We’re always told to look up when we walk around a city, but what happens if you look down? Overlooked is a celebration of London’s street covers; easily-missed everyday objects found across the whole city from Brixton to Kensington and Bethnal Green to Islington.
These humble industrial objects are the gatekeepers to a mysterious underground world. Many of the covers were installed by 19th and early 20th-century utility companies who provided Londoners with new services such as water and sewage, gas and electricity, telegraph and telephones through a network of subterranean tunnels, and many display the name of the foundry where they were cast. Marina and her team scoured the city streets to find the best and most interesting examples of these fascinating objects.
Expanding on the original Overlooked series, which is now part of the V&A collection, the new series shares the same inspiration in the 19th-century practice of taking rubbings of religious icons. This technique gives a detailed negative image of the original object, and is then screen-printed in layers using fluorescent inks.
The new series is even more vibrant than the original, covering many areas across London. These prints are a reminder that a city’s beauty isn’t limited to art galleries or grand architecture, and that beautiful design is everywhere if we just take the time to look for it.
The new artworks highlight the diversity of London and the beauty of everyday objects. The partnership with Dan Mather and Fedrigoni Papers allowed us to create this celebration of the joy of making tactile things in a world dominated by digital screens.
Marina’s recent Overlooked exhibition was part of 2024’s hugely successful London Design Festival.
Held in Bankside District’s Borough Yards—a vibrant new development based in and around a series of atmospheric restored railway arches next to Southwark‘s famous Borough Market—it attracted several hundred visitors from around the world over the nine days of the festival.
During the exhibition Marina hosted a packed private view for friends and colleagues, and Dan Mather held a sold-out screen printing workshop where participants of all ages and experiences could create their own designs as a response to the surrounding Overlooked prints.
Creative Director and Designer: Marina Willer
Printed by: Dan Mather
Paper supplier: Fedrigoni
Designers: Marta Gaspar, Rita Desport, Natalia Witwicka, Hiromi Suzuki, Hamlet Auyeung
Project Manager: Charlotte Harmsworth
Exhibit Fabricator: Charles Veyron
Lighting: Beam Lighting Design
Made possible by our Kickstarter backers
Special thanks to:
