LONDON.- Sculpture in the City, the award-winning annual outdoor exhibition in London’s Square Mile, released names of the artists selected for its 11th edition. A new collection of eleven artworks by internationally renowned and emerging artists will be showcased throughout the City’s public spaces, alongside six sculptures retained from the previous edition, and two permanent acquisitions, providing an opportunity to discover world-class public art across this unique urban landscape.
Launching this summer, the free sculpture park will include artworks by Shezad Dawood; Sarah Lucas; Pedro Pires; Jesse Pollock; Emma Louise Moore; Ugo Rondinone; Victor Seaward; Emma Smith; Bosco Sodi and Claudia Wieser among others. These will be placed adjacent to iconic contemporary architectural landmarks such as the “Gherkin”; the “Cheesegrater” and Lloyds of London, as well as new and historic spaces within the City such as Leadenhall Market. The six artworks retained from the 10th edition include works by Mike Ballard; Alice Channer; Bram Ellens; Jun T. Lai; Eva Rothschild and Guillaume Vandame. Remaining in situ, these artworks continue to enhance their locations while inspiring and exciting the public’s imagination.
Jocelyn McGregor, winner of the inaugural Aldgate Square Commission, will be introducing Earthing, a new site-specific artwork that will be unveiled in May 2022. This biannual commission was launched in 2020 to support emerging artists in the UK and create new public artworks for Aldgate Square. While shortlisted, McGregor worked closely with local community workshops, tying the winning work in with the local community. Here, McGregor has used her own body as a gateway between the human and natural world, as if viewing through an imaginary magnifying glass, noting the interconnections between our manufactured and natural environments, while advocating for a more holistic view of the world.
Testament to Sculpture in the City’s unparalleled work in creating a bespoke curation for each site is the recent acquisition of Oliver Bragg’s In Loving Memory artworks. Comprising ten engraved bench plaques across seven locations within the City, ranging from the optimistic to the revelatory and often relying on humour, this new permanent work, acquired by Sculpture in the City, is in addition to Elisa Artesero’s The Garden of Floating Words, 2017, acquired by Nuveen Real Estate, and located in a pedestrianised space outside 70 St Mary Axe. Both permanent works enhance and enrich the surrounding landscape, highlighting the importance of art in our urban settings.
Stella Ioannou, Artistic Director of Sculpture in the City, says, “The backdrop of the iconic City skyline creates a unique urban gallery space to showcase contemporary sculpture in dialogue with contemporary architecture. Once again, the incredible quality and diversity of the artworks submitted for selection has been inspiring and this year’s 11th edition of Sculpture in the City will excite and offer the opportunity to experience the City in a new way. The project’s commitment to supporting emerging artists will also be realised with the launch of the very first Aldgate Square commission by Jocelyn McGregor. Over the last couple of years outdoor culture has played a very important role in our daily lives and I invite everyone to come and experience this new selection of artworks for themselves.”
Wendy Hyde, Chair, City of London Corporation’s Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee, said: “Sculpture is a cultural centrepiece of the Square Mile in the City, and we are delighted to welcome it back again this year. Footfall in the City is growing every day as we recover from the pandemic. Must see cultural experiences like this are helping to drive that growth and re-energise the Square Mile and beyond.”
Robert Read, Head of Art and Private Clients, Hiscox, says: “Sculpture in the City continues to be a beacon showcasing what the private and public sectors can do if we work together, as well stimulating all those who work and visit the Square Mile with a smorgasbord of carefully curated contemporary sculptures.”
Over eleven editions, Sculpture in the City has brought works by established international artists and rising stars to those who live and work in the City, and its visitors, and has provided a platform for international artists to find new audiences. Since 2011 it has grown significantly, showcasing 141 artworks from 121 artists, and working with the City of London Corporation, in partnership with 9 local business partners to bring these works to the skyscrapers and historic spaces of the City of London insurance district.
Sculpture in the City’s Aldgate Square Commission is delivered in partnership with Aldgate Connect BID and the City of London Corporation Outdoor Arts Programme. Zoe Barwick, BID manager said: “We were so pleased to support this fantastic sculpture for our area. Aldgate is a place with deep community roots and the insight workshops that shaped Jocelyn McGregor’s piece demonstrated real interest and engagement in culture and creativity. Thanks to the Sculpture in the City team for offering the community this creative opportunity to have their thoughts and input reimagined in the public realm.”
