Dalston Superstripe – reading between the lines

Photograph from Patternity's new exhibition 'Dalston Superstripe'

Stripes are something you probably come across every day. You might be wearing them on a Breton top. You might walk over them on a zebra crossing. You might even rest your head on them while sleeping. Wherever the straight lines are hiding in your everyday life, it’s unlikely they demand too much of your attention.

Patternity, a creative consultancy on Great Eastern Street, is hoping to change our mindsets with their latest exhibition at Dalston Superstore. The pioneers of pattern have staged a takeover of the Kingsland Road bar, covering its insides in monochrome stripes. The aptly titled ‘Dalston Superstripe’ runs until 6 January, and aims to draw our attention to the pattern we see every day but tend to overlook.

Anna Murray, art director and co-founder of Patternity, said: “We wanted to dig a little deeper to use the application of pattern – in this case stripes – as a vehicle to further positively connect with the world around us.

“Learning more about the commonplace objects we so often know but little understand is key to our working practice.”

The venue has been turned outside-in: the black and white geometric lines covering the outside awning are now mirrored inside the Dalston drinking hole.

The results are stripes which snake around the bar, walls, stools (and even a picket fence) in an orderly fashion. The rigid lines lead your eyes willingly from one corner to another, inviting the familiar zebra pattern to linger in your mind a little bit longer.

“For two centuries, awnings not only played an important functional role, they helped define the visual character of our streetscapes, so focusing on such an iconic awning – taking it from the mundane to the magnificent – seemed appropriate for this project,” Anna added.

As far as Patternity is concerned, this awning-inspired project is just the beginning. Dalston Superstripe is part of an ongoing exploration of stripes, which will culminate in a much larger, immersive exhibition on Redchurch Sreet in April 2013.

Patternity has certainly made their mark on this East London site, and despite their colour scheme, it’s clear they’re not the types to think in black and white. So next time you make a coffee in a stripy mug, or open a pad of lined paper, look a little closer. Who knows where the lines might lead you.

Dalston Superstripe
Till 6 January 2013
Dalston Superstore
117 Kingsland High Street
Hackney
E8 2PD

Tel: 020 7254 2273