Inside the Dazed Club and Audemars Piguet Celebration for Renée Levi at London’s Southbank Centre

Last week, as the vibrant energy of the art world descended upon the British capital for the annual Frieze art fair, celebrations and high-profile gatherings were well and truly underway across the city. To mark both the arrival of Frieze week and Swiss artist Renée Levi’s striking new large-scale public commission at the Hayward Gallery, Dazed Club joined forces with Audemars Piguet Contemporary for a very special, intimate evening that brought together creatives, collectors, and cultural enthusiasts.

Hosted at the Southbank Centre’s iconic St Paul’s Roof Pavilion, the exclusive event offered guests a welcome retreat from the bustling exhibition floors. Attendees mingled over drinks and canapés while taking in panoramic views of the London skyline at dusk. Below the balcony, the red carpet of the London Film Festival unfolded against the evening backdrop, perfectly encapsulating the city’s bustling cultural calendar. The gathering provided an opportunity for members of the Dazed Club community and art lovers alike to dive deeper into the ideas, architecture, and inspirations shaping Levi’s latest monumental work.

At the heart of the evening was a compelling conversation hosted by Lewis Dalton Gilbert. He was joined on stage by Renée Levi and Audrey Teichmann, curator at Audemars Piguet Contemporary. The panel explored the intricate details of their ongoing collaboration, the physical and conceptual making of the Hayward Gallery commission, Levi’s wider artistic practice, and the broader possibilities and responsibilities of public art in contemporary society.

Taking Art Beyond the White Cube

Levi’s newly unveiled commission firmly takes painting beyond the traditional confines of the white cube and the conventional gallery wall, choosing instead to engage directly with the Hayward Gallery’s distinctive, monolithic brutalist architecture. Titled September, the ambitious project is a two-part painting that effectively transforms the building itself into an active component of the artwork.

Installed across the building’s sweeping west façade, the commission plays intimately with the Hayward Gallery’s long horizontal architectural lines, utilizing the existing structure as a dynamic framework rather than a neutral background. Constructed from industrial mesh and rendered in vivid, high-impact fluorescent acrylics, the work injects a startling riot of color onto the raw, imposing concrete surfaces of the Southbank Centre.

Furthermore, the installation features meticulous silver spray-painted details that actively shift in appearance as natural light changes throughout the day and into the evening. Because of these dynamic light-responsive elements, the installation never quite looks the same from one angle or one hour to the next, offering an evolving visual experience for passersby and gallery visitors alike.

The Setting Was a London Dreamscape

The choice of venue for the Dazed Club and Audemars Piguet celebration amplified the themes of architecture and public space embedded within Levi’s work. The view from the St Paul’s Roof Pavilion did not disappoint, providing attendees with a breathtaking vantage point to bask in Levi’s commission while looking out over London’s evening skyline.

The juxtaposition of the illuminated brutalist architecture, the vibrant hues of September, and the bustling cinematic glamour of the London Film Festival red carpet unfolding directly below the balcony created a distinctly cinematic atmosphere. The evening powerfully underscored the unique capability of a public art commission situated in an iconic cultural venue like the Southbank Centre—one that seamlessly takes on new meaning, mood, and purpose as daylight fades into night.

Plenty of Thoughtful Discussion

Beyond the visual spectacle of the setting, the evening’s panel discussion offered guests a much deeper insight into Levi’s rigorous artistic process, tracing the journey from the initial conception of the commission to the complex relationship between painting, architecture, and public space.

Joined by Teichmann, who has closely followed and supported Levi’s practice for years, the artist discussed the theoretical and physical thinking behind the work. They addressed what it genuinely means to create art that reaches audiences far beyond the usual insular gallery-going crowd.

The conversation also reflected a shared, ongoing commitment between the organizers and the artist to making contemporary art more accessible, particularly within public arts spaces. Panelists debated the ownership of public works, the democratization of artistic experiences, and the necessity of opening up innovative ways for everyday people to engage with artists and their creations.

True to the ethos of the community, no Dazed Club event would be complete without extending the conversation far beyond the formal panel. Over a continuation of drinks and canapés, guests had ample opportunity to connect with fellow creatives, exchange ideas, and spend quality time with the curators, patrons, and artists who are actively helping to shape the landscape of contemporary art today.

For those looking to explore the project further, Renée Levi’s September is currently on view at the Hayward Gallery, and documentation of the special evening with Dazed Club and Audemars Piguet can be found online.