Es Devlin Unveils Rotating Library Exhibition 2026
Artist Es Devlin presents her first European retrospective at the Design Museum in London, opening October 2nd, 2026.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Es Devlin launches her first major retrospective in Europe at the Design Museum
- An Infinite Library features over 2,000 books on an eight-meter-wide triangular shelf
- The exhibition runs from October 2nd, 2026, to April 4th, 2027
- Books supplied by Penguin Random House UK will be donated to local schools
Renowned artist and designer Es Devlin is set to open her first retrospective in Europe, titled Es Devlin: Other Worlds, at the Design Museum in London. The exhibition's centerpiece is a rotating sculptural library named An Infinite Library, holding over 2,000 volumes arranged on an eight-meter-wide triangular shelf.
The collection includes well-used books sourced directly from Devlin's studio, such as James Gleick's Chaos, Toni Morrison's Beloved, and Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake. These volumes are meticulously organized by color to impose a visual order on a library built over years of reading.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Positioned above a circular mirror, An Infinite Library turns continuously as projections sweep across the shelves. Visitors can also hear Devlin's recorded voice reading selected passages, as the installation occupies the final room of the exhibition opening on October 2nd, 2026.
Before reaching the library, visitors begin their journey inside a recreation of Devlin's South London studio. The space features shelves lined with books and maquettes, alongside desks covered in drawings, tools, and paint used for her theater sets and museum installations.
A series of concentric desks brings together archival drawings, photographs, and more than 30 models from three decades of work. This display covers notable projects including The Lehman Trilogy, the London 2012 Olympics closing ceremony, and Forest of Us in Miami.
This retrospective offers a comprehensive look into Es Devlin's creative process, demonstrating how literature, architecture, and kinetic sculpture intersect in her large-scale works. By bringing her personal studio archive into a museum setting, the exhibition bridges the gap between private ideation and public spectacle.
Additionally, Come Home Again returns to London underneath a mirrored ceiling, featuring illuminated cut-out drawings of endangered species housed inside a structure based on St Paul's Cathedral dome.
After the exhibition concludes on April 4th, 2027, the books supplied by Penguin Random House UK will be donated to local schools and charities. The exhibition is curated by Johanna Agerman Ross, Danielle Thom, and Margherita Dosi Delfini.
Source: designboom
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