PANDAMONIUM 2: WWF, 2012

Pandamonium continues a series of fundraising art initiatives for WWF-UK where art simultaneously articulated the environmental challenges we face, engaged new audiences to the charity and changed perceptions around environmental communication.

"From the weird to the wonderful, from the crazy to the whacky, the art world has been here and created some mind-boggling outfits...it has brought a new audience to WWF and that's what it's all about..." - Ben Fogle, WWF-UK Ambassador

For the second edition in 2011, over 20 leading contemporary minds from the fields of art and design were challenged to create 'performative wearable sculpture' to help raise awareness and vital funds in support of WWF-UK. 

The term ‘wearable sculpture’ was perplexing for certain artists but turned out to be incredibly intriguing to all. Our brief to them stated that the piece didn’t need to be a full outfit, but deemed to be a sculpture, that could be adorned while in procession.

The project culminated in a show stopping open air cat-walk event in a secret corner of London's Hyde Park. With guest host, Grayson Perry, the worlds of science, art and performance collided surreally, in an exotic garden backdrop to create an unforgettable evening to a sold-out crowd. The visual feast was accompanied by a specially commissioned sound piece by acclaimed composer, performer and vocalist, Jennifer Walshe, whose piece Look Stranger on This Island intoxicated the crowd with a sonic backdrop of a symphony of rearranged howling wolves, cackling felines and squawking birds. As Chairman of WWF, Ed Smith said: this event "fuses the art and nature in a way that highlights the beauty and fragility of the natural world." (See accompanying video for a glimpse into the evening)