Es Devlin: Other Worlds
About the event
Enter the imaginative world of British artist and designer Es Devlin in the first retrospective in Europe celebrating her 30-year creative practice across sculpture, stage design, music, language and light. Tickets are on sale.
What to expect Open from October, 'Es Devlin: Other Worlds' will explore Devlin’s genre-defying practice and the vast range of projects she has brought to life around the world. On display will be artworks, installations and film alongside the largest solo presentation of Devlin’s archive to date. Conceived and designed in close collaboration with the artist, the exhibition aims to immerse visitors in Devlin's imaginative world through a collective experience that goes beyond a traditional exhibition setting and invites new perspectives. Exhibition highlights include a detailed replica of Devlin's London studio, filled with her books, objects and maquettes. A wall installation entitled 'Archive Unboxed' will present early sketches, paintings, collages, diaries and prints that Devlin produced at school, university and art college, and has continued to create throughout her practice. These works demonstrate Devlin’s love of drawing and show how all her projects originate from this art form. Central to the exhibition is the '30-Year Desk', a large-scale circular display specially designed for the gallery space. It references works including Devlin’s set design for 'The Lehman Trilogy' (2018), 'Forest of Us', shown in Miami in 2021, her work on the London 2012 Olympic Games Closing Ceremony, the 2022 Super Bowl halftime show, and ambitious kinetic stage sculptures created for concert tours by some of the world’s most celebrated musicians. Seen together, the installation will allow visitors to trace the evolution of Devlin’s practice and explore the recurring themes at the heart of her work. The exhibition will also include a reinterpretation of the sculptural installation 'Come Home Again' – a shrine dedicated to endangered wildlife, redisplayed in a new constellation that reflects Devlin’s desire to create ever-evolving atmospheres and landscapes. Visitors will also experience the mesmerising installation 'Infinite Library'. All books featured in this installation were provided by Penguin Random House UK. At the end of the exhibition, they will be donated to local primary and secondary schools in support of the National Year of Reading 2026. Don't forget to share your visit with @designmuseum #EsDevlin on your social media channels.
