This small, free exhibition at Borough Yards showcased a selection of Marina Willer’s acclaimed drain cover prints.
The work takes its inspiration from the 19th century practice of taking rubbings of religious icons, creating a detailed negative image of the original object.
These are then screen printed in layers using fluorescent inks by Dan Mather in his studio in North Yorkshire.
The London Design Festival website has more detail:
Overlooked is a celebration of London’s street covers and their often intricate designs despite the industrial nature of those objects.
Found across the city from Brixton to Kensington, and north London these humble objects are the gatekeepers to a mysterious underground world.
Many of the covers were installed by 19th and early 20th century utility companies who provided London residents with new services such as water and sewage, gas and electricity, telegraph and telephones through a network of subterranean tunnels….
The neon-coloured rubbings depict these metal lids as impeccable pieces of industrial design, threaded throughout the functional fabric of a city.
By applying such vibrant combinations of colours the series celebrates the decorative nature of these objects and patterns despite their industrial nature and functionality.
Marina and her team scoured the city streets to find the best examples of these fascinating objects. Most of the iron street covers show the name of the foundry where they were cast.
Join the discussion
Find out more:
- Overlooked 2.0 by Marina Willer
- Overlooked – Pentagram page
- Visit the Overlooked online shop here.
Related posts:
