'Liquid Glacial' tables by Zaha Hadid at David Gill Galleries, London

David Gill is a man who requires little introduction. A firm fixture on the contemporary design scene, the distinguished Spaniard can be credited with spearheading the shifting perception that design can be labelled as art, having commissioned pieces by Fredrikson Stallard, Barnaby Barford and Tom Dixon. This month sees Gill re-opening the doors of his eponymous gallery, 25 years since his first foray, right in the heart of Mayfair.

Located on a quiet corner of King Street, and a stone’s throw away from Christie’s, the mammoth two-floor space is a minimalist vision to behold. In addition to the main gallery space, this version 3.0 (Gill still owns a by-appointment-only space in Vauxhall) will also host an expansive library and additional exhibition area downstairs. A sober solicitor’s office in its previous incarnation, the concrete-floored space is flooded with natural light, thanks to newly installed wall-to-wall windows.

Making the most of this newfound natural light is the gallery’s inaugural exhibition – an expectedly high-falluting series of tables from the mind of a repeated Gill collaborator, Zaha Hadid. Entitled ‘Liquid Glacial,’ the series’ four pieces each resemble plates of moving ice, complete with legs akin to furrowing tunnels of water, draining down from the surface. Crafted from a new-fangled acrylic resin in Italy, each table is smooth to the touch in spite of its illusionary rippled appearance.

The Gill-Hadid partnership has been tried and tested. In 2007, Gill commissioned Hadid’s first foray into furniture, the now iconic ‘Dune Formations’ series of wall-shelving, tables and benches in an alchemic tarnished ivy shade, which are also on display in the new Gill space this month.

'This idea of glaciers and ice is something we’ve been exploring for awhile,' explained Hadid, while supervising the installation of the new pieces. 'You can’t reinvent the wheel everyday.' And with prices starting from £100,000 for the coffee table rendition of ‘Liquid Glacial’, there doesn’t seem to pressure to do otherwise.

ADDRESS

2-4 King Street,
London SW1Y 6QP

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