PRADA MODE UNVEILS ‘THE AUDIENCE’ WHERE OBSERVER AND OBSERVED MEET

words by VERONICA TLAPANCO SZABÓ

In the spirit of Prada’s immersive vision, the wonder of cinema lies in stepping into lives we might only ever encounter in fleeting glimpses. This October, Prada invites us into a new chapter of shared wonder with the thirteenth edition of Prada Mode, a cultural event set in the beautifully restored Town Hall in King’s Cross, London. In collaboration with the artists Elmgreen & Dragset, the multi-day event coincides with Frieze London (yay!), centering around The Audience, an immersive installation exploring spectatorship in an age of image overload, hyperconnectivity, and fleeting attention.

The installation unfolds as a cinema. An intentionally blurred film, written by the pair, Elmgreen & Dragset, loops continuously, presenting a quietly intimate scene between a painter and a writer in their flat, discussing their creative practices. Among the empty auditorium seats sit five hyperrealistic sculptures of cinemagoers, caught in varying states of attention, are we then being observed or the observer? The answer to this question is only further deepened by an additional sculpture, The Conversation which is a solitary female figure at a café table, facetiming with one of the characters from the film. Hand in hand, the installations invite us to sense the tender flow of attention that we so often overlook.

Prada Mode London extends the experience through talks, screenings, performances, and DJ sets, inviting us to reflect on how we gather and watch together, from October 17th through 19th, The Audience awaits, ready to sweep us into its immersive embrace.