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Four vibrant, typographic posters in orange, yellow, green, and pink featuring bold, black lettering that reads “River Rights: Guardians for the Hogsmill.” Abstract textures resembling woven patterns intersect the typography, emphasizing the ecological theme. The design highlights a curated dinner event, focusing on river conservation and biodiversity.

Art direction, Exhibition Design, Identity, Photography
Location: London



River Rights – An Introduction


A revolutionary shift is underway in environmental law and conservation: the recognition of rivers as living entities with inherent legal rights. This approach marks a departure from viewing waterways merely as resources, signalling a profound change in how we relate and engage with Nature. Guided by the Universal Declaration of River Rights (UDRR), this curatorial initiative is grounded in seven fundamental River Rights, such as the right to flow freely, remain unpolluted, and sustain native biodiversity.



Project Overview


River Rights: Guardians for the Hogsmill unfolded in two acts. In July 2024, a curated dinner at Stanley Picker Gallery transformed the space into a stage that positioned the local Hogsmill River itself as the honoured guest. A three-course menu symbolising the river’s challenges brought together artists, activists and legal experts for an immersive evening of dialogue and reflection—issuing a collective call for guardianship of the Hogsmill.

In April 2025, eight months later, the Platform Gallery at Kingston School of Art presented River Rights: Documents of a Curated Dinner—an exhibition that reimagined key moments from the dinner through an immersive installation featuring UV-lit headlines, a recycled denim table runner, and photographic vignettes. Together, these events united local community, academic inquiry, and design practice in a powerful call for collective environmental stewardship.



A bright yellow event poster displayed outdoors at the Stanley Picker Gallery. The poster, titled “River Rights: Guardians for the Hogsmill,” features bold typography and an abstract woven pattern, placed on a sleek, black sign. The background shows blurred bicycles and greenery, giving context to an urban gallery setting.
A graphic poster featuring bold, pixelated black text on a vibrant yellow background, stating “1/ The right to flow.” The typography style suggests digital pixels or dotted patterns, emphasizing a dynamic, modern aesthetic.


Exhibition Design

Resourceful Creativity
The vibrant, fluorescent aesthetic intentionally departed from conventional eco-design palettes, opting instead for bold visual statements that achieved maximum impact with budgetless minimal resources. The visual identity creatively leveraged the use of recyclable fluorescent A3 paper, printed in monochrome using Kingston University’s library facilities—highlighting a commitment to sustainable and resourceful design practices.


Stanley Picker Gallery
The studio space was transformed into an intimate Curated Dining room, where design elements embodied the ecological narrative of the Hogsmill River. A recycled denim table runner traced the river’s course, while vivid UV-lit environmental pressing headlines underscored the urgency of action. The interplay of spatial design, graphic identity, and performative gestures shaped a tangible and emotionally resonant experience—bringing river rights and ecological concepts to life.


KSA Platform Gallery
Adapting the design language of the curated dinner, the exhibition Documents of a Curated Dinner offered an immersive yet accessible narrative. A striking 10-metre wall of fluorescent headlines, illuminated under UV light, confronted visitors with pressing ecological challenges. At the heart of the space, the recycled denim table runner served as a tactile link to the metaphorical river, inviting moments of personal reflection.


In response to the diverse audiences and spontaneous nature of engagement typical at Platform Gallery, interpretation panels were designed with three levels of access: bold headlines for immediate impact, introductory texts for contextual understanding, and detailed body copy for deeper exploration.



Kingston School of Art (KSA) and Stanley Picker Gallery (SPG) Map with the course of the Hogsmill River and River Thames. Vibrant GIF animation
CCD SPG Exhibit Layout Design - Alt text for WordPress website: Four elevation views (North, East, South, West) of a dark exhibition space layout showing neon-colored grid-mounted posters (in pink, yellow, green, and orange) at accessible heights. Silhouettes of standing and wheelchair users indicate inclusive design. Grids are labeled with paper sizes (A3, A4), and lighting details are visible.
SPG River Rights Dinner Room. A dimly lit room with a long, formally set dinner table under blue lighting, surrounded by neon posters on the walls highlighting UK river pollution headlines. The posters are in fluorescent colours—pink, yellow, green, and orange—and feature bold text from environmental news reports. The event setting evokes urgency around river rights and environmental justice, combining activism with communal gathering.
Pressing News Clips of devastating UK Rivers. GIF animation with vibrant colours
SPG River Rights Event. A visitor is silhouetted in blue and purple lighting while photographing a wall of fluorescent posters highlighting UK river pollution issues. The posters, in neon yellow, green, and magenta, display bold headlines about sewage spills and water contamination. The scene captures public engagement with environmental activism in a visually striking, immersive installation.
SPG River Rights Event. A group of people sit around a long table in a dark room illuminated by deep blue light. The walls are covered with fluorescent posters in neon orange, pink, yellow, and green, displaying alarming headlines about UK river pollution and environmental degradation. A small screen shows footage of a river, reinforcing the theme. The scene combines visual activism and participatory engagement in an immersive, awareness-raising installation.
SPG River Rights Event. SPG River Rights Event. A group of people sit around a long table in a dark room illuminated by deep blue light. The walls are covered with fluorescent posters in neon orange, pink, yellow, and green, displaying alarming headlines about UK river pollution and environmental degradation. A small screen shows footage of a river, reinforcing the theme. The scene combines visual activism and participatory engagement in an immersive, awareness-raising installation.
SPG River Rights Menu. A close-up of a vibrant yellow curated dinner menu placed on indigo-dyed patchwork fabric. The menu outlines a three-course meal inspired by themes of river pollution and ecological restoration: a spirulina-tinted nettle tea for the entrée, a herb-infused main highlighting local biodiversity, and a dessert symbolising future water purity, served with filtered water and chalk sweets. Dried leaves and lavender add a natural, thematic touch.
SPG River Rights Drinks. Guests seated at a long table sip from glasses under glowing blue and violet light. A nearby screen shows river footage, while fluorescent posters dominate the background, with headlines like “Thames Water fined £4 million after catastrophic sewage blunder.” The scene is part of an immersive dinner installation confronting water pollution through sensory experience and environmental storytelling.
SPG River Rights Booklet Present. An attendee stands and reads from a leaflet under deep blue lighting, while others examine printed materials at a dinner event focused on river advocacy. One guest holds a large neon green poster from the booklet reading “River Rights: Guardians for the Hogsmill.” Behind them, fluorescent posters highlight environmental headlines about UK river pollution. The immersive setting blends activism, information, and communal dialogue.
SPG Booklet. Both sides of a folded A3 booklet designed for the River Rights: Guardians for the Hogsmill event. Front side (poster side): Bright neon yellow with bold black text reading “River Rights: Guardians for the Hogsmill.” The right half features a textured, woven-style river motif in black. A short paragraph affirms the Hogsmill River’s intrinsic rights to flow naturally, remain unpolluted, and maintain biodiversity. Event details appear at the bottom: A curated dinner, 3 July 2024, Stanley Picker Gallery. Reverse side (content side): The booklet unfolds into a structured grid of black text on a white background, divided into five main sections: 1. River Rights – An Introduction 2. The State of the Hogsmill 3. River Rights Case Studies 4. Hogsmill Communities 5. Advocate for River Rights Each section includes short articles, local and global examples, and QR codes for further reading. A central column repeats the river weaving motif, tying both sides together visually.
River rights Booklets. Close-up of several folded black-and-white booklets titled River Rights: Guardians for the Hogsmill, arranged over a vibrant neon yellow event poster. The booklets feature a woven river graphic and bold typography, promoting a curated dinner and exhibition at Stanley Picker Gallery addressing river rights and environmental justice.
CCD KSA Exhibit Poster Column. Bright pink poster displayed on a gallery wall at Kingston School of Art, promoting River Rights: Guardians for the Hogsmill. Bold black text highlights the event’s message about the Hogsmill River’s intrinsic rights. Overlay stickers announce an extended date (Wednesday 23 April) and a reading list available at the KSA library. The background features a woven river texture in magenta, blending activism with design.
CCD KSA Exhibit Layout Design. Exhibition layout design diagram for River Rights: Guardians for the Hogsmill, showing accessible viewing considerations. The top section illustrates optimal readability heights (0.9m–1.75m) for wheelchair users and standing visitors, with font sizes specified (body text 38pt, subheaders 64pt). The bottom section maps a 10.45m wall layout, combining A3 panels of colourful blocks with black text panels. It ensures inclusive design and legibility across a diverse audience.
CCD KSA Exhibit General View. A vibrant exhibition space featuring the River Rights: Guardians for the Hogsmill project. A large wall is covered with neon posters in pink, orange, green, yellow, and purple, displaying urgent headlines on UK river pollution and environmental justice. In front, a long table with a white cloth displays folded publications and a central textile artwork made from indigo-dyed patches, reflecting themes of restoration and community care.
CCD KSA Exhibit Wall Closeup. A brightly lit exhibition corridor featuring the project River Rights: Guardians for the Hogsmill. The wall is covered in large posters—white for core project information and neon pink, green, yellow, and orange for alarming headlines about river pollution in the UK. The lead poster explains the project’s focus on recognising rivers as living entities with legal rights. The immersive, colourful display draws attention to urgent environmental issues through bold design and impactful messaging.
River Rights Instagram Posts Composition. GIF animation
CCD KSA Exhibit
River Rights Comp S K x ez
CCD KSA Exhibit
CCD KSA Exhibit Audience Overview. Silhouetted visitors engage with the River Rights: Guardians for the Hogsmill exhibition, set against a vivid wall of neon posters addressing river pollution and environmental injustice in the UK. A central table displays printed materials and textile works, inviting deeper interaction. The installation combines activism and design to spark critical dialogue around river ecosystems.
CCD KSA Exhibit Table Closeup. Close-up of a display table from the River Rights: Guardians for the Hogsmill exhibition. At the centre is a woven textile made from recycled indigo denim, evoking the flowing texture of a river. Surrounding it are printed placards with photos and text describing the curated dinner courses, including a herb-infused drink for the “Main.” A yellow menu card sits on a white plate, tying together themes of ecology, craft, and sensory storytelling.
River Rights Instagram Posts Composition. GIF animation
CCD KSA Exhibit Booklet. A person with a burgundy faux-fur coat reads a section of the River Rights: Guardians for the Hogsmill booklet titled “5/ Advocate for River Rights.” The booklet rests on a textile artwork made of woven indigo denim scraps. In the blurred background, a wall of fluorescent posters in yellow, pink, green, and orange highlights headlines about river pollution, creating a vivid and immersive exhibition environment.
CCD KSA Exhibit
SPG Curated Dinner Short Video Clip of the event. The video shows the table setting with the audience. The hosts are filling clear water using a 3D printed filter by Thomas Pausz. The audience looks interested and some of them are recording the moment with their mobile phones.
SPG Curated Dinner Boklets. Close-up of a pile of folded black-and-white booklets titled River Rights: Guardians for the Hogsmill, arranged over a vibrant neon yellow event poster. The booklets feature a woven river graphic and bold typography, promoting a curated dinner and exhibition at Stanley Picker Gallery addressing river rights and environmental justice.


Curated Dinner Booklet PDF
Download


Credits

Curators from MA Curating Contemporary Design, Kingston University in partnership with the Design Museum, London: 
Wendy Chen
Yuyuan Huang
Oliwia Kochanowicz
Sylvia Liu
Karina H Miriklis
Marçal Prats
Eliza Priede
Heesun Ryu
Qingyun Wang
Teoh Wen Xin
Hong Kuan Wong
Skylar Zhao


With thanks to CCD course leaders:
Dr. Jana Scholze
Dr. Donna Loveday


Denim table runner:
Sylvia Liu
Yuyuan Huang


SPG Curated Dinner


KSA Exhibition
14–23 April 2025, Platform Gallery, Kingston School of Art




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Four vibrant, typographic posters in orange, yellow, green, and pink featuring bold, black lettering that reads “River Rights: Guardians for the Hogsmill.” Abstract textures resembling woven patterns intersect the typography, emphasizing the ecological theme. The design highlights a curated dinner event, focusing on river conservation and biodiversity.

Art direction, Exhibition Design, Identity, Photography
Location: London



River Rights – An Introduction


A revolutionary shift is underway in environmental law and conservation: the recognition of rivers as living entities with inherent legal rights. This approach marks a departure from viewing waterways merely as resources, signalling a profound change in how we relate and engage with Nature. Guided by the Universal Declaration of River Rights (UDRR), this curatorial initiative is grounded in seven fundamental River Rights, such as the right to flow freely, remain unpolluted, and sustain native biodiversity.



Project Overview


River Rights: Guardians for the Hogsmill unfolded in two acts. In July 2024, a curated dinner at Stanley Picker Gallery transformed the space into a stage that positioned the local Hogsmill River itself as the honoured guest. A three-course menu symbolising the river’s challenges brought together artists, activists and legal experts for an immersive evening of dialogue and reflection—issuing a collective call for guardianship of the Hogsmill.

In April 2025, eight months later, the Platform Gallery at Kingston School of Art presented River Rights: Documents of a Curated Dinner—an exhibition that reimagined key moments from the dinner through an immersive installation featuring UV-lit headlines, a recycled denim table runner, and photographic vignettes. Together, these events united local community, academic inquiry, and design practice in a powerful call for collective environmental stewardship.



A bright yellow event poster displayed outdoors at the Stanley Picker Gallery. The poster, titled “River Rights: Guardians for the Hogsmill,” features bold typography and an abstract woven pattern, placed on a sleek, black sign. The background shows blurred bicycles and greenery, giving context to an urban gallery setting.
A graphic poster featuring bold, pixelated black text on a vibrant yellow background, stating “1/ The right to flow.” The typography style suggests digital pixels or dotted patterns, emphasizing a dynamic, modern aesthetic.


Exhibition Design

Resourceful Creativity
The vibrant, fluorescent aesthetic intentionally departed from conventional eco-design palettes, opting instead for bold visual statements that achieved maximum impact with budgetless minimal resources. The visual identity creatively leveraged the use of recyclable fluorescent A3 paper, printed in monochrome using Kingston University’s library facilities—highlighting a commitment to sustainable and resourceful design practices.


Stanley Picker Gallery
The studio space was transformed into an intimate Curated Dining room, where design elements embodied the ecological narrative of the Hogsmill River. A recycled denim table runner traced the river’s course, while vivid UV-lit environmental pressing headlines underscored the urgency of action. The interplay of spatial design, graphic identity, and performative gestures shaped a tangible and emotionally resonant experience—bringing river rights and ecological concepts to life.


KSA Platform Gallery
Adapting the design language of the curated dinner, the exhibition Documents of a Curated Dinner offered an immersive yet accessible narrative. A striking 10-metre wall of fluorescent headlines, illuminated under UV light, confronted visitors with pressing ecological challenges. At the heart of the space, the recycled denim table runner served as a tactile link to the metaphorical river, inviting moments of personal reflection.


In response to the diverse audiences and spontaneous nature of engagement typical at Platform Gallery, interpretation panels were designed with three levels of access: bold headlines for immediate impact, introductory texts for contextual understanding, and detailed body copy for deeper exploration.



Kingston School of Art (KSA) and Stanley Picker Gallery (SPG) Map with the course of the Hogsmill River and River Thames. Vibrant GIF animation
SPG River Rights Dinner Room. A dimly lit room with a long, formally set dinner table under blue lighting, surrounded by neon posters on the walls highlighting UK river pollution headlines. The posters are in fluorescent colours—pink, yellow, green, and orange—and feature bold text from environmental news reports. The event setting evokes urgency around river rights and environmental justice, combining activism with communal gathering.
Pressing News Clips of devastating UK Rivers. GIF animation with vibrant colours
SPG River Rights Event. A visitor is silhouetted in blue and purple lighting while photographing a wall of fluorescent posters highlighting UK river pollution issues. The posters, in neon yellow, green, and magenta, display bold headlines about sewage spills and water contamination. The scene captures public engagement with environmental activism in a visually striking, immersive installation.
SPG River Rights Event. A group of people sit around a long table in a dark room illuminated by deep blue light. The walls are covered with fluorescent posters in neon orange, pink, yellow, and green, displaying alarming headlines about UK river pollution and environmental degradation. A small screen shows footage of a river, reinforcing the theme. The scene combines visual activism and participatory engagement in an immersive, awareness-raising installation.
SPG River Rights Event. SPG River Rights Event. A group of people sit around a long table in a dark room illuminated by deep blue light. The walls are covered with fluorescent posters in neon orange, pink, yellow, and green, displaying alarming headlines about UK river pollution and environmental degradation. A small screen shows footage of a river, reinforcing the theme. The scene combines visual activism and participatory engagement in an immersive, awareness-raising installation.
SPG River Rights Menu. A close-up of a vibrant yellow curated dinner menu placed on indigo-dyed patchwork fabric. The menu outlines a three-course meal inspired by themes of river pollution and ecological restoration: a spirulina-tinted nettle tea for the entrée, a herb-infused main highlighting local biodiversity, and a dessert symbolising future water purity, served with filtered water and chalk sweets. Dried leaves and lavender add a natural, thematic touch.
SPG River Rights Drinks. Guests seated at a long table sip from glasses under glowing blue and violet light. A nearby screen shows river footage, while fluorescent posters dominate the background, with headlines like “Thames Water fined £4 million after catastrophic sewage blunder.” The scene is part of an immersive dinner installation confronting water pollution through sensory experience and environmental storytelling.
SPG River Rights Booklet Present. An attendee stands and reads from a leaflet under deep blue lighting, while others examine printed materials at a dinner event focused on river advocacy. One guest holds a large neon green poster from the booklet reading “River Rights: Guardians for the Hogsmill.” Behind them, fluorescent posters highlight environmental headlines about UK river pollution. The immersive setting blends activism, information, and communal dialogue.
SPG Booklet. Both sides of a folded A3 booklet designed for the River Rights: Guardians for the Hogsmill event. Front side (poster side): Bright neon yellow with bold black text reading “River Rights: Guardians for the Hogsmill.” The right half features a textured, woven-style river motif in black. A short paragraph affirms the Hogsmill River’s intrinsic rights to flow naturally, remain unpolluted, and maintain biodiversity. Event details appear at the bottom: A curated dinner, 3 July 2024, Stanley Picker Gallery. Reverse side (content side): The booklet unfolds into a structured grid of black text on a white background, divided into five main sections: 1. River Rights – An Introduction 2. The State of the Hogsmill 3. River Rights Case Studies 4. Hogsmill Communities 5. Advocate for River Rights Each section includes short articles, local and global examples, and QR codes for further reading. A central column repeats the river weaving motif, tying both sides together visually.
River rights Booklets. Close-up of several folded black-and-white booklets titled River Rights: Guardians for the Hogsmill, arranged over a vibrant neon yellow event poster. The booklets feature a woven river graphic and bold typography, promoting a curated dinner and exhibition at Stanley Picker Gallery addressing river rights and environmental justice.
CCD KSA Exhibit Poster Column. Bright pink poster displayed on a gallery wall at Kingston School of Art, promoting River Rights: Guardians for the Hogsmill. Bold black text highlights the event’s message about the Hogsmill River’s intrinsic rights. Overlay stickers announce an extended date (Wednesday 23 April) and a reading list available at the KSA library. The background features a woven river texture in magenta, blending activism with design.
CCD KSA Exhibit Layout Design. Exhibition layout design diagram for River Rights: Guardians for the Hogsmill, showing accessible viewing considerations. The top section illustrates optimal readability heights (0.9m–1.75m) for wheelchair users and standing visitors, with font sizes specified (body text 38pt, subheaders 64pt). The bottom section maps a 10.45m wall layout, combining A3 panels of colourful blocks with black text panels. It ensures inclusive design and legibility across a diverse audience.
CCD KSA Exhibit General View. A vibrant exhibition space featuring the River Rights: Guardians for the Hogsmill project. A large wall is covered with neon posters in pink, orange, green, yellow, and purple, displaying urgent headlines on UK river pollution and environmental justice. In front, a long table with a white cloth displays folded publications and a central textile artwork made from indigo-dyed patches, reflecting themes of restoration and community care.
CCD KSA Exhibit Wall Closeup. A brightly lit exhibition corridor featuring the project River Rights: Guardians for the Hogsmill. The wall is covered in large posters—white for core project information and neon pink, green, yellow, and orange for alarming headlines about river pollution in the UK. The lead poster explains the project’s focus on recognising rivers as living entities with legal rights. The immersive, colourful display draws attention to urgent environmental issues through bold design and impactful messaging.
River Rights Instagram Posts Composition. GIF animation
CCD KSA Exhibit
River Rights Comp S K x ez
CCD KSA Exhibit
CCD KSA Exhibit Audience Overview. Silhouetted visitors engage with the River Rights: Guardians for the Hogsmill exhibition, set against a vivid wall of neon posters addressing river pollution and environmental injustice in the UK. A central table displays printed materials and textile works, inviting deeper interaction. The installation combines activism and design to spark critical dialogue around river ecosystems.
CCD KSA Exhibit Table Closeup. Close-up of a display table from the River Rights: Guardians for the Hogsmill exhibition. At the centre is a woven textile made from recycled indigo denim, evoking the flowing texture of a river. Surrounding it are printed placards with photos and text describing the curated dinner courses, including a herb-infused drink for the “Main.” A yellow menu card sits on a white plate, tying together themes of ecology, craft, and sensory storytelling.
River Rights Instagram Posts Composition. GIF animation
CCD KSA Exhibit Booklet. A person with a burgundy faux-fur coat reads a section of the River Rights: Guardians for the Hogsmill booklet titled “5/ Advocate for River Rights.” The booklet rests on a textile artwork made of woven indigo denim scraps. In the blurred background, a wall of fluorescent posters in yellow, pink, green, and orange highlights headlines about river pollution, creating a vivid and immersive exhibition environment.
CCD KSA Exhibit
SPG Curated Dinner Short Video Clip of the event. The video shows the table setting with the audience. The hosts are filling clear water using a 3D printed filter by Thomas Pausz. The audience looks interested and some of them are recording the moment with their mobile phones.
SPG Curated Dinner Boklets. Close-up of a pile of folded black-and-white booklets titled River Rights: Guardians for the Hogsmill, arranged over a vibrant neon yellow event poster. The booklets feature a woven river graphic and bold typography, promoting a curated dinner and exhibition at Stanley Picker Gallery addressing river rights and environmental justice.


Curated Dinner Booklet PDF
Download


Credits

Curators from MA Curating Contemporary Design, Kingston University in partnership with the Design Museum, London: 
Wendy Chen
Yuyuan Huang
Oliwia Kochanowicz
Sylvia Liu
Karina H Miriklis
Marçal Prats
Eliza Priede
Heesun Ryu
Qingyun Wang
Teoh Wen Xin
Hong Kuan Wong
Skylar Zhao


With thanks to CCD course leaders:
Dr. Jana Scholze
Dr. Donna Loveday


Denim table runner:
Sylvia Liu
Yuyuan Huang


SPG Curated Dinner


KSA Exhibition
14–23 April 2025, Platform Gallery, Kingston School of Art




← Previous
Dot Art Magazine

Typography. Closeup of the design of the Table of Content TOC page of Dot Magazine. Typography on green over pink background.

Next →
Artworks in Paris

Marcal net Artworks Crowne Plaza Paris 07 1920
scroll top2 w