Bombay Sapphire Created a Grocery Store That's Also a Vibrant Pop Art Installation

LONDON—Artists have a knack for seeing the extraordinary in the mundane, and what better subject to transform than the grocery store, a place most of us visit every week? In collaboration with London's Design Museum, Bacardi-owned gin brand Bombay Sapphire commissioned 10 emerging artists to reimagine the humble store as a canvas for creativity. The installation, titled "Supermarket," launches today in Kensington in west central London, and will be open to members of the public until April 25, in line with England's coronavirus restrictions. It features everyday food packaging turned into art, putting a modern twist on pop art's famed celebrations of commonplace items like Andy Warhol's silkscreens of Campbell's soup cans and sculpture of Brillo soap pads. Created by AMV BBDO and launched by Ogilvy PR, the installation aims to promote that creativity is an "essential part of being human," the agency said in a statement. The artworks—featuring rice, tins of kidney beans, tea, coffee, toilet paper, bread, pasta sauce, porridge oats, dish soap and rice—can be purchased online and in store in support of the Design Museum, which has suffered a 92% earnings drop over the pandemic. In addition, a limited-edition Bombay Sapphire bottle has been created by artist and animation director Ruff Mercy. A riot of color The artworks feature a range of emerging artists: Amy Worrall; Charlotte Edey; Holly Warburton; Isadora Lima; Jess Warby; Joey Yu; Katherine Plumb; Kentaro Okawara, and Michaela Yearwood-Dan, with oversight from designer and artist Camille Walala. They have transformed the space by "bringing art and shopping together in a riot of bold patterns and bright colors," AMV BBDO said in its description of the activation. A selection of the artworks, which are also genuine products, can be viewed below: The artists transformed everyday items into artworks Rice box by Joey Yu Fruit & vegetable stickers by Isadora Lima Kidney beans tin by Kentaro Okwara Natasha Curtin, Bombay Sapphire global vp, said the spirit brand wanted to host the installation because creativity had been "at the heart" of its ethos stretching back three decades. "We truly believe that creativity is essential, but for much of this past year, we haven’t been able to visit our much-loved art galleries and cultural institutions," she said. "That’s why we’re thrilled to be launching this project in support of The Design Museum." Alex Grieve, chief creative officer at AMV BBDO, said creativity has never been more vital than “in the mind-numbing sameness of pandemic days." CREDITS:Client: BacardiBrand: Bombay SapphireCampaign Title: Creativity is EssentialClient Name: Natasha Curtin, Bombay Sapphire Global Vice PresidentCreative Agency: AMV BBDOCCO: Alex GrieveECDs: Nadja Lossgott and Nicholas HulleyCreative Directors: Matt Swinburne and Polina ZabrodskayaCreative Team: Lauren Peters and Augustine CerfAccount Team: Anna Covell, Alistair Nichols and Lily WestStrategy Team: Suzanne Barker and Marina GlavanProject Manager: Katie FewsterExecutive Producer: Laura GrahamProducer: Samantha RobertsSenior Art Producer: Rhiannon NicolSenior Digital Producer: Michelle WaltonPR Agency: Ogilvy Public RelationsPR Agency Team: Jenny McCoubrey (Client Partner), Rosey Stones (Business Director), Becky Bayles (Business Director), Eden Summers (Manager), Gary Grimes (Manager), Shirin Vahdat-Khah (Influence Manager), Emily Woodhams (Executive), Livvy Ripman (Executive)The Design Museum PR Team: Rioco Green (Media and PR Manager), Joanna Cockerill (PR and Communications Officer)Partnerships Consultancy: Boster Group, Susan Boster (Founder and CEO) These Clever Finnish Billboards Are Written in Gibberish for One Important Reason