If you work or travel through the Square Mile, you may have noticed it’s looking a little more vibrant than usual thanks to the appearance of new public artworks. Brookfield Properties are behind the new additions to the area, which form part of the developers’ summer arts and events programme, with artists like Anna Lomax, Christian Ovonlen, Latoya Okuneye and Aisha Seriki exploring themes celebrating diversity, playfulness, dynamics within Black communities and mental wellbeing.
Running until the end of September, the artworks include insect-friendly planted seating installation HIVE, designed by We are Placemaking at Citypoint, which is made from recycled wood and sustainable timber offcuts. It’s got play areas with skittles and checkers, shaded breakout spaces, and hosts a weekly food truck market, and the whole thing will be recycled and upcycled after the summer. Anna Lomax has created the interactive outdoor installation Parade! in Principal Place, where you walk around and sit on colourful oversized 3D shapes balanced on brushed aluminium domino blocks, which represent the act of finding hidden gems in the city.
At 30 Fenchurch Street, there’s a pop-up photography exhibition featuring the works of London-based Nigerian creative Aisha Seriki, who specialises in portrait photography, and South-London based conceptual photographer and creative Latoya Okuneye. And over at 99 Bishopsgate and Aldgate Tower, you can see the debut solo exhibition from the 2022 Brookfield Properties Craft Award winner Christian Ovonlen. At the former, you can see Theatrical, which includes works from his ‘Ballet Russes’ series of painted and printed silks inspired by the costume, lighting and scenography from 19th and 20th century theatre productions. At the latter, Botanical is on display, featuring screen print works of foliage and florals from his ‘Botanical Silk’ series.
The programme has been designed to help encourage connections and a sense of community, enhance productivity, and promote positive mental wellbeing as more and more people return to work in the office, as well as to provide emerging artists with a platform to showcase their work to a wide audience. So whether you work in one of the office buildings or are just passing through the area, stop and soak up some art this summer. Downloadable art trail maps are available for both adults and kids below:
Until late September 2022
Various City of London locations
brookfieldproperties.com