Locke Munich
Lauren Baker, Canary Wharf Group
Intro
Art industry professional specialising in curating, cultural programming and commissioning contemporary artworks for international public collections. Projects have included Liberty House, Canary Wharf (10 George Street), Canary Wharf Group (Newfoundland,) Spotify NY, Spotify Toronto, Enfield Winter Lights, Light up Kilburn, Light the Way in Thamesmead, It’s Nicer to Nice, Otherlandz at London Art Fair 2023.
Here’s some of my curation projects I have worked on previously.
Liberty House
The relationship with the Liberty’s department store was the starting point for the curation of the building. Working alongside interior designers at The Office Group and SODA architects.
The artwork collection for Liberty House mirrors the sensibility of Liberty’s and heritage of the area selecting artists that blur the boundaries between art and design, fashion, pattern, colour, and fabric. The artwork collection demands a closer inspection, celebrating materiality, craft, and handmade processes offering the viewer tactile accents throughout the building and nod to its history. Unexpected moments of discovery and delight happen through larger-scale installations and takeovers from artists including Lrnce, Kanica, Sofia Lind, Meike Meijer, Jo Elbourne, Charlotte Edey, Charles Antoine Chappuis, Mae Engelgeer, Deun Ivory and Denisse Ariana Pérez .
Acrylicize, The Office Group and SODA architects.
Artist: Charles Antoine Chappuis
Artist: Mae Engelgeer
Artist: Kanica
Curation Moodboard
Artist: Charles Antoine Chappuis
Artist: Jo Elbourne
Artist: Deun Ivory
It’s Nicer to Be Nice
Hive Curates and I first commissioned artist Eve de Haan for Enfield Winter Lights, 2021. As curator’s we sourced a container, powder coated it and worked on the production to ensure it could be moved. We commissioned Half a Roast Chicken, otherwise known as artist Eve De Haan to transform a shipping container into an immersive ‘Wonder Ground’. Bathed in neon light and pink hues, the installation delighted visitors by sparking joy and positivity.
The container has been prominently displayed at Turner Prizes’ fringe outdoor programme Eastbourne Alive and toured to the following town centres (Palmers Green, Meridian Water, Enfield Town, Angel Edmonton, Stratford High Street and Eastbourne) the exhibition intends to bring notions of self-care and well being to the heart of the communities in each town centre. We have seen over 6,800+ visitors take a seat on the swing in Eve De Haan’s pink shipping container and many more positive interactions on the streets.
Luna Woman Power Totem
Working with local residents and local groups Hive commissioned Lauren Baker to create a sculpture celebrating the significance of the Su!ragette movement in Palmers Green. ‘Luna Woman Power Totem’, a 3.3 metre tall light installation, is inspired by esoteric and alchemic traditions, juxtaposing ancient symbolism with contemporary symbolism to explore female identity, strength and power. Totems tend to have spiritual significance and can become an emblem for a community. Lauren created her first totem to celebrate the courage of our ancestors and as a reminder that powerful change is always possible. “It’s an honour to be commissioned to create an installation in Palmers Green Triangle at the location where the su!ragettes fought for women to have the right to vote. This was just over one hundred years ago and now all women can vote in the UK, because of their e!orts. Had I been born in that era I’m sure I would have been campaigning with them” - Lauren Baker
Spotify: Toronto
Three artists were commission to reflect the diversity of Toronto’s art scene. A celebration of off things audio. From Trevor Wheatley’s typographic installation ‘Lyric Ring’ to Patrick Thomson and indigenous artist Parr Josephee from Kinngait, Nunavut who produced a mural that reflected how we should better listen to nature around us, to Trish Roque’s digital installation representing the and pulse of Toronto’s rich music scene.
Acrylicize
Otherlandz
Otherlandz is a rhizomatic programme of nomadic events giving voice to UK based woman artists or artists focused on celebrating women’s stories from culturally diverse backgrounds.
Curated by Chantelle Purcell and Renin Bilginer, what initially started as a conversation about their experiences of growing up with mixed heritage backgrounds in London, gave rise to a need to delve more into issues surrounding identity, belonging, assimilation and womanhood, questioning; what does it mean to exist as a multicultural woman in Britain and how do we preserve a relationship with our diasporic origins?
