British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare and architect India Mahdavi have redesigned the Gallery dining room at London venue Sketch, adding site-specific artworks, warm golden colours and textured materials to its interior. The project, which is the latest in a string of artist collaborations from Sketch, features a series of 15 artworks by Shonibare dubbed Modern Magic. These were designed specifically for the space.

Mahdavi incorporated sunshine-yellow and golden colours to the interior alongside textured materials informed by Shonibare's installation, including a copper skin on one of the walls. Mahdavi mentioned, Yinka's artwork was a real inspiration and enticed her to work differently. Textures have transcended colours by using a strong palette of materials."She used elements that have allowed her to extend Yinka's artistic exploration of culture and identity, and bring a warm feel of Africa to the space and furnishings.

The Gallery at Sketch has been linked to the colour pink for such a long time that it was very challenging for Mahdavi  to overcome this success. India Mahdavi worked with different textures for the interioz, and using the Shonibare's Modern Magic installation includes five hand-carved wooden masks as well as 10 framed quilts, which replicate African masks collected by Spanish artist Pablo Picasso. As Shonibare explains, Picasso was interested in appropriating from another culture and he also appropriate from European ethnic art.