Every year, the Shoreditch Design Triangle shines the spotlight on East London and the contemporary creative practices based within its borders.
We’re big fans of the festival here at ICON Printing. Being based in London and the owners of an EC2A postcode ourselves, it’s always great to be reminded that some of the most exciting developments in the world of design are happening right on our doorstep. Our neighbours will be hosting some exceptional exhibitions and events over the next couple of weeks, and here are the six we’re looking forward to the most.
1. Tooled Up
With a little help from a worldwide roster of creative contributors, the gang at Art & Graft are set to breathe new life into old instruments and utensils. Tooled Up, a new group exhibition curated by the animation and motion design studio, will see such names as Hvass&Hannibal, Peepshow Collective and Saskia Pomeroy retrieve antiquated saws, spirit levels and hammers from the depths of the toolbox and turn them into something wonderful. The above hacksaw/globe creation from Merijin Hos’ is just one of many inventive reinterpretations you can expect to see at the show.
Open from Friday 12 – Saturday 20 September at Art & Graft, G6 City Pavilion, 37 Cheshire Street, E2 6EA
2. Huck presents… Personal Truths: Photo stories that help us find ourselves
We’re big fans of Huck here at ICON HQ, and always get excited when a new copy of the bi-monthly publication hits the newsstands. This month sees the release of an extra-special issue – the second annual Documentary Photography Special – which celebrates the very best in visual storytelling and photojournalism. To coincide with its release, an immersive exhibition of some of the featured works will be held at 71a. Pop over to see shots taken by some of the most talented documentarians around, including Jason Andrew (above), Carolyn Drake and Joseph Szabo.
Open from Tuesday 16 – Friday 19 September at 71a, 71a Leonard Street, EC2A 4QS
3. Plume Puddle Dash
Plume is a new breed of bicycle mudguard. The award-winning design (pictured above) can recoil and extend with great ease, offering a simple yet stylish solution to staying dry when cycling in wet weather. To celebrate the product’s launch, Plume are inviting people to participate in their new virtual reality arcade game, which will be installed at tokyobike. We don’t know a great deal about Plume Puddle Dash, but we do know that prizes will be awarded for high scores. Oh, and players may get wet!
Open from Friday 19 – Saturday 20 September at tokyobike, 87–89 Tabernacle Street, EC2A 4BA
4. The Art of Skateboarding
The team at Goodhood will herald the opening of their new Curtain Road store with an exhibition inspired by something near and dear to their hearts – skateboarding. The event will showcase a stunning new series of skateboards, featuring exclusive designs from the likes of Jake & Dinos Chapman, Will Sweeney, Ornamental Conifer, and many more. During a late night opening on Wednesday 17th September, each one of the boards will be auctioned off, with all proceeds going to the Long Live South Bank skate charity.
Open from Saturday 13 – Sunday 21 September at The Goodhood Store, 151 Curtain Road, EC2A 3QE
5. 20Y Hort: It’s Not a Place, It’s a Feeling
This year, Eike Koenig’s multidisciplinary design practice Hort turns 20. To celebrate, they are putting together a very special, never to be repeated exhibition and programme of events at KK Outlet. Named It’s Not a Place, It’s a Feeling, the show will feature pieces created in the same collaborative and experimental zeal as all their projects – only this time the work will be made away from Hort’s Berlin base of operations, without the team’s usual safety net of references and support.
Open from Friday 12 – Saturday 27 September at KK Outlet, 42 Hoxton Square, N1 6PB
6. Super Stimuli
The Ace Hotel will showcase work from four London-based designers with its new exhibition Super Stimuli. Fabien Capello, Martino Gamper, Michael Marriott and Bethan Laura Wood were all invited by the folks behind Modern Design Review to create installations that respond to existing spaces within the hotel complex. We can’t wait to see what the harvest festival-inspired altarpiece from product designer Bethan Laura Wood (whose work you can see above) will look like amongst the colourful flora on display in That Flowershop.
Open from Tuesday 16 – Monday 22 September at The Ace Hotel, 100 Shoreditch High Street, E1 6JQ
At ICON Printing, we pay close attention to developments within the world of design and share our findings – both from within our neighbourhood and further afield – here on our blog. Be sure to check back for more!