A takeover by Pearl Lam Galleries is the latest intervention at Sketch, London’s restaurant, bar and art destination known for its 20-plus years of creative collaboration – including interior transformations with Noé Douchaufour-Lawrence, Martin Creed, David Shrigley and India Mahdavi, and Yinka Shonibare, again with Mahdavi.
Pearl Lam Galleries, which has bases in Hong Kong and Shanghai, takes the opportunity to turn parts of Sketch into a temporary canvas to highlight works by Chinese, African and British artists.
Pearl Lam Galleries at Sketch
Devil or Angel by Danful Yang, installation view at Sketch
The project encompasses four exhibitions, kicking off in January, March and May 2024, and January 2025, and features Danful Yang (China); duo Zhu Peihong and Lilyo Zhao (China); Alimi Adewale (Nigeria); and Mr Doodle (UK).
Currently on show is ‘Heaven on Earth’ by Danful Yang (until 3 March), an exhibition that sees Sketch’s reception transformed with a wall installation, Devil or Angel, featuring doll-like porcelain figures inside an array of PVC tubes, touching on themes of beauty in imperfection and a contemplation of purity and innocence.
Exhibition view of Danful Yang’s ‘Heaven on Earth’ at Sketch
Inside Chic is a series inspired by Yang’s travels and exploring the appeal of perfume bottles, inside which Yang has inserted miniature landscapes. Packing Me Softly, meanwhile, features taped-up packing boxes transformed via silk hand-embroidery.
Inside Chic by Danful Yang
From March through to April 2024, Nigerian artist Alimi Adewale will present an exploration of African heritage and identity. A spirit of resilience and beauty will be celebrated through sculptures that balance traditional craftsmanship with contemporary elements.
Then from May to July 2024, Sketch’s famous loo pods and reception area will be given over to the eye-boggling illustrations of British artist Mr Doodle, also known as Sam Cox.
Packing Me Softly by Danful Yang
Aligning with the 2025 Lunar New Year – January and February 2025 – artist Zhu Peihong and architect Lilyo Zhao will take over the reception area with Peihong’s abstract painting Ocean 2019-2, which Zhao will deconstruct and reassemble. Expect bright lights, LED screens and reflective materials from this collaborative duo.
Says gallery founder Pearl Lam, ‘I am thrilled to begin this exciting collaboration with Sketch, uniting and championing Chinese, British and African voices and celebrating the power of cultural exchange. Our gallery continues to stimulate an international dialogue and I’m delighted that Sketch is platforming this vision.’
Packing Me Softly by Danful Yang
Devil or Angel by Danful Yang
Devil or Angel by Danful Yang, installation view at Sketch
-
At this charming bolthole in The Cotswolds, doing nothing is an art formLeave your mobile on ‘do not disturb’, switch off and slow down at this 16th-century manor-turned-hotel
-
Out of office: The Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekIt’s been a week of escapism: daydreams of Ghana sparked by lively local projects, glimpses of Tokyo on nostalgic film rolls, and a charming foray into the heart of Christmas as the festive season kicks off in earnest
-
At the Holcim Foundation Forum and its Grand Prizes, sustainability is both urgent and hopefulThe Holcim Foundation Forum just took place in Venice, culminating in the announcement of the organisation's Grand Prizes, the projects especially honoured among 20 previously announced winning designs
-
Unleash your socialising superpowers with the Wallpaper* Entertaining Issue, on sale nowGet your sublime supper party started – or hit the town in style – with the December 2025 issue of Wallpaper*, on newsstands now
-
Let them eat cake (and drink cocktails) as Manolo Blahnik and The Berkeley unveil a new menu fit for a queenThe hotelier and renowned designer has teamed up on an exclusive cake and cocktail menu to celebrate the V&A’s landmark exhibition ‘Marie Antionette Style'
-
The artistry of Japanese wineFine wine from Japan may not yet register highly on the radars of most oenophiles, but for those who know, it's a hugely rewarding and rich tapestry of flavour. Drinks expert, Neil Ridley visits London's Luna Omakase for the launch of a new dedicated Japanese wine pairing menu
-
From The Fat Badger to The Bull, how Public House is redefining the British pubInside the design-driven food group putting provenance, craft and community back at the heart of pub culture
-
Guests dined on Bangladeshi-inspired cuisine at the Serpentine Summer Party 2025The party marked the 25th anniversary of the Serpentine Architecture Pavilion – and celebrated this year’s design by Bangladeshi architect Marina Tabassum and her Dhaka-based firm
-
Rémy Martin and Anish Kapoor: art meets cognac in LondonThe cognac house and the artist unveiled a limited-edition XO decanter and a new sculpture in London at a recent event at the Institute of Contemporary Arts
-
Mark your calendars for Mount Street Neighbourhood Summer Festival, a feast for the sensesThe event, 12-14 June 2025, showcases the mix of food, art and community in the heart of London’s Mayfair. Here's what to expect, from afternoon tea to aperitivo, film screenings to biodynamic flowers
-
Healthy chocolate? Eat it at Makers, London’s new Lebanese chocolatierLocated in Chelsea, Makers is a new ‘healthy chocolate’ shop offering treats free of refined sugar, seed oils, wheat and dairy – and it tastes delicious
