Paddle masters: artist-designed ping pong bats on show at KK Outlet gallery
Being advocates of ping pong design, Wallpaper* was thrilled to hear about an annual charity auction, selling bespoke artist-designed table tennis paddles as part of an exhibition called 'The Art of Ping Pong'. Throughout November, the public are invited to purchase the bats – on show at the London outpost of KK Outlet gallery – in an eBay-style online bidding. The project is the brainchild of design agency Fivefootsix, who have welcomed a mix of new talent and established artists to be inspired by the game and create imaginative forms on the bats.
Being advocates of ping pong design, Wallpaper* was thrilled to hear about an annual charity auction, selling bespoke artist-designed table tennis paddles as part of an exhibition called 'The Art of Ping Pong'.
Throughout November, the public are invited to purchase the bats – on show at the London outpost of KK Outlet gallery – in an eBay-style online bidding. The project is the brainchild of design agency Fivefootsix, who have welcomed a mix of new talent and established artists to be inspired by the game and create imaginative forms on the bats.
Now in its third (and most star-studded) year, the playfully eclectic set ranges from Noma Bar's ambiguous human face hidden in a variety of ping pong motifs, through Marion Deuchars’ sweetly simplistic bird design, to Supermundane's and Malika Favre’s combination of pop art and vibrantly graphic styles. Adding wit to the collection is British artist Anthony Burrill’s typographic and humorous ‘No Ping No Pong’; while Paul Catherall's geometric aesthetic resonates in the abstract shapes of his hand painted design.
Fivefootsix also gave a student from London Met's Cass faculty of art, design and architecture an opportunity to design a paddle in a competition. Winner João Cardoso decided on a whimsical flip-flop shoe, complete with straps and imprinted base.
Previous years have seen even more animated forms including floral prints by Matthew Green, a carved smiling ice cream by Malarky and a cartoon fried egg by Daniel Frost.
Act fast if you want to get your hands on one of these fun pieces – bidding ends on 30 November, with all proceeds to be donated to BBC Children in Need. For those always on the go, Fivefootsix have also introduced a bidding app – developed by Roll Studio – so there is no excuse to not get in the game.
ping pong design KK Outlet gallery
INFORMATION
’The Art of Ping Pong’ is on view until 25 November. The auction runs until 30 November at ’The Art of Ping Pong’’s website
ADDRESS
KK Outlet
42 Hoxton Square
London, N1 6PB
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Sujata Burman is a writer and editor based in London, specialising in design and culture. She was Digital Design Editor at Wallpaper* before moving to her current role of Head of Content at London Design Festival and London Design Biennale where she is expanding the content offering of the showcases. Over the past decade, Sujata has written for global design and culture publications, and has been a speaker, moderator and judge for institutions and brands including RIBA, D&AD, Design Museum and Design Miami/. In 2019, she co-authored her first book, An Opinionated Guide to London Architecture, published by Hoxton Mini Press, which was driven by her aim to make the fields of design and architecture accessible to wider audiences.
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