Lumsden, a design firm specialising in retail and F&B for visitor attractions, is celebrating the opening of The Art of Banksy, a major exhibition on Regent Street in London. The firm developed the retail, box office and entrance spaces for the much-awaited show.
The Art of Banksy exhibition includes more than 150 pieces of original and authenticated art by the acclaimed artist, including posters, canvases, and unique works. A highlight of the exhibition is the first Flower Thrower, which is being exhibited in public for the first time.
Themed retail space
Lumsden drew inspiration from Banksy’s street art while creating the ground floor’s 362 sq m of retail space, using a strategy that emphasises the urban setting and the theme of found objects. Turned-over plastic boxes, transport pallets, corrugated metal sheets, and oil barrels are used to make retail fixtures and fittings.
One of Banksy’s most recent pieces, Valentine’s Day Mascara served as the inspiration for an installation of “abandoned” refrigerators. This artwork, weighing four tonnes, was moved from its original location in Margate and winched into the retail lobby.
An elevated themed space has been created in the central retail area with an installation of bright red shopping trolleys and baskets, a trademark colour that flows across several touchpoints, which pokes fun at consumer culture and supermarkets. Each of the merchandise displays is dedicated to a different Banksy work, with Balloon Girl, Monkey Queen, Laugh Now, Pulp Fiction, and Rude Copper themed displays. The prints and poster area features a graffitied red ribbon, which flows from floor to ceiling.
Arantxa Garcia, director of Exhibeo VM, created the product range in partnership with Lumsden. The carefully curated selection of products includes tote bags, clothing, mugs, cushions, and stationery, and draws on the activism and philosophy of Banksy. Artists and makers in London have supplied some of the products, for example, Koko Art’s hand-painted trainers, and Seedbom’s “seed grenade,” which took inspiration from Banksy’s Flower Thrower.
Seamless experience
Callum Lumsden, founding partner of Lumsden, says: “Lumsden’s challenge has been to design something that would really stand out in one of the world’s most famous shopping streets. The Regent Street location is the first time The Art of Banksy touring exhibition has had retail play such a central role and everything we have designed has been directly inspired by the works of Banksy, with a soupçon of anarchy and a real respect for the artist.
“By developing the retail interior and merchandise ranges in tandem, we are able to seamlessly extend the experience and connect visitors with the art that they have come to see in unexpected and engaging ways.”
The neighbouring box office is made of breeze blocks with painted metal red barricades to direct the queues and maintains the found object theme. Following the box office, guests step through a red curtain into a photo booth complete with iconic Banksy props. Items such as police helmets, flowers, and fake bananas are on hand for visitors to create a unique Banksy moment.
Lumsden has designed two window displays and a large, lit red heart sculpture which hangs in the mirrored stairway and is inspired by Banksy’s Girl With Balloon. This installation serves to link the three levels—the exhibition is on the first floor and lower ground.
Michel Boersma, executive producer and curator for The Art of Banksy, comments: “the process of designing a museum-style shop which was also an experience in itself, accompanying the largest collection of authenticated Banksy art, was a joy.
“The creativity on display when working with Lumsden was inspiring and resulted in a must-see retail and front of house-experience which went above and beyond the original brief, and worthy of a blockbuster exhibition in Regent Street. The retail team was able to deliver a range of merchandise in record time which was varied, surprising, on brand and high quality.”
The organisers describe the exhibition, which is not curated or authorised by the artist, as “an unmissable show for anyone who wants to learn more about one of the world’s most important current artists and what their work reveals today; the power of art to affect social change, inspire the public and lay bare the undercurrents of social issues.”
Lumsden recently announced a management buyout with plans for future expansion. It plans of an extended range of services with an integrated mix of strategy, retail and hospitality design, and product development.
Images kind courtesy of Ryan Howard photography
