Art Across the City opens in Swansea on 29th September

An Accident Looking for Somewhere to Happen by Fiona Curran, St Mary's Church

Art Across the City, Swansea's programme of public realm commissions, opens this weekend and will run until 11th November.

The programme is organised by LOCWS International and includes five new temporary commissions by artists including Fiona Curran (pictured above...her work was last seen at Tatton Park Biennial 2010), Joanne Tatham & Tom O'Sullivan, David Blandy, David Marchant and Jock Mooney. 

The show will also include earlier commissioned temporary works by Sean Puleston and Rik Bennett (shown below) for the Art Across the High Street programme and is complemented by a number of permanent commissions by Bristow Lloyd, Mark Folds, Bermingham & Robinson, Niamh McCann and Bedwyr Williams - see images below.

Sean Puleston's commission for Art Across the High Street

Lionheart & Lightsout by Bedwyr Williams, The Kingsway

The British Empire Panel Project, Bermingham and Robinson, The Brangwyn Hall

You can download a full brochure here: http://locwsinternational.com/wp-content/uploads/locwsadmin/AATC2012brochure.pdf 

Studio Troika's The Weather Yesterday

Studio Troika have been producing some lovely work over the last few years, including the V & A's moving palindromic signage and various other commissions at Heathrow Terminal 5 and the Shanghai World Expo, but I think my favourite so far has to be this recent temporary commission in Hoxton Square in London commissioned by RIBA, The Weather Yesterday.

Unfortunately being too fat to travel anywhere (I'm pregnant, not just fat) and only just finding out about it, it is no longer on display (it came down on 9th September) but looks brilliant from the photos.

I also thought it might amuse a few people given the recent downpours. 

Troika say: 

'The Weather Yesterday' takes our obsession with progress ad absurdum by sardonically changing our focus from 'forecast' to the 'past'. The five-metre-high sculpture celebrates the weather as a predominant top of discussion in British culture while offering a spin on the urgency with which we are using our mobile devices, forecasting and interactive technology.'

Last days of Nowhere Island

It would seem churlish and not least to say a little lazy not to go to this as it's only in Bristol....

Full details of programme here: http://nowhereisland.org/journey/lastdays/ 

Tony Cragg works on display at Exhibition Road

Elliptical Column by Tony Cragg

Five large-scale sculptures (the largest being 5.5 metres tall) by Tony Cragg (b.1949) are finally on display along Exhibition Road in London, near the V & A Museum and within the newly pedestrian-friendly mixed use space area. Six smaller-scale indoor works are also on display nearby at the V&A, the Science Museum and Imperial College.The works sited outside are in bronze, cast iron and stainless steel, with other works in stone and wood. 

The exhibition has been organised by the Cass Sculpture Foundation and will be on display until 25th November 2012.

Ferryman by Tony Cragg

There's been loads of press coverage, probably because the artist has been based in Germany since 1977 and hasn't had any work here for ages, but it's fair to say that the response has been pretty underwhelmed, which is a shame as he's an artist I have a lot of respect for. However, it's nice to see artworks on display in public places, no matter how conservatively displayed.

Versus by Tony Cragg

Nice interview with Cragg here:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/art-features/9503576/Tony-Cragg-Sculptor-who-looks-beneath-the-surface.html

The Evening Standard was quite harsh:
http://www.standard.co.uk/arts/visual-arts/tony-cragg-exhibition-road--review-8096124.html

Michael Glover appeared to be lovely about it in The Independent, although it looks as though he gave it 2 stars out of 5:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151034467263107&set=a.10150118210898107.282618.66814478106&type=1&theater

You can watch a video about it here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-19401618

And you can even download an app about it:
http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/cass-presents-tony-cragg-at/id550440313?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D2

According to the Exhibition Road website: 
'Audiences will be able to choose between an interactive quiz trail or an information-led guide. The trail provides two levels for users to choose from: ‘Fun & Fast’ for families and kids, and ‘In-depth & Immersive’ for older students and art lovers. The app will be available to download from iTunes, the Cass Foundation website or by scanning the QR code at any of the sculptures along the road.'

Mixed Feelings by Tony Cragg

I wonder how much the perceived lack of success of these works is not just their repetitious nature as Time Out point out, but also the incredibly old fashioned way in which they are displayed on plinths and plonked in the public realm. Artists are working in and responding to the public realm in much more informed ways these days - it's a shame Tony Cragg has been rather left behind. I'd still like to visit his sculpture park in Wuppertal though: http://www.skulpturenpark-waldfrieden.de/ and I have no doubt he'll sell a few more works off the back of the London display. (I know, I'm cynical.)

Luke by Tony Cragg