Cardigan was one of seven UK sites selected to take part in The Big Art Project, nominated by members of the public. The Big Art Project is an ambitious public art commissioning initiative from Channel 4, supported by Arts Council England, the national development agency for the arts and The Art Fund, the UK’s leading independent art charity, to inspire and create new public art across the UK. Progress is being filmed for a major Channel 4 series scheduled to be broadcast at the end of November, 2008.
This website, dedicated to Cardigan’s story, aims to bring to you everything you ever needed to know (and more) about the proposed artwork for our town. You will be able to post questions here and catch up with the regular blogs from Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, our chosen artist.
Make sure you keep popping back to catch up on the latest news.
In case you didn’t know, in 2005 people across the country were invited to nominate sites they felt would benefit from an art installation. More than 1,400 nominations were received. The seven sites selected were Beckton, Belfast, Burnley, the Isle of Mull, Sheffield, St.Helens and…..thanks to our local nominator, Jim Evans, Cardigan!
Since then a Steering Group made up of Cardigan residents working with our curator Wiard Sterk and the Big Art Team has chosen artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer who proposed a new work for Prince Charles Quay. The work, titled Turbulence, is a direct response to the turbulent nature of the Teifi Estuary in its twice daily tidal cycle, as well as the close and historic relationship between the town, its residents and the river.
There have been many ups and downs along the way and much still needs to be done before the artwork is realised. One thing is certain however, the Big Art Project series, telling the story of our journey, is scheduled to be shown on Channel 4 in November, 2008.
