The V&A is always a treasure trove but, between now and 25th September, its wondrous bounty has increased. New works and installations have cropped up all across the expansive building as part of London Design Festival; works that celebrate design in both its breath-taking beauty and brutal simplicity.
Amanda Levete Architects (AL_A) and Arup have transformed the Cromwell Road entrance with an undulating installation. Timber Wave curves away from the foot of Grand Entrance before spiralling back to the pavement, guiding people into the building with a latticework of American hardwood. The mesmerizing use of the curve within the structure reflects the artistic tradition of repeating motifs, whilst the modern structure fusing with the Edwardian entrance clearly illustrates design moving from the old to the new, from the hallowed halls of the museum to the everyday motion of the street.
From the hustle and bustle of Cromwell Road, it is a short walk through the South East Asian galleries to the Raphael Court. This space was one of the museum’s most visited locations during the 19th century, due to the impressive Raphael Cartoons on display. The hall has now fallen quiet, with a strange and church-like atmosphere. The giant masterpieces fill the walls with their renaissance grandeur – striking an instant reverence and feeling of smallness into the mind of the beholder. French designers, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec have played on this imposing ambience in their work Textile Field.
Describing the space, Erwan Bouroullec said: “It has the quality of a church, a really wonderful volume, but then in a way it makes you feel too small – a sense of sacré - holiness”
The brothers decided to transform the space into a textile lounge – a place where people can lie back, relax and view the paintings from a new perspective. The work covers over 240 square feet with upholstered foam in shades of blue, green and grey. Shoes are removed before clambering onto the soft structure, where it is easy to lull into a dreamlike state of repose and reflection.
M&C Saatchi provoke thought of an all together more spiky nature in their display The Brutal Simplicity of Thought, housed in the museum’s Sackler Centre. The exhibit highlights how simple ideas have changed human behaviour and the world. From God to paperclips, items and concepts are displayed in a simple white gallery, with big questions posed alongside them.
After revelling in simplicity, Industrial Revolution 2.0, produced by Murray Moss in collaboration with Materialise (Belgian-based world leaders in 3D printing), demonstrates How the Material World Will Newly Materialise. Mind-boggling 21st century 3D printing capabilities are showcased at the current boundaries of their potential. A series of unique “printed” objects are displayed throughout the museum, referencing some of the museum’s key pieces. There is an ornate dress shown alongside an exuberant rococo mirror and fireplace from 1775. The dress has an almost alien quality as it wraps around the torso in mounds of ruffles. The dress is not made from cloth; instead it has been manufactured using powdered nylon and laser technology. The dress has evolved from a computerised model. Moss highlighted how the technology used to produce the 18th century mirror was probably as sophisticated then as the printing technology used to make the dress seems to us in the 21st century.
Moss described how displaying the old alongside the new can help to “illuminate the past and show us were we are going.” Even a simple lamp becomes a marvel when told that it is only the second object in the world to have been printed with fully moveable parts. The idea of a moving object being “grown” opens up limitless possibilities for creative and practical applications.
The printed bust of Lady Belhaven, created with milliner Stephen Jones, sits alongside the 1827 marble original by Samuel Joseph. The sculpture’s Mona Lisa smile remains the same, but her head is adorned with the most fanciful of hats. The concept was to take the inner thoughts and preoccupations of Lady Belhaven and transform them into a surreal headpiece.
Newness is also celebrated in British-Ish, an exhibition of work by graduates of the University of the Arts London, curated by fashion designer Giles Deacon. The pieces are displayed in the British Galleries, alongside a dazzling array of treasures. Haruka Miyamoto’s Life Cycle nestles in a fireplace, telling a dark tale of the perils of waste and promoting sustainability within textiles. The We are not Born to Follow collection, by Central Saint Martin’s graduate Flaminia Saccucci, is oddly at home amongst the gilt edged mirrors and ornate candlesticks. The pieces combine latex, tyre marks and floral prints.
London design store, Beyond the Valley, have set up an interactive fabric design installation within the Clore Study Room. Visitors are invited to take a seat and create their own fantastical print using a specially created iPad application. The resulting design can be downloaded for use as iPhone or iPad wallpaper.
The V&A is the official hub of the London Design Festival, with events and installations held at numerous sites across the city. Visit www.londondesignfestival.com for more information, or visit the festival information point, located at the V&A’s Exhibition Road entrance. Admission to the V&A is free.
Images © Jen Evans for BitchBuzz.