A book launch and exhibition for one night only to show off a range of 200 illustrations of modern London buildings.
Lukas Novotny is a London based illustrator and designer who has lived in the Capital since 2014 and has produced a lavishly illustrated book charting the development of London’s skyline.
From the art deco factories of the 1920s through to the skyscraper boom of the twenty-first century, the book, Modern London takes you on an illustrated tour of the capital’s ever-changing landscape. From lost buildings torn down in a few short years to the latest in Olympic developments and city skyscrapers.
Dotted around the place are images of elements relevant to the time of the building being shown, such as an old tube train, Routemaster buses, helicopters, Concorde, Evening Standard vans, hire bikes, and a Tardis.
Depending on how you approach this coffee-table style book it can be something to use to look up a specific building, or to simply soak up an atmosphere of idealistic visions of a future as seen in the past.
It’s a very enjoyable romp through London’s skyline, easy to digest chunks and the illustrations are delightful to look at. A map and index at the back help to locate the buildings if you’ve inspired to seek them out in the flesh.
The clusters of buildings used for the chapter introductions, showing a fictional London skyline would make for a worthy series of prints in themselves.
The exhibition and book launch takes place on the evening of Thur 4th October in Shoreditch, is free, and tickets need to be booked here,.
You will be able to buy a signed copy of the book or a print of your favorite London landmark on the night. Look out for the Croydon Airport print, it’s marvelous., or you can buy the book from here, and if you want to pre-order a signed copy, from here.
On the night, there’ll be beer from Camden Town Brewery & Fourpure Brewing and wine from the Czech Centre London.
