If you wander down Piccadilly this weekend you may see families clutching long coloured plastic straws, arty types streaming out from the Royal Academy where the eclectic and expansive Sensing Spaces is taking place. A fun, exploratory exhibition, this show is ideal for family outings or friendship groups wanting to get out and do ‘something cultural’ on their days off.
Sensing Spaces examines the power of structural devices. There are seven architectural practices from six countries: they take over the Academy galleries, occupying a massive 23,000 square feet, and present an epic assault course for visitors of all ages. The ambitious project is captivating and within minutes I felt lost among the walls, tunnels and stairs.
Visitors are immersed in the creations immediately. The first piece, a weirdly wonderful wooden sort of house is by Chilean-Argentine couple Pezo von Ellrichshausen. You are invitied to explore the structure, climbing the stairs and observing the gallery space from another viewpoint entirely. The coloured straw structure, perhaps my favourite exhibit, comes later. It is a chaotic bird’s nest of coloured branches; enthralled and concentrated visitors surround the magical cave making their own additions to the piece. It is the creation of Diebedo Francis Kere, an African artist who brings fun and playfulness to the exhibition.
There is also a maze of tree trunks by Li Xiaodong to get lost in, and a beautifully impressive concrete megastructure by Grafton to admire. I loved the accessibility of Sensing Spaces, there is no need to have an expert knowledge of art or architecture when visiting, you can switch off and let the structures guide you through.
A different and disorientating exhibition that will challenge your perceptions of architecture and space.
Continues until 6 April 2014, book here.
