Artist and designer Yinka Ilori joins Hans Ulrich Obrist (Serpentine Galleries) for a lively conversation reflecting on his creative journey, the intersection of storytelling and design, and the transformative power of play. Born in London to Nigerian parents, Ilori shares how his roots, memories, and community experiences influence his work, which bridges furniture design, public spaces, and cutting-edge collaborations with AI.
Early in his career, Ilori would collect discarded chairs from second-hand and charity shops. “I would reimagine them telling using folklore, Nigerian parables”, Ilori recalls. “So these chairs became sculptures. And all these chairs had narratives in them. That’s how my journey started in design: through chairs.”
These early explorations in design evolved into a broader focus on public spaces, where Ilori seeks to “democratize what ‘play’ means” and transform restrictive environments into places of creativity and joy.
For his Lego “Launderette of Dreams” project, he turned a childhood memory into a vibrant, interactive space, encouraging both children and adults to reconnect with their inner child. “Adults don’t play enough. We don’t dream enough”, Ilori says.
The artist’s first encounter with AI came in 2019 through a collaboration with Bombay Sapphire, where he trained algorithms with images of his heritage and work to generate new interpretations.
Initially skeptical, Ilori now embraces AI as a tool for inclusivity and collaboration, as in his latest project, a collaboration with Google. “You’re coming to this online playground, and you have to build your playground with people you don’t know”, Ilori explains.
This will also inspire adults to rediscover their inner child, he hopes. “I have a daughter who’s two”, Ilori says. “She will play with someone she doesn’t know. And that’s the magic of kids: kids are not afraid to make friends or play or dream or make memories.”
Watch the video for more, and hear about Ilori’s unrealized (for now) dream project.
