United Visual Artists (UVA) are an art and design practice based in London, creating work that lies at the intersections of sculpture, architecture, live performance and installation.

The studio’s origins in design for live performance led to a sustained interest in spectacle, the relationship between passive and active participation, and the use of responsive systems to create a sense of presence. As UVA’s work has broadened and evolved towards large-scale permanent works, it has become more influenced by the complex systems found in nature, while retaining its desire to emotionally engage the viewer and create a sense of communion.

With an open approach to collaboration, the members of UVA come from backgrounds in a wide variety of disciplines, and this cross-pollination of skills inspires new fields of exploration.

United Visual Artists have been commissioned by Artwise Curators, The Creators Project, La Gaite Lyrique, National Maritime Museum, Opera North, Royal Academy of Arts,Victoria & Albert Museum and YCAM Japan.

Their work has been exhibited at institutions and galleries including the South Bank Centre, the Wellcome Collection, Durham Cathedral, Riflemaker, Gazelli Art House and The British Library. Internationally UVA have shown in Barcelona, Beijing, Hong Kong, Melbourne, New York, Paris, Sao Paolo, St Petersburg, Taipei and Tokyo. Their designs for live performance have led to commissions for venues such as the Tate Modern turbine hall, the Serpentine Gallery and Madison Square Garden in New York. With public art works on permanent display in London, Bristol, Toronto and Istanbul.

– Selected Talks

 

2011 October
LoveLight, London

2011 September
Ryerson University, Toronto

2011 September
OCAD, Toronto

2011 June
Springsessions, Graz

2011 May
Mapping Festival, Geneva

2011 Jan
Oslo Lux, Oslo

2010 Nov
NYU, New York

2010 Nov
V&A, London

2010 Nov
TEDx, Aldeburgh

2010 Oct
Design Museum, London

2010 Sept
Semi-Permanent, Melbourne

2010 Sept
Kyoorius Designyatra, Mumbai

2010 Sept
Ars Electronica, Linz

2010 May
Technarte, Bilbao

2009 Sept
Medialab-Prado, Madrid

2009 June
Light in Winter, Melbourne

2009 May
OFFF, Oeiras

2009 Feb
UCLA Design Media Arts,
Los Angeles

2008 Nov
onedotzero Cascade, London

2008 Oct
Arquiset, Barcelona

– Selected Exhibitions

 

Jerome Zodo Contemporary, Milan, Lumen Ray - Group Show
Grey Area, February 2013

Gazelli Art House, London Let There Be Light - Group Show
Always Never, October 2012

Designs of the Year, London Design Museum
High Arctic, February-July 2012

National Maritime Museum, London
High Arctic, February 2011

Creators Project, New York
Origin, October 2011

La Gaite Lyrique, Paris - Solo Show
Rien a Cacher Rien a Craindre, March 2011

Brit Insurance Design Awards, Design Museum, London
Speed of Light

Creators Project; New York, London, Beijing
Tryptich, September 2010

The Incheon International Digital Arts Fair; Incheon
Speed of Light, June 2010

The Wapping Project; London
Chorus, April 2010

Bargehouse; London
Speed of Light, December 2009

‘GSK Contemporary, Earth: Art of a Changing World’, The Royal Academy and Burlington Arcade; London
Onward, November 2009

Lumiere; Durham
Chorus, November 2009

‘Identity: Eight Rooms Nine Lives’, the Wellcome Collection; London Hereafter, June 2009

The Smithfield Gallery; London Deus, May 2009

Riflemaker Gallery; London Hereafter, February 2009

Opera North; Leeds
Chorus, November 2008

Yuda Art Project for YCAM at Chuya Museum; Yamaguchi
Array, November 2008

LIGHT.SCAPE; Taipei
Volume, April 2008

Microwave International New Media Arts Festival; Hong Kong
Volume, January2008

Mori Tower, Tokyo
Hereafter, October 2007

Nuit Blanche; Paris
Tryptich, September 2007

‘Picture House’, Belsay Hall
Hereafter, April 2007

‘Sacred’, British Library; London
Reflect, 2007

– Selected Publications

 

Going Public - Public Architecture, Urbanism and Interventions (Gestalten) 2012

British Design from 1948: Innovation in the Modern Age - V&A Publishing 2012

Selected B (Index Book) 2011

A Touch Of Code (Gestalten) 2010

Staging Space: Scenic Interiors and Spatial Experiences (Gestalten)

How to Design a Light (Conran Octopus Ltd in association with The Design Museum)

Form+Code (Princeton Architectural Press) 2010

Creative Island II (Laurence King Publishing) 2009

Digital by Design,Troika (Thames & Hudson Ltd) 2008

Bright: Architectural Illumination and Light Installations (Frame Publishers) 2008

Area_2 (Phaidon) 2008