Sculpture in the City launches its 13th edition

23 July 2024
|In Uncategorised
|By Helena Forrest

Sculpture in the City launches its 13th edition

Kissing Gate by Maya Rose Edwards Copyright Maya Rose Edwards. Photo © Nick Turpin

Sculpture in the City, the annual public art exhibition set amidst the iconic architecture of the City of London, has unveiled its 13th edition today. This edition comprises 17 artworks, including ten new sculptures by Samuel Ross, Richard Mackness, Ida Ekblad, Julian Opie, Clare Burnett, Seph Li, Maya Rose Edwards, Hilary Jack, and Daniel Silver, as well as five works retained from previous editions, and two permanent acquisitions.

Featuring an eclectic mix of sculptures from established and emerging artists, the 13th edition promises to continue the tradition of transforming the City’s public spaces into a vibrant open-air gallery.

This year’s new sculptures include the interactive work Kissing Gate by Maya Rose Edwards, situated in Aldgate Square, which playfully brings a rural kissing gate into the urban landscape, prompting romantic encounters between passers-by. At Mitre Square, CAUCUS by Samuel Ross invites public engagement with the sculpture, prompting familiar gestures like sitting, standing, and leaning.

Transforming a gilded paper bag to architectural scale, Temple by Richard Mackness evokes both the mundane of everyday commerce and the sacredness of a shrine from its location on the corner of 99 Bishopsgate and Wormwood Street. At 120 Fenchurch Street, a digital artwork by Seph Li, Everything Before, Everything After, features a meandering river rendered in Chinese ink painting style which speaks to the roof garden above the screen and provides the opportunity for a meditative moment while the river flows to achieve eternity.

Crafted from found objects and covered in mosaic tiles and situated at 70 St Mary Axe, Clare Burnett’s playful and colourful series of sculptures Secret Sentinels reference the ubiquitous cameras in the City’s security systems, exploring the balance between privacy and surveillance. Also part of the exhibition is BOOK OF BOREDOM by Ida Ekblad, a monumental, vibrant, colourful painted bronze sculpture that combines fragments from the artist’s own expressive paintings and will be displayed on Undershaft, behind the Leadenhall Building.

Works to be unveiled in September

Four new works by Julian Opie, Charles, Jiwon, Nethaneel, and Elena, at 100 Bishopsgate, capture a diverse group of faces through strict vertical symmetry, combining elements of traditional portraiture, modern face recognition, and public monuments. At The Leadenhall Building, Hilary Jack’s Deluge will invite reflection on the climate crisis with two LED text strips resembling a scrolling newsreel, one of them displaying contemporary flood data and the other narrating ancient flood myths.

Part of his Rock Formations series, composed of “collages” of stone and bronze heads on pieces of Michelangelo marble, two sculptures by Daniel Silver will be situated at 40 Leadenhall (one by the Fenchurch Street entrance and one by the Leadenhall Street entrance) and present interpretations of the human form that have evolved from the study of statues and busts of the ancient world.

Works remaining on show

Remaining on show at 33 Creechurch Lane, is Untitled by Arturo Herrera, a vibrant vertical collage of fragmented shapes and colours, including a nod to Cézanne. Another work by Herrera, Untitled, situated under The Leadenhall Building’s escalators, reflects the dynamic movement of people in the area. Taking residence in Cunard Place and also remaining on show is The Granary by Jesse Pollock, which renders a traditional English grain store in pearlescent candy orange to evoke a nostalgic ideal of the past.

Mimicking fantastical fruits and functioning as bird nests, the Nest Series works by Victor Lim Seaward blend into trees outside 99 Bishopsgate while providing a safe, insulated space for nesting. Characterised by sinuous fluid shapes, Vanessa da Silva’s Muamba Grove, 0 Hue #1 and Muamba Grove, 0 Hue #2, placed within the churchyard of St Botolph-without-Bishopsgate, reference a body that is in a constant state of transformation, metamorphosing into something still unknown.

Permanent acquisitions

Oliver Bragg’s work, In Loving Memory, features engraved brass plaques situated on existing benches around the City of London commemorating fictional or abstract ideas with a mix of optimism, humour, and reflection. On show in a pedestrianised space outside 70 St Mary Axe, Elisa Artesero’s The Garden of Floating Words is a neon poem that appears to be floating in the darkness from within the foliage of a garden.

Stella Ioannou, Artistic Director of Sculpture in the City and Founding Director of Lacuna, said, “Sculpture in the City is a celebration of contemporary art amidst the striking architecture of the City of London, enhancing the City’s cultural offer and aiming to bring art to diverse audiences across various communities. This year’s inspiring selection of artists brings interactive, contemplative, and playful sculptures that engage and captivate the onlooker, whilst our extensive activation programme highlights our commitment to engaging local residents, city workers and London visitors alike.”

Wendy Hyde, Chair of Sculpture in the City said: “The 13th Edition of Sculpture in the City is an absolute must-see, inviting you to explore a selection of 17 splendid artworks within the streets and public spaces of the Square Mile. Sculpture in the City has something for everyone with incredible installations, a fun filled family trail map and unique activation experiences. As the oldest part of London, that never stays the same, there’s a new story to uncover in the City every time you visit.”

Chairman of the City of London Corporation’s Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee,

Munsur Ali, said: “Sculpture in the City has always delivered on showcasing bold, thought-provoking, and engaging artworks by established artists and emerging talent. This year’s edition is a credit to everyone involved and I look forward to seeing the artworks in place and creating a real buzz in the City over the coming months.”

Kate Hart, CEO of the EC BID, said: “It is a real privilege to once again partner with Sculpture in the City to deliver pieces of first class art installations across our footprint. These glorious and unique sculptures will attract a different visitor while enhancing the area for our City workers to enjoy.”

Activations Programme

In addition to the artworks on display, Sculpture in the City offers a free activation programme throughout the summer to March 2025, with a diverse range of events including Muamba Movement, Little Art Critics TV workshops for children, Art on the Skyline: Cocktail & Create workshops, exhibition tours, a BSL guided tour, talks and student takeovers. The programme is kindly supported by EC BID and curated and produced by Lacuna.

An award-winning educational programme delivered by Urban Learners will offer workshops for local schools; and SITC Learning, a digital learning programme supported by the City of London Corporation, will offer creative activities for the home and classroom.

A multimedia guide on the free arts and culture app Bloomberg Connects will allow visitors to explore the artworks with exclusive artwork information. In addition, MSCTY x Sculpture in the City will allow visitors to experience site-specific architecture-inspired music and sound art.

Sculpture in the City will also be part of London Sculpture Week, a collaboration with Frieze Sculpture, The Line and the Mayor of London’s Fourth Plinth Programme, taking place 21-29 September 2024.

ENDS

Link to press pack here.

For further information, press images and interview requests please contact:

Irene Ruiz Garrido | irene.ruiz.garrido@flint-culture.com

William McCrossan | william.mccrossan@flint-culture.com

Notes to Editors

About Sculpture in the City

Sculpture in the City is an annual sculpture park that uses the urban realm as a rotating gallery space. Every summer, the City of London, in partnership with local businesses, unveils a new selection of artworks by internationally acclaimed and emerging artists. World-class contemporary sculpture complements the unique architectural quality of the area and engages the passers-by, who range from local workers to architectural tourists and other visitors, animating one of the most dynamic parts of the City of London.

Started in 2010 as a public realm activation project for the area of St Helen’s and Undershaft which resulted in an exhibition of just four artworks in June 2011, Sculpture in the City is celebrating its 13th Edition in 2024, having shown a total of 137 artists and 162 artworks to date.

Explore the 13th Edition, on display in the City of London’s financial district from 24 July 2024 — Spring 2025. Sculpture in the City is completely free and accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Sculpture in the City is delivered by the City of London Corporation alongside LACUNA, a leading cultural studio.

Project Partners: Aviva, Bloomberg, Brookfield Properties, CC Land, City of London Corporation, The Gherkin, Hiscox, Nuveen Real Estate, Tower 42. EC BID is an Activations & Promotions Partner for the 13th Edition.

Project Patrons: Aldgate Connect BID, Eric Parry Architects, Foster + Partners, Generali/Munich RE, Gleeds, Merchant Land, Mtec, Price & Myers

With thanks to participating artists, galleries and representatives: Arturo Herrera, Brooke Benington, Clare Burnett, Daniel Silver, Duarte Sequeira Gallery, Elisa Artesero, Friedman Benda Gallery, Frith Street Gallery, Galerie Max Hetzler, Hilary Jack, Ida Ekblad, Jesse Pollock, Julian Opie, Maya Rose Edwards, Oliver Bragg, Richard Mackness, Samuel Ross, Seph Li, Thomas Dane Gallery, Vanessa da Silva, Victor Lim Seaward

Arts Advisory Group

The Arts Advisory Group includes:

Laurie Miller-Zutshi Head of Offer Destination City, City of London; Stella Ioannou, Director, Lacuna; Shanay Jhaveri, Head of Visual Arts, Barbican Centre; Sepake Angiama, Artistic Director INIVA; Whitney Hintz, Curator of the Hiscox Collection; Simeon Barclay, Guest Artist; Wendy Fisher, Guggenheim Board President; Andrea Schlieker, Director of Exhibitions and Displays, Tate; Iwona Blazwick OBE, Former Director, Whitechapel Gallery.

About the City of London Corporation

The City of London Corporation is the governing body of the Square Mile dedicated to a vibrant and thriving City, supporting a diverse and sustainable London within a globally successful UK –  www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

The City Corporation is one of the largest funders of heritage and cultural activities in the UK and invests over £130m every year. The organisation manages a range of world-class cultural and heritage institutions, including the Barbican Centre, Tower Bridge, Guildhall School of Music & Drama, Guildhall Art Gallery, London Metropolitan Archives, and Keats House.  It also supports the London Symphony Orchestra and the Museum of London.

About Lacuna

Lacuna is a leading cultural studio realising contemporary art and events in urban spaces and local communities. Lacuna collaborates with urban leaders and collectives, decision makers and creative visionaries.

Lacuna is led by Stella Ioannou, Artistic Director of Sculpture in the City. Stella has been involved with Sculpture in the City from its inception in 2010 and has overseen the project’s exponential growth in artistic content and partnerships alongside stakeholder management and fundraising. A trained architect, Stella was determined from the beginning that each artwork is displayed in dialogue with the contemporary architecture and the unique urban environment. Stella is a member of the City of London Culture & Commerce Taskforce and a liveryman member of the Worshipful Company of Architects. She contributes regularly to public events, selection juries and fundamentally believes that art and discourse improve the wellbeing of people, places and communities.

Lacuna is also delivering an ambitious public art programme of permanent and rotational art commissions launching on 19th July at Paddington Square, a new urban precinct developed by Sellar/GWD Properties and designed by the Renzo Piano Building Workshop.

http://lacuna-projects.com  / @lacunaprojects