Many Hands work on new Queen of Hoxton designs

No, not the Design Week editorial team, but a trio of illustrated beings, which will appear on a new series of murals spanning the exterior and interior walls of the venue as part of the semi-permanent Many Hands exhibition.

A number of artists have been invited to work on the new designs for the space, including prop designer Kerry Hughes, who will create pieces that hang from the ceiling and protrude from the walls; Animaux Circus, Adam Smith, Alex Smith, Jamie Burbidge, Rob Whoriskey and Tom Baxter.

Hughes – who says she’s inspired by ‘geometry, architecture and caffeine’ – will create a piece in the form of a 3D typographic representation of the Queen of Hoxton logo.

Animaux Circus’ mural extends the studio’s explorations of animals and folk tales. The group is known for creating large-scale, often surreal illustrations that are bright, bold and eccentric, and from the sounds of it, the Queen of Hoxton work will be no exception.

Adam Smith is also designing new elements for the space. According to the Queen of Hoxton, Smith is inspired by the New Forest in Hampshire, where he grew up. It’s something of a departure from Shoreditch, though the ‘dystopian ideas’ Smith explores in his illustration perhaps work to draw some parallels between the places.

You can view the new designs from 27 September at the Queen of Hoxton, 1 Curtain Road, London EC2A