You Belong Here: Southbank Centre's public art for Summer
Perfect for Summer, we visit the public artworks on display all across London's South Bank...
By
Rhea Mathur
August 1, 2024
You Belong Here at the Southbank Centre is a public art display celebrating the works of artists including Yinka Ilori with his poster Forever (2024), Tavares Strachan’s two inflatable balloons and Kavi Pujara’s photograph, Bhukan Singh and Gurmeet Kaur, from the series This Golden Mile (2021). This exhibition, with its team of diverse artists, brings something new to the walls of the Southbank Centre. Each artwork has been individually pasted onto the outer walls of the building and has been given its own space. Artur Conka’s Husband and Wife with Child, Newport, Wales (2023) is the easiest one to find and is placed close to the entrance of Tavares Strachan’s exhibition There Is Light Somewhere in the same building.
While the artwork in this exhibition may be large and imposing, it is difficult to find each one, since this public art constitutes not just photographs and posters on the wall but also inflatable balloons and prints on the staircase. Much like other public art, here the idea is not to see every piece of work and understand the exhibition as a whole, but to allow artists to speak to people not necessarily looking for.art but simply passing by. This allows the opportunity for art to exist outside of the exhibition spaces and encourages a conversation between the artist and the public.
We were fortunate enough to speak with French painter, muralist and screen-printer Florence Blanchard about her amazing time working with the Hayward Gallery. Her art installation titled Chromatic Ascension, is obstructed by the staircase itself, creating the illusion of the stone staircase as slats on window blinds with her work peeking in between, revealing an alternate universe. Blanchard states that “Public art and architecture are interconnected through the ways in which they influence and interact with human experience, aesthetics, and urban environments. Having worked in the public space all my life, my style was shaped in relationship to my surroundings and together my sense of belonging. Since moving to the UK in 2012 bolder colours and shapes have emerged in response to the British weather and urban landscape. Indeed, the combination of colourful art and for example, brutalist architecture, offers a compelling fusion of contrasting elements, softening the harshness of the concrete surfaces, transforming the environment into a more inviting and dynamic space. When designing Chromatic Ascension, I aimed to foster a sense of identity and belonging, turning the staircase into a vibrant dialogue that challenges perceptions and stimulates the imagination”.
Blanchard began her journey as an artist in New York where, in the early 1990s, she began writing graffiti while pursuing her PhD from NYU as a molecular biologist. Exploring the connection between the worlds of art and science, Blanchard uses her work to question our ideas of visual perception and interrogates our ideas of reality.
“Supported by my past as a microscopist, and molecular biologist in the field of visual processing, my practice takes a meticulous interest in the scientific elements that make up our world. I create abstract, bold and colourful paintings, murals and screen prints, which aim to challenge our comprehension of reality through representation of imaginary magnified perspectives. Taking advantage of the versatility of fluid molecular patterns, my work conducts visual studies on the fluidity and structure of our surroundings — the unfamiliarities of which aim to confront viewers with startling and insightful windows into the fabric of the universe.
While working in the laboratory, my goal was to establish patterns and correlations between biological samples I would examine through powerful lenses in various environmental conditions. This experience has permanently affected how I perceive the world and invariably how I represent it in my artwork. I became fascinated by how reality may appear differently depending on the angle and level of magnification and how sometimes looking at things too closely may cause us to lose sight of the bigger picture. The idea of shifting scales to keep a fresh perspective really seduces me and I constantly apply it in my work both from a conceptual and practical point of view. Underpinned by a knowledge that all matter is made of particles – whether animal, human or mineral – my paintings attempt to magnify what the human eye can’t see, offering a unique macroscopic view of the world.
Since moving to the UK in 2012, I have gradually developed my art practice mostly through painting and screen printing and concurrently detached myself from professional science. I have enjoyed working on site-specific art installations, painting large-scale murals or smaller artworks, which I have exhibited in galleries in several countries. When creating abstract compositions, I focus on colour, contrast and magnification, which are the main parameters to achieve resolution in microscopy. By carefully selecting opposite colour schemes I generate patterns of ‘molecules’ with maximal contrast: bold geometric shapes, representations of globules, and vivid colours colliding in a planned riot of abstraction. By immersing viewers in this imaginary world, I expect them to question the structural complexity of our surroundings and reflect on the idea of visual perception”.
This public exhibition also includes ticketed events such as the Unlimited festival which returns (Wednesday 4 September- Sunday 8 September, Queen Elizabeth Hall), celebrating the work of disabled artists. This exhibition allows a range of artists to meet the public at the Southbank Centre - hopefully under the Summer Sun!
You Belong Here is showing at Southbank Centre until 8th September 2024.
You Belong Here at the Southbank Centre is a public art display celebrating the works of artists including Yinka Ilori with his poster Forever (2024), Tavares Strachan’s two inflatable balloons and Kavi Pujara’s photograph, Bhukan Singh and Gurmeet Kaur, from the series This Golden Mile (2021). This exhibition, with its team of diverse artists, brings something new to the walls of the Southbank Centre. Each artwork has been individually pasted onto the outer walls of the building and has been given its own space. Artur Conka’s Husband and Wife with Child, Newport, Wales (2023) is the easiest one to find and is placed close to the entrance of Tavares Strachan’s exhibition There Is Light Somewhere in the same building.
While the artwork in this exhibition may be large and imposing, it is difficult to find each one, since this public art constitutes not just photographs and posters on the wall but also inflatable balloons and prints on the staircase. Much like other public art, here the idea is not to see every piece of work and understand the exhibition as a whole, but to allow artists to speak to people not necessarily looking for.art but simply passing by. This allows the opportunity for art to exist outside of the exhibition spaces and encourages a conversation between the artist and the public.
We were fortunate enough to speak with French painter, muralist and screen-printer Florence Blanchard about her amazing time working with the Hayward Gallery. Her art installation titled Chromatic Ascension, is obstructed by the staircase itself, creating the illusion of the stone staircase as slats on window blinds with her work peeking in between, revealing an alternate universe. Blanchard states that “Public art and architecture are interconnected through the ways in which they influence and interact with human experience, aesthetics, and urban environments. Having worked in the public space all my life, my style was shaped in relationship to my surroundings and together my sense of belonging. Since moving to the UK in 2012 bolder colours and shapes have emerged in response to the British weather and urban landscape. Indeed, the combination of colourful art and for example, brutalist architecture, offers a compelling fusion of contrasting elements, softening the harshness of the concrete surfaces, transforming the environment into a more inviting and dynamic space. When designing Chromatic Ascension, I aimed to foster a sense of identity and belonging, turning the staircase into a vibrant dialogue that challenges perceptions and stimulates the imagination”.
Blanchard began her journey as an artist in New York where, in the early 1990s, she began writing graffiti while pursuing her PhD from NYU as a molecular biologist. Exploring the connection between the worlds of art and science, Blanchard uses her work to question our ideas of visual perception and interrogates our ideas of reality.
“Supported by my past as a microscopist, and molecular biologist in the field of visual processing, my practice takes a meticulous interest in the scientific elements that make up our world. I create abstract, bold and colourful paintings, murals and screen prints, which aim to challenge our comprehension of reality through representation of imaginary magnified perspectives. Taking advantage of the versatility of fluid molecular patterns, my work conducts visual studies on the fluidity and structure of our surroundings — the unfamiliarities of which aim to confront viewers with startling and insightful windows into the fabric of the universe.
While working in the laboratory, my goal was to establish patterns and correlations between biological samples I would examine through powerful lenses in various environmental conditions. This experience has permanently affected how I perceive the world and invariably how I represent it in my artwork. I became fascinated by how reality may appear differently depending on the angle and level of magnification and how sometimes looking at things too closely may cause us to lose sight of the bigger picture. The idea of shifting scales to keep a fresh perspective really seduces me and I constantly apply it in my work both from a conceptual and practical point of view. Underpinned by a knowledge that all matter is made of particles – whether animal, human or mineral – my paintings attempt to magnify what the human eye can’t see, offering a unique macroscopic view of the world.
Since moving to the UK in 2012, I have gradually developed my art practice mostly through painting and screen printing and concurrently detached myself from professional science. I have enjoyed working on site-specific art installations, painting large-scale murals or smaller artworks, which I have exhibited in galleries in several countries. When creating abstract compositions, I focus on colour, contrast and magnification, which are the main parameters to achieve resolution in microscopy. By carefully selecting opposite colour schemes I generate patterns of ‘molecules’ with maximal contrast: bold geometric shapes, representations of globules, and vivid colours colliding in a planned riot of abstraction. By immersing viewers in this imaginary world, I expect them to question the structural complexity of our surroundings and reflect on the idea of visual perception”.
This public exhibition also includes ticketed events such as the Unlimited festival which returns (Wednesday 4 September- Sunday 8 September, Queen Elizabeth Hall), celebrating the work of disabled artists. This exhibition allows a range of artists to meet the public at the Southbank Centre - hopefully under the Summer Sun!
You Belong Here is showing at Southbank Centre until 8th September 2024.
You Belong Here at the Southbank Centre is a public art display celebrating the works of artists including Yinka Ilori with his poster Forever (2024), Tavares Strachan’s two inflatable balloons and Kavi Pujara’s photograph, Bhukan Singh and Gurmeet Kaur, from the series This Golden Mile (2021). This exhibition, with its team of diverse artists, brings something new to the walls of the Southbank Centre. Each artwork has been individually pasted onto the outer walls of the building and has been given its own space. Artur Conka’s Husband and Wife with Child, Newport, Wales (2023) is the easiest one to find and is placed close to the entrance of Tavares Strachan’s exhibition There Is Light Somewhere in the same building.
While the artwork in this exhibition may be large and imposing, it is difficult to find each one, since this public art constitutes not just photographs and posters on the wall but also inflatable balloons and prints on the staircase. Much like other public art, here the idea is not to see every piece of work and understand the exhibition as a whole, but to allow artists to speak to people not necessarily looking for.art but simply passing by. This allows the opportunity for art to exist outside of the exhibition spaces and encourages a conversation between the artist and the public.
We were fortunate enough to speak with French painter, muralist and screen-printer Florence Blanchard about her amazing time working with the Hayward Gallery. Her art installation titled Chromatic Ascension, is obstructed by the staircase itself, creating the illusion of the stone staircase as slats on window blinds with her work peeking in between, revealing an alternate universe. Blanchard states that “Public art and architecture are interconnected through the ways in which they influence and interact with human experience, aesthetics, and urban environments. Having worked in the public space all my life, my style was shaped in relationship to my surroundings and together my sense of belonging. Since moving to the UK in 2012 bolder colours and shapes have emerged in response to the British weather and urban landscape. Indeed, the combination of colourful art and for example, brutalist architecture, offers a compelling fusion of contrasting elements, softening the harshness of the concrete surfaces, transforming the environment into a more inviting and dynamic space. When designing Chromatic Ascension, I aimed to foster a sense of identity and belonging, turning the staircase into a vibrant dialogue that challenges perceptions and stimulates the imagination”.
Blanchard began her journey as an artist in New York where, in the early 1990s, she began writing graffiti while pursuing her PhD from NYU as a molecular biologist. Exploring the connection between the worlds of art and science, Blanchard uses her work to question our ideas of visual perception and interrogates our ideas of reality.
“Supported by my past as a microscopist, and molecular biologist in the field of visual processing, my practice takes a meticulous interest in the scientific elements that make up our world. I create abstract, bold and colourful paintings, murals and screen prints, which aim to challenge our comprehension of reality through representation of imaginary magnified perspectives. Taking advantage of the versatility of fluid molecular patterns, my work conducts visual studies on the fluidity and structure of our surroundings — the unfamiliarities of which aim to confront viewers with startling and insightful windows into the fabric of the universe.
While working in the laboratory, my goal was to establish patterns and correlations between biological samples I would examine through powerful lenses in various environmental conditions. This experience has permanently affected how I perceive the world and invariably how I represent it in my artwork. I became fascinated by how reality may appear differently depending on the angle and level of magnification and how sometimes looking at things too closely may cause us to lose sight of the bigger picture. The idea of shifting scales to keep a fresh perspective really seduces me and I constantly apply it in my work both from a conceptual and practical point of view. Underpinned by a knowledge that all matter is made of particles – whether animal, human or mineral – my paintings attempt to magnify what the human eye can’t see, offering a unique macroscopic view of the world.
Since moving to the UK in 2012, I have gradually developed my art practice mostly through painting and screen printing and concurrently detached myself from professional science. I have enjoyed working on site-specific art installations, painting large-scale murals or smaller artworks, which I have exhibited in galleries in several countries. When creating abstract compositions, I focus on colour, contrast and magnification, which are the main parameters to achieve resolution in microscopy. By carefully selecting opposite colour schemes I generate patterns of ‘molecules’ with maximal contrast: bold geometric shapes, representations of globules, and vivid colours colliding in a planned riot of abstraction. By immersing viewers in this imaginary world, I expect them to question the structural complexity of our surroundings and reflect on the idea of visual perception”.
This public exhibition also includes ticketed events such as the Unlimited festival which returns (Wednesday 4 September- Sunday 8 September, Queen Elizabeth Hall), celebrating the work of disabled artists. This exhibition allows a range of artists to meet the public at the Southbank Centre - hopefully under the Summer Sun!
You Belong Here is showing at Southbank Centre until 8th September 2024.
You Belong Here at the Southbank Centre is a public art display celebrating the works of artists including Yinka Ilori with his poster Forever (2024), Tavares Strachan’s two inflatable balloons and Kavi Pujara’s photograph, Bhukan Singh and Gurmeet Kaur, from the series This Golden Mile (2021). This exhibition, with its team of diverse artists, brings something new to the walls of the Southbank Centre. Each artwork has been individually pasted onto the outer walls of the building and has been given its own space. Artur Conka’s Husband and Wife with Child, Newport, Wales (2023) is the easiest one to find and is placed close to the entrance of Tavares Strachan’s exhibition There Is Light Somewhere in the same building.
While the artwork in this exhibition may be large and imposing, it is difficult to find each one, since this public art constitutes not just photographs and posters on the wall but also inflatable balloons and prints on the staircase. Much like other public art, here the idea is not to see every piece of work and understand the exhibition as a whole, but to allow artists to speak to people not necessarily looking for.art but simply passing by. This allows the opportunity for art to exist outside of the exhibition spaces and encourages a conversation between the artist and the public.
We were fortunate enough to speak with French painter, muralist and screen-printer Florence Blanchard about her amazing time working with the Hayward Gallery. Her art installation titled Chromatic Ascension, is obstructed by the staircase itself, creating the illusion of the stone staircase as slats on window blinds with her work peeking in between, revealing an alternate universe. Blanchard states that “Public art and architecture are interconnected through the ways in which they influence and interact with human experience, aesthetics, and urban environments. Having worked in the public space all my life, my style was shaped in relationship to my surroundings and together my sense of belonging. Since moving to the UK in 2012 bolder colours and shapes have emerged in response to the British weather and urban landscape. Indeed, the combination of colourful art and for example, brutalist architecture, offers a compelling fusion of contrasting elements, softening the harshness of the concrete surfaces, transforming the environment into a more inviting and dynamic space. When designing Chromatic Ascension, I aimed to foster a sense of identity and belonging, turning the staircase into a vibrant dialogue that challenges perceptions and stimulates the imagination”.
Blanchard began her journey as an artist in New York where, in the early 1990s, she began writing graffiti while pursuing her PhD from NYU as a molecular biologist. Exploring the connection between the worlds of art and science, Blanchard uses her work to question our ideas of visual perception and interrogates our ideas of reality.
“Supported by my past as a microscopist, and molecular biologist in the field of visual processing, my practice takes a meticulous interest in the scientific elements that make up our world. I create abstract, bold and colourful paintings, murals and screen prints, which aim to challenge our comprehension of reality through representation of imaginary magnified perspectives. Taking advantage of the versatility of fluid molecular patterns, my work conducts visual studies on the fluidity and structure of our surroundings — the unfamiliarities of which aim to confront viewers with startling and insightful windows into the fabric of the universe.
While working in the laboratory, my goal was to establish patterns and correlations between biological samples I would examine through powerful lenses in various environmental conditions. This experience has permanently affected how I perceive the world and invariably how I represent it in my artwork. I became fascinated by how reality may appear differently depending on the angle and level of magnification and how sometimes looking at things too closely may cause us to lose sight of the bigger picture. The idea of shifting scales to keep a fresh perspective really seduces me and I constantly apply it in my work both from a conceptual and practical point of view. Underpinned by a knowledge that all matter is made of particles – whether animal, human or mineral – my paintings attempt to magnify what the human eye can’t see, offering a unique macroscopic view of the world.
Since moving to the UK in 2012, I have gradually developed my art practice mostly through painting and screen printing and concurrently detached myself from professional science. I have enjoyed working on site-specific art installations, painting large-scale murals or smaller artworks, which I have exhibited in galleries in several countries. When creating abstract compositions, I focus on colour, contrast and magnification, which are the main parameters to achieve resolution in microscopy. By carefully selecting opposite colour schemes I generate patterns of ‘molecules’ with maximal contrast: bold geometric shapes, representations of globules, and vivid colours colliding in a planned riot of abstraction. By immersing viewers in this imaginary world, I expect them to question the structural complexity of our surroundings and reflect on the idea of visual perception”.
This public exhibition also includes ticketed events such as the Unlimited festival which returns (Wednesday 4 September- Sunday 8 September, Queen Elizabeth Hall), celebrating the work of disabled artists. This exhibition allows a range of artists to meet the public at the Southbank Centre - hopefully under the Summer Sun!
You Belong Here is showing at Southbank Centre until 8th September 2024.
You Belong Here at the Southbank Centre is a public art display celebrating the works of artists including Yinka Ilori with his poster Forever (2024), Tavares Strachan’s two inflatable balloons and Kavi Pujara’s photograph, Bhukan Singh and Gurmeet Kaur, from the series This Golden Mile (2021). This exhibition, with its team of diverse artists, brings something new to the walls of the Southbank Centre. Each artwork has been individually pasted onto the outer walls of the building and has been given its own space. Artur Conka’s Husband and Wife with Child, Newport, Wales (2023) is the easiest one to find and is placed close to the entrance of Tavares Strachan’s exhibition There Is Light Somewhere in the same building.
While the artwork in this exhibition may be large and imposing, it is difficult to find each one, since this public art constitutes not just photographs and posters on the wall but also inflatable balloons and prints on the staircase. Much like other public art, here the idea is not to see every piece of work and understand the exhibition as a whole, but to allow artists to speak to people not necessarily looking for.art but simply passing by. This allows the opportunity for art to exist outside of the exhibition spaces and encourages a conversation between the artist and the public.
We were fortunate enough to speak with French painter, muralist and screen-printer Florence Blanchard about her amazing time working with the Hayward Gallery. Her art installation titled Chromatic Ascension, is obstructed by the staircase itself, creating the illusion of the stone staircase as slats on window blinds with her work peeking in between, revealing an alternate universe. Blanchard states that “Public art and architecture are interconnected through the ways in which they influence and interact with human experience, aesthetics, and urban environments. Having worked in the public space all my life, my style was shaped in relationship to my surroundings and together my sense of belonging. Since moving to the UK in 2012 bolder colours and shapes have emerged in response to the British weather and urban landscape. Indeed, the combination of colourful art and for example, brutalist architecture, offers a compelling fusion of contrasting elements, softening the harshness of the concrete surfaces, transforming the environment into a more inviting and dynamic space. When designing Chromatic Ascension, I aimed to foster a sense of identity and belonging, turning the staircase into a vibrant dialogue that challenges perceptions and stimulates the imagination”.
Blanchard began her journey as an artist in New York where, in the early 1990s, she began writing graffiti while pursuing her PhD from NYU as a molecular biologist. Exploring the connection between the worlds of art and science, Blanchard uses her work to question our ideas of visual perception and interrogates our ideas of reality.
“Supported by my past as a microscopist, and molecular biologist in the field of visual processing, my practice takes a meticulous interest in the scientific elements that make up our world. I create abstract, bold and colourful paintings, murals and screen prints, which aim to challenge our comprehension of reality through representation of imaginary magnified perspectives. Taking advantage of the versatility of fluid molecular patterns, my work conducts visual studies on the fluidity and structure of our surroundings — the unfamiliarities of which aim to confront viewers with startling and insightful windows into the fabric of the universe.
While working in the laboratory, my goal was to establish patterns and correlations between biological samples I would examine through powerful lenses in various environmental conditions. This experience has permanently affected how I perceive the world and invariably how I represent it in my artwork. I became fascinated by how reality may appear differently depending on the angle and level of magnification and how sometimes looking at things too closely may cause us to lose sight of the bigger picture. The idea of shifting scales to keep a fresh perspective really seduces me and I constantly apply it in my work both from a conceptual and practical point of view. Underpinned by a knowledge that all matter is made of particles – whether animal, human or mineral – my paintings attempt to magnify what the human eye can’t see, offering a unique macroscopic view of the world.
Since moving to the UK in 2012, I have gradually developed my art practice mostly through painting and screen printing and concurrently detached myself from professional science. I have enjoyed working on site-specific art installations, painting large-scale murals or smaller artworks, which I have exhibited in galleries in several countries. When creating abstract compositions, I focus on colour, contrast and magnification, which are the main parameters to achieve resolution in microscopy. By carefully selecting opposite colour schemes I generate patterns of ‘molecules’ with maximal contrast: bold geometric shapes, representations of globules, and vivid colours colliding in a planned riot of abstraction. By immersing viewers in this imaginary world, I expect them to question the structural complexity of our surroundings and reflect on the idea of visual perception”.
This public exhibition also includes ticketed events such as the Unlimited festival which returns (Wednesday 4 September- Sunday 8 September, Queen Elizabeth Hall), celebrating the work of disabled artists. This exhibition allows a range of artists to meet the public at the Southbank Centre - hopefully under the Summer Sun!
You Belong Here is showing at Southbank Centre until 8th September 2024.
You Belong Here at the Southbank Centre is a public art display celebrating the works of artists including Yinka Ilori with his poster Forever (2024), Tavares Strachan’s two inflatable balloons and Kavi Pujara’s photograph, Bhukan Singh and Gurmeet Kaur, from the series This Golden Mile (2021). This exhibition, with its team of diverse artists, brings something new to the walls of the Southbank Centre. Each artwork has been individually pasted onto the outer walls of the building and has been given its own space. Artur Conka’s Husband and Wife with Child, Newport, Wales (2023) is the easiest one to find and is placed close to the entrance of Tavares Strachan’s exhibition There Is Light Somewhere in the same building.
While the artwork in this exhibition may be large and imposing, it is difficult to find each one, since this public art constitutes not just photographs and posters on the wall but also inflatable balloons and prints on the staircase. Much like other public art, here the idea is not to see every piece of work and understand the exhibition as a whole, but to allow artists to speak to people not necessarily looking for.art but simply passing by. This allows the opportunity for art to exist outside of the exhibition spaces and encourages a conversation between the artist and the public.
We were fortunate enough to speak with French painter, muralist and screen-printer Florence Blanchard about her amazing time working with the Hayward Gallery. Her art installation titled Chromatic Ascension, is obstructed by the staircase itself, creating the illusion of the stone staircase as slats on window blinds with her work peeking in between, revealing an alternate universe. Blanchard states that “Public art and architecture are interconnected through the ways in which they influence and interact with human experience, aesthetics, and urban environments. Having worked in the public space all my life, my style was shaped in relationship to my surroundings and together my sense of belonging. Since moving to the UK in 2012 bolder colours and shapes have emerged in response to the British weather and urban landscape. Indeed, the combination of colourful art and for example, brutalist architecture, offers a compelling fusion of contrasting elements, softening the harshness of the concrete surfaces, transforming the environment into a more inviting and dynamic space. When designing Chromatic Ascension, I aimed to foster a sense of identity and belonging, turning the staircase into a vibrant dialogue that challenges perceptions and stimulates the imagination”.
Blanchard began her journey as an artist in New York where, in the early 1990s, she began writing graffiti while pursuing her PhD from NYU as a molecular biologist. Exploring the connection between the worlds of art and science, Blanchard uses her work to question our ideas of visual perception and interrogates our ideas of reality.
“Supported by my past as a microscopist, and molecular biologist in the field of visual processing, my practice takes a meticulous interest in the scientific elements that make up our world. I create abstract, bold and colourful paintings, murals and screen prints, which aim to challenge our comprehension of reality through representation of imaginary magnified perspectives. Taking advantage of the versatility of fluid molecular patterns, my work conducts visual studies on the fluidity and structure of our surroundings — the unfamiliarities of which aim to confront viewers with startling and insightful windows into the fabric of the universe.
While working in the laboratory, my goal was to establish patterns and correlations between biological samples I would examine through powerful lenses in various environmental conditions. This experience has permanently affected how I perceive the world and invariably how I represent it in my artwork. I became fascinated by how reality may appear differently depending on the angle and level of magnification and how sometimes looking at things too closely may cause us to lose sight of the bigger picture. The idea of shifting scales to keep a fresh perspective really seduces me and I constantly apply it in my work both from a conceptual and practical point of view. Underpinned by a knowledge that all matter is made of particles – whether animal, human or mineral – my paintings attempt to magnify what the human eye can’t see, offering a unique macroscopic view of the world.
Since moving to the UK in 2012, I have gradually developed my art practice mostly through painting and screen printing and concurrently detached myself from professional science. I have enjoyed working on site-specific art installations, painting large-scale murals or smaller artworks, which I have exhibited in galleries in several countries. When creating abstract compositions, I focus on colour, contrast and magnification, which are the main parameters to achieve resolution in microscopy. By carefully selecting opposite colour schemes I generate patterns of ‘molecules’ with maximal contrast: bold geometric shapes, representations of globules, and vivid colours colliding in a planned riot of abstraction. By immersing viewers in this imaginary world, I expect them to question the structural complexity of our surroundings and reflect on the idea of visual perception”.
This public exhibition also includes ticketed events such as the Unlimited festival which returns (Wednesday 4 September- Sunday 8 September, Queen Elizabeth Hall), celebrating the work of disabled artists. This exhibition allows a range of artists to meet the public at the Southbank Centre - hopefully under the Summer Sun!
You Belong Here is showing at Southbank Centre until 8th September 2024.
You Belong Here at the Southbank Centre is a public art display celebrating the works of artists including Yinka Ilori with his poster Forever (2024), Tavares Strachan’s two inflatable balloons and Kavi Pujara’s photograph, Bhukan Singh and Gurmeet Kaur, from the series This Golden Mile (2021). This exhibition, with its team of diverse artists, brings something new to the walls of the Southbank Centre. Each artwork has been individually pasted onto the outer walls of the building and has been given its own space. Artur Conka’s Husband and Wife with Child, Newport, Wales (2023) is the easiest one to find and is placed close to the entrance of Tavares Strachan’s exhibition There Is Light Somewhere in the same building.
While the artwork in this exhibition may be large and imposing, it is difficult to find each one, since this public art constitutes not just photographs and posters on the wall but also inflatable balloons and prints on the staircase. Much like other public art, here the idea is not to see every piece of work and understand the exhibition as a whole, but to allow artists to speak to people not necessarily looking for.art but simply passing by. This allows the opportunity for art to exist outside of the exhibition spaces and encourages a conversation between the artist and the public.
We were fortunate enough to speak with French painter, muralist and screen-printer Florence Blanchard about her amazing time working with the Hayward Gallery. Her art installation titled Chromatic Ascension, is obstructed by the staircase itself, creating the illusion of the stone staircase as slats on window blinds with her work peeking in between, revealing an alternate universe. Blanchard states that “Public art and architecture are interconnected through the ways in which they influence and interact with human experience, aesthetics, and urban environments. Having worked in the public space all my life, my style was shaped in relationship to my surroundings and together my sense of belonging. Since moving to the UK in 2012 bolder colours and shapes have emerged in response to the British weather and urban landscape. Indeed, the combination of colourful art and for example, brutalist architecture, offers a compelling fusion of contrasting elements, softening the harshness of the concrete surfaces, transforming the environment into a more inviting and dynamic space. When designing Chromatic Ascension, I aimed to foster a sense of identity and belonging, turning the staircase into a vibrant dialogue that challenges perceptions and stimulates the imagination”.
Blanchard began her journey as an artist in New York where, in the early 1990s, she began writing graffiti while pursuing her PhD from NYU as a molecular biologist. Exploring the connection between the worlds of art and science, Blanchard uses her work to question our ideas of visual perception and interrogates our ideas of reality.
“Supported by my past as a microscopist, and molecular biologist in the field of visual processing, my practice takes a meticulous interest in the scientific elements that make up our world. I create abstract, bold and colourful paintings, murals and screen prints, which aim to challenge our comprehension of reality through representation of imaginary magnified perspectives. Taking advantage of the versatility of fluid molecular patterns, my work conducts visual studies on the fluidity and structure of our surroundings — the unfamiliarities of which aim to confront viewers with startling and insightful windows into the fabric of the universe.
While working in the laboratory, my goal was to establish patterns and correlations between biological samples I would examine through powerful lenses in various environmental conditions. This experience has permanently affected how I perceive the world and invariably how I represent it in my artwork. I became fascinated by how reality may appear differently depending on the angle and level of magnification and how sometimes looking at things too closely may cause us to lose sight of the bigger picture. The idea of shifting scales to keep a fresh perspective really seduces me and I constantly apply it in my work both from a conceptual and practical point of view. Underpinned by a knowledge that all matter is made of particles – whether animal, human or mineral – my paintings attempt to magnify what the human eye can’t see, offering a unique macroscopic view of the world.
Since moving to the UK in 2012, I have gradually developed my art practice mostly through painting and screen printing and concurrently detached myself from professional science. I have enjoyed working on site-specific art installations, painting large-scale murals or smaller artworks, which I have exhibited in galleries in several countries. When creating abstract compositions, I focus on colour, contrast and magnification, which are the main parameters to achieve resolution in microscopy. By carefully selecting opposite colour schemes I generate patterns of ‘molecules’ with maximal contrast: bold geometric shapes, representations of globules, and vivid colours colliding in a planned riot of abstraction. By immersing viewers in this imaginary world, I expect them to question the structural complexity of our surroundings and reflect on the idea of visual perception”.
This public exhibition also includes ticketed events such as the Unlimited festival which returns (Wednesday 4 September- Sunday 8 September, Queen Elizabeth Hall), celebrating the work of disabled artists. This exhibition allows a range of artists to meet the public at the Southbank Centre - hopefully under the Summer Sun!
You Belong Here is showing at Southbank Centre until 8th September 2024.
You Belong Here at the Southbank Centre is a public art display celebrating the works of artists including Yinka Ilori with his poster Forever (2024), Tavares Strachan’s two inflatable balloons and Kavi Pujara’s photograph, Bhukan Singh and Gurmeet Kaur, from the series This Golden Mile (2021). This exhibition, with its team of diverse artists, brings something new to the walls of the Southbank Centre. Each artwork has been individually pasted onto the outer walls of the building and has been given its own space. Artur Conka’s Husband and Wife with Child, Newport, Wales (2023) is the easiest one to find and is placed close to the entrance of Tavares Strachan’s exhibition There Is Light Somewhere in the same building.
While the artwork in this exhibition may be large and imposing, it is difficult to find each one, since this public art constitutes not just photographs and posters on the wall but also inflatable balloons and prints on the staircase. Much like other public art, here the idea is not to see every piece of work and understand the exhibition as a whole, but to allow artists to speak to people not necessarily looking for.art but simply passing by. This allows the opportunity for art to exist outside of the exhibition spaces and encourages a conversation between the artist and the public.
We were fortunate enough to speak with French painter, muralist and screen-printer Florence Blanchard about her amazing time working with the Hayward Gallery. Her art installation titled Chromatic Ascension, is obstructed by the staircase itself, creating the illusion of the stone staircase as slats on window blinds with her work peeking in between, revealing an alternate universe. Blanchard states that “Public art and architecture are interconnected through the ways in which they influence and interact with human experience, aesthetics, and urban environments. Having worked in the public space all my life, my style was shaped in relationship to my surroundings and together my sense of belonging. Since moving to the UK in 2012 bolder colours and shapes have emerged in response to the British weather and urban landscape. Indeed, the combination of colourful art and for example, brutalist architecture, offers a compelling fusion of contrasting elements, softening the harshness of the concrete surfaces, transforming the environment into a more inviting and dynamic space. When designing Chromatic Ascension, I aimed to foster a sense of identity and belonging, turning the staircase into a vibrant dialogue that challenges perceptions and stimulates the imagination”.
Blanchard began her journey as an artist in New York where, in the early 1990s, she began writing graffiti while pursuing her PhD from NYU as a molecular biologist. Exploring the connection between the worlds of art and science, Blanchard uses her work to question our ideas of visual perception and interrogates our ideas of reality.
“Supported by my past as a microscopist, and molecular biologist in the field of visual processing, my practice takes a meticulous interest in the scientific elements that make up our world. I create abstract, bold and colourful paintings, murals and screen prints, which aim to challenge our comprehension of reality through representation of imaginary magnified perspectives. Taking advantage of the versatility of fluid molecular patterns, my work conducts visual studies on the fluidity and structure of our surroundings — the unfamiliarities of which aim to confront viewers with startling and insightful windows into the fabric of the universe.
While working in the laboratory, my goal was to establish patterns and correlations between biological samples I would examine through powerful lenses in various environmental conditions. This experience has permanently affected how I perceive the world and invariably how I represent it in my artwork. I became fascinated by how reality may appear differently depending on the angle and level of magnification and how sometimes looking at things too closely may cause us to lose sight of the bigger picture. The idea of shifting scales to keep a fresh perspective really seduces me and I constantly apply it in my work both from a conceptual and practical point of view. Underpinned by a knowledge that all matter is made of particles – whether animal, human or mineral – my paintings attempt to magnify what the human eye can’t see, offering a unique macroscopic view of the world.
Since moving to the UK in 2012, I have gradually developed my art practice mostly through painting and screen printing and concurrently detached myself from professional science. I have enjoyed working on site-specific art installations, painting large-scale murals or smaller artworks, which I have exhibited in galleries in several countries. When creating abstract compositions, I focus on colour, contrast and magnification, which are the main parameters to achieve resolution in microscopy. By carefully selecting opposite colour schemes I generate patterns of ‘molecules’ with maximal contrast: bold geometric shapes, representations of globules, and vivid colours colliding in a planned riot of abstraction. By immersing viewers in this imaginary world, I expect them to question the structural complexity of our surroundings and reflect on the idea of visual perception”.
This public exhibition also includes ticketed events such as the Unlimited festival which returns (Wednesday 4 September- Sunday 8 September, Queen Elizabeth Hall), celebrating the work of disabled artists. This exhibition allows a range of artists to meet the public at the Southbank Centre - hopefully under the Summer Sun!
You Belong Here is showing at Southbank Centre until 8th September 2024.
You Belong Here at the Southbank Centre is a public art display celebrating the works of artists including Yinka Ilori with his poster Forever (2024), Tavares Strachan’s two inflatable balloons and Kavi Pujara’s photograph, Bhukan Singh and Gurmeet Kaur, from the series This Golden Mile (2021). This exhibition, with its team of diverse artists, brings something new to the walls of the Southbank Centre. Each artwork has been individually pasted onto the outer walls of the building and has been given its own space. Artur Conka’s Husband and Wife with Child, Newport, Wales (2023) is the easiest one to find and is placed close to the entrance of Tavares Strachan’s exhibition There Is Light Somewhere in the same building.
While the artwork in this exhibition may be large and imposing, it is difficult to find each one, since this public art constitutes not just photographs and posters on the wall but also inflatable balloons and prints on the staircase. Much like other public art, here the idea is not to see every piece of work and understand the exhibition as a whole, but to allow artists to speak to people not necessarily looking for.art but simply passing by. This allows the opportunity for art to exist outside of the exhibition spaces and encourages a conversation between the artist and the public.
We were fortunate enough to speak with French painter, muralist and screen-printer Florence Blanchard about her amazing time working with the Hayward Gallery. Her art installation titled Chromatic Ascension, is obstructed by the staircase itself, creating the illusion of the stone staircase as slats on window blinds with her work peeking in between, revealing an alternate universe. Blanchard states that “Public art and architecture are interconnected through the ways in which they influence and interact with human experience, aesthetics, and urban environments. Having worked in the public space all my life, my style was shaped in relationship to my surroundings and together my sense of belonging. Since moving to the UK in 2012 bolder colours and shapes have emerged in response to the British weather and urban landscape. Indeed, the combination of colourful art and for example, brutalist architecture, offers a compelling fusion of contrasting elements, softening the harshness of the concrete surfaces, transforming the environment into a more inviting and dynamic space. When designing Chromatic Ascension, I aimed to foster a sense of identity and belonging, turning the staircase into a vibrant dialogue that challenges perceptions and stimulates the imagination”.
Blanchard began her journey as an artist in New York where, in the early 1990s, she began writing graffiti while pursuing her PhD from NYU as a molecular biologist. Exploring the connection between the worlds of art and science, Blanchard uses her work to question our ideas of visual perception and interrogates our ideas of reality.
“Supported by my past as a microscopist, and molecular biologist in the field of visual processing, my practice takes a meticulous interest in the scientific elements that make up our world. I create abstract, bold and colourful paintings, murals and screen prints, which aim to challenge our comprehension of reality through representation of imaginary magnified perspectives. Taking advantage of the versatility of fluid molecular patterns, my work conducts visual studies on the fluidity and structure of our surroundings — the unfamiliarities of which aim to confront viewers with startling and insightful windows into the fabric of the universe.
While working in the laboratory, my goal was to establish patterns and correlations between biological samples I would examine through powerful lenses in various environmental conditions. This experience has permanently affected how I perceive the world and invariably how I represent it in my artwork. I became fascinated by how reality may appear differently depending on the angle and level of magnification and how sometimes looking at things too closely may cause us to lose sight of the bigger picture. The idea of shifting scales to keep a fresh perspective really seduces me and I constantly apply it in my work both from a conceptual and practical point of view. Underpinned by a knowledge that all matter is made of particles – whether animal, human or mineral – my paintings attempt to magnify what the human eye can’t see, offering a unique macroscopic view of the world.
Since moving to the UK in 2012, I have gradually developed my art practice mostly through painting and screen printing and concurrently detached myself from professional science. I have enjoyed working on site-specific art installations, painting large-scale murals or smaller artworks, which I have exhibited in galleries in several countries. When creating abstract compositions, I focus on colour, contrast and magnification, which are the main parameters to achieve resolution in microscopy. By carefully selecting opposite colour schemes I generate patterns of ‘molecules’ with maximal contrast: bold geometric shapes, representations of globules, and vivid colours colliding in a planned riot of abstraction. By immersing viewers in this imaginary world, I expect them to question the structural complexity of our surroundings and reflect on the idea of visual perception”.
This public exhibition also includes ticketed events such as the Unlimited festival which returns (Wednesday 4 September- Sunday 8 September, Queen Elizabeth Hall), celebrating the work of disabled artists. This exhibition allows a range of artists to meet the public at the Southbank Centre - hopefully under the Summer Sun!
You Belong Here is showing at Southbank Centre until 8th September 2024.
You Belong Here at the Southbank Centre is a public art display celebrating the works of artists including Yinka Ilori with his poster Forever (2024), Tavares Strachan’s two inflatable balloons and Kavi Pujara’s photograph, Bhukan Singh and Gurmeet Kaur, from the series This Golden Mile (2021). This exhibition, with its team of diverse artists, brings something new to the walls of the Southbank Centre. Each artwork has been individually pasted onto the outer walls of the building and has been given its own space. Artur Conka’s Husband and Wife with Child, Newport, Wales (2023) is the easiest one to find and is placed close to the entrance of Tavares Strachan’s exhibition There Is Light Somewhere in the same building.
While the artwork in this exhibition may be large and imposing, it is difficult to find each one, since this public art constitutes not just photographs and posters on the wall but also inflatable balloons and prints on the staircase. Much like other public art, here the idea is not to see every piece of work and understand the exhibition as a whole, but to allow artists to speak to people not necessarily looking for.art but simply passing by. This allows the opportunity for art to exist outside of the exhibition spaces and encourages a conversation between the artist and the public.
We were fortunate enough to speak with French painter, muralist and screen-printer Florence Blanchard about her amazing time working with the Hayward Gallery. Her art installation titled Chromatic Ascension, is obstructed by the staircase itself, creating the illusion of the stone staircase as slats on window blinds with her work peeking in between, revealing an alternate universe. Blanchard states that “Public art and architecture are interconnected through the ways in which they influence and interact with human experience, aesthetics, and urban environments. Having worked in the public space all my life, my style was shaped in relationship to my surroundings and together my sense of belonging. Since moving to the UK in 2012 bolder colours and shapes have emerged in response to the British weather and urban landscape. Indeed, the combination of colourful art and for example, brutalist architecture, offers a compelling fusion of contrasting elements, softening the harshness of the concrete surfaces, transforming the environment into a more inviting and dynamic space. When designing Chromatic Ascension, I aimed to foster a sense of identity and belonging, turning the staircase into a vibrant dialogue that challenges perceptions and stimulates the imagination”.
Blanchard began her journey as an artist in New York where, in the early 1990s, she began writing graffiti while pursuing her PhD from NYU as a molecular biologist. Exploring the connection between the worlds of art and science, Blanchard uses her work to question our ideas of visual perception and interrogates our ideas of reality.
“Supported by my past as a microscopist, and molecular biologist in the field of visual processing, my practice takes a meticulous interest in the scientific elements that make up our world. I create abstract, bold and colourful paintings, murals and screen prints, which aim to challenge our comprehension of reality through representation of imaginary magnified perspectives. Taking advantage of the versatility of fluid molecular patterns, my work conducts visual studies on the fluidity and structure of our surroundings — the unfamiliarities of which aim to confront viewers with startling and insightful windows into the fabric of the universe.
While working in the laboratory, my goal was to establish patterns and correlations between biological samples I would examine through powerful lenses in various environmental conditions. This experience has permanently affected how I perceive the world and invariably how I represent it in my artwork. I became fascinated by how reality may appear differently depending on the angle and level of magnification and how sometimes looking at things too closely may cause us to lose sight of the bigger picture. The idea of shifting scales to keep a fresh perspective really seduces me and I constantly apply it in my work both from a conceptual and practical point of view. Underpinned by a knowledge that all matter is made of particles – whether animal, human or mineral – my paintings attempt to magnify what the human eye can’t see, offering a unique macroscopic view of the world.
Since moving to the UK in 2012, I have gradually developed my art practice mostly through painting and screen printing and concurrently detached myself from professional science. I have enjoyed working on site-specific art installations, painting large-scale murals or smaller artworks, which I have exhibited in galleries in several countries. When creating abstract compositions, I focus on colour, contrast and magnification, which are the main parameters to achieve resolution in microscopy. By carefully selecting opposite colour schemes I generate patterns of ‘molecules’ with maximal contrast: bold geometric shapes, representations of globules, and vivid colours colliding in a planned riot of abstraction. By immersing viewers in this imaginary world, I expect them to question the structural complexity of our surroundings and reflect on the idea of visual perception”.
This public exhibition also includes ticketed events such as the Unlimited festival which returns (Wednesday 4 September- Sunday 8 September, Queen Elizabeth Hall), celebrating the work of disabled artists. This exhibition allows a range of artists to meet the public at the Southbank Centre - hopefully under the Summer Sun!
You Belong Here is showing at Southbank Centre until 8th September 2024.
You Belong Here at the Southbank Centre is a public art display celebrating the works of artists including Yinka Ilori with his poster Forever (2024), Tavares Strachan’s two inflatable balloons and Kavi Pujara’s photograph, Bhukan Singh and Gurmeet Kaur, from the series This Golden Mile (2021). This exhibition, with its team of diverse artists, brings something new to the walls of the Southbank Centre. Each artwork has been individually pasted onto the outer walls of the building and has been given its own space. Artur Conka’s Husband and Wife with Child, Newport, Wales (2023) is the easiest one to find and is placed close to the entrance of Tavares Strachan’s exhibition There Is Light Somewhere in the same building.
While the artwork in this exhibition may be large and imposing, it is difficult to find each one, since this public art constitutes not just photographs and posters on the wall but also inflatable balloons and prints on the staircase. Much like other public art, here the idea is not to see every piece of work and understand the exhibition as a whole, but to allow artists to speak to people not necessarily looking for.art but simply passing by. This allows the opportunity for art to exist outside of the exhibition spaces and encourages a conversation between the artist and the public.
We were fortunate enough to speak with French painter, muralist and screen-printer Florence Blanchard about her amazing time working with the Hayward Gallery. Her art installation titled Chromatic Ascension, is obstructed by the staircase itself, creating the illusion of the stone staircase as slats on window blinds with her work peeking in between, revealing an alternate universe. Blanchard states that “Public art and architecture are interconnected through the ways in which they influence and interact with human experience, aesthetics, and urban environments. Having worked in the public space all my life, my style was shaped in relationship to my surroundings and together my sense of belonging. Since moving to the UK in 2012 bolder colours and shapes have emerged in response to the British weather and urban landscape. Indeed, the combination of colourful art and for example, brutalist architecture, offers a compelling fusion of contrasting elements, softening the harshness of the concrete surfaces, transforming the environment into a more inviting and dynamic space. When designing Chromatic Ascension, I aimed to foster a sense of identity and belonging, turning the staircase into a vibrant dialogue that challenges perceptions and stimulates the imagination”.
Blanchard began her journey as an artist in New York where, in the early 1990s, she began writing graffiti while pursuing her PhD from NYU as a molecular biologist. Exploring the connection between the worlds of art and science, Blanchard uses her work to question our ideas of visual perception and interrogates our ideas of reality.
“Supported by my past as a microscopist, and molecular biologist in the field of visual processing, my practice takes a meticulous interest in the scientific elements that make up our world. I create abstract, bold and colourful paintings, murals and screen prints, which aim to challenge our comprehension of reality through representation of imaginary magnified perspectives. Taking advantage of the versatility of fluid molecular patterns, my work conducts visual studies on the fluidity and structure of our surroundings — the unfamiliarities of which aim to confront viewers with startling and insightful windows into the fabric of the universe.
While working in the laboratory, my goal was to establish patterns and correlations between biological samples I would examine through powerful lenses in various environmental conditions. This experience has permanently affected how I perceive the world and invariably how I represent it in my artwork. I became fascinated by how reality may appear differently depending on the angle and level of magnification and how sometimes looking at things too closely may cause us to lose sight of the bigger picture. The idea of shifting scales to keep a fresh perspective really seduces me and I constantly apply it in my work both from a conceptual and practical point of view. Underpinned by a knowledge that all matter is made of particles – whether animal, human or mineral – my paintings attempt to magnify what the human eye can’t see, offering a unique macroscopic view of the world.
Since moving to the UK in 2012, I have gradually developed my art practice mostly through painting and screen printing and concurrently detached myself from professional science. I have enjoyed working on site-specific art installations, painting large-scale murals or smaller artworks, which I have exhibited in galleries in several countries. When creating abstract compositions, I focus on colour, contrast and magnification, which are the main parameters to achieve resolution in microscopy. By carefully selecting opposite colour schemes I generate patterns of ‘molecules’ with maximal contrast: bold geometric shapes, representations of globules, and vivid colours colliding in a planned riot of abstraction. By immersing viewers in this imaginary world, I expect them to question the structural complexity of our surroundings and reflect on the idea of visual perception”.
This public exhibition also includes ticketed events such as the Unlimited festival which returns (Wednesday 4 September- Sunday 8 September, Queen Elizabeth Hall), celebrating the work of disabled artists. This exhibition allows a range of artists to meet the public at the Southbank Centre - hopefully under the Summer Sun!
You Belong Here is showing at Southbank Centre until 8th September 2024.
