Sounds Of The Mind

The recognizable department store window displays should not be undermined, sometimes for the creators it can take anything from a month to a year from concept to realization. Often containing art, film, fashion, light and even sound installations, to capture the attention of passers by. Selfridges has always had a strong reputation for elaborate creative displays and spare no time and effort keeping them fresh and innovative. Monday 10^th May 2010 saw the launch of Selfridges collaborating with 10 current prominent musicians/artists to create ‘Sound Of The Mind’. This felt more like a free public art exhibition than a window display featuring artists Paloma Faith, Florence and the Machine, Dizzee Rascal, The XX, The Drums and Charlotte Gainsbourg conveying stunning visuals to accompany their lyrics. Having viewed a few of the initial sketches before seeing them in the windows they are extremely close to the original ideas and all feature a sense of the artist’s own touch, it’s easy to glide past and tell who’s window belongs to who. Ranging from ‘The XX’s familiar and effective large neon light X to Charlotte’s Gainsbourg more understated visual bath time which presented female clothes draped on a chair. Of course fashion was not ignored with the Florence and the machine window’s mannequin dress in Temperley and Alexander McQueen.

Needless to say the display is entrancing; managing to keep a story and theme with all the windows adhering to lyrics and a musician but individual character traits upon the particular artist.

By Yvonne Lamunu

Sounds of The Mind

Selfridges, Oxford Street, London, W1

Monday 10^th May – June 2010

www.selfridges.com

Selfridges is also holding a 'guess the song competition'...

The principal is simple: guess the title of the songs depicted across the seven windows of the London store down Duke Street side and four windows of the Manchester Exchange Square store. These windows are not part of the special artists collaborations but have been created by the Selfridges windows creative team. Guess each song correctly and enter the competition at selfridges.com/guessthesong for a chance to win £500 to spend in the store!