X MARKS THE SPOT
A five year public art strategy for King’s Cross.
Clare Phillips and artist Michael Pinsky have been selected to deliver the next phase of the public art programme for King’s Cross. X Marks the Spot outlines the third phase of artworks to be commissioned as part of the redevelopment of this area of London.
Over the coming years, King’s Cross will see a series of temporary and permanent public artworks developed for the current and future communities. These will be delivered in collaboration with residents and local businesses across the estate, building on the rich tradition of creative activity and the many world-class cultural organisations based in the area.
BEHAVE
A series of international artists residencies in a former steelworks in Luxembourg, culminating in a city-wide exhibition
During the residency period, eleven international artists produced a hugely diverse body of work in response to the site and the programme concept. Engaging with both the history of Belval and its current fledgling society, the artists created films, sonic environments, computer controlled sculptures, operas, Heavy Metal guitar ensembles, poetry, monumental wall-works, photographic light-boxes and architectural-scale casts.
RELAY
The first series of international public commissions for King’s Cross, London.
RELAY, developed for King’s Cross, was a series of commissions which appeared as this new cityscape unfolded. RELAY referenced the key points at which parts of the development shifted from being brownfield land to an active building site, and then in turn from a construction site to a functioning public space. The successive artworks signified the articulation of this new district as it started to connect with the rest of London.
LOST O
A programme of installations, interventions and performances by international artists, which took place as Ashford hosted the Tour de France.
Lost O de-marked a dramatic and critical moment of change as Ashford’s four lane ring road was transformed into the largest Shared Space scheme in Europe. The fast flowing traffic on this road had isolated the centre of the town from its residential neighbourhoods. For Lost O artworks were curated that acknowledged and celebrated the loss of the ring road changing the perceptions of the town for both Ashfordians and visitors alike.
PORTE COCHERE
A series of public commissions in Milton Keynes
Five artists were asked to make work in response to the 301 “porte cocheres” populating the centre of Milton Keynes, which differentiate this town from any other in Britain. These structures, which resemble minimalist sculptures, offer temporary shelter to pedestrians crossing roads and act as markers for the grid of pedestrian routes which weave through the town.
PANACEA
An international touring exhibition in collaboration with Walker & Bromwich
Panacea, developed by Michael Pinsky, Zoë Walker & Neil Bromwich, provided artistic ‘solutions’ that simultaneously offer viewers/participants an aesthetic experience and a practical tool to improve life. Panacea has been toured extensively in France and the United Kingdom both as an exhibition and as performance.
Panacea toured to: Galerie d’Art Contemporain de la ville de Chinon, France, Centre de Création Contemporaine, Tours, France, Centre d’Art Contemporain, Le Parvis, Ibos, France, The John Hansard Gallery, Southampton, UK, The Cornerhouse, Manchester, UK
URBAN FALLOW
A scoping study commissioned by the Solent Centre for Architecture and Design.
A programme of temporary arts interventions were devised to explore future possibilities for development and public use of vacant sites in Andover, Basingstoke, Eastleigh and Winchester.
The programme demonstrated how a range of quality artistic interventions could maintain a lively and energised location and profile potential for future development. Local communities would have been facilitated to have a stake in thinking around their town and city spaces in a unique way, building a sense of ownership to maximise the potential of these spaces for long term, successful futures.