Es Devlin

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Es Devlin

CBE RDI
Devlin in 2016
Born
Esmeralda Devlin

(1971-09-24) 24 September 1971 (age 52)
Kingston upon Thames, London, England
Education
Occupation(s)Artist and designer
SpouseJack Galloway
Children2
Awards
Websiteesdevlin.com

Esmeralda Devlin CBE RDI (/ɛz/; born 24 September 1971[1]) is an English artist and stage designer[2] who works in a range of media, often mapping light and projected film onto kinetic sculptural forms.[3][4] She has received several accolades including a Tony Award and two Olivier Awards.[5] She was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2015 and Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2022 by Queen Elizabeth II for services to design. She was recognized as one of the BBC's 100 women of 2013.[6]

Devlin is known for her extensive work in the theatre. For her work in the West End she won two Laurence Olivier Awards for Best Set Design for Chimerica (2014), and The Nether (2015). She was Olivier-nominated for Hamlet (2016), The Lehman Trilogy (2019), and Dear England (2024). For her work on Broadway she won the Tony Award for Best Scenic Design of a Play for The Lehman Trilogy (2022). She was Tony-nominated for Machinal (2014), and American Psycho (2016). She is also known for her The Hunt (2019) and The Motive and the Cue (2023).

Early life and education[edit]

Devlin was born in Kingston upon Thames, London, on 24 September 1971.[1][7] She attended Cranbrook School, Kent.[8]

She studied English literature at Bristol University, followed by a Foundation Course in Fine Art at Central St. Martin's eventually specialising in theatre design.[9] While undertaking her studies, she prepared the props for Le Cirque Invisible, the circus company founded by Victoria Chaplin and Chaplin's husband, Jean-Baptiste Thierrée.[9]

Career[edit]

Her practice began in narrative theatre[10] and experimental opera[11][12] After a period working for London's Bush Theatre, she first worked for the National Theatre in 1998 when Trevor Nunn asked her to design the set for a revival of Harold Pinter's Betrayal.[9] She has since worked on sculptural designs for the theatre.[13][14]

In 2005, she was hired by Kanye West to work on his tour Touch the Sky.[15]

Devlin designed the UK Pavilion at the 2020 World Expo in Dubai.[16] She is the first woman to be commissioned by the UK since world expositions began in 1851.[17]

Her luminous fluorescent red Fifth Lion sculpture roared A.I. generated collective poetry to crowds in Trafalgar Square during London Design Festival September 2018.[18] The Singing Tree, her collective choral carol installation at the Victoria and Albert Museum, fused machine-learning with sound and light[19] and was viewed by over ten thousand visitors during Christmas 2017; her Mirrormaze[20] generated queues around the block in Peckham in 2016. Further explorations of labyrinthine and map based geometries led to the 7000 square foot hotel room odyssey Room2022[21] at Art Basel Miami 2017 and the projection-mapped ovoid model city MASK at Somerset House 2018.[22]

The designer collaborated with the theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli on an interpretation of The Order of Time read by Benedict Cumberbatch at the rooftop art space, BOLD Tendencies in Peckham in September 2018.[23][24] Devlin has made large scale touring stage sculptures in collaboration with Beyoncé,[25] Kanye West,[3] Adele,[26] U2,[27] The Weeknd,[4] Lorde, Pet Shop Boys,[28] and the Royal Opera House[26] in London. Devlin also designed the London Olympics closing ceremony in 2012[25][29] and the opening ceremony of the 2016 Rio Olympics.[30]

In 2019, Devlin delivered a talk at the TED conference in Vancouver entitled 'Mind-blowing sculptures that fuse art & technology'. It was later selected by TED curator Chris Anderson as one of the best talks of 2019.[31] Her collaboration with rapper Dave and producer Fraser T. Smith won an Ivor Novello Award for Best Contemporary Song 2021.[32] She also collaborated with the artist Yinka Ilori on the design of the Britannia statuettes for the 2021 Brit Awards.[33]

Her work on the 2022 Super Bowl Half Time show featuring Dr Dre, Kendrick Lamar and Eminem won 3 Emmy Awards including best production design while her work on Adele's Griffith Observatory performance also won 5 Emmys at the same ceremony.[34] She received widespread attention and a Tony Award for Best Scenic Design for her work on the Sam Mendes directed play The Lehman Trilogy. She did the scenic design of the Rupert Goold play The Hunt (2019), which transferred to New York at St. Ann's Warehouse in 2024.

Work[edit]

The Poem Pavilion she designed at the 2020 World Expo in Dubai[16][35] - following the UK's theme "Innovating for a Shared Future" - featured an illuminated "message to space" to which each of the Expo's million visitors would be invited to contribute.[36]

Using plastic trees, sellotape, stretchy mirrored sheeting, string, she builds "dream-like constellation of things" explaining that “the piece happens between those objects,” [15]

"Each of her designs is an attack on the notion that a set is merely scenery" wrote Andrew O'Hagan in The New Yorker in 2016. Devlin "is in demand because she can enter the psychic ether of each production and make it glow with significance."[9] For Hamlet director Lyndsey Turner, Devlin “doesn’t design what a play wants but what it needs.”[15]

Personal life[edit]

Devlin is married to the theatrical costume designer Jack Galloway; they have two children and live in London.[37] Her husband works on the Lion King musical franchise.[15]

Recognition[edit]

Devlin is the subject of episode three of the Netflix documentary series Abstract: The Art of Design.[43]

Work[edit]

Theatre[edit]

Year Project Credit Venue Ref.
1999 Howie the Rookie Scenic Design Bush Theatre, London [44]
2001 A Day in the Death of Joe Egg Scenic Design / Costume Design Ambassador's Theatre, West End [45]
2003 American Airlines Theatre, Broadway [46]
2013 Chimerica Scenic Designer Almeida Theatre, West End [47]
2014 Machinal Set Design American Airlines Theatre, Broadway [48]
2014 The Nether Scenic Designer Royal Court Theatre, London [49]
2014 American Psycho Scenic Design Almeida Theatre, West End [50]
2016 Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, Broadway [51]
2015 Hamlet Scenic Designer Barbican Theatre, West End [52]
2018 Aristocrats Scenic Designer Donmar Warehouse, West End [53]
2018 Girls & Boys Set Designer The Royal Court Theatre, London [54]
Minetta Lane Theatre, Off-Broadway [55]
2018 The Lehman Trilogy Scenic Design Lyttelton Theatre, West End [56]
2021 Nederlander Theatre, Broadway [57]
2019 The Hunt Scenic Design Almeida Theatre, West End [58]
2024 St. Ann's Warehouse, Brooklyn [59]
2023 The Crucible Scenic Designer Olivier Theatre, West End [60]
2023 Dear England Scenic Designer Olivier Theatre, West End [61]
2023 The Motive and the Cue Scenic Designer Lyttelton Theatre, West End [62]
2024 Noël Coward Theatre, West End [63]

Television[edit]

Year Project Credit Notes
2008 Salome Production designer Television movie
2014 Julie Taymor's A Midsummer Night's Dream Television movie
2015 Hamlet Television movie
2015 Adele Live in London Television special
Adele Live in New York City Television special
2018 The 60th Annual Grammy Awards Creative director Television special
2021 Adele One Night Only Production designer Television special
2022 The Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show Creative director Television special
2023 The Weekend Live at SoFi Stadium Production designer Television special
2023 The Crucible Set Decorator National Theatre Live special

Accolades[edit]

Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2014 Laurence Olivier Award Best Set Design Chimerica Won [64]
2015 The Nether Won [65]
2016 Hamlet Nominated [66]
2019 The Lehman Trilogy Nominated [67]
2024 Dear England Pending [68]
2014 Tony Award Best Scenic Design of a Play Machinal Nominated [69]
2016 Best Scenic Design of a Musical American Psycho Nominated [70]
2022 Best Scenic Design of a Play The Lehman Trilogy Won [71]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Nayeri, Farah (1 December 2020). "Es Devlin Takes a Turn at Center Stage". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  2. ^ Acharya, Dipal (6 September 2018). "My London: Es Devlin". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  3. ^ a b Polianskaya, Alina (11 September 2018). "5 installations to catch at London Design Festival". Design Week.
  4. ^ a b Staff, Adweek (10 June 2018). "11 Visual Artist Who Enlighten, Inspire and Bring the Impossible to Life". AdWeek.
  5. ^ Fishwick, Samuel (19 September 2016). "Es Devlin on working with Kanye West and Beyonce, and creating her first solo exhibition". The Evening Standard.
  6. ^ "100 Women: Who took part?". BBC News. 20 October 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  7. ^ Barnett, Laura (9 July 2013). "Es Devlin, set and costume designer – portrait of the artist". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  8. ^ The Stage Thursday 16 March 2000, page 30
  9. ^ a b c d O'Hagan, Andrew (28 March 2016). "Imaginary Spaces". The New Yorker. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  10. ^ Sinclair Scott, Fiona (22 September 2018). "The transformative and magical power of Es Devlin's stage design". CNN.
  11. ^ Campos, Guy (4 September 2018). "Carmen on the lake stage prefers projectors to LED". AV Magazine.
  12. ^ Williams, Holly (7 February 2015). "Es Devlin interview: Meet Britain's most astonishingly prolific designer". Independent.
  13. ^ Ryder, Bethan (September 2018). "Smart Set". Wallpaper.
  14. ^ Gibson, Eleanor (7 March 2017). "Es Devlin creates bowl-shaped set as backdrop for virtual reality-themed play". Dezeen.
  15. ^ a b c d Fishwick, Samuel (22 September 2016). "Es Devlin: 'I'm aware of forces bigger than me'". Evening Standard. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  16. ^ a b "Es Devlin OBE to design UK Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai". gov.uk. 27 September 2018.
  17. ^ Fulcher, Merlin (27 September 2018). "Set designer Es Devlin picked for UK Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai". Architects' Journal.
  18. ^ Burroughs, Milly (24 September 2018). "The Power of Public Spaces, According to Es Devlin". AnOther.
  19. ^ Degun, Gurjit (1 December 2017). "Beyoncé set designer Es Devlin creates 'singing tree' for V&A". Campaign.
  20. ^ Steven, Rachel (21 September 2016). "Es Devlin creates mirror maze installation in Peckham for Chanel and i-D". creative Review.
  21. ^ Zara, Janelle (9 January 2018). "Beyoncé and Kanye's Stage Designer Is Making Major Waves in the Art World". Architectural Digest.
  22. ^ Knight, Bill (19 May 2018). "Highlights from Photo London 2018 – something old, something new". The Arts Desk.
  23. ^ Buck, Louisa (24 September 2018). "Es Devlin, Carlo Rovelli and the Multi-Story Orchestra light up Peckham". The Art Newspaper.
  24. ^ Glover, Julian (11 September 2018). "Bold Tendencies is bringing opera to a multi-storey car park in Peckham". The Evening Standard.
  25. ^ a b Morris, Ali (15 September 2017). "Stage light: supercharged set designer Es Devlin on 20 years of triumphs and what's next". Wallpaper.
  26. ^ a b Rawsthorn, Alice (18 September 2018). "How Visionary Stage Designer Es Devlin Recreated Her Magic In Her London Home". W.
  27. ^ Hass, Nancy (1 October 2015). "Meet the Artist Behind Kanye West's Elaborate Stage Sets". The Hollywood Reporter.
  28. ^ Hall, James (21 July 2016). "Pet Shop Boys' Royal Opera House gig was utterly bonkers – review". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  29. ^ Aspden, Peter (30 May 2014). "Es Devlin's designs for (cultural) life". Financial Times.
  30. ^ Medford, Sarah (2 November 2016). "Es Devlin's Otherworldly Stage Sets". Wall Street Journal.
  31. ^ "Curator's Picks: Top 10 TED Talks of 2019 | TED Talks".
  32. ^ W, Courtney (21 September 2021). "Fraser T Smith, Dave & Es Devlin's "Children Of The Internet" Wins 2021 Ivor Novello For Best Contemporary Song". GRM Daily. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
  33. ^ Bertoli, Rosa (28 April 2021). "Brit Awards 2021 winners to receive trophies by Yinka Ilori and Es Devlin". Wallpaper. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  34. ^ "Emmys 2022: Adele and Dr. Dre's Super Bowl Halftime Win Variety Special Awards". Pitchfork. 4 September 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
  35. ^ "Es Devlin to design interactive Poem Pavilion for Dubai Expo 2020". Dezeen. 26 September 2018. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  36. ^ Walsh, Niall Patrick (27 September 2018). "Es Devlin to Design the UK'S "Poem Pavilion" for Dubai Expo 2020". ArchDaily.
  37. ^ Rawsthorn, Alice (18 September 2018). "How Beyoncé's Set Designer Created the Same Magic In a London House". W Magazine. Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  38. ^ "No. 61092". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2014. p. N12.
  39. ^ "The Royal Designers for Industry 2018 have been revealed". Retrieved 2 December 2018.
  40. ^ "UAL talents Es Devlin OBE and Ben Terrett elected Royal Designers for Industry". Retrieved 2 December 2018.
  41. ^ "No. 63571". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 2022. p. N9.
  42. ^ McLaughlin, Aimée (6 February 2018). "5 talks to catch at Design Indaba 2018". Design Week.
  43. ^ "Netflix launches new documentary series Abstract: The Art of Design with a stellar lineup". itsnicethat.com. 19 January 2017. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  44. ^ "Howie the Rookie (1999)". abouttheartists. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  45. ^ "A Day in the Death of Joe Egg (2001)". Abouttheartists. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  46. ^ "A Day in the Death of Joe Egg (Broadway, 2003)". Playbill. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  47. ^ "Chimerica (2013)". Abouttheartists. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  48. ^ "Machinal (Broadway, 2014)". March 18, 2024.
  49. ^ "The Nether (2014)". Abottheartists. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  50. ^ "American Psycho (2014)". Abouttheartists. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  51. ^ "American Psycho (Broadway, 2016)". Playbill. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  52. ^ "Hamlet (2015)". Abouttheartist. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  53. ^ "Aristocrats". Abouttheartists. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  54. ^ "Girls & Boys". Abouttheartists. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  55. ^ "Girls & Boys (New York, 2018)". Abouttheartists. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  56. ^ "The Lehman Trilogy (2018)". Abouttheartists. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  57. ^ "The Lehman Trilogy (Broadway, 2021)". Playbill. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  58. ^ "The Hunt (2019, London)". Playbill. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  59. ^ "St. Ann's Warehouse offers US premiere of 'The Hunt'". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  60. ^ "Es Devlin's The Crucible set features cyclical rain installation to symbolise "chaos"". Dezeen. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  61. ^ "Dear England". esdevlin. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  62. ^ "The Motive and the Cue (London, 2023)". Playbill. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  63. ^ "The Motive and the Cue". National Theatre. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  64. ^ "Olivier awards 2014 – full nominations". TheGuardian.com. 10 March 2014.
  65. ^ "Olivier awards 2015 – full list of winners". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  66. ^ "Olivier Awards: The 2016 Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  67. ^ "2019 Olivier Award Nominations: London's Company and Come From Away Lead the Pack". Playbill. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  68. ^ "Sarah Jessica Parker, Sarah Snook, David Tennant Score Olivier Awards Nominations — Full List". Variety. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  69. ^ "2014 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  70. ^ "2016 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  71. ^ "2022 Tony Awards Nominees". American Theatre Wing. Retrieved 18 March 2024.

External links[edit]

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