The First Law of Kipple Installation

For this year’s  London Design Festival acclaimed British photographer Dan Tobin Smith has created a walk-in art installation, an amazing 200-square-metre installation made up of thousands of colour-themed objects, in his East London studio, with the entire floorspace covered with carefully arranged colourful objects, collected by the photographer and donated by the public.

The objects making up the installation range from matchbox-sized to chair-sized and will be meticulously organised chromatically, so that the floor becomes a sweeping sea of graduated colour. Those visiting the installation will pick their way through the artwork, via pathways laid out amongst the objects. The First Law of Kipple Installation is inspired by the artist’s interest in both The Second Law of Thermodynamics and the fictional concept of ‘kipple’, as described by science fiction writer Philip K Dick’s 1968 novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (later adapted as the film Blade Runner).

1
sketch of installation

Kipple is described as the detritus produced by human life — the pointless, spent and obsolete stuff that is a by-product of daily life – “domestic entropy”. This installation questions the boundaries between beauty and usefulness, luxury and necessity, addressing the epic proportions of material waste created by humankind.

“Kipple is useless objects, like junk mail or match folders after you use the last match or gum wrappers or yesterday’s homeopape [newspaper]. When nobody’s around, kipple reproduces itself… the entire universe is moving towards a final state of total, absolute kippleization.” Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K Dick, 1968

The exhibition is free and will be open to the public throughout London Design Festival 2014. Additionally supper club evenings will be held during the exhibition, with diners seated in the midst of the installation. A menu inspired by ‘kipple’ will be designed by Matt Phelps of Funthyme Dining & Events. A special cocktail will be invented for the occasion by Tony Conigliaro of 69 Colebrooke Row. Wine will be supplied by Guillaume Aubert of Aubert & Mascoli.  The price is £75 which includes a five course meal, a cocktail on arrival and wine pairing.

Exhibition information

Open 10am—6pm
13—21 September 2014

Dan Tobin Smith Studio
52c Whitmore Road
London
N1 5QG

 

Leave a Reply