Artist lights up gallery he once guarded
A GIANT, neon installation has gone on display at Tate Britain – in the room where the Welsh artist once worked as a guard.
Cerith Wyn Evans helped fund his way through art school by standing guard at the central London gallery for several years.
His new sculpture, comprised of 1.2 miles (2km) of neon lighting, has been suspended from the ceiling of the Duveen Galleries at the Tate.
Forms In Space ... By Light (In Time) is described as a “celestial map”, tackling “how we position ourselves in the world and how we communicate”.
Comprised of more than 600 pieces, it has also been inspired by the movements of Japanese Noh theatre, flight paths and subatomic particles.
Tate Britain director Alex Farquharson said: “Cerith has made a unique contribution to British and international art for over two decades. This compelling commission demonstrates his ability to create structures out of a light on a challenging scale and reveals the rich world of poetic ideas that informs his projects.”
The annual Tate Britain commission, supported by Sotheby’s, invites a contemporary British artist to create a new work in response to the Duveen Galleries.
The Llanelli-born artist has only previously displayed work in group shows at the Tate.
Forms In Space ... By Light (In Time) runs from today to August 20 at Tate Britain.