an affluent part of London that includes the Victoria and Albert Museum - typically features the work of designers, artists and creative professionals, providing them a platform to showcase their innovative and cutting-edge design concepts during the annual LDF.  

The Brompton district hosts a series of exhibitions, installations and presentation in showrooms, shops, galleries and institutions across the whole area.

One such venue is the Cromwell Place which has 14 gallery spaces, across five Grade II listed townhouses, and a programme of arts exhibitions and events.

Among the highlights is MANUS MANUM LAVAT, One hand washes the other  by East-London based artist, designer and maker Rio Kobayashi.  Though this is his first solo exhibition, Rio has involved many other creators to form a collaborative show and event space to create a convivial living space.  

Rio's exhibition features his craftsmanship primarily in wood carving and his sense of fun injected into everyday objects that are also practical as well as aesthetically creative.  Bringing together design pieces that reflect his deep sense for relationships, his works on display are results of collaborations and the gallery space will co-exist as a living room for people enjoying the company of design objects and designers. From DJs, to chefs, graphic designers and artists, the exhibition will give a little insight into what is most essential to Rio and his work – bringing people together and having fun.

Rio's belief is that happiness is achieved by creating a life of quality both in the materialistic world and in our internal worlds.  Note his collaboration with Austrian audio specialist Wiener Lautsprecher Manufaktur (WLM ) for its wood encased amplifiers and speakers.  Thus when one enters his exhibition space, there's soul-enhancing music playing to entertain visitors.

There's a fish table - Fatty Tuna - an oak table  featuring a fish painted by artist James Hague, and comes complete with a detachable fin that can double up as a cutting board. A modula sofa designed with Flavia Brandle covered with new fabrics by Peter Pilotto and Christopher de Vos of Phase 2, who are also showing Cromwell Place. Peter and Christopher also supplied fabrics for Rio's lanterns.

Rio was born of mixed heritage in Japan (Austrian-Italian-Japanese) to an artisan family, and was later trained as a cabinet maker in Austria. He lived and worked in a number of different cities around Europe before setting up his own practice in London.

Phase 2 is the collaboration between Christopher De Vos Caballero and Peter Pilotto that represents a new collection of homewares, furnishings and clothing explore the interaction between fashion and interiors, and highlighting the collaboration between designer and producer. 

The duo ran the Peter Pilotto fashion brand for 14 years and decided to rethink their creative business  2020.

Following extensive travelling through Latin America, reconnecting with Christopher's half Peruvian, half Belgian roots, Phase 2 is the result of 2 years of developing a new concept which explores the exchange between the surroundings and self-expression, between the spaces we inhabit and the clothing we wear.

The designers were inspired by Christopher's grandfather who was a topographer and collection of minerals.  The exhibition includes a range of homewares with motifs informed by minerals such as malachite, pyrite and black opal.  Works include hand-knotted rugs made in Nepal, jacquard weaves from Italy for upholstery, hand-painted and lacquered furniture made in England, embroidered velvets for screens and soft furnishings and digitally printed throws and clothing.

Untold Beauty: Korean craft and design - hosted by Lloyd Choi Gallery.  In recent years, whilst South Korea’s dynamic pop culture has become an international phenomenon, the country has seen a new movement, reviving the aesthetic in art and design of the Joseon dynasty (around the time of the 14th century), a distinctive time in Korean craftsmanship.

Designers, makers, and artists are finding inspiration from traditional forms, materials, processes and in traditional values of that dynastic period, holding these at the core of their contemporary practices, exploring the current return to Joseon’s contemplative aesthetic: featuring ceramics, furniture, textile, and woodwork, including the Moon Jar.

Peruke Projects presents Itinerant Practices featuring the works of three artists who lived and worked in Singapore at the same time.  They are the multi-displinary artists Hélène le Chatelier, American painter Lydia Janssen and British artist Piers Bourke.  The show is built in relation to the individual negotiations between "back home" and "now", according to text provided, culminating in a richly woven tapestry of memoirs of cross-culturalism, identity, transnationality and hybridism.

Hélène Le Chatelier’s Missing Part underscores resilience as a commonality of our human condition. Lydia Janssen draws from previous exhibitions Spotlight and Yellow Brick Road, and developing new sketches titled The Rectangles, investigating what it means to belong and feel at home. Piers Bourke’s Fan series were developed as a result of his time living in Singapore. The convergence of cultural influences of living and traveling in Southeast Asia led him back to the fundamentals of working with paint on paper and canvas. 

In the Pavilion Gallery, showcasing for the first time is a roster of artists that comprise Canopy Collections. Entitled Full House is an exhibition of new works by 22  international artists ranging from the emerging to some of the most established names in the contemporary art world., uniting under one roof a broad diversity of expressions, backgrounds and aesthetics.

The focus of Canopy Collections for the past three years is to provide a supportive and accessible environment for artists and collectors alike, through carefully curated exhibitions of unique works of art. Full House invites the audience "to re/discover both the variety and mutuality of the artistic practices they represent, celebrating art in its various forms, and "as a vector for exchange and community building."  

The line up of artists include David Batchelor, Charlotte Beaudry, Richard J. Butler, Thomas Cameron, Celeste, William Cobbing, Lara Davies, Benedikte Klüver, Sarah Lederman, Anastasia Lopoukhine, Daniel MacCarthy, Ellie MacGarry, James William Murray, Irvin Pascal, Dan Rees, Marianne Thoermer, Grace Tobin, Ian Whittlesea, Aethan Wills, Salomé Wu, William Stein.

All photos by Lucia Carpio.

Art, Design & Cultural Events: London Design Festival 16 — 24 Sept 2023

London Design Festival 2023 is in full swing and this September, the LDF programme over 9 days is spread across 13 districts, outdoor sculptures, solo exhibitions, two church installations, insightful talks and much more.  It is an experience for all the senses, including AI-enhanced smells, artful feasts for the eyes in Greenwich and sounds and textures come together in an ode to Shoreditch’s industrial legacy.  

Click HERE for free digital guide.

London designer Yinka Ilori is a keynote speaker at  Global Design Forum
at the V&A Museum.
Photo from Global Design Forum website.

Plus, the Global Design Forum at the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) in South Kensington, is the LDF’s curated thought leadership programme, celebrating design and the minds shaping its future.  The programme features the challenging and exciting topics that designers face today, including regenerative futures; new possibilities in digital design; identity and inclusivity; design to shape behaviour; connecting communities; participation in design and design for crisis and recovery. Speakers from the global design community share new perspectives on how design can be more accessible, inclusive, sustainable and at the forefront of change.  The sessions are hosted at the V&A Museum on 16, 17, 20 and 21 September 2023.

Created in association with Artichoke and supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, "Aura" installation by Pablo Valbuena at St Paul's Cathedral examines the potential of time, sound and light to create a contemporary response to this Christopher Wren masterpiece.  ‘Aura’ listens to the sound, voices and music generated in St Paul’s and materialises them into a spectral, three-dimensional aura.
Image from London Design Festival

One of the headline LDF events is "Aura" by France-based Spanish artist Pablo Valbuena inside the St Paul's Cathedral, EC4.  "Aura" is a live installation that transforms the sounds present in the Cathedral into a pulsating line of light projected at an architectural scale. The piece is deeply intertwined with the context and fabric of the cathedral. It introduces new ideas while seamlessly integrating into the building and its daily life as if it had been part of the original design.

Another headline event is ‘Halo’ by Moritz Waldemeyer at St Stephen Walbrook, EC4

"Halo" by Moritz Waldemeyer integrates two complementary
layers to create an immersive experience.
Images by Ed Reeve from London Design Festival

"Halo" is a transcendent light installation nestled within the storied architecture of St. Stephen Walbrook Church. This historic landmark, also designed by the Sir Christopher Wren, stands as a symbol of London's resilience and enduring spirit, rising from the ashes of the Great Fire of London in 1666. 'Halo' thoughtfully integrates two complementary layers to create an immersive experience. The first layer features a meticulously designed conical pendulum, carefully embedded with integrated lights. Suspended from the apex of the church, the pendulum traces a celestial-like path around the church's central attraction – the renowned altar. Created by acclaimed artist Henry Moore, this travertine marble masterpiece invites viewers into a shared space of contemplation and admiration.

One of the special projects during LDF is "Nice to Meet You Again" by Morag Myerscough at

Shoreditch Electric Light Station, N1.

Image from London Design Festival

Morag and MINI (one of the motor brands under BMW group) are united by their "shared values of imaginative space utilisation." They integrate their designs with the surrounding environment to create captivating experiences. These values shape the installation, "providing a fully immersive journey into a future where spaces are adorned with abundant greenery and teeming with vibrant life."

Until Tuesday, there are talks at the installation that invites visitors to explore a luscious urban world where tradition meets technology. The installation exudes a contagious sense of optimism and positive energy, mirroring MINI's signature 'go-kart feeling' and playful nature. 

Morag, born and raised in Holloway, London, has now embraced life in the countryside but has always been captivated by how colour, pattern and words can alter the urban environment and the public perception of spaces.  This collaboration with MINI amplifies the brand's commitment to creating dynamic and positive mobility solutions that reflect the energy and diversity of both rural and urban life.

Coinciding with LDF is the Shoreditch Design Triangle cultural event  with a programme of design-led happenings that are representative of the vibrant creative scene that flourishes in the area.  Shoreditch's transformation from historically a working-class and industrial area to a hub of creativity, culture and innovation, can be traced back to the 1990s when artists, musicians, and creative entrepreneurs began to move into the area, attracted by its affordable rents and industrial spaces. This influx of creative individuals laid the groundwork for the neighborhood's transition into a creative and design-focused community.

HUMAN TOUCH exhibition at Sotheby's in London

The HUMAN TOUCH exhibition at Sotheby's held in early March showcased the incredible connection between designers and makers.

Framed wall hanging above: Art Makes People Powerful, 2019, is designed by Bob and Roberta Smith

Dimensions: 138 by 138cm

The piece of canvaswork (also known as needlepoint) was stitched in one prison by a single stitcher who used crewel wool to stitch in basketweave tent stite, a diagonal stitch which is used for its strength, evenness and structure.

HUMAN TOUCH was a ground-breaking collaboration between eight international contemporary artists and Fine Cell Work a charity that trains and works with prisoners in Britain, transferring their cells into embroidery workshops.

This unique project joining celebrated artists with stitchers in prison cells resulted in eight unique works of art for the exhibition at Sotheby's 26th February to 3rd March 2020 and sold by Fine Cell  Work.

The contemporary artists involved in this project were Ai Weiwei, Idris Khan, Carolina Mazzolari, Annie Morris, Cornelia Parker, Bob and Roberta Smith, Wolfgang Tillmans and Francis Upritchard.

Francis Upritchard's The Artists, Paravent with upholstered silk panels (176 x 149 cm)

The colour images were screen-printed onto handwoven silk and then hand-embroidered using stranded cotton in a wide selection of shades.  The stitches were imspired by the Bayeux Tapestry (technically an embroidery, not a tapestry) and include laid work, stem stitch, satin stich, couching, back stitch, raised chain band, detached chain stitch, French knots, buttonhole bars and double knot stitch.  The embroidered silk was professionally upholstered into the paravent, which was designed and constructed by Martino Gamper.

British designer Cath Kidston, Chair of Human Touch and Trustee of Fine Cell Work said in the programme introduction that the pieces were started from discussions with each artist with the understanding of the restrictions of stitching in prison.  The artists selected their base cloths and small sections were sent into some of the cell groups in prison to be sampled based on their specifications.  The artists then made recommendations or changes before each work was put into full production in prisons across the country.  As the work returned from prison, the emotional connection between the artists and the stitchers became obvious and can be seen through the craftsmanship.  

Ai Weiwei's piece was a quilt called Odyssey.

The monochrome piece consists of 28 embroidered panels, plus plan panels joined together in a variation of a Log cabin style quilt.  The topic is powerful, as it is about refugees, about Human Flow, according to the artist.  The embroidered panels were digitally printed and then stitched in stranded cotton using a variety of different stitches (stem, chain, open chain, detached chain, back and whipped back stitch plus French knots).

Ai Weiwei was so impressed with the results that he wrote personally to each of the 13 stitchers who worked on his piece to thank them for their contribution.

Idris Khan was so impressed with the stitcher's work that he chose to embroider his signature rather than marking with pen.

His design is called Numbers - a hand-sewn photograph presented as a framed wall-hanging of 180 x 180 cm.  The design was digitally printed on heavy linen with embroidered embellishments.

A single stitcher used a combination of darning stitch, Kantha stitch, seeding and irregular running stitch.

He also used black stranded and perle cotton in different weights to convey the subtle variations in shade and line.

All proceeds from the sale of the work were to go directly to the Fine Cell  Work, enabling the charity to provide more creative, paid needlework to the stitchers and enable them to build independent crime-free lives.

Sotheby's is located 34-35 New Bond Street, London W1S 2RT, UK

Photos by Lucia Carpio.

British artist among 10 to participate in international exhibition at Istanbul Museum of Modern Art in February 2020 as part of residency programme

Rana Begum, “Baskets” (2017), at Kettle’s Yard, Cambridge, UK

London-based artist Rana Begum is one of ten artists from around the world invited to participate in a new residency programme at the Istanbul Museum of Modern Art, and their work will culminate in an exhibition in February 2020, with the support of the Istanbul Development Agency (ISTRA).

Rana Begum was inspired by the architecture of Istanbul, in particular the domed roofs that are such a prominent feature of the skyline. During her research trip, she visited workshops and learned about different metal spinning techniques. Renowned for her impressive and varied sculptures, Begum will use the practices she observed in Istanbul to create 60 different molds to make a large-scale wall piece for display in the final exhibition.

Born in 1977 in Bangladesh, then moved to the UK with her family, Rana Begum received a BA in painting from the Chelsea College of Arts, followed by an MFA in the same field from the Slade School of Fine Art. She currently lives and works in London. Using various modes of expression such as painting and sculpture, the artist draws inspiration from urban architecture and Islamic arts. She won the Abraaj Prize at Art Dubai 2017 and has had solo exhibitions and participated in group exhibitions in diverse countries, including the UK, the United States, France, Sweden, and China. Her works have appeared in exhibitions at Tate St Ives, UK (2018); Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, the Hague, the Netherlands (2017); Parasol Unit, London (2016); and MAK – Museum of Applied Arts, Vienna (2015).  One of her recent creations "Baskets" was shown at Kettle's Yard, Cambridge, UK, in 2017 as shown in picture above.

Each resident artist invited by the Istanbul Museum spends a total of six weeks in Istanbul over two separate visits, with the first part devoted to first-hand research and the next to the making process. During their first visit, the artists tour the workshops of different artisans, learning about traditional designs, material choices, and production methods. On their second trip to Turkey’s cultural capital, they apply this understanding of local crafts to their own artwork, creating a new piece that will be unveiled in the group exhibition.

Outi Pieski, “Čohkiideapmi / Falling Shawls” (2017), photo by Ari Karttunen / EMMA, and “Ovdavázzit – Forewalkers”, sitespecific sculptural installation for the Finnish Pavilion at the 58th Venice Biennale (2019), photo by Ugo Carmeni

Istanbul Modern is producing a series of short films recording the artists’ individual journeys, and will also compile and present an archival section as part of the exhibition. The museum will hold talks with the artists and organise educational workshops in conjunction with the show.

In addition to Rana Begum of London, the other participating artists are: Faig Ahmed (Baku), Benji Boyadgian (Jerusalem), Rodrigo Hernández (Lisbon and Mexico City), Servet Koçyiğit (Amsterdam), Outi Pieski (Utsjoki and Numminen), Randi & Katrine (Copenhagen), Wael Shawky (Alexandria and Philadelphia), and Jorinde Voigt (Berlin).