Art mural retrofit transformed into sustainable exhibition

Design Solutions

Earlier this year, London based American artist, Loreal Prystaj, used Phototex self-adhesive fabric as a key component in her latest art installation, Nude Pepper, in the ‘Around the Table’ exhibition at No.20 Arts Gallery in Islington.

The installation was removed, stored and then reinstalled at Photo London 2021, at Somerset House in September. It has since been removed again and is available to reinstall should Loreal wish.

‘During the ‘Around the Table’ exhibition at No.20 Arts, Nude Pepper was an immersive kitchen space that Loreal Prystaj invited the viewer to ‘consume and be consumed’ by its sights, scents, and sounds. As I was developing this piece, I knew that Phototex was the material I needed for the wall covering,’ explained Loreal, who first used this fully recyclable, self-adhesive fabric for her degree show at the Royal College of Art.

‘Phototex was like nothing I had used before. It is very easy to apply, remove and then reapply. This is so important for me as it is hugely frustrating to work with products that are tricky to install and allow no margin for trial and error. What I love about Phototex is that I can quickly remove bubbles and creases and if it has been installed slightly crooked, it is very easy to remove and replace exactly as I want it.’

She added, ‘Phototex is really strong and doesn’t tear like actual wallpapers or stretch like most vinyls, no matter how many times you apply it. As a visual artist who relies 100% on photorealistic reproduction, this is absolutely vital and a key reason why Phototex is so important to use for my work.’

Nude Pepper was asked to exhibit in Photo London by Kovet.Art, after the founders, Saras Rachupalli and Camilla Grimaldi saw the work at No.20 Arts and asked if Loreal could show the project at their Somerset House event.

‘Derric from Landor UK explained to me how easy it would be to remove the Phototex in such a way that I could easily use the material again. It involved rolling the media onto a non porous roll and essentially enabling the adhesive to stick to itself. He said I could then reapply it in exactly the same way as before in the new location. This is what I did, and it worked perfectly!’ said Loreal.

Phototex has a receptive coating that enables hugely detailed inkjet printing and produces vibrant and striking finished images. The patented adhesive allows for fast, easy application and it can be removed and reapplied and doesn’t leaves any residue or damage to the surface.

Loreal concluded, ‘I am very thankful to Landor UK for helping me with this project. As an artist, I want to use products that maximise the impact of my work, but this is not always possible because of budget and availability. Landor has been so helpful in making this material accessible and affordable for me, which I believe is vital to the success of this installation! Being able to use the same materials again, with no loss of quality or waste of product has been a huge advantage. It is amazing how useful Phototex has been in displaying this art project – not once – but twice!’