When is a hair salon not a hair salon? When it doubles as an art gallery. Daniel Kelly was a stylist before training as an artist, and he has married these two skills in DKUK, his venture in South London’s Peckham. ‘As an artist, I had been interested in making art for people outside galleries,' he says. ‘Showing art in a hair salon felt more democratic’.
Kelly, who met designer Sam Jacob at a wedding, briefed him to create a flexible, hybrid space, fitting for both haircuts and sculptures. Chairs are positioned either in front of artwork on the walls (instead of mirrors) or around a central table in front of sculptures. For the ‘reveal’, clients sit in front of a two-way mirrored display cabinet. By pushing a big red button, the mirror lights up and reflects the new hairstyle.
Jacob has also curated DKUK’s current exhibition, ‘Museum Show’. He asked architects, designers and artists – including Assemble, Baukuh, DK-CM, Fala Atelier, Fraser Muggeridge, Madelon Vriesendorp, Maio and OMMX – to create a scale model, reimagining what a museum could be.
Kelly is now training artists to become hairdressers, giving them a second income stream. ‘I felt more comfortable in the art world, so having artists at DKUK makes it a nice place to work. Everyone tells us the atmosphere isn’t like any other hair salon.’
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the DKUK website
ADDRESS
191 Queens Rd
Peckham
SE15 2NG
-
Five of the finest compact cameras available todayPocketable cameras are having a moment. We’ve assembled a set of cutting-edge compacts that’ll free you from the ubiquity of smartphone photography and help focus your image making
-
London label Wed Studio is embracing ‘oddness’ when it comes to bridal dressingThe in-the-know choice for fashion-discerning brides, Wed Studio’s latest collection explores the idea that garments can hold emotions – a reflection of designers Amy Trinh and Evan Phillips’ increasingly experimental approach
-
Arts institution Pivô breathes new life into neglected Lina Bo Bardi building in BahiaNon-profit cultural institution Pivô is reactivating a Lina Bo Bardi landmark in Salvador da Bahia in a bid to foster artistic dialogue and community engagement
-
Joy Gregory subverts beauty standards with her new exhibition at Whitechapel GalleryUnrealistic beauty standards hide ugly realities in 'Joy Gregory: Catching Flies with Honey '
-
Bengi Ünsal steers London's ICA into an excitingly eclectic directionAs director of London’s Institute of Contemporary Arts, Bengi Ünsal is leading the cultural space into a more ambitious, eclectic and interdisciplinary space
-
Out of office: The Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekThe clocks have gone back in the UK and evenings are officially cloaked in darkness. Cue nights spent tucked away in London’s cosy corners – this week, the Wallpaper* team opted for a Latin-inspired listening bar, an underground arts space, and a brand new hotel in Shoreditch
-
Out of office: The Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekFrom sumo wrestling to Singaporean fare, medieval manuscripts to magnetic exhibitions, the Wallpaper* team have traversed the length and breadth of culture in the capital this week
-
Viewers are cast as voyeurs in Tai Shani’s crimson-hued London exhibitionBritish artist Tai Shani creates mystical other worlds through sculpture, performance and film. Step inside at Gathering
-
Who are the nine standout artists that shaped Frieze London 2025?Amid the hectic Frieze London schedule, many artists were showcasing extraordinary work this year. Here are our favourites
-
Doc’n Roll Festival returns with a new season of underground music filmsNow in its twelfth year, the grassroots festival continues to platform subcultural stories and independent filmmakers outside the mainstream
-
Out of office: The Wallpaper* editors' picks of the weekThe London office of Wallpaper* had a very important visitor this week. Elsewhere, the team traverse a week at Frieze
