Big Chill Courts Big Design Names

Art and Design heavyweights Ron Arad and Gavin Turk are among those being commissioned by The Big Chill festival this year to create visual elements for the event. 

In a link up with the Saatchi Gallery the pair have been brought in alongside Richard Woods and Jim Lambie to each redesign a table tennis table.

Arad, apparently a fan of the game, but better known as a sculptural furniture maker, architect and designer; 2005 Turner Prize nominee Lambie; Woods  who specialises in designing alternative realities for interiors; and Turk who’s works deal with value, identity and authenticity are all working up playable tables which will be auctioned for charity after the event.   

So the design world’s dalliance with ping-pong continues, but elsewhere the festival will bring back its Art Trail, this year run and commissioned by Saatchi Online.

Seven emerging artists are set to feature work on the trail including Susie Olczak and Rachel Wilson, both working on immersive light installations to create optical illusions.

Another illusory piece, by Elizabeth Jordan offers a mind bending experience which organisers say can ‘can challenge a viewer’s capacity to perceive visually.’ Hopefully it won’t make anyone blind.

The Big Chill festival runs from 4-7 August 2011 at Eastnor Castle Deer Park, Eastnor, Ledbury, Hertfordshire, HR8