The Knightsbridge Estate is delighted to exhibit six new super-sized portraits by the British Nigerian artist Àsìkò on Brompton Road, extending the large-scale photographic installation of his works at the top of Sloane Street to create a dramatic ‘wrap-around’ at the northern end of The Estate. Entitled ‘Of Myth and Legend’, the commission of all 15 portraits marks the completion of seven magnificent flagship stores behind The Knightsbridge Estate’s restored 19th century façades, which form part of the significant redevelopment of the northern end of The Estate.

‘Of Myth and Legend’ is a series of portraits composed of fashion photographic imagery and collage symbolism, inspired by the folklores and mythologies of African deities and their intersection with similar stories of the multicultural communities within London. Through the Orisha, a pantheon of Yoruba deities from southwest Nigeria, Àsìkò weaves and makes connections with various mythologies from London’s vast diaspora landscape. The work explores the connections or shared stories between cultures, highlighting that we have more in common than we think, and our connections loom deeper through the ages.

“When I was young I was inspired by the stories of the heroes and mythology of my Yoruba culture. These cultural icons form the inspiration for ‘Of Myth and Legend’, which explores the legends of the Orisha through new interpretations of the diaspora narrative.

This work is an homage to the great culture, heritage and multicultural expanse of the city of London, so it’s thrilling to see all 15 portraits hung in such an iconic and prominent address, spanning Sloane Street and Brompton Road. From German to Indian, African and Asian, the palette of London is wide and vast, a melting point of ethnicities and backgrounds.” Àsìkò

“The Knightsbridge Estate is delighted to be exhibiting six new stunning portraits by Àsìkò on Brompton Road. The response to the installation on Sloane Street from visitors and residents alike has been hugely positive, and we hope that the new art works will bring equal pleasure.” Sarah Waller, Chelsfield’s Senior Asset Manager, The Knightsbridge Estate

Acquired by The Olayan Group in 2010, The Knightsbridge Estate has been undergoing a major restoration and renovation programme.

The seven new retail units form one part of a comprehensive redevelopment project at the northern end of The Estate. The development will further provide a 67,000 sq. ft. Grade A office building, 33 luxury apartments for the rental market and a spectacular roof-top restaurant. Burberry became the first tenant to occupy one of the new stores when it opened its doors to No.1 Sloane Street in July 2021.

For information and images, please contact:

Alix Robson, The Knightsbridge Estate
E: Press@TheKnightsbridgeEstate.com / alixrobson@outlook.com
T: +44 (0) 7768 992 401 / +44 (0) 207 724 2628
Click here for visual assets.

NOTES TO EDITORS
ABOUT THE KNIGHTSBRIDGE ESTATE

The Knightsbridge Estate is a spectacular 3.5-acre island site located between the world-famous department stores Harrods and Harvey Nichols, bounded by Brompton Road to the north and Basil Street to the south. The Estate contains a mix of uses including prime retail units, grade A office accommodation, cafes, restaurants and residential accommodation.

1.5 acres of The Estate has been subject to a comprehensive redevelopment behind retained period façades. The development when complete will deliver seven flagship retail units, 67,000 sq. ft. of offices, 33 luxury rental apartments and a rooftop restaurant.

The Knightsbridge Estate was purchased by The Olayan Group in 2010. Since acquisition, The Olayan Group, working with asset and development manager Chelsfield, has invested significantly in The Estate to upgrade and enhance the buildings and public realm across The Estate to ensure they retain their period features while providing accommodation that is appropriate for modern occupiers.

ABOUT ÀSÌKÒ

Àsìkò is a UK-based Nigerian conceptual artist who explores his ideas within photography and film, represented by MTArt Agency. The stories told through his images are an anthology of his emotional state in intersection with culture and identity. They are a love letter to the African story, celebrating the beauty of diverse stories and womanhood. The artist creates symbolic representations to question culture, beauty, identity and power, and fight against the barriers of patriarchy.

ABOUT MTArt

Founded in 2015, MTArt Agency is a certified B Corp® award-winning talent agency for the most exciting up and coming visual artists worldwide, and a creative agency that delivers exciting art-driven projects for brands, public bodies and cultural organisations.

ABOUT THE OLAYAN GROUP

The Olayan Group is a multinational enterprise with an actively managed portfolio of global investments. The Group’s primary parent company is headquartered in Vaduz, Liechtenstein. The Group also has international offices in New York, London, Luxembourg, Vienna, Athens, Riyadh and Singapore. The Group’s in-house professionals manage a multi-billion-dollar investment portfolio.

In addition to The Knightsbridge Estate, the Group’s real estate holdings include other well-known historic properties, notably the Paris Etoile Portfolio in the city’s prestigious 8th Arrondissement, the Mandarin Oriental Ritz Hotel in Madrid, and 550 Madison in New York.

ABOUT CHELSFIELD

The Chelsfield group is an international real estate company focused on asset management, development and investment in London, Paris, New York, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo, Singapore and other key European and Asian gateway cities. The group has been investing and developing real estate for over 30 years. Renowned for its hands-on expertise, and with its long and successful track record of innovation and value generation, it has an ability to unlock projects that have high barriers to entry, and to keep ahead of systematic changes in real estate practice and procedure.