RCA welcomes Mickey Mouse to Battersea

Known to most for a lifetime, Mickey Mouse, in the form of a one-of-a-kind sculpture, arrived at the RCA last week.

The move marks the start of Disney’s Create 100, a global celebration of creativity marking 100 years of Disney storytelling. Disney worked with Virgil Abloh Securities to reveal a 6-foot structural sculpture of Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey from Disney’s Fantasia.

Virgil Abloh had a close relationship with the College, where he was an Honorary Visiting Professor. The RCA last year announced a scholarship in his name to support talented but financially restricted Black students. 

Speaking of the scholarships, the late artist’s wife, Shannon Abloh said: ‘‘Over the years, the RCA and Virgil formed a beautiful relationship based on a shared appreciation of collaboration, creative vision, and of course, education. We know that the RCA Virgil Abloh Scholarship will break down financial barriers to fulfilling creative potential and empower talented young individuals to dream even bigger.”

The life-size piece titled ‘Structural Sorcerer — a Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey Sculpture’ was commissioned by Disney and designed by ALASKA ALASKA - a multidisciplinary design practice founded by Virgil Abloh. 

Paying homage to the everlasting legacy of Virgil Abloh, the Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey sculpture is based on original artwork produced by Abloh for CHAOS Magazine in 2018 in celebration of Mickey Mouse’s 90th birthday, and takes inspiration from his work on the grid furniture series.