What would a gallery in the art nouveau world of Paris in the 1920s look like? One that specialises in spellbinding artwork for magic books and magic shows? Award-winning design studio MinaLima – the team behind the Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald film – aims to let you know with an enchanting exhibition at their London studio.
House of MinaLima is hosting a Fantastic Beasts pop-up gallery. Image by House of MinaLima
MinaLima, the design duo of Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima who created all the props that appear in the Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald film have opened a exhibition dedicated to the movie in their studio in Soho, London. The gallery evokes the art nouveau spirit of 1920s Paris – the era in which the film is set and debuts over 50 new and original graphic art prints from the Warner Bros. movie which stars Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law, Johnny Depp and Zoe Kravitz.
Fantastic Beasts fans will feel like they’ve been transported to 1920s Paris. Image by House of MinaLima
Mira and Eduardo have been involved with the Harry Potter series since the first film was released in 2001. Their Soho studio comprises of four floors with artwork and designs from the Wizarding World, as well as other projects they’re involved in such as illustrated books of children’s classics.
House of MinaLima in Soho, London. Image by MinaLima.
Their recently launched Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald exhibition has married 1920s Parisian glamour with the vibrancy of a bizarre magical circus, and juxtaposed that with darker elements of Grindelwald. MinaLima’s graphic designs for magical and non-magical 1920s Paris play an integral part of the film’s visual storytelling. Much historical research and experimentation with techniques was employed, from sourcing original patterns and papers to scanning historical typefaces and peculiar surfaces to capture and reconstruct the essence and style of the period.
MinaLima’s artwork is an important part of the film’s storytelling.
As part of the research process, Mira said the design team travelled to Paris to get a better understanding of the period they were bringing to life in the movie. “We dive into quite a lot of research trying to understand the period and the place,” she told Lonely Planet. “We probably go into things that other people aren’t really interested in. We look at magazines, newspapers from the era and visit flea markets and antique shops. Sometimes even something as small as a business card will give you a great deal of information about a particular period.”
The pop-up features artwork from the Fantastic Beasts films. Image by House of MinaLima
Prints on display in the new exhibition include the vividly-coloured artwork created for Le Cirque Arcanus (travelling wizard circus), the newly-designed insignia for the Ministère des Affaires Magiques de la France (the French Ministry of Magic) and the Fantastic Beasts Special Release Poster created especially for Comic-Con International San Diego, an exclusive poster designed by MinaLima.
The special exhibition will also include two new books designed by MinaLima, including one that offers an exclusive look behind the scenes of the film. All prints and books are available for sale at House of MinaLima, 26 Greek Street, Soho, London.
MinaLima also has a pop-up gallery in a new independent bookstore in Paris – you’ll find their work on display at ICI Librairie, 25 Boulevard Poissonnière, Paris for a limited time.
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