By Abdi Ali
Published July 4, 2017
A bold, bright labyrinth of narrow corridors, open spaces, suspended shapes, mirrors and eye-popping patterns invites you back to the wonder and positivity of childhood, and challenges you to search for geometric anomalies and inconsistencies in its design.
With walls of different heights, passageways of different widths, enclosed spaces and curved and zigzag paths, this ‘temple to wonder’ foregrounds the idea of human scale, giving you both a lasting visual impression and an extraordinary physical experience as you pass through it. Mirrored panels reflect the space back on itself; suspended shapes introduce a feeling of lightness and playful disorientation.
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This is Walala x Play, an an immersive, interactive installation exploring ideas of art, well-being and human scale created by graphic artist Camille Walala at whose heart is a puzzle – a giant three-dimensional game of Spot-the-Difference.
Walala–whose career has taken her all over the world to transform homes and workspaces with her signature tribal-pop style–has woven inconsistencies and asymmetries throughout the maze – peppering it with broken geometries and subtly distorted patterns.
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Stepping into the installation, you shall be confronted with a challenge: enter the space and explore its colours, patterns, shapes and scales to locate all the differences. You will also be invited to share your findings on Instagram, tagged with @nowgalleryse10 and the hashtag #walalaPLAY, creating a digital archive that evolves over the duration of the exhibition.
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The anomalies and asymmetries in the work are discreetly positioned, requiring you to engage your body and investigate the space from all angles to complete the puzzle. Secret spots are found when looking down from the balcony or looking up at the suspended elements. This element of physicality encourages you to become more aware of your body, engage your mind and give yourself over to play. The ‘flaws’ are refreshed each month, ensuring that the installation evolves and that returning visitors have something new to discover.
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Walala x Play–an exhibition that is described both as a journey that challenges, rewards and excites gallery-goers in equal measure and part artwork, part sculpture, part maze and part giant three-dimensional spot-the-difference puzzle–is not only free to visit but is also suitable for all ages.
The show opens Monday-Friday (10:00AM-7:00 PM) and Saturday and Sunday (11:00AM-4:00PM) from July 14 to September 24, 2017 at NOW Gallery, The Gateway Pavilions, Peninsula Square, Greenwich Peninsula, London SE10 0SQ, England.
