So many happenings around town in the past few weeks, I have to clear the backlog before Frieze Art Fair otherwise these would be never posted. Here are some recaps of the
London Design Festival (LDF), hope you have enjoyed yourself if you have been to these places like me. If not, you haven't missed everything as I'm sharing them with you here : )
The main official event for LDF, Spanish designer Jaime Hayón created this playful giant chess set, with 2m-high ceramic chess pieces on a Bisazza mosaic glass chess board. The chess pieces design is inspired by iconic London buildings; their domes, towers and spires; plus a signature spice of Hayón's style. Seated upon elevated platforms, contestants from the British Chess Federation and members of the public battled it out over the five days to become The Tournament champion. I haven't found out who's the champion, but I surely enjoy the actions the chessboard brought to Trafalgar Square and would love to see something as spectacular as this to return as the crown jewel of the festival next year.
Public gathered to watch the game
The MC introducing the helpers who would move the chess pieces, the players and the guest commentators
One of the players sitting on his "commander chair" thinking about his next move
When a piece is moved away from the board, it would go to the back of the main stage
*****
Open House provides a valuable opportunity once in a year for the general public to get behind the doors of many public and private properties to have a look on what's inside. Village Underground is a private-initiative containing studio spaces for creative and event venue. The studio part is open to public during Open House this year and you could find disused underground carriages being converted to workspaces here -
Lovely graffiti on the tube
The upper level carriage overlooking the lower level carriages and the event gallery (the one with roof lights)
Facilities are minimal inside the tube - you could imagine it's quite harsh during the hot days in summer and much worse during the chilly days of winter
The tube carriage formerly belong to the old Jubilee Line before its millennium extension - Charing Cross was the terminal at that time
*****
Marc Newson's Supercell
Shigeru Ban's Paper Tower
I'm a bit disappointed on this year's Size & Matter pavilions. Perhaps they don't have big budget this year for all the obvious reasons, I don't understand why they don't just put all the resources to make one impressive pavilions rather than having 2 not-so-attractive ones instead.
They may be nice public installations, but certainly not good enough compared to previous works displayed in the same venue to me.
******
Further Reading -
Official
website of Jami
e Hayón's Studio
Wallpaper* & Bernhadt Design's launch party at St Pancras Hotel
Here are our top 10 picks (in no particular order) for London Design Festival this year, with a bit of art power! -
