Film SPILT
Words Holly Nicholas

Known for her avant-garde make-up artistry and her eponymous beauty range, Isamaya’s latest project, Studio Iron, marks a venture into the world of art, curation and the collection of objects. Her inaugural exhibition (at the Saatchi Yates gallery until 7th June), dominated by steel and iron, brings together works by artists that blur the boundaries between object, art and design, function and form. Reflecting on its genesis, she says, “I am so passionate about artisanal design, artists, creativity and the magic of all of that … I sort of became possessed by it. I couldn’t be stopped. It was so important that I had to do the Studio Iron project, I didn’t even think about it. And I think that when you’re in that creative flow state you shouldn’t question it. You’ve just got to submit.”

Preceding the launch of Studio Iron was the renovation and design of her own home; a “big project” that initially felt like “one disaster after another.” Now complete, its Georgian proportions and light-filled interiors present the perfect backdrop for Isamaya’s deeply personal collection of objects. A lifelong collector, Isamaya explains the power of objects to “remind you who you are” – key pieces in her home include a bejewelled chain-mail lampshade by Wretched Flowers and a series of challenging artworks by Phil Hale.

An atmospheric sitting room occupies the space of the former coal chute, its cocooning walls washed with natural light that pours in from a vast rooflight overhead. In the dining room, midnight-blue walls and elegant sash windows foster a sense of occasion, while a make-up and storage room is a treasure trove of tokens from Isamaya’s professional life.

“Homes are an external expression of your interior world,” Isamaya reflects. “My interior world is fascinated by psychology; I love to travel, I love to see how other people live. I love art and I love expression, so that’s what makes me feel really calm. I think if I came home to a very minimal environment, I wouldn’t really know what to do with myself. I feel like I’m walking into my space and into my mind, and that feels very reassuring and relaxing.”

Visit Studio Iron at the Saatchi Yates gallery until 7th June.

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