Talking Points: Yinka Iloria and Colourful Spaces
How can art and design make public spaces feel more engaging?
Yinka Ilori creates art that people can engage with and feel a sense of ownership over. He reimagines public spaces using bold colours and shapes inspired by the traditions of his British and Nigerian heritage, combining these with contemporary influences to transform the monotonous into the extraordinary.
Watch the videos below and then use the following questions to discuss Yinka Ilori’s work.
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Yinka Ilori
Yinka Ilori is a multidisciplinary artist and designer with a bold bright visual language influenced by his British-Nigerian heritage. Three components that feature heavily in Yinka’s work are pattern, colour and storytelling.
Yinka uses his crafts as a way to communicate Nigerian parables and verbal traditions.
His work is described as a fusion between contemporary design and Nigerian tradition.
Explore some more colour spaces here.
Watch the videos below to find out about Yinka’s designs for a basketball court in Canary Warf.
Questions to Ask Children
How does the basketball court look in its surroundings?
How does this basketball court vary from a normal basketball court?
Can you think of any other sports courts that could be made more exciting? How might you do this?
Watch the video below to find out about the Laundrette project.
Questions to Ask Children
How did Yinka and the children improve upon the original Laundrette?
How do you think it would feel to play in that space?
Can you think of other boring spaces that you would like to redesign and make more fun and colourful?
This Talking Points Is Used In...
using sketchbooks to make visual notes
