Five contemporary art hotspots in London for interiors inspiration: from the temporarily transformed Freud Museum to photosensitive sculptures at Battersea Park

London’s contemporary art scene is a mine of ideas for the home, if you know where to look...
New spin: Abdoulaye Konaté is inspired by his homeland, Malia
Todd White Art Photography
Kate Gordon3 September 2016

TEXTILES USED LIKE PAINT
Known for his large-scale textile installations, Abdoulaye Konaté’s first exhibition at Blain|Southern London, in Hanover Square W1, is a riot of colour and texture, including Composition vert, émeraude et rouge, above. “We live with textiles every day. They’re very accessible. I realised I could use them like paint,” says the Malian artist.

Konaté provides a new spin on ancient West African traditions and is inspired by his homeland, from vibrant colours of the rocks, to the fringed capes of Senufo musicians. See how textiles are used in contemporary art and how his observations on the natural world are conveyed through pattern and texture. From September 2-24.

THEY'RE ALWAYS WATCHING
On our reading list for the end of summer is Sophie Calle’s newly re-issued True Stories.

This multi-hyphenate artist is best known for her works that explore voyeurism, surveillance and lost love — several pieces have been exhibited at the Freud Museum in NW3 — and this is as close to an autobiography as we’re likely to see.

End-of-summer read: Calle's work spans photography, writing, conceptual and installation art

Part visual memoir, part meditation on the resonances of photos and her belongings, with an additional four tales added since its initial release in 1994, True Stories is a terrific introduction to the work of Calle, which spans photography, writing, conceptual and installation art.

FOR LUXE INTERIORS INSPIRATION WHILE YOU SHOP
Peter Marino, dubbed “the Leather Daddy of Luxury” by New York magazine, is the subject of a new book Peter Marino: Art Architecture, by Brad Goldfarb.

Leather Daddy of Luxury: Peter Marino has commissioned site-specific artworks, such as this one at the Chanel store

The book explores how Marino has commissioned site-specific artworks to live within his designs for luxury retail spaces — including at the Chanel store, left, and the Dior flagship, right, in New Bond Street — from artists including Jean-Michel Othoniel, Tony Cragg, Richard Deacon and Vik Muniz. For Marino, it’s always a collaborative relationship between architect and artist, art and space.

ME, MYSELF AND I
It’s the 30th anniversary of the Freud Museum — and also the 160th anniversary of Sigmund Freud’s birth.

Temporarily transformed: Mark Wallinger at the Freud Museum

To celebrate, Turner Prize-winning artist Mark Wallinger, seen left at the museum in Hampstead, has temporarily transformed the study of the founder of psychoanalysis.And don’t miss Wallinger’s permanent contribution of a big black letter I on a plinth. Until Sept 25; artist’s talk, Sept 19, 7pm.

Battersea Park can be hypnotic

Everyone has their favourite local park, but it’s worth visiting Battersea Park to see Samara Scott’s Developer installation, right, at the Pleasure Garden Fountains. The artist has used biodegradable dyes to create a delightful display of colours and images that change with the movement in the water and the reflection of the sky.

Pure pleasure: Samara Scott’s Developer installation at the Pleasure Garden Fountains
Courtesy of Pumphouse Gallery

She has included photosensitive paper sculptures as well as fabrics in the water, and the result is hypnotic. Scott wants us to remember the industrial history of Battersea — the constant movement within the water is a reminder of an area in constant change. You can view Developer until September 25.

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