Anish Kapoor in the Serpentine Gardens for free? Thats an opportunity thats too good to miss, this Turner Prize winning sculptor is a big hit in the royal park. Big mirrors to the weather and the grounds frame the landscape in style. Below is a summary in but 300 words:
If you are in London in the near future, then the Serpentine Gallery, in Kensington Gardens is well worth a visit to see the outside sculpture trail by the renowned artist Anish Kapoor. Kapoor is a big name in contemporary art, and the possibility of seeing the Turner Prize Winning artist with a fantastic London Backdrop such as the Royal Parks is a rare chance that should not be missed. London is Kapoor’s city, and the sculptures provide a unique vision of the place that has seen the creation of his most famous pieces.
The large scale sculptures are dotted around the park and are totally free to visit making the trail a great thing to do outside while the promising spring weather we are enjoying lasts. The works are formed from shiny reflective surfaces made of curved panes of stainless steel. They throw at the observer mirrored versions of the park back on itself. The aim is to ‘creating new vistas in this famous and much-loved setting’ and they succeed in challenging the perception of a renowned location. They are at the same time a massive contrast and a compliment to the natural environment. The trail is named ‘Turning the World Upside Down’ with the surfaces flipping the language 180 degrees.
The four sculptures are each placed to have an impact. They reflect the sky, the water of ‘The Round Pond’ and ‘The Longwater’ of the gardens alongside the trees and moving wildlife that inhabits the park. I saw it on a rainy day, and the views were obscured by the water, on a bright day the perfect mirrors would be all the more stunning. The sculptures are about reflection, in terms of the literal visual effect of the shiny surface, and the response of the viewer. The viewer’s response is interesting as it is a revaluing of the world which surrounds us, and how we look at it. It is safe to say that Kensington Gardens look just as gorgeous standing on its head as it down on the solid earth. The park is open until dusk every-day and a map of the route can be obtained from the Serpentine Gallery in the grounds.
