The Juicy Booth
The London-based multi-disciplinary artist, Annie Frost Nicholson is bringing the Juicy Booth - a mini kiosk where visitors can explore their feelings in a fun and safe way - to King’s Cross this September.
Designed in collaboration with K67 Berlin and The Loss Project, the colourful and interactive kiosk acts as a safe space and sanctuary for passers-by and will be in situ in Coal Drops Yard from 3 September until 3 December 2024, running in parallel with London Design Festival.
The multi-sensory kiosk is a mini refuge that uses colour, light and music to help people explore one of the most complex human emotions: shame. Hard to pinpoint and even harder to unravel, shame cunningly masks our most vulnerable feelings, both individually and collectively. It is a taboo emotion that is often felt but rarely acknowledged, especially in public.
Frost Nicholson uses the versatile design of the kiosk to ask: "How can we release our shame and develop the skills to be more vulnerable and dispel thoughts of self-loathing and ego?”
Inside the kiosk, LED monitors spell out visitors' confessions, typed via a retro 80's keyboard and accompanied by an operatic soundtrack. Every emotional nuance is considered. For example, if a visitor types that they are feeling anxious, the system maps your emotions with coordinates that correspond to a carefully conceived colour spectrum. The whole journey is a mapping of emotion to colour and sound. Each person is invited to spend 10 minutes in the space, releasing their shame and leaving feeling lighter and happier.
The Juicy Booth has been commissioned by London Design Festival in collaboration with the King’s Cross estate, highlighting its architectural legacy in one of London's favourite cultural settings.
By inviting people to ‘come as they are’, the Juicy Booth is on a mission to confront feelings of shame in all their permutations. The three-month, integrated programme aims to give visitors the time and space to acknowledge its impact, both personally and collectively.
“The Juicy Booth is a meditation on our collective need for safety and micro moments of sanctuary in an ever-complex world. We are, as artists and as human beings, responding to geopolitics and socioeconomics in every aspect of our existence, whether we know it or not. Everything is political. The Juicy Booth offers a moment of stillness, a secular meditation on existence and a microdose of peace in an otherwise struggling world.”Annie Frost Nicholson
“The Juicy Booth experience is grounded in comprehensive research on human emotions. It analyses text input from visitors to identify their emotional state, then provides a customised multi-sensory experience with light and sound. Based on the visitors’ mood, Juicy Booth either empowers them or offers emotional support.” Taro Gragnato, K67 Berlin.
Frost Nicholson has collaborated with K67 Berlin (a company dedicated to bringing the K67 modules back into contemporary life) to build the structure, which houses a thoughtfully curated public programme with resource support by The Loss Project. Their aim is to personally support the individual visitor and give them the agency to interact with the artwork at their own pace.
Previously known as The Fandangoe Kid, Frost Nicholson used her alter ego to explore complex emotions around grief. She has developed a practice of creating small, accessible and safe spaces in the public realm through kiosks, ice cream vans and skips. The Juicy Booth continues this exploration, providing a space for collective reflection on shame and the need for safety in an ever-complex world.
The Kiosk K67, designed in 1966 by Slovenian architect Saša Mächtig, is a global icon of utilitarian architecture and design. Its versatility has seen it used for various purposes, from newspaper stands to retail shops. The K67 continues to be celebrated for its adaptability and various installations, including information desks and now The Juicy Booth.
“We selected a vibrant exterior to contrast with its serene and minimalist interior. A soft seat paired with a futuristic console invites visitors to interact with the Juicy Booth.”Norman Wassmuth, K67 Berlin.
“We're delighted to be collaborating with Annie on the Juicy Booth. The next iteration of our work brings to life a space that encourages curiosity, playfulness and exploring the human condition. We're delighted to be a part of the installation and bringing it to life at Coal's Drop Yard. The resources we've created provide nourishing wrap around support and the opportunity to debrief should people need to.” The Loss Project
In association with the installation, Juicy Booth have joined forces with The Private Press offering print and collage workshops in London and across the UK in autumn. These ‘Juicy Fruits’ workshops provide an opportunity to create your own world through image, text, composition.
The use of typewriters and printing presses invite you to enter a cathartic space of confession and release.
건축가 Annie Frost Nicholson (inventor of the Mini Discoteca, Grief Raves and the Juicy Booth)
미디어 컨셉, 프로그래밍 Norman Wassmuth
음향 구성 Kaan Bulak
재구성 및 유통 K67 Berlin UG
인테리어 디자인 About Space Berlin
음향 엔지니어링 Ole Raack, Johannes Ratzinger
디스코 조명 Luminaten, Steve Bendig, Daniel Margraf
사진작가 PaulaGVidal, Helge Mundt, John Sturrock