- ‘The People’s Monarch’ mosaic gives Gatwick passengers a warm British welcome
- Artwork is made up of 5,500 pictures of people from Sussex, Kent and Surrey
- New piece adds to the airport’s London-inspired Peter Blake collection
2013-05-28 — /travelprnews.com/ — London Gatwick has unveiled the latest addition to its British artwork collection in time for the 60thanniversary of the Queen’s coronation.
‘The People’s Monarch’, commissioned by BBC South East and created by British artist Helen Marshall, depicts the Queen at the time of her coronation and at her Diamond Jubilee. Viewers of BBC South East Today and listeners of BBC Radio Kent, Sussex and Surrey were asked to send in photographs of themselves, friends and relatives, which were then used to create the unique mosaic to celebrate Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee last year.
The artwork, which is the size of a double-decker bus, has been installed on Pier 2 – one of Gatwick’s oldest piers. It is a particularly fitting place to display the piece, as it was opened by Her Majesty in 1958.
Gatwick has been enhancing the experience of arriving passengers following insights gathered through the Airport Passenger Panel last year. The panel, which was made up of experts representing different types of passengers, looked at how UK airports could be improved. A key piece of feedback was that UK airports needed more ‘heart and soul’, and to give visitors or people returning home after holidays, a real sense of arrival in Britain.
As a result, a 12-piece installation by the ‘godfather of British pop art’ Sir Peter Blake was installed across both Gatwick terminals last year. Celebrating the city of London, the work depicts the capital through the ages and includes iconic buildings and places.
Willie McGillivray, Product Development Director at London Gatwick, said: “It is a real honour for London Gatwick to have the pleasure of installing this piece of artwork, nearly sixty years to the day since her Majesty’s coronation. It is also really important to us because of its connection to the local area and people. Developing a sense of welcome and British pride at the airport is something passengers have told us they would like to see more of, so we very much hope they enjoy viewing the piece.”
Helen Marshall, ‘The People’s Monarch’ Artist, said: “I am delighted that the final location for the artwork is at London Gatwick. Airports provide a more thrilling location than a gallery or museum and attract a new audience every single day. I think that transportation points are potentially ideal locations for public artwork, because people do not expect to experience this kind of thing when they get off a plane. It is bound to astound them as it is personal and public and this is the best way to experience contemporary art.”
Quentin Smith, Editor for BBC South East, said: “We are absolutely thrilled that ‘The People’s Monarch’ is to be displayed at London Gatwick Airport, where it will be seen by returning holiday makers and overseas visitors to Britain. Our ambition was to create a unique piece of art to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee and involve the BBC South East audience in a participatory role. We are honoured that so many people chose to send in their treasured photographs remembering their loved ones or a memorable event in their lives. Gatwick Airport is an excellent place to showcase this wonderful piece of artwork which holds the memories and emotions of a cross-section of the great British public.”
Notes to Editors
- For more information on Sir Peter Blake’s ‘London’ collection at Gatwick click here
- For more information about the Airport Passenger Panel click here
About ‘The People’s Monarch’
- BBC South East commissioned the artwork in 2012 as a celebratory piece reflecting the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
- 5,500 BBC viewers and listeners in the South East helped to create the unique piece.
- The artwork is made up of 16 lightweight panels printed on a Foamex type board by computer design experts Polly Tiles. More information at http://www.pollytiles.co.uk
- Alpine Limited in conjunction with AP Bourne Carpentry erected the artwork at Gatwick Airport
- The exact dimensions of the mosaic are: Height: 14.3ft / 4.358m, Width: 28ft / 8.53m
- The artwork was originally designed to be attached to a flat wall (in the Towner Gallery in Eastbourne) Image on the link below:
http://www.townereastbourne.org.uk/press-releases/peoples-monarch-attracts-16000-visitors/
- It was then installed in the Turner Gallery, Margate set in a frame, before being moved to Rochester Cathedral, where it was displayed in a frame attached to a scaffold:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/norfolkodyssey/7789581814/in/set-72157631083470234
- Next it was unveiled at the Towner Gallery, Eastbourne. To view the artwork being unveiled at the Towner Gallery and stories of people who submitted photographs click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvT8erGMrbo
About the artist
Helen Marshall is a British artist. Her work is rooted in photography and design.
She has a track record in socially engaged practice and her work is located in the public realm, attracting new audiences, often outside of the gallery and museum.
Recent work includes an Arts Council and British Council funded Residency in Indonesia, South East Asia.
http://www.helenmarshall.co.uk
http://www.helenmarshall.co.uk/bbcsejubileemosaic/
For more information contact:
Gatwick Airport press office
t: + 44 (0) 1293 505000
e: gatwickmedia@gatwickairport.com
About Gatwick Airport
Gatwick Airport is the UK’s second largest airport and the busiest single-runway airport in the world. It serves more than 180 destinations in 90 countries for around 34.2 million passengers a year on short- and long-haul point-to-point services. It is also a major economic driver for the South-East region, generating around 23,000 on-airport jobs and a further 13,000 jobs through related activities. The airport is 28 miles south of London with excellent public transport links, including the Gatwick Express. Gatwick Airport is owned by a group of international investment funds, of which Global Infrastructure Partners is the largest shareholder.
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The People’s Monarch