Cable & Wireless Collection I
HS Projects undertook an evaluation of Cable & Wireless’ art collection in 2003.
The collection had begun in the nineteenth century soon after the formation of the company, then at the cutting edge of communication technology laying the first transatlantic telegraph cables, followed by cables that reached as far away as New Zealand. The collection evolved over the years to reflect Cable & Wireless’ many technological advances.
Through close consultation with our clients, we assessed the relevance of the collection in the 21st century and helped to re-structure it. Cable & Wireless’ collection comprised of a range of 19th and 20th century artworks and was centred around its original core business of intercontinental telegram and telephone cable based communication systems. As the company changed from being a cable based telecoms company into a digital telecom organisation, the art collection needed to reflect that.
Our consultation work included producing a detailed report that assessed the condition and value of the collection with a number of recommendations. We also curated a programme of exhibitions from the collection throughtout the head office in Theobolds Road to encourage discussion and engage its employees in a dynamic way.
‘Rising’, Nigel Ellis
For ‘Rising’, a site spefic public art commission for Prologis Park, Bromley by Bow, we acted as advisors to artist Nigel Ellis. We helped with negotiations with the commissioner, devised the project brief and budget, drew up the contract and established a structure and timeline to effectively manage the commission. Working with Ellis, we provided general project support from concept design to project completion, ensuring the commission was delivered seamlessly.
‘’…’Rising’ was made on commission by architects for a new development on the site next to the old Gas Museum building in Bromley By Bow, from where the whole of east London was once supplied. Like some others of my sculptures its form is therefore something of a celebration of disappearing industrial achievement. However, ‘Rising’ relates primarily to the balance and weight of the body as experienced from inside. The straight ‘cuts’ give a plumb line – like a sense of vertical sheerness, and there is an underlying sense of both responding to and lifting against gravity, with the topmost forms lifted out of each other, while lower forms are slightly compressed. It is an aspirational, optimistic sculpture which presents interesting views all round, while having two particularly strong profiles. …” (Nigel Ellis).
‘Rising’, 2003 was a site specific commission for Prologis Park, Bromley by Bow.
Arts & Business New Partners Award
HS Projects received funds from the Arts & Business New Partners initiative to develop an ambitious series of workshops with lead artists Zatorski + Zatorski for the employees of Insight Investment.
Participating staff were encouraged to experiment with all sorts of visual language, from photography, to drawing, video, portraiture, text and a ‘happening’ at the end of the last workshop, offering them a wide spectrum of creative possibilities. Each workshop was carefully structured to feed into the next and so create a momentum and a sense of anticipation.
The theme of the project was ‘a journey’ and participants were tasked with taking photographs and experimenting with image-making using a variety of media to represent a journey, real or metaphorical. They explored visual language and creative thinking. A total of about 2,000 photographs, drawings and text pieces were produced during the project. The participants also created an artist’s book and a number of short video films which linked ordinary objects to extraordinary histories.