From November 2024 to February 2025, Supacord featured in A Message for Everybody, a solo exhibition by French artist Ndayé Kouagou, held at the contemporary art gallery Gathering in Soho, London.
Gathering is dedicated to presenting a diverse exhibition program that focuses on immersive installations and radical practices by a roster of international artists. The gallery aims to provide a commercial platform for artists whose practices are more prevalent in institutional realms, fostering cultural exchange, dialogue, and social interventions.
Kouagou’s exhibition unfolded as a multi-sensory journey, combining performance, film, sculpture, and installation to explore language, identity, and perception. The gallery space was conceived as a dreamlike, open-ended environment where visitors were encouraged to reflect, pause, and engage without certainty or conclusion.
Supacord formed a key part of the installation’s spatial language, acting not just as a base but as a visual and conceptual extension of the artist’s themes.
The artist and curatorial team required a flooring solution that was:
- Bold and visually striking, designed to actively engage visitors and complement the dynamic energy of the exhibition
- Durable enough for sustained visitor traffic
- Comfortable and tactile underfoot, to encourage visitors to linger and engage with the space
Supacord was specified for its range of vibrant colours and modular format, enabling patterns. Selby Contract Flooring carried out the installation, following a precise layout brief including distinct shapes in the colours Red, Pebble, and Astra Blue. The design included:
- An arrow to suggest direction or transition
- The letters ‘A’ and ‘Z’ to symbolise beginnings and endings, mirroring the exhibition’s questioning of linear narratives, identity, and time
These motifs were more than decorative; they were subtly conceptual, prompting interpretation and movement through the area.
In line with Heckmondwike’s commitment to sustainability and the gallery’s temporary exhibition model, all carpet tiles were:
- Professionally uplifted at the close of the show
- Fully recycled, supporting circular design and helping the gallery meet sustainability goals for temporary installations
This closed-loop approach aligned with Heckmondwike’s ongoing commitment to minimising waste across the built environment, especially in short-term projects like exhibitions and pop-ups.
By combining practical performance with subtle symbolic meaning, the flooring became an integrated element of the exhibition experience. It grounded the setting both physically and conceptually, enhancing Kouagou’s exploration of imagination, vulnerability, and shifting identity. This project is a strong example of how collaborative material design, when aligned with curatorial vision, can elevate both the form and function of cultural environments.
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Supacord
Used in classrooms for over forty years, Supacord is now considered the number one carpet solution for schools, colleges and universities.
Images of Supacord at the Exhibition
