Isabel + Helen's kinetic art exhibition marks studio's decade
Design duo showcases movement-obsessed prototypes at The Conran Shop during LDF
1Decade of kinetic exploration
Isabel Gibson and Helen Chesner's Motion Sickness exhibition at The Conran Shop celebrates their studio's 10th anniversary. The London-based designers, who met at Chelsea College of Arts in 2012, have consistently focused on movement in their work. The show features prototypes from brand collaborations with Hermès and Burberry, plus installations for venues like V&A and Coachella. Their kinetic pieces include spinning orbs, flapping wings, and wheeled devices that demonstrate their signature transformation-focused approach.
2Prototype-driven design philosophy
The duo's creative process prioritizes rapid prototyping over extensive planning. "We usually jump to prototypes quite quickly," Gibson explained during the exhibition tour. Their hands-on approach tests how imagined movements translate physically, with many experiments failing before achieving the desired kinetic effect. This method has produced limited-edition motion paintings created using a custom-built spinning machine that forms concentric circle motifs when rotating paintbrushes.
3Interactive exhibition elements
Visitors can engage with 15 paper spheres that spin via pulled strings and a toy train carrying wobbling eggs. These installations exemplify the designers' interest in how movement alters perception and emotion. Chesner notes kinetic pieces can evoke joy or unease depending on their motion characteristics. Simple labels encourage physical interaction, breaking from traditional gallery etiquette to create a more immersive experience.
4Conran Shop partnership history
The exhibition continues Isabel + Helen's decade-long relationship with The Conran Shop, beginning with their 2016 LDF exhibition "A Load Of Jargon". This marks one of the first shows in the retailer's newly activated basement gallery at its Sloane Square flagship. The timing coincides with Conran's business model shift toward proprietary collections, following last year's furniture launch with Francis Sultana during LDF 2023.
5Movement as artistic signature
Gibson describes their "obsession with movement and kinetic sculpture" as central to their practice since 2015. The designers particularly focus on moments of transformation within motion, creating reveals that change viewer perception. This approach extends beyond physical objects to influence how they produce motion paintings, where the spinning process becomes integral to the artwork's creation rather than just its display.
6From prototype to installation
Many exhibited pieces began as functional prototypes for major brand collaborations or large-scale installations. The show deliberately exposes this typically hidden development phase, displaying unfinished test pieces alongside completed works. This transparency offers insight into their iterative process where, as Chesner notes, "you have to constantly build on" ideas that initially fail.
7Exhibition's retail context
Motion Sickness represents The Conran Shop's evolving strategy under CEO since 2023, focusing more on exclusive collections than third-party brands. The basement gallery activation follows closures of Fulham Road and Marylebone High Street locations. For the designers, exhibiting at this transitional moment for the retailer provides symbolic closure to their ten-year creative partnership that began with their professional debut.
8Kinetic design's emotional range
The exhibition demonstrates how carefully engineered movement can produce diverse emotional responses, from the playful train with wobbling eggs to more ominous mechanical pieces. This emotional spectrum results from precise calibration of motion speed, rhythm, and predictability. The designers' decade of research into kinetic psychology informs these calculated effects, positioning their work at the intersection of art, design, and emotional engineering.