Es Devlin – Inspiration Keyword: Stage Design
In running through my thoughts, I reflected back on the concert I went to last night. From there, I began to think about the most elaborate stage designs at shows I’ve attended. One that stuck out to me the most was from Bring Me the Horizon’s Spring 2017 tour, which featured a massive LED board spanning across the entire back of the stage, displaying amazing visuals throughout their show. From here, I began thinking about the role artists play in designing these set pieces, lighting, and more for stages at concerts. This led me to Es Devlin who has worked on very advanced and elaborate stage designs for artists like U2, The Weekend, and Kanye West.
Artist Statement:
ES DEVLIN IS AN ARTIST AND DESIGNER WHOSE PRACTICE RANGES FROM SOLO GALLERY WORKS TO COLLABORATIONS IN OPERA, DANCE, CONCERTS AND THEATRE.
RECENT EXHIBITIONS INCLUDE MASK IN MOTION AT BIG ART COPENHAGEN 2018; PLEASE FEED THE LIONS IN TRAFALGAR SQUARE 2018; ZOETROPE IN CAPETOWN 2018; MASK AT SOMERSET HOUSE 2018; EGG AT THE XI GALLERY IN NEW YORK 2018; THE SINGING TREE AT THE V&A 2017; ROOM 2022 AT MIAMI ART BASEL 2017; POEMPORTRAITS AT THE SERPENTINE GALLERY 2017; PLAYBOX AT THE BELGIAN STADSTRIENNALE 2016; MAGICBOX AT THE V&A 2017; MIRRORMAZE AT COPELAND PARK, PECKHAM 2016.
HER FIRST WORKS WERE IN SMALL EXPERIMENTAL THEATRES IN LONDON INCLUDING THE BUSH AND THE GATE. HER CANVAS HAS EXPANDED OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES – THROUGH THE NATIONAL THEATRE, SADLERS WELLS, ROYAL OPERA HOUSE, LA SCALA, AND ONTO THE O2 ARENA, WEMBLEY STADIUM, AND THE OLYMPIC STADIA IN LONDON AND RIO.
SHE HAS CREATED STAGE SCULPTURES IN COLLABORATION WITH BEYONCÉ, KANYE WEST, U2, JAY Z, ADELE AND THE WEEKND. SHE DESIGNED THE LONDON OLYMPIC CLOSING CEREMONY AND THE RIO OLYMPIC OPENING CEREMONY AND CONTINUES TO WORK IN THEATRE AT ALL SCALES – INCLUDING HAMLET WITH BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH AT THE BARBICAN AND GIRLS & BOYS WITH CAREY MULLIGAN AT THE ROYAL COURT.
ES HAS BEEN AWARDED THE 2017 LONDON DESIGN MEDAL, 3 OLIVIER AWARDS, EVENING STANDARD, CRITICS’ CIRCLE AND WALL STREET JOURNAL INNOVATION AWARD 2016. SHE IS A FELLOW OF UAL LONDON, WAS MADE OBE IN 2015, AND WAS ELECTED A ROYAL DESIGNER FOR INDUSTRY IN THEATRE DESIGN IN 2018.
Artist Statement & Featured Image Source: https://esdevlin.com
The Weekend at Coachella [EDN_weeknd_coachella_01.jpg]
U2: Experience + Innocence Tour 2018 [EDN_U2_2018_01.jpg]
Louis Vuitton – Series 2 Exhibition [EDN_LV_SERIES2_01.jpg]
