Last week the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) ran an public consultation art workshop at Hackney Wick Community Centre for local residents. The aim of the day was to look at potential creative ideas for the London 2012 Gardens.
The London 2012 Gardens will stretch for half a mile sitting between the Aquatics Centre and the Olympic Stadium. There will be over 250 species of plants, trees, meadows and herbs.
The Olympic Park during the Games:
The workshop was facilitated by lecturers and postgrads from the Royal College of Art (RCA) and the University of East London, including Lecturer and Turner Prize winner Grenville Davey.
The group then split into three teams and began working away to create masterpieces out of recycled material. The room was filled with a mass of cutting, gluing, painting and drawing to make ceiling-high sculptures, sensory pieces and small-scale intricate designs.
The teams get to work:
My favourite activity of the day was the 400x400m men’s sculptural relay. The participants of one group were given a metre of wire and 46 seconds to create a masterpiece, the catch being that after 46 seconds they passed their work on to the next relay runner who could add, destroy or readjust their work within 46 seconds before passing it on to the third runner. The fourth leg was as always the final sprint to ensure that the sculptural baton reached the finishing exhibition line without being dropped!
Some of the artwork created:
Another piece of artwork:
The day finished with each group presenting their designs to each other with Sarah, the ODA Head of Arts and Culture, taking a careful watch for potential talent and options that could be incorporated into the London 2012 Gardens. The outcomes of the day have been brought back to a panel of judges for a final inspection.
Comments for this post:
4 Dec 2008, 08:00PM, thegoodgerman said:
What a way to spice up the Olympics with London 2012! There are so many ideas to find a harmony between sports, culture and nature at this blog. Useful ideas in this context would be a child friendly area like a playground and water for free drinking or refreshing within the London 2012 Gardens - a ´must` for a summer event.
7 Dec 2008, 09:01PM, brionyhorticulturalist91 said:
From what i've just read, i'd love to take part. At my college Guildford College Merrist Wood this will be amazing for me to take part in as a Horticulturalist! 2012 will look astonishing!