News2022Ariadne Wrapped 2022
17.06.2022
Ariadne Wrapped 2022
Gavin Turks unveils a brand new public sculpture ‘Ariadne Wrapped’ on 17th June 2022, in front of Cambridge Station. This sculpture in the Station Square set against the colonnade of Cambridge Station generates echoes of a Giorgio de Chirico painting, playing with the Italian artist’s metaphysical, surreal cityscapes.
This sculpture in the square appears at first glance to be an object covered in a dust sheet and bound with rope, on further inspection it becomes apparent that this sculpture is a trompe l’oeil and the coy cloth covering is forever fixed, the temporary surface permanent.
The shape of the covered object suggests a reclining figure, in an archetypal prone pose, the mythical Ariadne saviour of Theseus now abandoned on the island of Naxos, from this classical story of forces beyond humanity. Now presented as a packaged shape forever in transportation, informed by the sound of the train the parcel lies in limbo. The criss-cross of ropes and string act like compositional or navigation lines, pointers to new perspectives.
Art historically the wrapped work reminds the viewer of other artworks namely by Christo and Jean-Claude, Man Ray and even Henry Moore.
In 2011 Gavin Turk installed Nail, a 12-metre bronze sculpture of a giant rusty nail protruding from the pavement, in front of St Pauls Cathedral, and in 2016 the Artist installed L’Âge d’Or a ‘larger than life’ painted bronze door in Queen Elizabeth Park. These works including the newly placed ‘Ariadne Wrapped’ are surreal symbols, that invite the audience inside a larger metaphysical maze.
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