There is a name that recurs at NeoCon 2024. And it is that of Yinka Ilori. The British-Nigerian multidisciplinary artist and designer, winner of the World Architecture London Design Medal for Emerging Designers, has always associated his name with an exuberant and energetic use of color to develop a democratic, social, accessible design where art and design coexist.
From home accessories to large public installations, Ilori’s work transforms space into a social, engaging theater, a source of optimism and positivity – the colorful basketball court created in Canary Wharf, the crosswalks in the city of London for the London Design Festival, the Filtered Rays pavilion in Berlin are just a few examples. Starting her career by upcycling vintage furniture, Ilori’s practice quickly expanded to include collaborations with international brands and industries such as Adidas, Lego, Pinterest, Universal Music and the Design Museum, to name a few.
It is this exuberant yet joyful quality of his and his multi-sensory approach that has won over Chicago, which featured him on several fronts at NeoCon. Starting with the most visibly expansive and immersive project, a digital art project that transformed a city landmark like The Mart into a moving art canvas. In fact, Yinka Ilori’s creativity has lent itself to the Art on The Mart initiative, a program of contemporary art projections that color the facade (2.5 acres, more than 10,000 square feet) of the iconic building as the seasons change, creating an innovative video map that is clearly visible from Chicago’s Riverwalk.
For the 2024 summer season (June 6-September 11), Ilori’s installation titled Omi Okun (meaning “Ocean Water”) will captivate Chicagoans: a multi-sensory work that recreates the artist’s personal travel experience from London to Margate, divided into four chapters – the white robes, the scents of incense, the water, and finally, the dream landscape.
The installation was created in collaboration with Momentum Textiles + Wallcovering, a U.S. brand with which Yinka Ilori has also signed for the first time a textile and wallcovering collection that was launched at NeoCon. Once again, hypnotic patterns and bold colors define the design and identity of the new proposal, which includes five patterns: Shower Me With Flowers, a modernist, geometric take on flowers; Dream Catchers, a juxtaposition of shapes with dreamy tones; Eyes in Reflection, a grid of rounded patterns; Blossoms Time, solid colors with a woven texture; and Rhythms Surround You, which overlays arcs, circles, chevrons and triangles. From office to residential to hospitality, the collection transforms spaces into inspiring experiences through color. “My collaboration with Momentum is a testament to the power of happiness that comes from strong community and the ability to tell stories,” said Ilori.
Also at NeoCon, the artist will be featured on the exclusive keynote stage organized by the event in collaboration with the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID): at The Power of Affirmation conference, Ilori will sit down with ASID CEO Khoi Vo and International Interior Design Association (IIDA) Executive Vice President/CEO Cheryl Durst. A conversation about how design can celebrate diverse cultural identities and elevate the individual to unite the masses.
