Whatever the weather brings to Edinburgh this summer, Gayfield Creative Spaces is hosting a Garden Party exhibition of leading Scottish and Dutch design. Deckchairs by Timorous Beasties join key works by Piet Hein Eek, Laura Spring and Geoffrey Mann for a celebration of European style.
Gayfield’s new gallery space Depot will transform this summer into the imagined setting of a garden party but one with a contemporary design twist. Dutch design flair comes in the guise of furniture by Piet Hein Eek and Scottish designers Timorous Beasties have created the ultimate deckchair.
Visitors to the exhibition have the opportunity to interact with the space and relax in the Timorous Beasties’ deckchairs or by the Piet Hein Eek picnic setting: upcycled hampers by textile designer Laura Spring and work by Edinburgh-based artist Geoffrey Mann complete the party.
Pieces featured in the exhibition are also available to buy. A percentage from each sale made will go to three local good causes associated with creativity: Artlink, The Art Room and The Yard, further engaging the design and well-being agenda at Gayfield Creative Spaces.
Garden Party marks Piet Hein Eek’s first-ever show in Scotland and Timorous Beasties’ first exhibition appearance in Edinburgh. Each designer involved with Garden Party is also contributing to a wider discussion on design as a speaker at Gayfield’s series of six Twilight Talks in August and September.
Gayfield’s Creative Director Dr John Ennis said, “It’s a privilege to host such a set of top-notch designers at Gayfield known for their commitment to quality, innovative design and production techniques and mindful use of resources. I hope this will prove a fruitful link with The Netherlands, another European design nation.’
The designers involved are Dutch designer Piet Hein Eek renowned for his hand-crafted furniture made from reclaimed wood www.pietheineek.nl; Geoffrey Mann a Scottish artist and design lecturer whose fascination with transposing the ephemeral nature of time and motion has created a studio practice that challenges the existing divides between art, craft and design www.geoffreymann.com; Laura Spring who produces screen-printed bags and accessories in bright block colours and thematic editions under her own name www.lauraspring.co.uk and Timorous Beasties whose Glasgow based studio is a diverse operation that has emerged as a multi-award-winning, internationally acclaimed icon. www.timorousbeasties.com
The good causes are Artlink (www.artlinkedinburgh.co.uk), The Art Room (www.theartroom.org.uk) and The Yard (www.theyardscotland.org.uk)
Opening dates and times:
Garden Party runs from Saturday 2nd August to Thursday 11th September 2014. Opening times are Thursday to Sunday, 11am to 6pm. Admission is free.
The Twilight Talks series takes place every Thursday from 7th August to 11th September from 6pm to 8pm at various venues. Free tickets can be secured via the Twilight Talks Eventbrite link at www.gayfield.co.uk
Twilight Talks are sponsored by Gayfield Creative Spaces with support from Creative Scotland.