‘Our Fans’ by Sir Peter Blake takes up residence on Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London’s Knightsbridge façade during part of the extensive renovation of this historic hotel.
Hong Kong, 17 January 2017 -- Sir Peter Blake, a leading figure in the art world, and often referred to as the ‘Godfather of British Pop Art’, has been commissioned by Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group to create a collage which will cover Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London’s iconic façade during part of the hotel’s comprehensive phased renovation.
The immense collage entitled Our Fans, has been created to provide an eye-catching diversion along Knightsbridge. Our Fans, the largest artwork Sir Peter Blake has ever created, is a collage of 100 prominent faces, from Morgan Freeman and Helen Mirren to Joanna Lumley and Jenny Packham. All are regular guests at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London as well as fans of the Group’s hotels around the world.
“Some of my first works were collages of crowds of people; this piece is in the spirit of The Beatles 1967Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album,” said Sir Peter Blake, the artist responsible for this iconic album cover. It is therefore entirely apt that Sir Paul McCartney and fellow Beatles' bandmate Ringo Starr should feature in the poster, during the 50th anniversary of the album.
The collage has become Blake’s trademark format and one that he has returned to time and again over the years. “This artwork was very different to my usual way of working”, he said. “A collage is very time consuming and laborious, but this was more a matter of arranging the figures and making them work together - making sure no one had a cut-off shoulder or missing legs - that’s the skill of it. It was an amazing project to work on. Hopefully, people passing by will try to spot celebrities they recognize,” he added.
Displayed prominently on the front of the building, this striking work is a visual treat. “We are delighted to showcase this original piece by such a talented artist in London, the home of our European flagship hotel,” said Jill Kluge, Mandarin Oriental’s Group Director of Brand Communications. “Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park is part of the fabric of London life, and this exciting renovation project is designed to confirm it as one of the leading luxury hotels in the world. Sir Peter Blake’s artistic masterpiece not only pays tribute to the city, but also celebrates the Group’s global reach, in a truly original way,” she added.
Mandarin Oriental’s creative advertising agency, LONDON advertising, created the concept of the poster, and interviewed Sir Peter Blake about this project. Click here to view the interview.
Fun Facts about ‘Our Fans’
This piece of art is the size of 38 double decker buses at 70.7m wide and 24.88m high. It weighs over 1055kg and has taken over 10 hours to install. Morgan Freeman, Sir Peter Blake, Sir Paul McCartney are over 15 metres tall. All the confetti pieces are made up of small multi-coloured fans.
About Sir Peter Blake
Born in 1932 in Dartford, Kent, Sir Peter attended Gravesend School of Art before earning a place at the prestigious Royal College of Art London in 1956. His love of art flourished as he built up a respectable portfolio of work through extensive travels across Europe and beyond. Blake came to the public’s attention and the centre of the London art scene with his first solo exhibition in the 1960’s. His work has featured icons of popular culture from around the world and is appreciated globally. In 1983 he became a CBE and in 2002 received a knighthood for his services to art.
About the restoration of Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has embarked on a comprehensive multimillion-pound restoration of its European flagship Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London, designed to confirm this historic hotel’s position as one of the best in the world. The hotel remains open throughout the renovation which will be completed in Spring 2018. International designer, Joyce Wang, has been commissioned to oversee the overall design concept, and has taken her inspiration from the hotel’s royal heritage and peaceful parkside location, as well as the glamour of the early 20th century's Golden Age of travel.
About Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is the award-winning owner and operator of some of the world’s most luxurious hotels, resorts and residences. Having grown from its Asian roots into a global brand, the Group now operates 29 hotels and eight residences in 19 countries and territories, with each property reflecting the Group’s oriental heritage and unique sense of place. Mandarin Oriental has a strong pipeline of hotels and residences under development, with the next hotel opening planned in Doha.
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