Islands

the Design Museum

The residency programme at the Design Museum (London, UK) was framed around the theme Islands, understood both geographically and metaphorically. We approached each researcher’s practice as its own island, with its own biodiversity and customs, while also emphasising their interconnectedness and symbiosis. Drawing on decolonial mapping theories, the design represented tides, layers, borders, and flows of research. Sustainability was embedded in the concept, from material choices such as hemp boards, seaweed paper, and earth plinths to the use of washable window paint and a considered colour palette.

Curator and Editor: George Kafka

Assistant Curator and Editor: Lila Boschet

Exhibition Producer: Rebecca Gemmo

Residents: Rhiarna Dhaliwal, Marianna Janowicz, Isabel Lea, James Peplow Powell

3D Design: Msoma Architects - Bushra Mohamed

Exhibition Building and Installation: 121 Collective - Alex Williamson-Bell, David Spicer, Max Pevsner, Michael Henley, Will Kendrick

Bookbinder and Material Specialists: Plaintiff Press - Kristina Chan and Jojo Villas

Window Painting: Good Night Vienna - Nick Blaney

Typeface: Authentic Sans - Christina Janus and Desmond Wong

Paper: G.F Smith and Notpla

Photos: Felix Peller and Plan B

Partners: Future Observatory and Arts and Humanities Research Council

Location: the Design Museum, London

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graphic design asset: reference images of shades of blue and beige

the design museum showing graphic design assets of posters with the Islands Poster and the Off Beat Sari poster

Islands Exhibition opening showing people, graphic design asset in the background with the Island hand painted window signage

graphic design asset with a close up of the letter a , with a branded blue outline

exhibition design and graphic design shots of the inside, with furniture from 121 collective and 3D design by Msoma architects

graphic design asset: interpretation board on wooden plinths made by 121 collective

design museum islands book, a graphic design asset made by us at plan b. it's sitting on a wooden plinth

graphic design asset: scan of the design museum islands book

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We went to an event organised by the Open House Festival, a friend from Edit Collective, Alberte, whom we had worked with before on the Science Gallery project introduced us to the curator of the residency programme. Usually, networking doesn’t work for us, but it did this time. This led to us being invited for an interview.