The Design Fund to Benefit the V&A
The design cognoscenti came together at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London last week for a very special dinner to raise money for The Design Fund to Benefit the V&A: the museum's new resource for contemporary acquisitions. Held in the Hinze Sculpture Galleries, this was the second soirée for the fund, following the inaugural campaign that raised £100,000 from the patrons this time last year.
Before getting down to the business of dinner, guests enjoyed drinks and canapés amid last year's acquisitions, which were beautifully displayed in the Cast Courts. Nestled among the gallery's sculptures were works by Wallpaper* Design Award-winner Nendo, BCXSY, Fredrikson Stallard and Satyendra Pakhalé, which showed just how well the initial funds have been spent.
Among the guests were architects Amanda Levete and John Pawson; designers Tom Dixon and Frederikson Stallard; and curators-cum-festival directors, Marianne Goebl of Design Miami, Patrick Perrin of PAD, and Ben Evans of the London Design Festival. Although unable to attend, Zaha Hadid's presence was felt thanks to some rather clever napkin holders she designed specially for the even, supported by Phillips de Pury & Company.
The fund founder Yana Peel co-hosted the dinner with V&A director Martin Roth and Wallpaper* Design Awards judge Simon de Pury, who all enthused about creating a permanent legacy for the leading British collection of contemporary design.
The Design Fund is the result of Peel's tireless efforts over the past ten years to bring funding to the public. She used to run the Outset Contemporary Art Fund (a similar model to the design fund), which she set up after leaving Goldman Sachs in 2002. Peel has worked with a variety of art institutions but saw the need to extend her fund-raising prowess to design. 'I realised last year that we needed a moment that brought the design community together. The point is to bring together design enthusiasts, collectors and patrons, and to give contemporary design funding to the V&A. We raised £100,000 in total last year - the biggest donation the V&A has ever received for acquisitions.'
Peel, who co-founded debating forum Intelligence Squared Asia, says the response from last week's dinner has been great, and they will discover in a couple of weeks if they have beaten last year's target. She will then present a cheque to the V&A and the committee, overseen by its curators Christopher Wilk, and Jana Scholze, who together will decide what they will acquire. The only criteria is that the pieces meet the museum's needs and are by designers living and/or working in Britain. New acquisitions will be exhibited at the V&A during London Design Festival in September.
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
-
Three sleek new design showrooms you need to see in Los Angeles
Three international design showrooms have started a retail design boom in Los Angeles. Here are the stores to put on your radar
By Carole Dixon Published
-
Brutalism in film: the beautiful house that forms the backdrop to The Room Next Door
The Room Next Door's production designer discusses mood-boarding and scene-setting for a moving film about friendship, fragility and the final curtain
By Anne Soward Published
-
How Leigh Bowery and the Blitz Kids defined 1980s subculture with make-up
As Leigh Bowery and the Blitz Kids of 1980s London are celebrated in a new exhibition at the Fashion and Textile Museum, Isobel Van Dyke explores the hair and make-up looks that defined them
By Isobel Van Dyke Published
-
‘R for Repair’ at London Design Festival displays broken objects, re-formed
In the second half of a two-part exhibition and as part of London Design Festival 2022, ‘R for Repair’ at the V&A displays broken objects, re-formed
By Martha Elliott Last updated
-
‘Finding quality through the act of making’: Pearson Lloyd celebrates 25 years of design
Pearson Lloyd’s show ‘Change Making’ reflects on past designs from its archives, showcasing the influences on and evolution of the studio, from furniture design to the NHS
By Martha Elliott Last updated
-
Tom Dixon marks his studio's 20 years with a show of design experiments
Mushroom, cork, steel coral and more: Tom Dixon showcases an overview of his design experiments as he celebrates his practice's 20 years
By Rosa Bertoli Last updated
-
Porro unveils new London showroom at Coal Office
London Design Festival 2022: industrial architecture meets pure geometries in the new Porro showroom, taking over a space within Tom Dixon’s Coal Office to showcase the brand’s systems and furniture
By Rosa Bertoli Last updated
-
Vitra unveils new London home in the Tramshed, Shoreditch
London Design Festival 2022: after a year-long renovation, Vitra opens the door to its new showroom in the heart of Shoreditch
By Rosa Bertoli Last updated
-
Mudlarking beside the River Thames inspires The New Craftsmen’s makers
London Design Festival 2022: The New Craftsmen’s new collection, ‘Claylarks’, features work from a group of creatives inspired by a River Thames mudlarking expedition
By Mary Cleary Last updated
-
One tree, ten designers: SCP presents The One Tree Project at London Design Festival
London Design Festival 2022: SCP enlisted ten British designers to create furniture and objects from a felled ash tree from founder Sheridan Coakley's Hampshire garden
By Francesca Perry Last updated
-
London Design Medals 2022
London Design Medals 2022 are awarded to costume designer Sandy Powell, architect Indy Johar, researcher Joycelyn Longdon and photographer Sir Don McCullin
By Rosa Bertoli Last updated