Art & Culture
A major installation by Yinka Ilori has been unveiled in the Royal Docks
A major installation by renowned British-Nigerian artist Yinka Ilori – Types of Happiness – has been unveiled next to the entrance to the Cable Cars and Good Hotel in the Royal Docks. The two 10ft high sculptural chairs feature bold colours and print-like patterns, and reference Yinka’s early career up-cycling chairs and his fascination with furniture as a vehicle for storytelling.
Types of Happiness has been commissioned by the Royal Docks Team in partnership with The Line (London’s first outdoor art gallery and public art walk). It forms part of At The Docks, a brand new season of world-class arts, culture and events taking over the Royal Docks, this summer, as well as the Line’s vibrant summer programme.
Photo credit: Stephen Chung, PinPep
Types of Happiness is a brilliant addition to The Line, showcasing the Royal Docks as a new cultural destination as we build a better London for everyone.
Justine Simons OBE, Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries
The chairs are part of a collection of six chairs, where the artist explores different types of happiness, which include pride, strength, excitement, happiness, calmness and determination. Each of the chairs is ascribed a different type, using the same colours, but in different combinations, to impact experience. The two chairs in the Royal Docks represent happiness and pride.
Yinka Ilori commented:
"I am incredibly excited to have my installation, Types of Happiness, included as part of both At the Docks and the Line summer programme. The installation explores how we can have personal connections with objects through the use of colour and storytelling. I hope that visitors will be immersed in the joy and optimism that my work aims to evoke, and that they will find a sense of connection and community as they explore this public art trail. I am excited to contribute to an experience that can be enjoyed by Londoners, tourists, and anyone seeking inspiration along the waterways and green spaces of East London."
Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries, Justine Simons OBE, said:
“Types of Happiness is a brilliant addition to The Line – London’s longest public art trail. Yinka’s trademark bold colours and intricate patterns tell a powerful story along East London’s waterways. It’s a great day out for Londoners and visitors, showcasing the Royal Docks as a new cultural destination as we build a better London for everyone.”
The Royal Docks landscape is a striking canvas for public and outdoor art. With its vast openness, striking architecture, history, modernity, and close proximity to expanses of water, it provides the space and backdrop for creative expression. This is why, over the years, the Royal Docks Team has been working closely with The Line and other partners to bring a range of public art projects to life in the area. Our aim is to enrich the area’s cultural heritage and create an environment that inspires local communities and tells the stories of the people who live and work in the area.
The arrival of Yinka Ilori’s Types of Happiness, this week, now brings the total number of artworks in the Royal Docks featured as part of the Line to 5. The other installations include:
- Anne Hardy, Destination London
- Laura Ford, Bird Boy (without a tail)
- Larry Archiampong, Sanko-time and What I Hear I Keep
- Madge Gill, Nature in Mind
You can read more about each of these different installations here, or if you’re feeling more adventurous check out the free digital self-guided tour
About Yinka Ilori
Yinka Ilori is a multi-disciplinary artist and designer whose bold visual language draws on his British-Nigerian heritage to convey new narratives through contemporary design. Drawing on Nigerian parable and verbal traditions, Ilori touches on a multitude of themes that resonate with a global audience. His work is underpinned by the belief that art and design should be accessible to all. Humorous, provocative and playful, his projects demonstrate how design can bring together communities and have a positive impact on society, evoking a sense of joy and optimism. Often using the city as his canvas, he reimagines spaces to encourage a sense of community and invites audiences to engage and participate in his work and its surroundings. A graduate of London Metropolitan University’s BA in Furniture and Product Design, Ilori’s work has been showcased globally through solo and group exhibitions, public commissions and set and exhibition design.
