This summer, massive steel dinosaurs by Dinos and Jake Chapman as well as figurative work by Antony Gormley, will be displayed in the City of London, as part of an innovative public sculpture programme. Also on view will be Robert Indiana’s iconic number sculptures.
The east of the City is home to the City‟s programme of temporary artwork. Now entering its third consecutive year, the project has been developed as part of a long- term vision to enhance the public realm and forms part of the Eastern City Cluster and Fenchurch & Monument Area Enhancement Strategies. The project creates interest and promotes interaction for visitors, tourists and office workers. It helps to deliver the objectives of the Cultural Strategy and the City Together Strategy: “is vibrant and culturally rich”.
John Scott, chairman of the City of London Corporation’s arts advisory board said: “We’re delighted to bring such fantastic sculptures to the streets and people of the City with the help of our partners from the worlds of both business and art.
“Art is an essential part of vitality of the City of London, a draw for workers and visitors alike, a major contributing factor in our economic vibrancy and the kernel of the cultural brio of the Square Mile.”
The project includes community events and on-site school workshops. The temporary nature of the artworks ensures it remains dynamic, responding to the constantly changing urban environment of this part of the City. The project provides a space for the display of artworks by globally recognised artists sourced through leading galleries, and provides a focus for school workshops and community events that promote the City‟s cultural offer. The project, at the heart of the Square Mile‟s insurance quarter, aims to enliven the area‟s public spaces with world class artworks to be enjoyed by workers, residents and visitors.