Walking on Water in London
I wish I was in London - not an out-of-the-ordinary wish of late.
I came across an art installation called ‘The Bridge at Dilston Grove’. The artist Michael Cross has created the piece by
“submerging two thirds of the inside of the church in water, and producing a series of steps which rise out of the apparently empty man-made ‘lake’ as you walk across them. Each step emerges one step in front of you and disappears back underneath behind you as you go. This ‘bridge’ is purely mechanical, the weight of the person on it depresses each step a little, this force activates a submerged mechanism which raises the next step”. LINK
The viewers of this installation are invited to walk out on it, as if they are walking on water. You can walk thirty steps (12 meters) from the shore then turn around to come back.
The steps do not appear until you lean your weight forward to take the next step. Fascinating.
Exhibit only runs through tomorrow. I wish I was there to see it!
Anybody in the UK seen this?
Found via Jonny Baker’s blog
October 28th, 2006 at 5:02 pm
Cafe Gallery Projects is the group that commissioned ‘The Bridge at Dilston Grove’.
If you follow the link to their page, you read this about Dilston Grove:
“Dilston Grove is the former Clare College Mission Church on the
Southwest corner of Southwark Park and is Grade II listed. Designed by
architects Sir John Simpson and Maxwell Ayrton, it was built in 1911
and is one of the earliest examples of poured concrete construction.
Today, Dilston Grove represents London ’s only large-scale raw space
regularly available to artist’s.”
This part sticks out to me particularly…
“Dilston Grove represents London ’s only large-scale raw space
regularly available to artist’s”
What an interesting redemption of abandoned religious artifacts. How about a Voxt Culture Pub and venue space in some abandoned former places…
I wonder if there are old churches on the brink who would buy into the idea and donate the spaces?
Something to chew on…
October 29th, 2006 at 9:58 am
BOY I
Would love to see this installation with such a great “faith” component, particularly in an old church setting.
October 29th, 2006 at 10:32 am
Patricia, agreed. I think it would be incredible. Thanks for coming by!