Farrow & Ball at LEGENDS

How did you choose to work with both Peter Shire and Farrow & Ball for this exhibition?

Peter has been my friend for about a decade.  Before we knew each other and had the opportunity to collaborate, I was a great fan of his earlier work.  I've long admired his confident, bold palette and the graphic forms he utilises, not to mention the infectious optimism that he imbues into his work.  His pieces - whether a bowl, a chair, a sculpture, or his own home- are fun to be around, and I imagine fun to create.  This sense of fun, paired with Peter's desire to experiment and test the limits of materiality and shape are a great influence to me. We were excited to work with Peter on this show, and it seemed fitting to partner with Farrow & Ball, whose paints I use often, and who are known for their own wonderful palette.

 

What inspired the scenography and how did you choose which pieces would end up in the show?

We worked closely with Peter and his team in setting up this show.  Peter's oeuvre is so vast, and we wanted to give a true cross-section of pieces in different mediums, and scale, and eras to showcase his breadth.  We have pieces from the 80s, 90s, early 2000s, and some recent contemporary work.  There are ceramic mugs from his EXP Pottery collection, and an iconic teapot from 1982.  We're showing a very rare 'Rocket' bookshelf from 1986, and also a fabulous 'Cairo' armchair from 2018, which is the latest iteration from his series of 'Bel Air' chairs -the original is probably the most important work of American Post Modern Design in existence.

 

What do you want attendees of the exhibit to feel/experience when they enter the space?

We wanted to give a taste of Peter's Echo Park studio.  With our FURTH YASHAR & shows, we definitely play against the basic "white box" gallery aesthetic.  I like to give the audience something more immersive and experiential.  In this show, you're getting to see Peter's actual potter's wheel, tools, pens, paints and brushes, notes, dirty drop cloths, and loads of ephemera from his studio.  These items give great context and narrative to the pieces, and I think will flavour the experience.  Aside from visiting Peter's actual studio, this is the next best thing!

 

What was your experience of working with Farrow & Ball colours like, for this exhibition and more generally in your design practice? How do the palettes differ from what you’re normally drawn to?

I'm a big fan of Farrow & Ball, as I use the colours regularly in my design practice.  For this exhibition, the colours that Peter uses in his art are so highly saturated, that we had a bit of a challenge finding hues that could hold up to the art.  I ended up using stronger colours than I normally would.  We selected Arsenic for the floor, which is a beautiful bright green.  This shade is very "hot", and looks super bright normally.  But in this show, against the very bright colours in Peter's work, the colour neutralises, and works beautifully!