Art Below
Encyclopedia
Art Below is a London based public art enterprise. It was founded in 2006 by Ben Moore. With a wide range of international artists and its various campaigns in cities worldwide, Art Below has an important position within the movement of contemporary art in public space.
Beside the idea of giving artists a platform in the public space, the commuters get the chance to see a multiplicity of artworks during their daily journeys. The principle to show art in a new context and the public appearance of contemporary art create a new urban environment. In the future the idea of Art Below is to develop a network for international artists to display their work at urban space in cities of their choice.
A further way to display an artwork in one of London undergrounds is participating in theme-based challenges. These are organised by Art Below and their partners including The Hospital Club, Don't Panic Media and The Sovereign Art Foundation.
The support of new talents is an important aspect of the work of Art Below. Additional to allow emerging talents display their works, Art Below implements projects in cooperation with universities including the City & Guilds of London Art School. During the project "Art Lift" the works of sixteen MA students were displayed in the lifts of Kennington underground. The display coincided with the "Cleaver Square-based school's fine art show" and the Kennington Station is nearby the event.
In a permanent creative process of searching new options to convey art, Art Below makes different urban spaces accessible for artists to display their work.
Art Below developed the project "Pillar of Art". By using pillars in several quarters of Berlin
, Art Below gets overground and fills a further urban space with art.
In 2010 the project "Pillar of Art" was a collaboration of Art Below and Art Barter. The event started on the 24th with a launch party on the Alexanderplatz
and was followed by an exhibition organised by Art Below. On ten pillars around the city were the works of Berlin
based artists displayed.
. Because of its success and international recognition, Art Below initiated a second exhibition in Tokyo
in 2009. At the Shibuya Station
as well, Art Below displayed seven artists and coincided with the "Tokyo design fair", which started on the 26th October. The Sasakawa Foundation supported this exhibition to enhance the appreciation and understanding of Britain and Japans culture, society and achievements together.
The most fundamental artists of the fashion scene were displayed in the last years. Such as Cleo B, which is British luxury footwear brand and founded by Cleo Barbour. Philip Levine is an artist, who uses his bold as an exhibition space. Meanwhile his head designs are becoming an iconic within London's fashion and art scenes. His works were displayed plenty times at the London underground. Ada Zanditon, who is an ethnical fashion designer, established and setting up her company in 2008. Her work was displayed in March 2008 by Art Below.
There were also radical names of the progressive arts, who were going underground with Art Below. Sean Power is one of those representatives. He is an active member of the Royal Marines Reserve, studied at the London College of Communication and became an official Legion photographer.
Also Nick Ruston
, a British artist and sculptor was displayed.
Scarlett Raven, who was recognized as an artistic talent at the beginning of her BA in Fine Arts, was displayed in October 2009. She had a solo exhibition on London's Cork Street
and is one of the youngest artists to have an exhibition on this famous street. Sarah Maple
displayed her work 'Fighting Fire with Fire' at the underground. She studied Fine Art at Kingston University and won the "4 New Sensations" competition.
The work 'Forgive us our Trespassing' by Banksy
was displayed in March 2010 at London Bridge.
In 2010 Art Below displayed a work of Charles Bronson (prisoner)
, a British prisoner, who was jailed in 1974.
The work 'Forgive us our Trespassing' by Banksy
had to be reworked and was displayed without the halo over the boy's head. The Transport for London (TfL) forbid to display the work with its halo, because of the impression of graffiti at the underground. After a few days the work has been displayed it was repainted, so the TfL disposed to remove the poster. This decline went through the press and several articles were published with this theme. At BBC News was the article released "London Underground Banksy work regains its halo", the London Evening Standard wrote "Underground mystery as Banksy work regains its halo"
An other controversial, which was caused by the display of an artwork, dealt with the question if its right to show the work of a prisoner. In this case it was not the Transport for London, which has objections but the National Victims Association (NVA). The art work of Charles Bronson (prisoner)
was displayed at Angel in 2010 for two weeks. The National Victims Association (NVA) issued the statement the victims find it depressing that a criminal would be allowed to display his artwork on a public space.
A recent addition to Art Below is an image of Boris Johnson
created using handwritten quotes by artist Annemarie Wright
, exhibited in Westminster tube station
. Wright is most famous for her image of Tony Blair created using the handwritten names of fallen soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan, entitled "Their families have been told"
Concept
The essence of Art Below emerges from the concept of using billboard space in underground stations to display artworks in London and overseas. Brothers Simon and Ben Moore first experimented with this idea by displaying the works of their friends on billboard space in major stations in the London underground. Since then Art Below has nurtured an international community of artists and has displayed the works of over 800 members. The mixture of emerging and established artists gives an extensive insight the contemporary artscene.Beside the idea of giving artists a platform in the public space, the commuters get the chance to see a multiplicity of artworks during their daily journeys. The principle to show art in a new context and the public appearance of contemporary art create a new urban environment. In the future the idea of Art Below is to develop a network for international artists to display their work at urban space in cities of their choice.
London
Art Below established a public gallery in the London underground. Selected artists are invited to display their work at any underground station of their choice. There the artworks will be displayed in periods of two weeks and can be seen by millions of people.A further way to display an artwork in one of London undergrounds is participating in theme-based challenges. These are organised by Art Below and their partners including The Hospital Club, Don't Panic Media and The Sovereign Art Foundation.
The support of new talents is an important aspect of the work of Art Below. Additional to allow emerging talents display their works, Art Below implements projects in cooperation with universities including the City & Guilds of London Art School. During the project "Art Lift" the works of sixteen MA students were displayed in the lifts of Kennington underground. The display coincided with the "Cleaver Square-based school's fine art show" and the Kennington Station is nearby the event.
In a permanent creative process of searching new options to convey art, Art Below makes different urban spaces accessible for artists to display their work.
Berlin
In BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
Art Below developed the project "Pillar of Art". By using pillars in several quarters of Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Art Below gets overground and fills a further urban space with art.
In 2010 the project "Pillar of Art" was a collaboration of Art Below and Art Barter. The event started on the 24th with a launch party on the Alexanderplatz
Alexanderplatz
Alexanderplatz is a large public square and transport hub in the central Mitte district of Berlin, near the Fernsehturm. Berliners often call it simply Alex, referring to a larger neighborhood stretching from Mollstraße in the northeast to Spandauer Straße and the City Hall in the southwest.-Early...
and was followed by an exhibition organised by Art Below. On ten pillars around the city were the works of Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
based artists displayed.
Tokyo
In September 2008 Art Below organised the first exhibition at the Japanese underground. The works of sixteen artists were displayed on the Ginza platform of Shibuya StationShibuya Station
is a train station located in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. With 2.4 million passengers on an average weekday in 2004, it is the fourth-busiest commuter rail station in Japan handling a large amount of commuter traffic between the center city and suburbs to the south and west.-JR East:*Saikyō Line /...
. Because of its success and international recognition, Art Below initiated a second exhibition in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
in 2009. At the Shibuya Station
Shibuya Station
is a train station located in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. With 2.4 million passengers on an average weekday in 2004, it is the fourth-busiest commuter rail station in Japan handling a large amount of commuter traffic between the center city and suburbs to the south and west.-JR East:*Saikyō Line /...
as well, Art Below displayed seven artists and coincided with the "Tokyo design fair", which started on the 26th October. The Sasakawa Foundation supported this exhibition to enhance the appreciation and understanding of Britain and Japans culture, society and achievements together.
Displayed Artists
There is a high number of displayed artists by Art Below. In addition to the various art disciplines, which were shown in the last years, there is a wingspread of famous artists and artists, who were popularized by displaying their work with Art Below.The most fundamental artists of the fashion scene were displayed in the last years. Such as Cleo B, which is British luxury footwear brand and founded by Cleo Barbour. Philip Levine is an artist, who uses his bold as an exhibition space. Meanwhile his head designs are becoming an iconic within London's fashion and art scenes. His works were displayed plenty times at the London underground. Ada Zanditon, who is an ethnical fashion designer, established and setting up her company in 2008. Her work was displayed in March 2008 by Art Below.
There were also radical names of the progressive arts, who were going underground with Art Below. Sean Power is one of those representatives. He is an active member of the Royal Marines Reserve, studied at the London College of Communication and became an official Legion photographer.
Also Nick Ruston
Nick Ruston
-Biography:Nick Ruston is a British artist and sculptor, most recognised for his scratch paintings depicting contemporary popular culture...
, a British artist and sculptor was displayed.
Scarlett Raven, who was recognized as an artistic talent at the beginning of her BA in Fine Arts, was displayed in October 2009. She had a solo exhibition on London's Cork Street
Cork Street
Cork Street is a street in Mayfair in the West End of London, England. It is very well known in the British art world for the commercial art galleries that dominate the street. It is located to the north of Burlington House, which houses the Royal Academy, a leading British art institution...
and is one of the youngest artists to have an exhibition on this famous street. Sarah Maple
Sarah Maple
-Biography:Maple was born in 1985 to a Muslim mother and Christian raised father, and was raised as a Muslim. She studied Fine Art at Kingston University.In 2007 she won the "4 New Sensations" competition, run by Channel 4 in conjunction with the Saatchi Gallery...
displayed her work 'Fighting Fire with Fire' at the underground. She studied Fine Art at Kingston University and won the "4 New Sensations" competition.
The work 'Forgive us our Trespassing' by Banksy
Banksy
Banksy is a pseudonymous England-based graffiti artist, political activist, film director, and painter.His satirical street art and subversive epigrams combine irreverent dark humour with graffiti done in a distinctive stencilling technique...
was displayed in March 2010 at London Bridge.
In 2010 Art Below displayed a work of Charles Bronson (prisoner)
Charles Bronson (prisoner)
Charles Bronson is a Welsh criminal often referred to in the British press as the "most violent prisoner in Britain"....
, a British prisoner, who was jailed in 1974.
Press and Controversials
During the existence of Art Below and its organisation of exhibitions at the London underground, there was always a high interest of the media. Beside several articles, which deals with the concept and work of Art Below and its founder Ben Moore, Art Below has also caused several sensations by displaying disputed artists. Not only the fact of displaying controversial artists but also the restrictions, which go along with displaying art on public places, effected much press.The work 'Forgive us our Trespassing' by Banksy
Banksy
Banksy is a pseudonymous England-based graffiti artist, political activist, film director, and painter.His satirical street art and subversive epigrams combine irreverent dark humour with graffiti done in a distinctive stencilling technique...
had to be reworked and was displayed without the halo over the boy's head. The Transport for London (TfL) forbid to display the work with its halo, because of the impression of graffiti at the underground. After a few days the work has been displayed it was repainted, so the TfL disposed to remove the poster. This decline went through the press and several articles were published with this theme. At BBC News was the article released "London Underground Banksy work regains its halo", the London Evening Standard wrote "Underground mystery as Banksy work regains its halo"
An other controversial, which was caused by the display of an artwork, dealt with the question if its right to show the work of a prisoner. In this case it was not the Transport for London, which has objections but the National Victims Association (NVA). The art work of Charles Bronson (prisoner)
Charles Bronson (prisoner)
Charles Bronson is a Welsh criminal often referred to in the British press as the "most violent prisoner in Britain"....
was displayed at Angel in 2010 for two weeks. The National Victims Association (NVA) issued the statement the victims find it depressing that a criminal would be allowed to display his artwork on a public space.
A recent addition to Art Below is an image of Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is a British journalist and Conservative Party politician, who has been the elected Mayor of London since 2008...
created using handwritten quotes by artist Annemarie Wright
Annemarie Wright
Annemarie Wright is an artist from Cambridgeshire, England. She is best known for her portrait of Tony Blair created using the handwritten names of fallen British soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan, titled Their families have been told....
, exhibited in Westminster tube station
Westminster tube station
Westminster is a London Underground station in the City of Westminster. It is served by the Circle, District and Jubilee lines. On the Circle and District lines, the station is between St. James's Park and Embankment and, on the Jubilee line it is between Green Park and Waterloo. It is in...
. Wright is most famous for her image of Tony Blair created using the handwritten names of fallen soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan, entitled "Their families have been told"