An artist exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts has installed a 30ft sculpture in a Shoreditch piazza to mark the area’s creativity.
James Burke’s giant blue steel work weighs 1.2 tonnes and is situated in Principal Place, the new London headquarters for Amazon. Commissioned by Brookfield Properties, the installation In Anticipation has been designed to reflect the area’s “non-conformist creative sentiment” by echoing “a seemingly playful hand-drawn sketch”.
It shows a figure stepping down from a plinth, where public artworks are usually exhibited, to a more relatable human pose, which Burke hopes will invite viewers to “anticipate” the figure’s next action.
He said: “Through this artwork I feel I have given the viewer the first part of a story, but it is up to them to finish it off and fill in the blanks. My hope is that people can relate to the human aspect of the work, and see some of themselves in the narrative.” The Shoreditch-based artist added: “It’s a real honour and privilege to work at this scale in the public domain in my home city, and has been made even more special given that my studio is just round the corner.”
Carlin Fier, director of marketing & communications for Brookfield Properties, said: “It was a pleasure to work with James on such an incredible piece that embodies the energy and creative spirit of Shoreditch and Principal Place. We are thrilled to see it installed and hope it will engage and inspire those who pass by.”
