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‘The Dalmore Presents…’

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A showcase of craftsmanship, heritage, and emerging talent, a near ‘Net Zero’ event for The Dalmore whisky by Chorus Arts.

‘The Dalmore Presents…’, was at Frieze Gallery, No. 9 Cork Street, the heart of West End Galleries Night. The evening spotlighted the convergence of heritage, craft, and the intrinsic value of natural materials.

Chorus Arts was invited to create a space where guests could enjoy The Dalmore through crafted cocktails and tasting experiences; delivering an elevated experience grounded in the brand values. Chorus Arts adopted a curatorial approach, aligning the experience with both The Dalmore’s commitment to craft and heritage and Frieze’s leading voice in contemporary art innovation and creative diversity.

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Building on The Dalmore’s brand narrative of design, craft, and heritage, Chorus Arts introduced the concept of ‘The Dalmore Presents…’. The aim was to give voice to emerging UK-based craft practitioners and position The Dalmore as a recognised presence in the design world. Taking inspiration from the importance of timber and casks in the whisky-making process, Chorus Arts selected a group of emerging furniture and craft practitioners whose work resonated with The Dalmore’s values of precision, traditional techniques, and sustainability through the medium of wood. This curated selection of artisans included wood-turner Darren Appiagyei and textile designer Sneha Ravi.

Darren Appiagyei’s traditional methods and material-driven process echo The Dalmore’s own reverence for natural materials. He embraces rawness and imperfection in his practice, choosing his materials for their potential. His creations are a collaborative effort between his vision, instinctive moments at the lathe, and the inherent qualities of the material itself.

Ravi’s illustrated textile design commission, inspired by water ripples, tree rings, and fingerprints, beautifully draws on the way the cask shapes each whisky’s essence and the natural imprints within The Dalmore’s barrels.

Sneha Ravi’s work was carefully developed with Chorus Arts, allowing for the design to organically align with the brand narrative and deeper values. The result was a 14-meter fabric backdrop that wove together the influence of texture, and the story of craft, drawing parallels to the way a cask leaves its unique imprint on the whisky within.

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The emerging furniture designers Eve Thomson, George Almond, Alfie Newman, Lucy Milham, and Ella Clasby further expanded the narrative, each selected for their approach to sustainable materials and innovative design. Thomson’s piece, ‘Rib’, drew particular attention, showcasing an elegant interplay between form and function using high-quality ash. The sculptural quality of Milham’s ‘Alis Armchair’ invited tactile engagement.

This showcase encapsulated The Dalmore’s dedication to craft and innovation, bridging the worlds of fine whisky and contemporary design. The Dalmore’s commitment to supporting and recognising design and craft is reinforced in their support of the V&A Dundee, Scotland’s Design Museum, and the Luminary Series.

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As members of the Gallery Climate Coalition, Chorus Arts prioritises keeping its carbon footprint as low as possible by focussing on locally sourced materials, reuseable build structures and exhibition installations, and minimal waste. Additionally, many of the artists featured are devoted to eco-conscious design, integrating sustainable methods and materials into their work. The project, measured via ISLA’s TRACE platform, created only 0.74 tCO2 - the closest any project within the Chorus Creative Group has been to achieving Net Zero from Scope 3 activity so far. This is an incredible achievement and has provided invaluable learnings for future projects and the industry.

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