Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park’s new cultural quarter, East Bank, already gleams with world-class institutions, from the V&A East Storehouse and Sadler’s Wells East to BBC Studios and the London College of Fashion. But perhaps the brightest jewel to be added to its crown is the hotly anticipated V&A East Museum, as Beatrice Squires reports.
Opening on 18 April, the open-plan museum spans five storeys of artefacts across art, design, fashion, music and performance. Designed to reflect the creative soul of east London, it launches with rotating commissions responding to the area’s past and
future. Works by Es Devlin, Rene Matić, Lawrence Lek and more will appear across V&A East Museum and its sister Storehouse site, while Thomas J Price’s monumental sculpture A Place Beyond symbolises the museum’s commitment to inclusivity. Museum director Dr Gus Casely-Hayford describes it as a ‘welcoming space for all’, championing the power of creativity in uncertain times.
The inaugural exhibition, The Music is Black: A British Story, explores how Black British music has shaped culture from 1900 to today — tracing histories of colonialism, migration and innovation. A multi-sensory display of instruments, soundtracks, artworks and fashion highlights themes of resilience and joy. Look out for Winifred Atwell’s piano, Joan Armatrading’s childhood guitar, outfits worn by Little Simz and Dame Shirley Bassey, and photographs by Jennie Baptiste and Sam White.
Elsewhere, two permanent themed Why We Make galleries spotlight global culture through the V&A’s colections. Recent acquisitions include VIN + OMI’s eco-textiles made from stinging netles and Yinka Ilori’s Captain Hook armchair (2015). Our Place in the World features Claude Cahun’s illustrations from their manifesto on queer love, a Daoist priest’s robe and Molly Goddard’s hot-pink Daria dress worn by Beyoncé. Breaking Boundaries includes provocative balet costumes by Leigh Bowery and Mr Pearl, alongside Vivienne Westwood’s Cut, Slash & Pull ensemble, while Caring for Ourselves explores self-care through design, from contemporary objects to 16th-century scent cases worn to ward off disease. The galeries also tell stories
of east London’s creative and manufacturing heritage, and offer a creative studio too.
Casely-Hayford concludes: ‘V&A East Museum is for you. My hope is you’ll find joy, something of yourself and a sense of belonging the moment you walk through the door.’
