London shops depicted in ceramic 'Tower of Babel'

  • London
Artist Barnaby Barford with his work 'Tower of Babel', a six metre tall ceramic sculpture on display at the V&A Museum. Credit: PA.

Artist Barnaby Barford has unveiled a stunning ceramic tribute to London's shops in a new installation at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

The seemingly precarious tower stands as a monument to shopping, the museum says, "playfully likening our efforts to find fulfilment through retail with the biblical Tower of Babel's attempt to reach heaven".

The exhibition is made up of 3,000 unique bone china shops, each depicting a real London shop photographed by the artist.

Every postcode in London is featured in the work. Credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire.

Every postcode in London is featured in the piece, as Barnaby cycled 1,000 miles across the city to photograph more than 6,000 shop fronts.

A selection of 3,000 of the images where then fired on to small fine bone china model buildings in Stoke-on-Trent and then built up like a favela.

Artist Barnaby Barford stands in front of his work 'Tower of Babel'. Credit: PA Wire.

At the base of the tower the shops are derelict whilst those at the top feature London's exclusive boutiques and galleries.

The individual pieces are available to buy during the exhibition - with the more prestigious but less affordable properties higher in the Tower.