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Rachel Whiteread unveils golden frieze at Whitechapel Gallery | Rachel Whiteread unveils golden frieze at Whitechapel Gallery |
(40 minutes later) | |
By Tim Masters Entertainment and arts correspondent, BBC News | By Tim Masters Entertainment and arts correspondent, BBC News |
Sculptor Rachel Whiteread has unveiled her first permanent public commission in the UK - a frieze of golden leaves high above a street in east London. | Sculptor Rachel Whiteread has unveiled her first permanent public commission in the UK - a frieze of golden leaves high above a street in east London. |
The Tree of Life sculpture fills a blank space above the entrance to the Whitechapel Gallery. | The Tree of Life sculpture fills a blank space above the entrance to the Whitechapel Gallery. |
Whiteread said: "I've made it as a gift to the area, something that will brighten up someone's day." | Whiteread said: "I've made it as a gift to the area, something that will brighten up someone's day." |
The artist, the first woman to win the Turner Prize in 1993, has lived near the art gallery for 25 years. | The artist, the first woman to win the Turner Prize in 1993, has lived near the art gallery for 25 years. |
The artwork is one of the major commissions of the href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/2012/festival" >London 2012 Festival, the culmination of the Cultural Olympiad. | |
"It's wonderful to have something in the high street that isn't a franchise or a brand," said filmmaker Danny Boyle, the artistic director of Olympic Games opening ceremony. | "It's wonderful to have something in the high street that isn't a franchise or a brand," said filmmaker Danny Boyle, the artistic director of Olympic Games opening ceremony. |
Speaking at Thursday's launch event, the Trainspotting director added that the sculpture was "a breath of air that picks up something that's not litter in our high street". | Speaking at Thursday's launch event, the Trainspotting director added that the sculpture was "a breath of air that picks up something that's not litter in our high street". |
Whiteread's work was inspired by the Whitechapel Gallery's existing architecture which features a Tree of Life motif on its terra-cotta panels. | Whiteread's work was inspired by the Whitechapel Gallery's existing architecture which features a Tree of Life motif on its terra-cotta panels. |
Cast in bronze and covered in gold leaf, the artwork's leaves and branches create a flurry across the front of the building visible to anyone passing in the street. | Cast in bronze and covered in gold leaf, the artwork's leaves and branches create a flurry across the front of the building visible to anyone passing in the street. |
Gallery director Iwona Blazwick said Whiteread's frieze had joined London's repertoire of high-level gilded sculptures. | Gallery director Iwona Blazwick said Whiteread's frieze had joined London's repertoire of high-level gilded sculptures. |
"There are angels and weather vanes and the most extraordinary features decorating our rooftops," she said. "I think we should have a campaign to get people to look up a bit more and see these hidden treasures." | "There are angels and weather vanes and the most extraordinary features decorating our rooftops," she said. "I think we should have a campaign to get people to look up a bit more and see these hidden treasures." |
The Whitechapel Gallery building, opened in 1901, was "finally complete", she said. | The Whitechapel Gallery building, opened in 1901, was "finally complete", she said. |
Original plans for a frieze in the recessed space above the entrance were never realised, leaving it empty for more than 100 years. | Original plans for a frieze in the recessed space above the entrance were never realised, leaving it empty for more than 100 years. |
Rachel Whiteread's sculpture often takes existing architectural structures as its starting point. | Rachel Whiteread's sculpture often takes existing architectural structures as its starting point. |
She came to public attention in 1993 with House, a life-sized cast of the interior of a Victorian terraced property in east London. Her sculpture Monument was commissioned for the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square in 2001. | She came to public attention in 1993 with House, a life-sized cast of the interior of a Victorian terraced property in east London. Her sculpture Monument was commissioned for the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square in 2001. |
Whiteread's Holocaust Memorial (2000) in Vienna and Water Tower (1998) in New York remain as permanent public sculptures. | Whiteread's Holocaust Memorial (2000) in Vienna and Water Tower (1998) in New York remain as permanent public sculptures. |
"I don't think there's anything profound about the work," Whiteread told the BBC at Thursday's unveiling. | "I don't think there's anything profound about the work," Whiteread told the BBC at Thursday's unveiling. |
"It's connected with the architecture, the sociology and anthropology of the area. I've worked with the local foundry, so it's all very much East End-based." | "It's connected with the architecture, the sociology and anthropology of the area. I've worked with the local foundry, so it's all very much East End-based." |
She spoke of having a "eureka moment" during a walk in Italy. "I plucked a twig off a tree and said this the kind of thing I want to do!" | She spoke of having a "eureka moment" during a walk in Italy. "I plucked a twig off a tree and said this the kind of thing I want to do!" |
Whiteread, who doesn't like to work on a computer, designed Tree of Life after building a full-scale model of the facade of the Whitechapel Gallery in her studio. | Whiteread, who doesn't like to work on a computer, designed Tree of Life after building a full-scale model of the facade of the Whitechapel Gallery in her studio. |
Much of the external construction work took place amid the recent extreme weather conditions. | Much of the external construction work took place amid the recent extreme weather conditions. |
"The first time I went up to see the Tree of Life was in a blizzard with a force 10 gale," recalled Whiteread. "In the past two months we've been installing during the monsoon period." | "The first time I went up to see the Tree of Life was in a blizzard with a force 10 gale," recalled Whiteread. "In the past two months we've been installing during the monsoon period." |
Whiteread's commission was mainly financed by the Art Fund, with support from the Henry Moore Foundation. | Whiteread's commission was mainly financed by the Art Fund, with support from the Henry Moore Foundation. |
Ruth Mackenzie, director of the London 2012 Festival, said the "ravishingly beautiful" sculpture was free to be admired by the millions who travel down Whitechapel High Street. | Ruth Mackenzie, director of the London 2012 Festival, said the "ravishingly beautiful" sculpture was free to be admired by the millions who travel down Whitechapel High Street. |
"We've got a golden legacy that shouts from the rooftops, literally," she said. | "We've got a golden legacy that shouts from the rooftops, literally," she said. |
Sculptor Antony Gormley told the BBC: "Rachel's genius is that she allows the past to become present in a way that nobody else can. | Sculptor Antony Gormley told the BBC: "Rachel's genius is that she allows the past to become present in a way that nobody else can. |
"These wonderful golden things hover on the facade and give it a kind of vitality. It's both extremely reserved but incredibly joyful." | "These wonderful golden things hover on the facade and give it a kind of vitality. It's both extremely reserved but incredibly joyful." |
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