ART BELOW TO UNVEIL LONDON PEACE PLINTH IN LOS ANGELES
Art Below are proud to announce that the ‘Plinth of Peace’, which stood on London’s Parliament Square since 2009 is now on its way to Los Angeles to be unveiled at the opening night of The BritWeek “ Britweek’s mission is to create greater awareness of the many way in which Britain and California can work closely together, and further build this relationship to advance business, the arts and philanthropy. This event has been planned to coincide with Downtown Los Angeles Art Walk that attracts over 40,000 visitors each month.
The 3 metre wide by 2 metre tall plinth will stand for a period of 2 weeks as a central feature of BritWeek’s 2012 Art Programme. Since November 2010 Art Below have been working with Peace campaigner and founder of the plinth Maria Gallastegui to encourage artists to present works that
promote peace and an end to war. The plinth has attracted attention from national press featuring the works of artists including 3D Prop maker Schoony, Street Artist T.W.A.T., Portraiture artist Johan Andersson, photographer Emma Stoner, and performance art by ArtWars.
Now, for the first time ever, the LA art loving audience will be given special access to see this engaging work – a testament to this time of conflict that we are living in. As well as the Plinth there will also be a looped film projection outlining the background of The Peace Plinth put together by Art Below’s Director Ben Moore. This is the first public art installation to be carried out by Art Below in the city of Los Angeles, and follows on from their most recent ‘Art Below Pop Up’ in New Orleans where they occupied billboards around the city with International artists work through- out February to co-inside with Mardi Gras.
Over the last 6 years Art Below has staged over 100 exhibitions from over 1000 artists worldwide using advertising space in the London Underground, the Tokyo Subway, on the streets of Berlin, and most recently New Orleans, USA.
The mission: To enrich the everyday life of the traveling public by giving fresh insight into the very latest in art,illustration, photography, fashion, whilst at the same time providing a platform for emerging talent.
In November 2010 amidst criticism from Westminster Council Art Below joined forces with Maria Gallastegui, to call upon artists to create works that inspire peace and an end to all wars to be displayed on the (2.5m x 2.55m x 1.25m) plinths situated directly opposite the Houses of Parliament.
Maria Gallastegui, founder of the Peace Plinth has decided that all proceeds from the auction will go to a chidren’s center in a war torn part of Iraq. ‘It has good potential to heal and show that despite all the tragedy of war and the failings of mankind there are people who care and want to repair the damage in whatever way they can’ Maria has been living on Parliament square as a peace activist since 2006. In 2009 she created the first plinth with welcomed assistance at the Kew Eco village. The second one followed shortly in the Summer of 2010.
Created around the original spirit of the Olympics – back when art was featured alongside sport as a central competitive arena – T4C provides the most internationally accessible selling and exhibiting platform ever available to established, unknown and emerging artists of all styles and media where, alongside the juried competition, we let you, your friends, family and the public at large vote for the winning artworks.
The BritWeek T4C Art Battle: 4 famous personalities from the London and Los Ange- les street and graffiti art scenes will come together in an unprecedented battle using an array of recycled materials. They are EINE (UK), INKIE (UK), MAN ONE (LA) and MEAR ONE (LA). Celebrity judges and guests, the press as well as the public will have the opportunity to view the Art Battle live throughout the evening.
Plinth of Peace www.artbelow.org.uk/artists/peaceplinth