Night Fever: Designing Club Culture was the first major exhibition exploring the relationship between club culture and design from the 1960s to today.
Delving into iconic clubs in New York, Paris, Florence, Manchester, London, Beirut, Berlin – and towns and cities across Scotland – the exhibition uncovered the progressive and subversive history of nightclub design, and its far-reaching influence on popular culture.
As spaces for adventure and escape, nightclubs have always encouraged experimental and radical design – from Studio 54 to the Haçienda. Discover how architecture, art, fashion, graphics, lighting, performance and sound all come together to create an immersive sensory experience where design, music and technology meet on the dancefloor.
Night Fever: Designing Club Culture featured an exclusive section on Scotland’s unique and distinct club scene, revisiting legendary club nights from across the country. Explore how Scottish club culture is built on an ethos of DIY attitude, togetherness, humour, and a tightly knit network of DJs, clubs and promoters – often holding closer ties to the music and influences of Detroit techno and Chicago house, than to neighbouring scenes south of the border.
Three case studies of Scottish nightclubs were central to this output; Fever in Aberdeen, Club 69 in Paisley, and the Sub Club in Glasgow. The exhibition features a study of fashion bought in Scottish boutiques and worn to Scottish clubs in this period.
I also commissioned two new pieces of work that responded to, explored and supported the themes of this output. These were produced in collaboration with ISO, the Glasgow based digital media studio, and Jonnie Wilkes, a musician, producer. DJ and one half of Optimo, the long running and pioneering record label and Glasgow club-night.
V&A Dundee was the only UK venue for Night Fever: Designing Club Culture, which was developed by the Vitra Design Museum and Design Museum Brussels.
