Art Deco Paradise, 2020
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This installation is inspired by the Art Deco department stores that enhanced Kensington High Street's reputation as a prestigious and fashionable retail area during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The birth of the grand department stores such as Derry & Toms and Barkers of Kensington had a significant impact on the profile of London; highlighting the changing lifestyle and aspirations of the general public. These 1930s buildings were iconic in design and famed as palaces of luxury - Derry & Toms was home to Europe's largest roof garden which consisted of three different gardens with 500 species of plants, fountains, a stream, ducks, flamingos and a restaurant.
Art Deco Paradise draws its influence from the clean lines of the Art Deco movement incorporating a base of gold and silver mirrored vinyl with layers of triangles in light green, forest green, warm yellow, light blue, aqua and royal blue. These woven shapes zigzag across the window front - quite literally and metaphorically reflecting one of London's finest examples of an Art Deco High Street. The colours evoke the tropical colours of the roof garden and capture some of the magic of Émile Zola's novel 'The Ladies Paradise' which so beautifully describes the excitement and innovation during the emergence of the early department stores in Europe.