Lazy Oaf invites creatives worldwide to "Take a Break" in new exhibition

Remember that ingenious collaboration between fashion brand Lazy Oaf and viral cartoon series Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared that we featured on It’s Nice That back in 2016? Well, the playful London-based label is once again returning to its creative roots – this time with a new pop-up exhibition on Commercial Street under the title Take a Break.

For the show, which runs from Friday 9 to Sunday 11 November, Lazy Oaf took to Instagram to ask for submissions unpacking that concept of “taking a break”. The broad theme invited a wealth of interpretations, some creatives deciding to depict an escape into nature, while others explored the idea of a leap to freedom and others still opted to show a descent into debauchery. In total the brand received submissions from over 700 creatives around the world, from both emerging and established names, and now a curated edit of around 30 of the best artworks will be displayed in Shoreditch.

Among the artists and creatives on show are a few It’s Nice That favourites, including 2018 Graduate Aga Giecko, who submitted a characteristically humorous work featuring – among other delights – a banana riding a flying dragon. We’re also massive fans of the pieces submitted by Amy Victoria Marsh, Tom Melnick, Caroline Haack, Sarah Todd, Aysha Tengiz, Tim Alexander and Luna Monogatari. Also being presented in the exhibition are pieces by Pey Chi, Lucy Kirk and Malarko.

For Lazy Oaf, Take a Break marks a return to its roots in more ways than one. Not only has the brand always had a strong connection to the worlds of graphic design, illustration and art (as evidenced by its countless collaborations with artists over the years) and more recently with London based graphic artists Sailey and Ellie Andrews, the show will also be taking place just a stone’s throw from Spitalfields Market, where Gemma Shiel first launched the label on a market stall 17 years ago. Back then she was selling t-shirts with her own screenprinted illustrations emblazoned on them – so this really is a return to roots.

Take a Break is on for three days in the basement space at 82A Commercial Street from next Friday 9 November. Entry is free and some of the artworks will be available to buy on a first-come-first-serve basis; a gallery shop will also feature a curated selection of items by Hato Press, Blast Skates and Lazy Oaf, among others. We’ll see you down there!