Yinka Ilori Launches London's Fulham Pier with '100 Found Objects' Installation

Summary

• Artist Yinka Ilori has unveiled 100 Found Objects, a new major public installation, at London’s freshly launched Fulham Pier.
• Enveloping the length of the pier with a constellation of flora, fauna and “found objects,” the piece pays homage to the area’s storied history and culture.

British-Nigerian artist Yinka Ilori is bringing a floral feast to Fulham Pier with 100 Found Objects, a new major public installation, nestled in a pocket of southwest London. Known as the “Architect of Joy,” Ilori reimagines the newly-launched destination as a living archive, shining a light on the local flora and fauna, alongside the area’s rich history of craftsmanship and cultivation.

Set against the backdrop of the iconic River Thames, the piece transforms fragments found along the Thames into symbols of cultural memory. For this work, the artist took on a revisionist approach, mining inspiration from traditions of mudlarking and scavenging, constellating broken jugs and jagged pipes into a punch of bold and graphic hues.

Lenticular panels shift with the viewer’s gaze, bringing floral scenes into a new dimension, while plants like okra, grains of paradise and cotton in the central display reflect Fulham’s historical ties to Africa and the global trade networks of the colonial era. Broadening the project’s cultural scope Ilori also looked to Akosua Pareis-Osei and her work surrounding reproductive autonomy and medicinal knowledge.

The artist’s inclusion of a dove is especially resonant, reflecting an ethos of empathetic and compassionate community spaces. “This project is about honoring stories,” Ilori expressed. “Those we inherit, those we create. Those we choose to share. 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.”

100 Found Objects is now on view at Fulham Pier.