Yinka Ilori weaves history and community into vibrant new Fulham Pier installation

London’s riverside has gained a vibrant new landmark, and it’s anything but ordinary. Artist and designer Yinka Ilori has unveiled 100 Found Objects, a major new public installation at Fulham Pier, reimagining the city’s layered past through colour, craft, and storytelling.

Located on the Thames beside Fulham Football Club’s newly expanded riverside development, Fulham Pier aims to become a round-the-clock destination for dining, entertainment, and culture. Ilori’s artwork forms a key part of this transformation, wrapping around the pier’s façades, entrances, and glass balustrades, creating a playful, immersive experience for visitors.

“This project is about honouring stories. Those we inherit, those we create. Those we choose to share,” says Yinka. “Fulham is filled with quiet treasures, and it’s been a joy to uncover them with the community. To bring them to life in a space that belongs to everyone.”

Objects, histories, and hidden treasures

At first glance, 100 Found Objects is a riot of colour and pattern, true to Yinka’s signature style, but look closer, and a deeper narrative unfolds. Inspired by Fulham’s rich local history, the installation draws on objects unearthed along the Thames – a nod to the age-old tradition of mudlarking – including intricately crafted pipes, broken ceramics, and domestic fragments. These seemingly mundane artefacts become vessels of memory, transformed through Ilori’s contemporary lens into vibrant symbols of craftsmanship and community.

Layered into the composition are rich botanical motifs that tie Fulham’s local history to broader global narratives. Yinka found inspiration in the Walled Garden of Fulham Palace, where early botanist Mary Somerset, Duchess of Beaufort, cultivated exotic plants in the 17th century. Among the species referenced is the blue passionflower, a reminder of the area’s horticultural heritage.

Yinka’s approach doesn’t shy away from complexity either. Alongside nods to local cultivation, the artwork subtly acknowledges Fulham’s role in global trade networks and the colonial histories entangled with them. Plants such as Grains of Paradise, okra, and cotton, native to West Africa and significant in histories of commerce and migration, are woven throughout the design, creating an honest reflection on the area’s layered past.

Movement and meaning

The installation also includes lenticular panels that shift and change as viewers move around the pier, bringing a sense of dynamism and discovery. Along the riverside boardwalk, floral motifs and found objects appear and disappear depending on the angle of view, offering an ever-changing interaction with the artwork.

A particularly striking feature is the use of a dove – a universal symbol of freedom and peace – floating among the flora and artefacts. It reinforces a core message running through Ilori’s work: that public spaces must be built not just with design but with empathy, community, and shared understanding at their heart.

Further amplifying this ethos, 100 Found Objects extends onto The Scene, Fulham Pier’s new 10-metre digital interactive screen. Here, the artwork pulses and shifts in rhythm with live performances and events, weaving Ilori’s vision into the cultural fabric of the site.

A community canvas

For Yinka, who has built a career crafting joyful yet thought-provoking public spaces, this installation feels particularly poignant. In a world where public art can often be ornamental, 100 Found Objects invites viewers to engage and consider the histories, both quiet and grand, that shape a place.

Glen Sutton, director of Fulham Pier, believes the work captures the spirit of the new development. “Yinka’s work speaks to the soul of Fulham – its layered history, its vibrant communities, and its constant evolution.

“This commission reflects what Fulham Pier is all about: bringing people together through experiences, culture, and a meaningful shared space.”

Celebrating the Launch

To mark the opening, Fulham Pier will host a celebratory weekend from 20–22 June. Free for all, the event will feature interactive workshops inspired by Yinka’s artwork, live performances, and a headline gig by Fulham-born musician Example on Saturday 21 June. It’s a fitting tribute to a project that’s as much about community engagement as it’s about aesthetic transformation.

Ultimately, 100 Found Objects is more than a colourful intervention. It’s a conversation starter. Ilori’s reimagined artefacts and flora ask visitors to pause, reflect, and rediscover the overlooked stories that continue to shape London’s ever-evolving landscape.

🔗 Source: Original Source

📅 Published on: 2025-06-10 09:45:00

🖋️ Author: Abbey Bamford – An expert in architectural innovation and design trends.

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Note: This article was reviewed and edited by the archot editorial team to ensure accuracy and quality.