By Kiša Lala
"Ryan McGinley, Tilda Swinton at Pringle of Scotland / Serpentine Gallery at The Webster Photo Credit: David X Prutting"
An unusual pairing during Art Basel Miami Beach was the jointly held event between Pringle of Scotland, the design house for Scottish woolies, and Serpentine Gallery, one of the most respected galleries in London.
The sponsorship of the arts is laudable when it's of economic benefit to the artists, and here the alliance with art seems to be working also to the advantage of Pringle, increasing it's corporate profile amongst art enthusiasts. Pringle's sponsorship of artists in Scotland is ostensibly to promote Scottish craft and creativity, but its collaboration with the Serpentine is not only a strategic association that helps to legitimize a corporate brand but is also a smart economic venture for the Serpentine.
Pringle has worked with creatives such as photographer Ryan McGinley and Terry Jones (i-D). The 195 collaborations showcased in Miami at Webster's showroom include designs by Turner Prize Winners Richard Wright and Douglas Gordon - and actress Tilda Swinton, Stephen Sutcliffe and jeweller Waris Ahluwalia - are some of the many other collaborators. The artists contributed on the classic Scottish designs and knits which are available in limited editions through the Gallery and Pringle. For those old enough to remember her in her earlier career, Tilda (aka Matilda) Swinton, originally performed at the Serpentine in 1995 in collaboration with artist Cornelia Parker when she slept for 7 days, 8 hours a day, in a tomb-like glass cabinet for the curious public.
"Ryan McGinley, Tilda Swinton, Neville Wakefield at Pringle of Scotland / Serpentine Gallery dinner closing the 195 Collaborations project, at the Webster, Miami. Photo Credit: David X Prutting"
Even the most diffused artistic collaborations have an effect on our choices and can impact the chain of manufacturing events - one possible consequence of this partnership could be that we buy more art from the Serpentine Gallery for their association with chic artists who design winter woolies for Pringle, who'd then sell more cardigans, allowing sheep to grow wool and live one more season instead of ending up as haggis in the meat shops.
"Julia Peyton-Jones the director of the Serpentine Gallery in Pringle of Scotland's designed knitwear"