Scene4 Magazine | Qué Pasa

The Jerwood/Artangel Open in association with Channel 4 and Arts Council England launched in the summer of 2006 as a £1million commissioning initiative for the arts. It has been the catalyst for almost 1000 proposals by artists working in sculpture, film and performance who imagined transformations of sites and situations across the UK. The range of ideas was testimony to the huge untapped imagination amongst Britain’s artists. Two major commissions have been awarded to filmmaker Clio Barnard and sculptor Roger Hiorns. Clio Barnard’s singular talent as a filmmaker were revealed in her Road Race video installation about gypsies racing horses on the M2, the acclaimed Random Acts of Intimacy and her 35mm film Flood. Barnard’s new project will see her working with contrasting communities in Britain on an ambitious live performance and feature-length film.
Roger Hiorns is one of the most original young sculptors working in Britain today. Hiorns’ materials range from copper sulphate crystals to cleaning detergent. His commissioned project involves a dramatic durational sculpture transforming a specific piece of architecture. Roanne Dods, director of the Jerwood Charitable Foundation, said of the selection process, “The scale of imagination, ambition and integrity in the artists and their proposals was genuinely inspiring. Our distinguished panel had a tough job. They chose wisely: these commissions will be thrilling.”
Sarah Weir, Executive Director, Arts Council England London, said: “Our ambition is to put the arts at the heart of national life. These two winning commissions promise to do just that, creating innovative works in unusual spaces, to both inspire and challenge our perceptions of the arts. We would like to congratulate both artists, and greatly look forward to seeing the impact of the completed works”.