SIR PETER BLAKE CREATES A BESPOKE COLLAGEÂ FOR MANDARIN ORIENTAL HYDE PARK, LONDON.
Our Fans collage over Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London by Sir Peter Blake. (Image courtesy of 2017 Getty Images)
The Knightsbridge area of London is one of the most exclusive spots in the British capital, home to the Bonhams auction house, the flagship stores of iconic British brands like Jimmy Choo, Manolo Blahnik and Harrods and where the majestic Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London hotel stands tall.
With it’s unparalleled identity as a Knightsbridge landmark, the hotel turned to the ‘Godfather of British Pop Art’ Sir Peter Blake to create a temporary facade befitting its iconic status as the hotel embarks on a restoration designed to significantly enhance its facilities.
Our Fans by Sir Peter Blake. (Image courtesy of 2017 Getty Images)
Titled Our Fans, the massive work of art the size of 38 double decker buses at 70.7m wide and 24.88m high is the largest artwork Sir Peter Blake has ever created. Prominent figures in pop culture today including Morgan Freeman, Dame Helen Mirren and Sir Paul McCartney are among the 100 famous faces surrounded by a confetti of multi-coloured fans on the incredible collage.
Followers of British pop culture may notice something familiar about the collage though:
“Some of my first works were collages of crowds of people; this piece is in the spirit of The Beatles 1967 Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album,†says Sir Peter Blake.
The artwork of the 1967 The Beatles album Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
It was 50 years ago today, Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play. They’ve been going in and out of style,but they’re guaranteed to raise a smile- especially with their catchy tunes and the artwork that inspired thousands of renditions five decades on. And in a nod to The Beatles’ great influence in Britpop, the last two of the Mop Tops, Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr look out to the pedestrians of Knightsbridge from the collage.
Here’s Sir Peter Blake himself elaborating on the inspiration behind Our Fans:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-3kVxiNlus
The Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London will remain open throughout the renovation to be completed in Spring 2018.
