Playful, witty, rude, energetic and brilliantly ridiculous are apt terms to describe this year’s editions of The Art of Ping Pong, featuring paddles created by some truly exciting UK-based artists and illustrators. The show, curated once more by Algy Batten, features work by creative luminaries such as Alan Kitching, Ryan Gander, James Joyce and Thierry Noir, and will see a concurrent auction amass thousands of pounds for a worthy cause, the Alzheimer's Society.
Ranging from politically charged bats such as Jake and Dinos Chapman's profane text-based contribution – which addresses the furor surrounding Brexit – to the cheeky, eye-popping 3D work of Wilfrid Wood, this year’s collection has something for everyone. Throughout November, The Art of Ping Pong's website offers fans the opportunity to browse the stellar line-up and bid online for any piece from the collection. All of the paddles will be on display until tomorrow at Shoreditch's 71A Gallery.
The prospect of owning these art pieces is made all the more exciting by the cause the auction supports – the Alzheimer's Society is a UK charity leading the fight against dementia. And if you aren't lucky enough to win the bid for your favourite paddle, head to the show and get your hands on the limited-edition book, produced to accompany the exhibition.
British artist, designer and director Filfury's bat is made laser cut layers of plywood
James Joyce hand-painted his birch wood ply bat; and Damien Poulain's paddle
Nylon Sky's bat features a monochrome design with maple wood and inlaid Perspex
Ryan Gander dished up a rustic wooden paddle serving board, while Lakwena Maciver's paddle got straight to the point
Matt Blease rolled in with a skateboard-inspired bat, complete with wheels and grip tape
South London illustrator Jacob Everett's bat faces off against itself, while Wilfrid Wood's paddle, made from paper and pulp, portrays Ibrahaim Hamamoto. The Egyptian Paralympic table tennis champion uses his mouth to hold the bat after having lots both arms in a train accident when he was 10 years old
British born, New York-based Jon Burgerman's paddle celebrates the 'Doodle' art style he is known for; and Helsinki-based designer Lina Linko looks to the sea for her creation
Morag Myerscough's graphic, neon bat; and David Shillinglaw's bat nods to Pop art
INFORMATION
The auction runs until midnight on 31 November. ’The Art of Ping Pong’ is on view until 8 November at 71A Gallery. For more information, visit The Art of Ping Pong website
ADDRESS
71A Gallery
71 Leonard Street
London EC2A 4QS
-
Out of office: what the Wallpaper* editors have been doing this weekA taste of the dolce vita in London, some permanent artwork and a new eyeshadow palette – it's our editors' picks of the week
-
Daniel Arsham’s new monograph collates the works of the auto-obsessed American artist‘Arsham Motorsport’ is two volumes of inspiration, process and work, charting artist Daniel Arsham’s oeuvre inspired by the icons and forms of the automotive industry
-
Hollywood Forever's new ‘vertical mausoleum’ is the tallest in the USThe Gower Mausoleum is not only an innovative solution for housing the deceased in a crowded urban centre; it is also reframing the way that we view cemeteries
-
Out of office: what the Wallpaper* editors have been doing this week
A taste of the dolce vita in London, some permanent artwork and a new eyeshadow palette – it's our editors' picks of the week
-
'We need to be constantly reminded of our similarities' – Jonathan Baldock challenges the patriarchal roots of a former Roman temple in LondonThrough use of ceramics and textiles, British artist Jonathan Baldock creates a magical and immersive exhibition at ‘0.1%’ at London's Mithraum Bloomberg Space
-
Discover Rotimi Fani-Kayode's fluid photographs of the queer male body, on show in London‘Rotimi-Fani Kayode: The Studio – Staging Desire’ at Autograph ABP celebrates the work of the Nigerian-born photographer
-
Saatchi Gallery is in full bloom with floral works from Vivienne Westwood, Marimekko, Buccellati and more‘Flowers – Flora in Contemporary Art & Culture’ at Saatchi Gallery, London, explores the relationship between creatives and their floral muses, and spans from fashion and jewellery to tattoos
-
'I want to get into these images and perfume them': Linder's retrospective opens at the Hayward Gallery'Linder: Danger Came Smiling' gathers fifty years of the artist's work at the Hayward Gallery. We meet the punk provocateur ahead of her first retrospective
-
Tasneem Sarkez's heady mix of kitsch, Arabic and Americana hits LondonArtist Tasneem Sarkez draws on an eclectic range of references for her debut solo show, 'White-Knuckle' at Rose Easton
-
‘A call to action for more authentic expressions of working-class life’: a London show reframes working-class BritainLondon exhibition ‘Lives Less Ordinary’, at Two Temple Place, challenges age-old stereotypes
-
‘Dr Tetris’ on the biggest ever iteration of the puzzle in LondonTetris comes to 360-degree, 23,000 sq ft, 16k LED screens in London; Craig McLean speaks to Henk Rogers, the man who’s kept the game alive
