“To help inspire the nation and encourage them to rewild their curiosity, Hendrick’s Gin has unveiled its enchanting ‘Curious Idols’ on London’s South Bank, created in collaboration with the talented contemporary artist Elliott Rooney. The installation sees 3 delightful, theatrical pieces of art come to life, immortalising the incredible curious thinkers who are shaping this century & can excite us all to explore, discover and create.”
This sculpture pays tribute to Daisy AKA @dragqueen_gardener I wanted to create something that would make you feel like a kid again. As adults we can loose our sense of awe, we've seen, heard & done a lot of things & I think its important as we get older to try and still feel that. The aim was to bring together this nostalgic sense of wonder while celebrating the art of drag.
Drag artists like Tom, challenge societal norms around gender & identity, serving as empowering performers. Through their artistry, they express various facets of their personalities, promoting self-acceptance & celebrating individuality. Drag provides boundless entertainment, delivering joy, laughter, and excitement. With flamboyant costumes & immersive performances creating welcoming spaces where people can come together, embrace diversity, & find a sense of belonging & acceptance.
Thinking back to times of awe as a child immediately takes me back to being lifted onto my dad's shoulders & us running to the park to watch hot air balloons land. They were so huge, bright & ridiculous. Seeing these massive things would totally blow my tiny mind! To try to capture this feeling in Daisy’s sculpture, I worked with the amazing Jiro Bevis to come up with our very own version of Daisy that I could then go on to turn into a large scale inflatable. With the help of the incredible @megaflatables team we managed to produce the 10ft inflatable drag queen of dreams! Massive thanks to @redconsultancypr @hendricksgin @jirojiz @cousdela@laurapeacock @chou_rouge_creative @bridgetmurton @ranafadavi @petalsbyjess @mattjfish @ursulageorgeson