As part of the Inside Out festival, Wesminster Council’s Art Series brings art to the streets of Westminster and makes each setting an impromptu gallery space – the noise of the passing cars and crowds creates an immediate and spontaneous backdrop to the piece of art giving another dimension to these multi-sensory experiences.
The Art Series features dramatic and large-scale luminescent presentations by artists using artificial light in different disciplines including projection mapping, illuminated sculpture and neon writing.
The illuminated series runs from Piccadilly Circus to Leicester Square, Connaught Village to Victoria, and culminates with Metamorphosis, a magnificent projection onto Marble Arch from 27-30 October from sunset until 10pm, with kind permission of English Heritage, custodians of the Arch. Metamorphosis, an original piece by Claire Luxton, celebrates life, nature and optimism, and explores our relationship to nature.
© Jennifer Moyes
In Connaught Village, a striking artwork illuminates the front window of progressive pop up gallery space 9 Porchester Place. The circular neon work asks the question, ‘Do you want to change the world with me?’ an invitation intended to activate your soul’s higher purpose. The artist, Lauren Baker employs neon words, using light to evoke positive thoughts to seep into your subconscious and start a thread of high frequency consciousness.
Baker’s work will feature in a number of the illuminated series, including a trail throughout locations that form the South Westminster BIDs.
Other highlights from October’s Inside Out festival include:
National Portrait Gallery are literally presenting their building inside out for the festival, while it is closed for refurbishment. Find their open-air display of Pioneering Women on Villiers Street. The portraits, selected from the Gallery’s Collection, highlight the often overlooked stories of women who have shaped British culture and are selected from three free self-guided walking tours to discover some of the most pioneering and inspirational women in British history. More information on the walking tours around St James’s, Bloomsbury and Mayfair can be found here.
Visit Covent Garden’s new public art exhibition by London based artist Whatshisname (Sebastian Burdon) with giant dog balloon sculptures installed across the historic Piazza. This installation will surprise visitors as they enjoy four 5m tall balloon dog sculptures in yoga poses across the estate, including downward dog, stretching dog and other mischievous positions. During the outdoor exhibition, visitors will be encouraged to share photos of the balloon dogs on social media using the hashtag #castle4bluecross and for every image posted Castle Fine Art, which is selling table-top version of the sculptures, will donate £1 to pet charity Blue Cross.
