My colleague Jenni Muston at Rockpanel, has sent me some wonderful new images taken of the ‘Heart of the Campus’ facade artwork by the photographer Jason Newsome.
He has really managed to get some brilliant shots in varying light, which show off the variations in surface quality and light reflection. Thanks to both!
Simon Stevens, Chief Executive of NHS England was supposed to be doing the honours today at the Official Opening of the Jubilee Building, but for unforeseen reasons he couldn’t come !
His place was taken by the local MP Jeremy Browne, who was able to stand in at very short notice. I am sure that everyone was disappointed not to have the head honcho in attendance. Everyone has worked incredibly hard on the project, from the Trusts’s Capital Projects team, BDP Architects and BAM to medical and ancillary staff. However, it was a lovely day all round and the weather was perfect for showing off the building.
This was the first time that I had seen both my projects – ‘70 years on…”& ‘Murmuration’ fully installed. I couldn’t have asked for a better day to see them. The Art for Life team, led by Lisa Harty have done an amazing job in co-ordinating and presenting the work. I am very grateful to them.
From left to right – Chris Cutting from the League of Friends, Colin Drummond, Chair of the Trust, Jo Cubbon, Chief Executive Officer & Jeremy Browne MP
’70 years on…’was manufactured & installed by Architen Landrell with digital printing by VGL
Digital Printing onto vinyl mesh fabric applied to a stainless steel and aluminium ladder frame to create the tensile screen.
The West Elevation artwork has a great impact on the building facade.
The rainscreen artwork was produced in collaboration with Rockpanel and The Cutting Room in Huntingdon. Project Contractors:GRAHAM – Project Architects: HLM Sheffield.
I recently saw some new aerial images of Margate Steps at low tide taken by the project contractors Breheny –
Breheny have very kindly allowed me to publish them on my blog. Notwithstanding its success as an example of coastal engineering within an urban setting, these images of the project really show to good effect the scale and impact of the project. As a public realm & additional amenity space which the step revetment provided for the town, the project was also successful as demonstrated by the awards it has won.
I was commissioned as the project Artist by MACH – Margate Art & Cultural Heritage, Thanet District Council & the Environment Agency. My role was to supply an interpretive & contextual backdrop developed with which to influence the design process & inform the structure, detailing & interpretation of this major sea defence works. The total budget for the project was £6m.
The building was delivered by Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust’s Capital Project Team in partnership with BAM and BDP Architects
I was commissioned on several projects in relation to the new building as well as being involved with the Trust as Lead Artist for almost 10 years, throughout their 10 year programme of regeneration and new build.
‘Murmuration’and ’70 years on…’ are two of the projects now completed & installed in the building. These have both featured in detail in earlier posts here. Please scroll down to review –
Yesterday, I travelled up to Aylesbury to discuss the possibility of being commissioned for more work for the Whiteleaf Centre, which is now open and fully operational. This is the first visit I have made since the Centre opened. Really interesting to see it animated & full of people. Tom Cox from Artcare at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust who commissioned all the artists for the project accompanied me around the wards and introduced my to staff who discussed with us the impact of the original artwork installations and the possibility of future collaborations with staff and service users to build upon this. Watch this space !
Within the ward hubs there are some high windows, which really demonstrated the effectiveness of the glazing manifestations in producing variation and change within the spaces depending on the weather.
Great news to end 2014 & a promising start to 2015 !
On 22nd December 2014 I was appointed as the artist to the team for the new bus station at Merthyr Tydfil.
“The appointed artist will work as part of a multi disciplinary design team to look for opportunities to contribute to the design of the bus station both in terms of function and aesthetics. The development of a new Central Bus Station for Merthyr Tydfil is one of the last major regeneration projects for the heart of the town centre.
Through extensive public consultation held in June 2014, the majority of the public recognised the need to relocate the bus station; however concerns were raised over anti-social behaviour, accessibility and close proximity to a residential area. It is critical that the design addresses these concerns whilst looking for a contemporary design that has a unique appearance which is respectful to the surrounding area.
This is an excellent opportunity for an artist to make a real contribution to the design of an important part of the town’s transport infrastructure and a critical building within the townscape. The appointed artist will be expected to bring a new perspective to the design team crossing traditional skills boundaries and linking different design disciplines.”
The brief and scope is wide ranging at this stage, but is focussed on the use of research led contextual studies with which to influence the design process and eventual outcome of the project.
I will be starting work on the project in January 2015 & look forward to working & collaborating with the people of Merthyr Tydfil as soon as possible.
This blog will be made open to everyone involved in the project to review, comment upon & contribute to the programme and research.
HISTORIC EVIDENCE & CONTEXTUAL RESEARCH FOR BURGESS STREAM, CENTRAL CHELMSFORD
One of the most historic & resonant as well as the earliest buildings on the site is the Grade II listed Anne Knight building, a former Friends Meeting House from 1824. Named after one of Chelmsford’s most distinguished women, Anne Knight 1786 – 1862.
I have based my creative response and interventions broadly on the following:
1. The life and times of Anne Knight, which may represent her achievement & legacy. This can be portrayed as a narrative using quotations attributed to her and / or synonyms and metaphors, which may be suggestive of her character & personality.
2. The history of the area bounded by the current site development.
3. Movement through & use of the site as suggested by the current designs, which could explore connectivity, way finding & a triumvirate of new public spaces to expl
4. Nature, landscape and geography as suggested by the adjacency to Central Park and the vista from the upper levels of the flight of steps from The Place.
5. The building & ‘genesis’ of a new Community on the site.
6. Human traits, conditions and aspirations as described or suggested by metaphors and synonyms for landscape & community.
Anne Knight was a Quaker and a stalwart Anti Abolitionist, one of very few women to attend the World Anti Slavery Convention meeting held in London in 1840. The treatment of women at this pivotal event, when those attending were asked to sit behind a curtain and were not allowed to contribute to the debate, was to shape her views and future correspondence on women’s rights & led to her publishing what is considered to be the very first leaflet on women’s suffrage in 1847. I was inspired to use her journey as an anchor for the creative response partly for her stoical and focussed achievements during her lifetime and partly as her humanity and sense of purpose in fighting publicly for equality & the rights of others in community, was matched by her familial and personal correspondence and relationship with her seven siblings and parents.
“By tortured millions, By the divine redeemer, Enfranchise Humanity, Bid the Outraged World, BE FREE”. Anne Knight 1855
I have also responded to the immediate and contemporary physical landscape plans and architectural form to explore the flow & rhythm of the site, exploring how the various elements & spaces developed for the project may be navigated and used by residents & pedestrians. This triumvirate of public spaces, currently known as The Gate, The Place & The Crossing, create between them a varied and exciting experience for the user. As the hub of a new community, the communal areas of the development are important places for people to take ownership of. There are busy, bustling retail anchored spaces, quiet spaces for reflection or for sitting with friends and family under the shade of trees and fluid pedestrian routes and vistas for traversing & looking out beyond the site.
Above: A section from a handwritten letter to Anne Knight from her sister Sophie, describing the moment she saw a comet, ‘comit’.
Anne Knight turned this copy of a ‘Plea for Woman: ..” by Mrs Hugo Reid into a notebook via many annotations and additions of paper, colour notes and printed tracts.
Library of the Religious Society of Friends in Britain, Friends House, Euston Rd, London
Anne Knight turned this copy of a ‘Plea for Woman: ..” by Mrs Hugo Reid into a notebook via many annotations and additions of paper, colour notes and printed tracts.
Library of the Religious Society of Friends in Britain, Friends House, Euston Rd, London
Library of the Religious Society of Friends in Britain, Friends House, Euston Rd, London
Library of the Religious Society of Friends in Britain, Friends House, Euston Rd, London
The image above shows the sale catalogue in regard to the Estate of the late Sophie Knight, Anne’s younger sister. Library of the Religious Society of Friends in Britain, Friends House, Euston Rd, London