Venus is comedian Sophie Duker's debut stand-up hour, and she came up with the concept for the artwork in a fever dream. We were inspired by everyone from the original 'black Venus' (Saartjie Baartman) to comedy goddess Jessica Williams to Lizzo (check the 'Coconut Oil' artwork). The key image was taken by the phenomenal Mahaneela Choudry-Reid, who snaps FKA Twigs on the regs, with wunderkind photographer in her own right Alia Romagnoli assisting. Face was beaten by Umber Ghauri, a makeup artist with a passion for celebrating marginalised identities and who who made SD look like a snack. The always up-for-it Owen from Berk's Nest bought multiple buckets of hot greasy Hackney chicken at an extremely antisocial hour so we could find the perfect serving combo for the shot (just one drumstick, as it turns out). Design hero Patrick Turpin added soft 1970s vinyl swag and gave Duker her halo. Duker's not a goddess, but she will share her bargain bucket. Botticelli, eat your heart out.
- Designer
- Patrick Turpin
- Photographer
- Mahaneela Choudry-Reid
- Show
- Sophie Duker: Venus