London’s 180 The Strand is saturated in radical new media art
‘LUX’, an LG-sponsored new media art exhibition at 180 The Strand, brings together 12 artists and collectives at the cutting edge of audio-visual technology

The cavernous spaces inside the brutalist building 180 The Strand, now known as 180 Studios, have been animated with monumental, loud and flashy (often literally) experimental works in recent years, from Ryoji Ikeda’s test pattern right back to the unforgettable debut group show, ‘The Infinite Mix’. Devoted to new media art, the latest show to inhabit the central London site is no less ambitious or absorbing – but its subtlety might take viewers by surprise.
So says Dr Jiyoon Lee, curator of ‘LUX: New Wave of Contemporary Art’, an exhibition of 13 new media art pieces by 12 artists and collectives working in radical ways – the likes of Random International, the collaborative group behind Rain Room, and the godmother of new media art Hito Steyerl are among the line-up. The works, including several new, never-seen-before commissions, make pioneering use of tech not commonly found in ruminative works of art: 3D projection mapping, neural networks, quantum computing, open-source VFX software, and algorithmic visualisation.
Installation view, ‘LUX’, a’strict, Starry Beach, 2020,
‘There is a big, and very important, movement at the moment towards experiential and immersive art, including teamLab, Superblue or the Arte Museum in Korea,’ Lee says. She is the director of SUUM Project, a curatorial platform for promoting innovative contemporary art practices, and spearheads the LG OLED Art: Self-Lit Gallery exhibition series. ‘There is an element of this in “LUX”, but, more importantly, we wanted to give a broad and global representation of how artists are currently working with all kinds of technology as part of their practice, in a way that has not been done before.’
Many of the works directly take on the show’s title – LUX being Latin for ‘light’. Es Devlin’s work, BLUESKYWHITE (commissioned by 180 Studios) transports the spectator-participant back to the 19th century, to the dimming of the sun that occurred in the aftermath of the eruption of Mount Tambora, Indonesia, in 1815, an event that released more than 100 million tonnes of gas into the atmosphere and cooled the Earth by some 3 degrees Celsius. Devlin has built a 24m-long tunnel that envelops the visitor in an intense red glow, an emotive and ambivalent contemplation of the possibility of replicating the effects of the volcanic eruption that could save the planet from burning but would lead to the death of blue skies.
Installation view, ‘LUX’, Es Devlin, BLUESKYWHITE, 2020, photo Es Devlin
As well as exploring light, movement and space through advanced technologies, ‘LUX’ pays homage to the little things we take for granted. The show was conceived partly in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, ‘which has been a time of isolation and metaphorical darkness for so many people’, Lee explains.
One such example is Flower Meadow, by Swiss collective iart, commissioned by LG. Invited to create a work using OLED – wafer-thin, light-emitting panels, usually found in television and phone screens – but used by iart as a sculptural material. Flower Meadow consists of a non-fungible species of flowers that are nourished by AI that will renew and proliferate every day.
Installation view, ‘LUX’, iart, Flower Meadow, 2021
In concert with this is Julianknxx’s 180 Studios-commissioned Black Corporeal (Between This Air), a short film Lee describes as ‘a beautiful, repetitive, and poetic sound piece, exploring the idea that our ability to breathe – an act that is continuously challenged by everything from air pollution, stress, anxiety and societal prejudice – is more than our lungs’ ability to take in air, but a reflection of the way we live individually and together’. Finding epiphany in the everyday, Julianknxx reminds us that everything is connected.
This is felt profoundly in artist a’strict’s multisensory installation Starry Beach: a luminescent space of scintillating waves, reminiscent of a star-studded sky at night. Starry Beach – the title recalling Starry Night, Van Gogh’s masterpiece – reconnects us with an age-old feeling of awe in the face of nature, a theme that has inspired artists for centuries. This is perhaps what makes ‘LUX‘ such a unique proposition: the works may employ the materials of the future, but their enduring subjects are rooted in classical artworks, tracing a trajectory that’s often ignored and suggesting there might be more to new media than holograms and flashing lights.
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Installation view, ‘LUX’, Cao Yuxi, Shan Shui Paintings By AI,
Installation view, ‘LUX’, Universal Everything, Transfiguration, 2020,
Installation view, ‘LUX’, Carsten Nicolai, unicolor, 2014,
INFORMATION
‘LUX: New Wave of Contemporary Art’, co-curated by SUUM and Fact, is on view 13 October – 18 December 2021 at 180 The Strand.
Charlotte Jansen is a journalist and the author of two books on photography, Girl on Girl (2017) and Photography Now (2021). She is commissioning editor at Elephant magazine and has written on contemporary art and culture for The Guardian, the Financial Times, ELLE, the British Journal of Photography, Frieze and Artsy. Jansen is also presenter of Dior Talks podcast series, The Female Gaze.
-
A Cornish coastal home that flows with the tide and landscape
On Porthcothan Bay, De Rosee Sa design a retreat shaped by surfing, sea views and natural materials, offering its owners a life of comfort and calm
-
Will TAG Heuer’s carbon hairspring revolutionise watchmaking?
At Geneva Watch Days, TAG Heuer unveiled a hairspring forged not from silicon or metal alloys, but carbon. It might sound like a small switch, but in watchmaking terms, it could be seismic
-
'Scent as the centrepiece of relaxation and creativity': Houseplant and Ripple Home launch incense collection
Seth Rogen's Houseplant and British aroma specialist Ripple Home launch a collection of four elevated micro aromas
-
Meet Malak Mattar, the Palestinian artist behind the 'Together for Palestine' concert at London's Wembley Arena
The London-based artist curates a landmark concert of music and art in support of Gaza, alongside Brian Eno, James Blake, Jamie xx, Neneh Cherry and more
-
Beloved British screenwriter Dennis Potter inspires an exhibition with a difference at Studio Voltaire
Hilary Lloyd's multi-faceted exhibition at Studio Voltaire considers Dennis Potter's life and work, from much-loved TV classics to power inequalities
-
Ralph Steadman has worked with everyone from Hunter S. Thompson to Travis Scott and Quavo – now, the Gonzo illustrator is celebrated in London
A new exhibition provides a rare opportunity to experience the inimitable work and creativity of Gonzo illustrator Ralph Steadman up close. Just don’t call it a ‘style’.
-
Five of the biggest art exhibitions to see in London in 2026
From Marilyn Monroe, to David Hockney and Tracey Emin – get these art exhibitions in your diary now
-
Out of office: the Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the week
With the return of back-to-school, it's back to business for the Wallpaper* team, who’ve been making the rounds at fashion pop-ups and pavilion launches. Elsewhere, we’ve been indulging in new literature and old restaurants, and taking in a farewell exhibition at a landmark gallery...
-
From art to fashion, and back again: Jonathan Schofield’s figurative work is back in style
After graduating from London’s Royal College of Art, Jonathan Schofield began a career as a creative director at Stella McCartney. Now, he has returned to his first love, painting
-
Watch: artist Shezad Dawood lights up The Gaumont, King’s Road’s creatively focused new hub
In our short film, meet the artist, see his new work in the making, and discover more about The Gaumont
-
Out of office: the Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the week
Here in the UK, summer seems to be fading fast. Moody skies and showers called for early-autumn rituals for the Wallpaper* team: retreating into the depths of the Tate Modern, slipping into shadowy cocktail bars, and curling up with a good book