Art Below
Art Below is a company that exhibits art in public spaces. It was founded in 2006 by Ben Moore and is headquartered in London .
concept
Art Below uses advertising space in the London Underground and also overseas to display art. It all started with the idea of Ben Moore and his brother Simon to use excess advertising space to exhibit the works of artist friends who were friends . Since then, Art Below has created an international community of artists and has exhibited over 800 works. In addition to the idea of giving artists a platform in public space, commuters are given the opportunity to look at works of art on their way to work. The principle of presenting art in a new context and the public appearance of contemporary art create a new urban space. For the future, Art Below is pursuing the goal of developing a network for international artists in which they can exhibit their works in the public space of the city of their choice.
Campaigns
London
Art Below has established a public gallery in the London Underground. Artists can book advertising space in a station on the London Underground, such as Angel, Bond Street or the "exhibition corridor" in South Kensington. The works are exhibited there for two weeks and can be seen publicly. Another option to exhibit a work of art in one of London's underground stations is to take part in one of the theme-based competitions. These are organized by Art Below 'and its collaboration partners such as The Hospital Club , Don't Panic Media and The Sovereign Art Foundation . Art Below also realizes projects with City & Guilds of London Art School . As part of the "Art Lift" project, master's students' work was exhibited in the elevators at Kennington Underground Station.
Berlin
Art Below developed the “Pillar of Art” project in Berlin . Here are advertising pillars placed in different neighborhoods with art. In 2010 the project was a collaboration between Art Below and Art Barter . The event started on June 24th with an introductory party on Alexanderplatz and an exhibition followed. The works of Berlin-based artists were on display in the city on ten advertising pillars.
Tokyo
In September 2008 Art Below organized the first exhibition in the Japanese underground . The works of sixteen artists were exhibited on the Ginza platform of Shibuya Station in Tokyo . Due to the international recognition of the exhibition, Art Below initiated a second exhibition in 2009. Art Below also exhibited seven artists at Shibuya_Station, while the Tokyo Design Fair , which started on October 26, 2009, was running at the same time . This exhibition was supported by the Sasakawa Foundation to promote mutual understanding between British and Japanese culture and society.
Exhibited artists
Were shown u. a. Cleo B, a British luxury shoe brand founded by Cleo Barbour. Philip Levine is an artist who uses his bald head as an exhibition space. His head designs are symbolic within the London fashion and art scene. His work has been exhibited several times in the London Underground. Ada Zanditon, an ethnic fashion designer who started her own company in 2008. One of her works was exhibited by Art Below in March 2008.
Sean Power is an active member of the Royal Marines Reserves, graduated from London College of Communications and became a troop photographer. Also featured was Nick Ruston, a British artist and sculptor. Scarlett Raven, who was discovered as a talent at the beginning of her Bachelor in Fine Arts, exhibited in October 2009. She had a solo show in London's Cork Street and is the youngest artist ever to be shown on that street. Sarah Maple had her work "Fighting Fire with Fire" exhibited in the underground. She studied fine arts at Kingston University and won the "4 New Sensations" competition. Banksy's “Forgive us our Trespassing” was exhibited in March 2010 at London Bridge Station. In 2010, Art Below also exhibited a work by Charles Bronson, a British convict who has served a prison term since 1974. In January 2012 artist Julie Umerle exhibited her work with Art Below at 'Art of Angel', Angel Islington, London.
Press and controversy
Since Art Below existed and organized exhibitions in the London Underground, there has been a great deal of media interest. In addition to several articles that deal with the concept of Art Below and its founder Ben Moore, Art Below caused a stir with the exhibition of controversial artists. The restrictions that resulted from exhibiting in public places also generated interest in the press.
Banksy's work “Forgive us our Trespassing” had to be reworked and was displayed without the halo over the boy's head. The public transport company Transport for London (TfL) had banned the halo of the picture as it would give the impression of graffiti in the underground. After the work was exhibited for a few days, this halo was repainted, so that the TfL had the poster removed. This case made the press and several articles were published on the subject. The BBC News published the article "London Underground Banksy work regains its halo", the London Evening Standard wrote "Underground mystery as Banksy work regains its halo".
Another controversy, which was caused by the exhibiting of a work of art, dealt with the question of whether it was right to exhibit the work of a prisoner in public space. In this case it was not Transport for London that objected, but the National Victims Association (NVA). The artwork by Charles Bronson was exhibited at Angel Underground Station for two weeks in 2010. The National Victims Association (NVA) released the statement that victims would find it degrading and depressing that a criminal should be allowed to exhibit in public places.
Individual evidence
- ↑ http://thelittlechimpsociety.com
- ↑ http://www.scarlettraven.com/biography.php
- ↑ Julie Umerle at Art Below
- ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8573323.stm
- ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8573323.stm
- ↑ http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23816233 ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8644468.stm
