In Partnership With Cadogan
The meticulous renovation and revival of The Gaumont, a former cinema and theatre on London’s King’s Road, is an aesthetically and culturally significant moment for the Chelsea community. Under the guidance of experts at Cadogan, the 1930s building has now been reimagined by architects Studio PDP as a new commercial and creative anchor for the famous thoroughfare.
Artist Shezad Dawood outside The Gaumont on London’s King’s Road, with part of his artwork Cascade seen on the façade
Originally built in the art deco style by architects William E Trent and Ernest F Tully on the site of movie pioneer William Friese-Greene’s studio, the structure has been redeveloped as a ‘creative quarter’, to include a rooftop bar, a cinema, a pub theatre, a record store and an art studio, alongside further retail, office and residential space. Set on The Gaumont’s grand façade, in two parts, flanking the entrance, a major public commission by British multidisciplinary artist Shezad Dawood welcomes visitors to the new, reinvigorated King’s Road hub.
The Gaumont, with the two panels of Cascade mounted at either end of the façade
Having been selected by a local panel including members of the Chelsea Arts Club, the V&A, and Royal Society of Sculptors, Dawood created Cascade, comprising two, 6m-high panels of hand-sculpted ceramic work with multicoloured glazes, and serving as the building’s artistic beacon. ‘It reminds us that development isn’t only about new space, but about identity,’ says Hugh Seaborn, CEO of Cadogan. ‘Shezad’s work captures the emotional texture of the area: the cinema, the characters, the creative spirit that’s always defined Chelsea. It is part of a wider revitalisation plan for one of the world’s most famous high streets.’
Detail of Cascade in situ
A ceramic moon is central to the work, with inspiration spanning – as Dawood details in Wallpaper’s short film – from cinema pioneer George Méliès’ 1902 film Trip to the Moon, distributed by The Gaumont, to local hero Vivienne Westwood (who first opened a shop with Malcolm McLaren on King’s Road in 1971), whose brand logo incorporates an orb.
Film still of Dawood at work on the sculptural tiles for the piece
‘The tiles on the artwork are relief-sculpted. So they have a sort of a two-dimensionality, and then a three-dimensionality,’ adds Dawood. While the work evokes the trajectory of the moon, ‘in the daytime, as the sun travels through the arc of the sky, over the theatre, the artwork behaves like an organic sundial,’ he adds, describing an ever-changing dance of shadows.
Film still showing detail of the artwork during its installation
‘Cascade lights up the restored historic façade of The Gaumont and eloquently celebrates so much of the King’s Road’s rich heritage and the icons associated with it,’ adds Seaborn. ‘When we envisioned The Gaumont, we knew it had to […] feel rooted in the cultural legacy of the King’s Road and speak to the people who live, work and walk along this road every day.’
Film still showing detail of Cascade, mounted on The Gaumont’s façade
Londoner Dawood feels a deep connection to the King's Road artery, the Chelsea locale and the theatre itself. As a kid he remembers seeing the 1954 Japanese epic Seven Samurai with his father at the (former) Chelsea Cinema and also, later, a stint working at a King’s Road bookstore ‘Then there is the broader cultural importance of the area – as a home to various artists, writers and filmmakers – all of which informed my research,’ he says. ‘As an artist who works across painting, ceramics and film, I am so excited to unveil an artwork that draws on all of these disciplines for the façade of such an iconic building that was also a key part of my early cinematic and cultural education.’
For more on The Gaumont, see cadogan.co.uk
-
All-electric SUV specialists Rivian have launched their all-important R2 model8,000ft up in Utah, we get to grips with Rivian’s new R2 on road and trail, and delve into the company’s aspirations for autonomy, tech and robotics
-
Anchored in African and West Asian design, Jihan is both a ‘shop and a conversation’Spanning fashion and home, the ephemeral Paris store sees founders Mariam El Gendy and Youssef El Sayed establish a community of designers and creatives – one bolstered by an expansive cultural programme
-
Faye House in Kuwait is an exercise in elegance and restraintDesigned by AlHumaidhi Architects, this contemporary home in Kuwait City rewards slowness
-
Gener8ion's future is dark, funny and strangely beautifulFor their new exhibition at 180 Studios in London, Romain Gavras and Surkin expand on the recent success of their viral video for 'Storm' by painting a darkly romantic portrait of tomorrow
-
Inside Yinka Ilori’s ‘Joy Through Resistance’, a powerful meditation on faith, family and diasporic resilienceAt Cristea Roberts Gallery in London, the British-Nigerian artist explores faith, migration, sound, and memory in his most personal exhibition to date
-
As War Horse returns to the National Theatre, we go behind the designWar Horse is back in London, at its first home. What does it take to bring the emotional book to life on stage?
-
Anne Imhof’s performances can be raw, haunting, vulnerable: see her London show‘Citizen’, an exhibition at Sprüth Magers London, explores the controversial artist’s love of storytelling and performance; we previewed preparations at her New York studio
-
Out of office: What the Wallpaper* editors are looking forward to in JuneOur editors highlight what’s new, noteworthy and not-to-be-missed in design, culture and beyond this month
-
Andrew Heard's provocative post-pop art is ripe for rediscoveryA new exhibition shines a spotlight on a queer British artist who refined his own iconoclastic style in the 1980s and early 1990s
-
In London, Hauser & Wirth offers a rare glimpse into Francis Picabia’s experimental worldNew exhibition ‘Francis Picabia. Expanding Horizons’ unites five decades of the artist’s work
-
Legendary London bookshop Claire de Rouen opens a new Shoreditch spaceInside the new outpost, designed as a hub for London's established and emerging artists to find inspiration and share ideas.
