FRIEZE 2022 AT ANNABEL'S: ARTWORK BY ES DEVLIN + NEW DESSERT & COCKTAILS
Following collaborations with Damien Hirst and Joseph Klibansky in previous years, Annabel’s has commissioned a new large-scale work by British contemporary artist Es Devlin which is on display until October 14th. The 8-foot illuminated sculpture dominates the entrance of the building, with projection-mapped enlarged pencil drawings layered over ink printed birch panels.
An inscribed outline of the artist’s hand is perforated with her closely observed enlarged pencil drawings of some of London’s most endangered species, including the Skylark, Bittern, Black Redstart, Lesser Redpoll, Marsh Warbler, Kingfisher, River Lamprey, European Eel, Upright Goosefoot, Streaked Bombardier Beetle, Stag Beetle, Shelduck and Phoenix Fly.
Es Devlin said: “I made this work as an expression of a sensation I began to feel at the edges of my hand as I made observational drawings of 243 of London’s most endangered birds, bats, fish, fungi, plants, amphibians, and mammals. While drawing I began to feel the resonance between the distribution of cells and arteries in my hand with that of the fish scales, leaf veins, and bird feathers of my more-than-human neighbours. I felt a new porosity between my form and theirs, an extension of the idea of self, beyond the perimeter of my skin and through the greater network of the biosphere that sustains all human and other-than-human life.”
“Every surface within Annabel’s is embellished with plants and animals from all over the planet. The ones I have introduced to the building are specifically their London relatives. Every time we learn the name of one of our non-human neighbours, we create a habitat for them in our imagination: perhaps a glossary could be compiled of the names of every animal and plant depicted within the club.”
Cocktails
There are three bespoke cocktails named after the species featured in “Redraw the edges of yourself”.
Black Redstart: Royal Salute 21-Year-Old Whisky, Cynar, Campari Bitter Apéritif, Aromatics
Kingfisher: Monkey 47 Gin, Raspberry Shrub, Citrus Reduction, Topped up with Champagne
Phoenix Fly: Absolut Elyx Vodka, Tio Pepe Sherry, Coconut Water, Lemon & Thyme Consommé
Dessert
Members and guests will also be able to delight in a specially created dessert inspired by bees – one of the creatures on the endangered species list. The main ingredient is a local London honey, served as a parfait with mead-poached pear and honeycomb brittle, as well as dark chocolate wings.
The Visitor’s Honey: London Honey Parfit, mead Poached Pear & Honeycomb Brittle
