Covent Garden’s celebrated village of Seven Dials has seen a mini-transformation this September, however blink and you may miss the seven installations suspended high above ground. Gracing each road off the Seven Dials pillar, the installations are the brain-child of Dezeen founder Marcus Fairs and the team at Seven Dials, the idea; to celebrate the area’s history – paying dues to its diverse and colourful past.
The seven designs include Faye Toogood’s series of 47 oversized coats, covered in found and salvaged paint, oils and stains. Her inspiration derived from a sadness towards the loss of local craftsmen and women of the area, paying homage to the area steeped in artisan history. Paul Cocksegde’s Mystery Interactive Experience is a phone number suspended high above Mercer Street. When you call it, the silky voice of Joanna Lumley answers… the idea is to donate money to Barnado’s and in return you receive a smile (and we did), just make sure you’re watching the sign when you text.
Other works include a series of transparent bunting lines by Philippe Malouin, delicate and beautiful birdcages by Dominic Wilcox, and Gitta Gschwendtner’s seven aerial ladders remembering the 18th Century criminals; their handy escape routes and roof-hopping.
I would recommend the tour that runs alongside the installation by Fox & Squirrel. We wandered around while the lovely Penelope touched on the area’s somewhat dark and chequered past – from quackery, to gin binges it was interesting and concise. Get in quick though, the tours and installations are only available until 30th September.
Photo © We Heart
Photo, Rory van Millingen
www.fayetoogood.com
Photo, Rory van Millingen
www.fayetoogood.com
Photo, Rory van Millingen
www.fayetoogood.com
