BESPOKE FEATURE | AVALANCHE
IN COLLABORATION WITH LONDON DESIGN FESTIVAL AND V&A MUSEUM
The temporary installation AVALANCHE debuted at the Victoria & Albert Museum for the London Design Festival in September 2019. Reflecting back on this momentous achievement is a short documentary to commemorate the highly experiential exhibit.
A nod to the chaos and power driven by Mother Nature on our environment, this project married light and material within an imposing, seamlessly executed black box.
Conspicuously located on the landing of the British Gallery at the V&A, the exterior exhibit highlighted Matthew’s contemporary design ethos in the classically historic space, making it impossible to ignore. From within, it was a hybrid between an interactive reflection chamber and an artistic metaphor representing a skewed sense of scale and reality. More specifically, it was Matthew’s interpretation of a suspended moment in time where visitors are caught in an avalanche and faced with a mindful revelation of their own mortality.
Originally hailing from eastern Canada, Matthew McCormick moved to the majestic west coast for its epic mountain range - something he has watched change dramatically over the last number of years due to metamorphic changes in the weather conditions. While the desire for the Avalanche exhibit was to elicit an emotional response to a real issue on our planet, it also reflected on Matthew’s personal loss as an avid backcountry snowboarder.
“AVALANCHE IS A POETIC METAPHOR MEANT TO OFFER VISITORS A MOMENT TO TAKE PAUSE BETWEEN THE DARKNESS AND LIGHT – EVEN IF FOR A BRIEF MOMENT - AND REFLECT ON THE LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES WE ARE AFFORDED TO MAKE IMPACTFUL PERSONAL DECISIONS, SPECIFICALLY WHEN IT COMES TO OUR PLANET.”
“I’ve been a long-time advocate for the outdoors and have come to know backcountry snowboarding terrain well, but more recently become more sensitive to the substantial shifts in snow pack due to environmental flux. Having recently experienced the death of a friend to an avalanche on a mountain he rode almost every single day – a place which did not have a single reported snow incident in its history – became a true eye opener in becoming more weather aware. The inspiration behind Avalanche at the V&A combines my newfound awareness in avalanche survival and the truth behind the devastation in experiencing it. It is a poetic metaphor meant to offer visitors a moment to take pause between the darkness and light – even if for a brief moment - and reflect on the limited opportunities we are afforded to make impactful personal decisions, specifically when it comes to our planet.”
On entering, small groups of visitors found a lowly lit, deceptively reflective space that brought a sense of entrapment and confusion around the uncertain pathway through. Urged to navigate a series of mirrored glass barriers which inherently lead each participant into an abyss of heightened darkness and compression, they were subject to a highly personal experience in finding an escape route and the grandiose power of the encounter itself. At this heightened sense of consciousness, self-reflection was imminent at every corner.
To achieve a feeling of isolation and distress experienced when getting trapped in an avalanche, a number of high-gloss surfaces were positioned in a progressively constrictive sequences to create the illusion of tangible restriction, layered with mirroring. Avalanche was constructed using Barrisol® - a versatile and sustainable material which can be stretched and moulded to infinite precision. An internal Barrisol® wall was fully backlit using Osram’s LED strips, creating a dramatic contrast from the surrounding darkness. Support for the design and installation was provided by Barrisol Welch and Osram, with further support by the High Commission of Canada in the United Kingdom and the Government of Canada.
The installation highlights dematerialization and minimalism as a result of Matthew’s design ethos and his response to climate change. More specifically, he examines a means to link art in a way that shapes public memory, responsibility and action: “We recognize that a critical mass is required to instigate societal change when it comes to the shifts in our environment, however this collective awareness has to start with the individual.”
