Iconic London restaurant sketch announces a year-long “takeover” series with Pearl Lam.
Portrait of Pearl Lam. Photo by Stand. Courtesy of Pearl Lam.
Pearl Lam, the founder of Hong Kong and Shanghai–based Pearl Lam Galleries, will “take over” London’s eccentric fine dining establishment sketch by hosting a series of art exhibitions throughout 2024 and early 2025.
Starting on January 11th, Chinese designer Danful Yang inaugurates the series with a porcelain wall installation, works with glass perfume bottles, and handmade embroidery on canvas and foam packing boxes, intended as a comment on global consumerism.
The series will continue in March with Nigerian artist Alimi Adewale’s work, which explores African heritage and identity. British graffiti-inspired artist Mr Doodle will follow in May, bringing his squiggling, geometric designs to sketch’s iconic bathroom pods. Then, the series will align with the Lunar New Year in early 2025, featuring Chinese artist Zhu Peihong and architect Lilyo Zhao, who will collaborate on an abstract installation inspired by Eastern spirituality.
Yinka Shonibare, installation view of Alien Woman, 2022, at sketch. Courtesy of sketch
“Beginning with Danful Yang’s exhibition that explores traditional Chinese craft to create a thought-provoking installation—Chinese contemporary art evolved from our 5000 years of tradition to reflect our contemporary lifestyle and I’m excited to start this takeover with this focus,” Lam said.
Over the years, sketch has become a destination for artistic collaborations, turning the restaurant into a well-known destination for the art world’s glitterati. Illustration artist David Shrigley (in collaboration with architect India Madhavi), for example, turned the restaurant’s “Gallery” space into an explosion of millennial pink, and British conceptual artist Martin Creed created a bold graphic look for the space in 2012. Yinka Shonibare’s installation Alien Woman (2022) was recently installed there, also. Motivated by a commitment to fostering international dialogue and cross-cultural exchange, Lam’s “takeover” will bring the gallerist’s distinct take on Asian art to the center of the London art world.
