Episode 7: Give me a break with Gary Card
3 min read
Gary Card has built a career on creative chaos. As he prepares for his latest immersive project, ‘Gathering Dust’ at the Plaster Store, Harriet Lloyd-Smith sits down with him for the latest episode of Give me a break
Harriet Lloyd-Smith managed to nab an hour with Gary Card in between preparations for this mad-man transformation of the Plaster Store
Gary Card doesn’t really do things by halves. The set designer, artist, illustrator, and unapologetic maximalist was born in Bournemouth in 1981. Growing up, he hated the beach, and instead spent his childhood indoors, drawing monsters, cartoons, and grotesque horror scenes – a love affair that endures today.
Despite having never been to the theatre, Gary moved to London to study theatre design at Central Saint Martins. After graduating, his unique blend of chaotic creativity garnered early media attention, and he admits he found success before he’d fully honed his craft. Over a 20-year career working with the biggest names in fashion and pop culture, from Comme des Garçons and Louis Vuitton to Paul McCartney and Lady Gaga, Gary has earned a reputation as a maverick of maximalist set design, and fundamentally, an artist. Ahead of his Plaster Store takeover, where he transformed the entire space into a madman’s studio, Harriet Lloyd-Smith sat down with Gary to take a trip down the rabbit hole. They dive into his obsessive collecting, major mess ups, naughty clients and why brutal honesty is essential.
“I think the ‘A word’ [artist] that came with baggage, analytical baggage for me, and it’s hard to even put into words now. I did for a long time, dare not speak its name, because I didn’t think I was worthy. And I am an artist. I’ve been an artist for years, but it took me a long time to actually have the confidence to say it out loud.”
'Gathering Dust', Gary Card's Plaster Store takeover continues until 9th August at 20 Great Chapel Street, W1F 8FW.
