Contemporary art greats unite for landmark exhibition
5 December 2011
Antony Gormley, Tracey Emin, Sir Anthony Caro, Yinka Shonibare, Gillian Wearing, Jonathan Yeo, Bob & Roberta Smith, Nathan Coley and Nika Neelova come together for the must see art event for London in 2012
Somerset House
Private View: Tuesday 13th March 2012
Auction: Thursday 3rd May 2012
Christie's, King Street, London
Antony Gormley, Tracey Emin, Sir Anthony Caro, Yinka Shonibare, Gillian Wearing, Jonathan Yeo, Bob & Roberta Smith, Nathan Coley and Nika Neelova come together for the must see art event for London in 2012
The Crisis Commission sees some of the most celebrated artists of our day unite to bring major new works to a spectacular exhibition and auction in Spring 2012. The landmark event will be a highlight of London's art scene, bringing together contemporary artists of the highest calibre who have rarely, if ever, exhibited together before.
The exhibition takes place in one of London's most prestigious venues, Somerset House, 14th March - 22nd April 2012. A following auction of exhibited works will take place at Christie's on Thursday 3rd May, with all proceeds going to Crisis, the UK's national charity for single homeless people. The cost of creating works to fill a wing of Somerset House will be met by lead sponsor GlaxoSmithKline.
Leslie Morphy, Chief Executive of Crisis said: "We are thrilled that so many leading contemporary artists are participating in the Crisis Commission. This prestigious event will raise much needed funds for our work and bring a new focus to the worrying current rise in homelessness in society."
Laurence Sillars, Curator of the Crisis Commission and Chief Curator at BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, said: "The Crisis Commission will be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to experience major works from our greatest contemporary artists reacting to an issue that is sadly becoming ever more prominent in today's society - homelessness. It is hugely exciting that artists of this calibre are right now making original works that will reflect on the exhibition's themes of isolation, property, security and space. I can't wait to install them in Somerset House for all to enjoy, but also to provoke thought on what it is like not to have a home."
Gwyn Miles, Director, Somerset House Trust said "We are very proud to be working in partnership with Crisis again. And we are particularly pleased that such a stellar group of contemporary artists will be displaying their work in the newly restored East Wing Gallery at Somerset House. It is an exciting project and one which we are thrilled to present to the public".
Antony Gormley said: "The most powerful social sculpture of our times is made by the quiet performances of the homeless within the shelter provided by the entrances to the shops and restaurants of our inner cities. This exhibition allows one to think about those bodies that have no place. I believe that sculpture can powerfully evoke the nameless, the voiceless and the placeless and I am proud to be part of and am inspired by this visionary project."
Responding to themes and issues relating to homelessness - isolation, property, security, space - leading artists Tracey Emin, Antony Gormley, Yinka Shonibare, Jonathan Yeo, Gillian Wearing, Bob & Roberta Smith, Nika Neelova and Nathan Coley will all donate new works for the exhibition. Sir Anthony Caro will donate an existing work.
The Crisis Commission will raise funds for Crisis and awareness around a reality faced by an increasing number of people. As the economic downturn and austerity measures bite, homelessness is again on the rise in the UK.
After years of declining trends, 2010 marked the turning point when all forms of homelessness began to rise. Over the course of last year the number of people approaching their council as homeless has risen by 15%. 3,975 people slept rough in the capital during 2010/11, an 8 percent rise on the figure for the previous year. Research predicts that the combination of the continuing economic downturn and the Coalition Government's radical reforms to housing and welfare, particularly its cuts to Housing Benefit, will cause homelessness to increase yet further.
Homeless and vulnerably housed clients of Crisis will have their work exhibited alongside the established artists for the duration of the Crisis Commission. The clients will be drawn from Crisis' year-round art classes, held at Crisis' Skylight Centres in London, Newcastle, Birmingham, Merseyside and Oxford.
The Crisis Commission is pleased to be supported by eminent patrons in the art world: Julia Peyton Jones, Co-director of the Serpentine Gallery; Kathleen Soriano, Director of Exhibitions at Royal Academy of Arts; Francis Outred, International Director and Head of the Post-War and Contemporary Art for Christie's; Godfrey Worsdale, Director of BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art; and Daphne Guinness.
"When I first visited Washington I was surprised that littered amongst the great national monuments of the Lincoln memorial, the obelisk and the Senate were bodies of those that had fallen out of society: homeless people sleeping on the streets and around the Mall in this capital city in the heart of the then most powerful country in the world.
The most powerful social sculpture of our times is made by the quiet performances of the homeless within the shelter provided by the entrances to the shops and restaurants of our inner cities. This exhibition allows one to think about those bodies that have no place. I believe that sculpture can powerfully evoke the nameless, the voiceless and the placeless and I am proud to be part of and am inspired by this visionary project. The work that I am making tries to evoke a fallen body that is nevertheless not at rest."
Antony Gormley
"It is tremendous to see the way in which these extremely sought-after artists have found time in their schedules not only to support Crisis in developing this initiative, but to have done so with such commitment and generosity. So many of our great artists look into society to find the catalyst for their creativity and this auction will enable artists to impact directly in a part of society that is in very serious need of all our consideration. Not only can these interventions help people's lives financially, but with such significant artists involved, this auction will shine an important light on the colossal inequalities of our times."
Godfrey Worsdale
"I'm very excited about being part of such an incredible project - alongside some great artists and for such a worthy cause. I'm working on something I've never done before and I couldn't be more glad it's for this particular occasion."
Jonathan Yeo
"Crisis does invaluable work giving vulnerable and overlooked members of our society the opportunity to nurture creative talents. It draws attention to the immeasurable effect that the arts can have on our lives."
Julia Peyton-Jones
"The work Crisis do is continuously vital, but now ever more urgent, as the winter months are the hardest. Their task is immense, and their responsibility is mine to share. I am honoured to be involved with this project."
Daphne Guinness
Exhibition Details
Dates: 14th March - 22nd April 2012 Opening Hours: Monday - Sunday 10am - 6pm
Address:
Somerset House,
Strand,
London.
WC2R 1LA. Tube:
Mainline Rail: Temple, Covent Garden, Charing Cross, Embankment and Temple
Blackfriars, Charing Cross and Waterloo
Telephone: 0207 845 4600 Price: Free
Contacts
For further information / Use of pictures / Interviews
Idea Generation: +44(0)20 7749 6850
Charlotte Sluter: charlotte.sluter@ideageneration.co.uk
Hannah Ainsworth: hannah.ainsworth@ideageneration.co.uk
Editor's Notes
Crisis
Crisis is the national charity for single homeless people dedicated to ending homelessness by delivering life-changing services and campaigning for change. The charity's award winning education, training and employment centres, Crisis Skylight in London, Newcastle, Birmingham, Merseyside, Edinburgh and Oxford, offer practical and creative workshops to over 3,000 homeless people a year in an inspiring environment together with formal learning opportunities that lead to qualifications and finding work.
The wide range of courses include art, drama, photography, literacy, numeracy and IT, help people to restore their well-being, regain confidence, develop their skills and raise aspirations.
Somerset House
Somerset House is a spectacular neo-classical building in the heart of London, sitting between the Strand and the River Thames. Since opening to the public in 2000, Somerset House has produced a distinctive public programme that annually draws over 1.2 million visitors to the site, providing a centre for arts and culture in the heart of London, as well as housing numerous creative communities. The varied, year-round programme includes an open air film and concert season and ice rink, as well as temporary exhibitions focusing on contemporary fashion, design, art and architecture, family workshops and free guided tours. In September 2009, Somerset House became the new home of London Fashion Week.
Sponsors
GlaxoSmithKline - one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies - is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. GSK is proud to be supporting Crisis and this exhibition as part of our programme of charitable support in the UK. For further information please visit www.gsk.com
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