How Artist Lucy Sparrow Transformed 65,000 Felt Art Pieces into A Chippy
Published on:Fryer's delight: Lucy Sparrow's extraordinary textile installation transforms the humble chippy into high art.
Following on from her acclaimed 2021 exhibition ‘The Bourdon Street Chemist’, Jealous artist Lucy Sparrow returns to Mayfair with an unmissable free exhibition,‘The Bourdon Street Chippy’ combines witty textile art with the nation’s beloved takeaway: fish and chips.
Transforming the Lyndsey Ingram Gallery in Mayfair was no mean feat: Sparrow has meticulously recreated an entire British chippy using nothing but felt and sheer tenacity. The sheer scope of this off-beat exhibition is staggering, containing 65,000 felt artworks, each crafted by Sparrow and her small team at her self-tiled ‘Felt Cave’ studio, situated in a converted ambulance station in Suffolk. Attention to detail is the order of the day: the installation features hand-stitched battered fish (complete with beady eyes) and chips, miniature bottles of vinegar, fifteen different types of chips in five colours, detailed menu boards, and yes, even ever divisive pickled eggs made the cut.
Photography credit to Allun Callender
‘The Bourdon Street Chippy’ and Sparrow’s decision to work with traditional comfort food provides a welcoming space where visitors can engage with complex themes around food, comfort, and healing - with the artist on site to help visitors traverse this familiar, yet strangely otherworldly space. Sparrow explained the context behind this ambitious project to Creative Boom, citing living with anorexia and her relationship with food: "The two are inextricably linked," she says. "Over time, I came to understand that my practice had become a way to manage difficult emotions. Art is both my outlet and my motivation to stay well."
Photography credit to Lucy Emms
Where: Lyndsey Ingram Gallery, Mayfair, Central London
When: August 1st - September 14th, 2025. Open Wednesday - Sunday, including Bank Holiday Monday 25th August
Admission: Free
Fast food lover? Find out more about Lucy Sparrow’s chip shop exhibition here and shop Lucy Sparrow artworks now.