Es Devlin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Es Devlin CBE RDI
Devlin in 2016
Born	Esmeralda Devlin (1971-09-24) 24 September 1971 (age 53) Kingston upon Thames, London, England
Education	Central Saint Martins Bristol University (BA) Motley Theatre Design Course
Occupation	Artist and designer
Spouse(s)	Jack Galloway
Children	2
Awards	2 Olivier Awards 1 Tony Award Royal Designer for Industry

Es Devlin is a super creative English artist and designer. She makes amazing art and stage designs using lights, videos, and moving sculptures. She has won many big awards, like a Tony Award and two Olivier Awards. Queen Elizabeth II even honored her twice for her great work in design. The BBC also named her one of the top 100 women in 2013.

Es Devlin is famous for her incredible work in theater. She won two Olivier Awards for her set designs in Chimerica (2014) and The Nether (2015). She also won a Tony Award for Best Scenic Design of a Play for The Lehman Trilogy (2022) on Broadway.

Early Life and Education

Es Devlin was born in Kingston upon Thames, London, on September 24, 1971. She went to Cranbrook School in Kent.

She studied English at Bristol University. After that, she went to Central Saint Martins to learn about art. She later decided to focus on designing for plays and shows. While studying, she even made props for a circus called Le Cirque Invisible.

Amazing Career Highlights

Es Devlin started her career designing for plays and operas. Her early work was at places like London's Bush Theatre. In 1998, she designed her first set for the Royal National Theatre. She quickly became known for her unique and sculptural stage designs.

Designing for Music Stars

In 2003, Es Devlin began designing for concerts. She first worked with the band Wire. In 2005, Kanye West asked her to design his "Touch the Sky" tour. This started a long partnership, and she designed many more of his tours. She has also created huge stage designs for other famous artists. These include Beyoncé, Adele, U2, The Weeknd, Lorde, and Pet Shop Boys.

Olympic Ceremonies and Big Installations

Es Devlin designed parts of the closing ceremony for the London Olympics in 2012. Four years later, in 2016, she designed the set for the opening ceremony of the Rio Olympics.

She also creates large art installations. In 2016, her "Mirrormaze" in Peckham attracted many people. In 2017, she designed the "Singing Tree" at the Victoria and Albert Museum. This interactive art piece used machine learning and was seen by over 10,000 visitors. That same year, she created "Room2022," a huge installation at Art Basel Miami.

In 2018, her "Fifth Lion" installation in Trafalgar Square was a highlight. It roared poetry created by artificial intelligence to crowds. She also designed "MASK," a model city with projected images.

Global Projects and Awards

In 2019, Es Devlin gave a popular TED Talk about her art and technology. She also designed the UK Pavilion at the 2020 World Expo in Dubai. She was the first woman ever to get this important job for a world expo.

In 2021, she won an Ivor Novello Award for her work with rapper Dave. She also helped design the trophies for the Brit Awards.

In 2022, her designs for the Super Bowl Halftime Show won three Emmy Awards. She also won five more Emmy Awards for her scenic design for Adele's performance at Griffith Observatory. Her scenic design for The Lehman Trilogy won her a Tony Award.

Her Unique Style

Es Devlin's designs are known for being very creative. For example, her Poem Pavilion at the 2020 World Expo in Dubai had an illuminated "message to space." Visitors could add their own words to it.

She uses simple materials like plastic trees, sellotape, and stretchy mirrored sheets. She builds "dream-like constellations of things." She believes the magic happens "between those objects."

Writer Andrew O'Hagan said her designs are "an attack on the notion that a set is merely scenery." This means her sets are not just backgrounds. They are important parts of the story. Director Lyndsey Turner said Es Devlin "doesn't design what a play wants but what it needs."

Awards and Recognition

• 2006: Olivier Awards for Best Costume Design for The Dog in the Manger
• 2014-2015: Olivier Awards for Best Set Design for Chimerica (2014) and The Nether (2015)
• 2015: Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
• 2018: Royal Designer for Industry for Theatre Design
• 2022: Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to design
• She is also a Fellow of University of the Arts London.

Es Devlin is featured in episode three of the Netflix documentary series Abstract: The Art of Design.

Her Work

Theatre Designs

Television Projects

Concert Designs

Fashion Collaborations

Publications

Exhibitions

Awards and Nominations

Personal Life

Es Devlin is married to Jack Galloway, who designs costumes for theater. They have two children and live in London. Her husband works on The Lion King Musical.

See also

In Spanish: Es Devlin para niños