360° of Ian Berry's London Studio
Welcome in to the hidden world of Ian Berry - in full 360° of indigo blue. Filmed in his London studio it follows Ian Berry around as he speaks to Kasper Daugaard of SYS Visual in some of the different sections of his atelier. Please use the guide in the top left hand corner to see in all the different directions as you move around.
Ian says ‘The technology has really advanced and I was really impressed with the guys at SYS Visual with what they could achieve. I think the added interview part gives it another element as I always wanted to show more people around the studio but never really knew how. This is the closest thing to being here yet’
This is the first episode as we take a tour into Ian’s world at his East London base. Whenever people visit the studio they are always amazed by the ‘organised mess’ and to see so many shades of denim jeans all in a palette and arranged by shades. There’s denim hanging on the walls and his tools of his trade with all kinds of store rooms leading off from the main studio room.
‘I’ve never been able to really show online what the studio is like and, like my work, seems only good in real life. People’s reaction as they walk in are always something quite special. I’ve had great photographers in and it shows a section, but as the ceiling is low at the front (only 2 meters) it always looks a bit strange. It never really shows the large size of it and all the areas - and always looks a mess! With this it really shows the feeling of the studio and where I work.’ Ian added.
SYS Visual came in and filmed over a morning and then stitched it together in the edit room and in this episode you see Ian Berry’s working area, they filmed throughout his home (above the studio) and where he lives at the Limehouse Cut canal area of East London. Watch out for further episodes where you see his own art collection, and even in his kitchen and living room of this amazing factory conversation in the old Spratts Factory that survived the war. Ian overlooks the oldest canal in London, the Limehouse Cut were you can see barges going up and down as well as swans and all kinds of wildlife.
Spratts made pet food and the factory at one point was the largest dog food factory in the world. Built in the late 19th Century with beautiful red bricks and having the original writing still on the building. It was the first live work building in London and has been home to the likes of the Queen's tapestry restorer Ksynia Marko, Roger Law of Spitting Image, sculptor Michael Green and ceramicist Elizabeth Fritsch along with many other creatives. With Ian Berry and many notable others now, it carries on the tradition of being an artists building.
Another interesting fact also shows there was a dog-show department, possibly owing to James Spratt's initial 14-year-old assistant, the future dog show founder Charles Cruft. During the war they made dog biscuits for the soldiers on the front line.
After the imposition of purchase tax on pet food in 1969, the factory closed down, left derelict for many years.
Spratts factory on Limehouse Cut, by Debbie Bragg
Watch out to see further episodes to see more of his Studio, home, and the building.
made by www.sysvisual.com
produced by FARDI: +44 7968 538 767 fardi@sysvisual.com
News
News from the studio of Ian Berry
NEW!
Ian Berry’s, SPLENDID ISOLATION is out now and available to order online. The book is a collaboration with publisher Jap Sam Books in The Netherlands with the Museum Rijswijk to coincide with the Solo Museum show of the same name.
The book includes
· a foreward by Museum Rijswijk curator Diana Wind and Director Arnoud van Aalst
· 160 page paperback book
· Over 150 images in full colour (well, full of blue)
· Looks over some of his 15 years of making his artwork using only denim
· Many images show detail shots of his work that have to be seen to be believed.
The book was launched at the 2020 Virtual Art Book Fair (VABF) organized by Tokyo Art Book Fair (TABF) with Jap Sam. The fair was originally scheduled for Fall 2020 at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo. It then debuted at the Museum shop at Museum Rijswijk and was popular with visitors. You can now get it here.
The book comes signed by the artist Ian Berry and you can also request a message to be sent. We can post around the world with the postages below, including a special launch offer.
Postage
· £2.50 to the UK (Free with FREESHIPPING code at check out)
Postage outside the UK will come up at Check out.
Along with Museum Rijswijk and Jap Sam Books the book was made possible by the museum show principle sponsor Pepe Jeans London, along with Tencel, Famore Cutlery, Cone Denim and Tonello.