London Met Furniture and Product Design alumnus has been awarded the Emerging Design Medal by London Design Festival.
Date: 11 September 2020
The London Design Festival has awarded London Met alumnus Yinka Ilori with the Emerging Design Medal for the impact his work has made on the design scene in the last five years.
Each year, the London Design Festival (LDF) recognises the contribution made by leading design figures and emerging talents in London and the industry by awarding four London Design Medals to deserving artists.
Primarily a furniture designer, Yinka’s style is immersive and multi-sensory, making use of bright colours and geometric lines – a nod to the Nigerian aesthetics of his upbringing. His body of work involves innovative upcycling of vintage furniture and aims to blend Nigerian traditions with contemporary design.
‘I am truly humbled and honoured to have won this award. Design has always been a huge part of my life and surroundings, so being able to share it with the world is something very special,’ Yinka told the LDF website.
‘It feels good to know that my work has been recognised by London Design Festival in a time where, in my opinion, design is more important than ever. I just hope my work inspires the next generation of young designers with a similar background to me. I really am grateful and excited for the future.’
Marianne Forrest, Head of 3D Design, said: “Yinka has the energy and passion that is undeniably central to his success as a designer and maker. At once vibrant and poetic, his work has a freshness and order that transcends the chaos of current society. It adds hope to our disordered world, so needed in this time of turmoil. It reflects on the past, both culturally and historically, while engaging the viewer with a visual feast of colour that can only be of our time, right now.”
Yinka was also recently appointed to the Crafts Council Board of trustees. Founded in 1972, the Crafts Council is the national charity for craft whose aims are to empower learning and nurture craft businesses.
