Art Below

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Art Below is a London based public art enterprise.[1] It was founded in 2006 by Ben Moore. With a wide range of international artists and its various campaigns in cities worldwide, the organization has an important position within the movement of contemporary art in public space.

Contents

Concept[edit]

Art Below uses billboard space in underground stations to display artworks in London and overseas. Brothers Simon and Ben Moore first experimented with this idea by displaying the works of their friends on billboard space in major stations in the London underground. Since then the group has nurtured an international community of artists and has displayed the works of over 1500 international artists. The mixture of emerging and established artists gives insight to the contemporary art scene. Beside the idea of giving artists a platform in the public space, the commuters get the chance to see a multiplicity of artworks during their daily journeys. The principle to show art in a new context and the public appearance of contemporary art create a new urban environment. In the future the idea of Art Below is to develop a network for international artists to display their work at urban space in cities of their choice.[2]

Public Art Campaigns[edit]

London[edit]

London Underground 2008

At Art Below's public gallery in the London underground, selected artists are invited to display their work at an underground station of their choice. There the artworks will be displayed for periods of two weeks and can be seen by millions of people.

Another campaign consists of theme-based challenges. These are organised by Art Below and their partners including The Hospital Club, Don't Panic Media and The Sovereign Art Foundation.[3]

The support of new talent is an important aspect of the work of Art Below. To allow emerging talents display their works, Art Below implements projects in cooperation with universities including the City & Guilds of London Art School. During the "Art Lift" project the works of sixteen MA[4] students were displayed in the lifts of Kennington underground, coinciding with the "Cleaver Square-based school's fine art show"[5] and the Kennington Station near the event.

In January 2012, Art Below presented an exhibition 'Art of Angel'[6] at Candid Arts Trust, alongside an installation of artwork on the London Underground at Angel Tube station, with 30 artists including Julie Verhoeven, Philip Levine, Sarah Maple, Jonny Briggs, and Julie Umerle. This was timed to coincide with the London Art Fair, an annual event in the London arts calendar.

In October 2012, Art Below presented an exhibition 'Art Below Regents Park' in Regents Park Tube station to coincide with Frieze Art Fair, one of the most important international contemporary art fairs that takes place each October in London. Artists included Billy Childish and Alison Jackson.

Berlin[edit]

In Berlin Art Below developed the "Pillar of Art" project. By using pillars in several quarters of Berlin, Art Below gets overground and fills a further urban space with art. In 2010 "Pillar of Art" was a collaboration of Art Below and Art Barter. The event started on the 24th with a launch party on the Alexanderplatz and was followed by an exhibition organised by Art Below in which ten pillars around the city displayed the works of Berlin-based artists.

Tokyo[edit]

In September 2008 Art Below organised the first exhibition at the Japanese underground. The works of sixteen artists were displayed on the Ginza platform of Shibuya Station.[7] Because of its success and international recognition, Art Below initiated a second exhibition in Tokyo in 2009; at the Shibuya Station seven artists were featured, coinciding with the October "Tokyo Design Fair". The Sasakawa Foundation supported this exhibition to enhance the appreciation and understanding of Britain and Japans culture, society and achievements together.[8]

New Orleans[edit]

Between January 30 – February 29, 2012. Art Below carried out their first "pop up" billboard show in America in New Orleans, bringing local and international artists together during the most festive time of the year, Mardi Gras.[9] Billboard space used normally for advertising featured a mix of urban and contemporary art. A curated selection of 20 billboards flanking the major Mardi Gras parade routes including the famed "Zulu" parade will featured works by artists including Inkie, Art Wars and Philip Levine, as well as New Orleans based artists Sarah Ashley Longshore, Dave Rhodes and street photographer Zack Smith.[10] Running alongside the billboard show was an exhibition of the artists original works at Gallery Orange based in the French quarter, Artists from all over the world including Swedish borne Johan Wahlstrom, Inkie, (Bristol), Mario Denotti (Italian), Everton Wright (London) Alejandro Mos Riera (Spain) and Pam Phillipo (UK) made there way to New Orleans to see their work in situ.[11] Scenes and moments from this exhibition was screened on the Art Below web site in April 2012.[12]

Art In Motion[edit]

For 2 weeks from 11 April 2011, Art Below took over the digital projection screens (2 m high x 3.7m wide) on the Westbound Central line platform at Liverpool Street, to bring you "Art in Motion". Curated by Art Below "Art in Motion" is a series of short films showing different artists actually in the process of creating their own work. The artists who where show working where; Adeline de Monseignat, Benjamin Parks, Daniel Mynard, Janis Milzarajs, Kasia Jagielnicka, Max Hattler (tank.tv), Mayra Magalhaes, Megan McCann, Philip Levine, Schoony, Slinkachu (Don't Panic), The Three Classicists, Ben Pentreath, George Samurez Smith, and Francis Terry. On the 19th April there was a celebratory launch event of "Art in Motion" at the Future Gallery in Covent Garden, supported by Courvoisier. The Art in Motion showreel was projected on screen, and artist Johan Andresson's paintings from his 'stolen faces' where on display.[13]

Displayed Artists[edit]

Many artists have had works shown by Art Below.[14] In addition to the various art disciplines shown in the prior years, many now-famous artists were popularized by displaying their work with Art Below. Notable artists of the fashion scene have been shown, including Cleo Barber, creator of British luxury footwear brand Cleo B, Philip Levine, who uses his head as an exhibition space; his designs are becoming iconic within London's fashion and art scenes - his works were displayed many times in the London underground; and Ada Zanditon, an ethnic fashion designer who established and set up her own company in 2008,[15] was displayed in March 2008.

Radical names of the progressive arts also went underground with Art Below.[16] Sean Power, an active member of the Royal Marines Reserve, studied at the London College of Communication and became an official Legion photographer. Nick Ruston is a British artist and sculptor featured. Scarlett Raven, who was recognized as an artistic talent at the beginning of her BA in Fine Arts, exhibited in October 2009. She had a solo exhibition on London's Cork Street and is one of the youngest artists to have an exhibition on this famous street.[17] Sarah Maple displayed her work 'Fighting Fire with Fire' at the underground. She studied Fine Art at Kingston University and won the "4 New Sensations" competition.[18] The work 'Forgive us our Trespassing' by Banksy was displayed in March 2010 at London Bridge. In 2010 Art Below displayed a work of Charles Bronson (prisoner), a British prisoner, who was jailed in 1974.

Nasser Azam[edit]

In April 2011, Art Below carried out a dual public art display in the Tokyo Metro and London Underground commuters saw a scene of Antarctica and one artist - a dot in the huge icy canvas - the work of Nasser Azam.[19] Azam relishes giving us extreme art in challenging circumstances. Previously artist in residence at London's County Hall Gallery, and creator of the 'Anatomica' exhibition; in July 2008 Azam completed two triptychs in zero gravity, done as a homage to the artist Francis Bacon. In February 2010, accompanied by a camera crew, Azam to draw inspiration from the frozen tundra of Antarctica where he endured extreme weather conditions to produce a series of large abstract oil paintings. For 2 weeks, Azam's work was on the billboard space of 2 platforms 6000 miles apart in Tokyo's Shibuya station and London's Liverpool Street Station with images of his Antarctica series. Azam commented "I wanted to expose the desolate, silent, spacious and empty environment of the South Pole in probably the most crowded, hectic, busy and noisy space in the world"[20] Accompanying the poster display on the Liverpool Street station platform, Art Below took over a 3 meter wide digital projection screen,[21] piloting an international video link enabling London's travellers to view the Tokyo platform - the poster display and all the public activity going on around it. Playing on the same video loop was a 2 minute film made in collaboration with Bafta nominated British Film Director Ed Blum. Here we see Nasser Azam creating canvasses at temperatures of minus 40 degrees and buffeted by gales, he paints in different settings: on glaciers, by frozen lakes, in ice caves. Nasser says "I am confronted by a magnitude of blinding light, by wind and intense cold." Some of his canvases where lost in an Antarctic gale. But most are here for us to see. Such ordeals need preparation. Azam prepared for this venture in the huge freezer of Billingsgate Butchers Market, devising brushes that would work in such temperatures, and acrylic paint that did not clog. Art Below made the policy decision to persist with this display in Tokyo despite Tsunami, Earthquake and Nuclear fallout. Ben Moore said 'We did this in the sure conviction that Tokyo's commuters will appreciate such a diversion from their adversities. Now is not the time to withdraw our custom.' This was the third exhibition they have staged in the Tokyo metro.[20]

Johan Andersson Amy Winehouse Tribute[edit]

After the death of Amy Winehouse in July 2011 Art Below unveiled an image of the singer by Johan Andersson on the Northern Line at Camden Town just two weeks after Winehouse passed away.[22] The image has been re exhibited firstly in July 2012 in Art Below’s build up show to the Olympics. One year on from the death of Amy Winehouse. Art Below reinstalled the image at Camden Town tube station and was located on Northern Line Platform 1.[23]

AKA Below[edit]

In 2012 to go alongside the AKA Peace Exhibition at the ICA[24] Art Below showcased selected works from the AKA Peace series on the London Underground. "AKA Peace" originally conceived by photographer Bran Symondson and now curated by artist Jake Chapman, is an exhibition of new works made specially for The Peace One Day Project 2012, bringing together a group of Contemporary Artists, all of whom agreed to transform a decommissioned AK-47 assault rifle, refashioning into artworks.[25] Artists work that was featured included: Laila Shawa, Nancy Fouts, Charming Baker, Bran Symondson, Langlands & Bell, Mat Collishaw, and Antony Micallef[26]

Ben Eine[edit]

Eine's work was featured at Art Below's The Peace Project.[27] Enie's know for Alphabet Street where the shutters and murals that he painted in his colours and typography in can be seen in London's Shoreditch, Brick Lane and Broadway Market areas. His work at the show contained his graffiti typography. One of his pieces that simply spelled out the word love titled 'Circus Love' was displayed at Regent's Park this had previously being featured in Art Below's July 2012 show where it was placed on the wall of the Central Line at Oxford Circus.[28] Where Eine joined a growing list of Street Artists who have exhibited with Art Below such as Banksy, Inkie, Mike Ballard, and Goldie.

Notable Contributors[edit]

Artists[edit]

Street Artists[edit]

Photographers[edit]

Illustrators[edit]

Galleries[edit]

Charities[edit]

Publications[edit]

Notable Exhibitions[edit]

2012[edit]

November - Aka Below: to go alongside the AKA Peace Exhibition at the ICA Art Below featured selected works from Peace One Day's AKA projected.

October - The Peace Project: was a collaboration between peace activists and contemporary artists.

June - Jubilee: celebration of 60 years of the Queen's Jubilee, Art Below showcased the works of 60 artists from 12 countries in 20 underground stations throughout Central London. (Selected artists)

February - New Orleans: Art Below carried out their first "pop up" billboard show in America in New Orleans, bringing local and international artists together during the most festive time of the year, Mardi Gras.

January - Art Of Angel: a four day exhibition, which opened at the Candid Arts Trust in Angel on Thursday 19 January with an launch event, that included live paitning performances by Inkie, Johan Andersson, and Johan Wahlstrom, as well as a live Music set by Orlando Seale and The Swell.

2011[edit]

October - Art Below & Saatchi Gallery at Regents Park Tube on route to Frieze: Alongside the Saatchi Gallery Art Below featured artists from Channel 4's New Sensations on Platform 2 of Regents Park .

  • Gabriella Boyd
  • David Birkin
  • Jonny Briggs
  • Ernesto Canovas
  • Ronin Cho
  • Marianna Chojnacka
  • Emma Critchley
  • Kira Freije
  • Clare Gallagher
  • Tom Howse
  • Jeremy Hutchison
  • Joonho Kwon
  • Charles Ogilvie
  • Krystina Naylor
  • Catherine Parsonage
  • Emily Platzer
  • Yelena Popova
  • Tal Regev
  • Keke Vilabelda
  • Julia Vogl

September - Art Lift: Art Below featured the work of 16 MA students at the City & Guilds of London Art School. In the lifts at Kennington Tube Station.

  • Jack Spencer Ashworth
  • Polly Bagnall
  • Robert Bell
  • Mark Billingham
  • Nancy Cogswell
  • Camilla Emson
  • Ashley Fitzgerald
  • Amy Gadney
  • Michael Goodson
  • Alex Gough
  • Julia Hamilton
  • Adeline de Monseignat
  • Lya Nagado
  • Osita Nwankwo
  • Harriet Piercy
  • Tamsin Relly
  • Goro Masami Shimano


August Amy Winehouse: Two weeks after the death of the singer Amy Winehouse, Art Below are featured a special tribute billboard poster to the late singer by Johan Andersson at Camden Town tube station on Northern Line Platform 1.


April - Headism: In the build up to his solo show 'Headism' Philip Levine displayed a selection of his 'head designs' in major stations throughout the London Underground for 2 weeks starting April 11.


April - Antarctica: Nasser Azam's 'Antarctica' was shown on poster space and on digital projection screens in the London Underground and the Tokyo Metro simultaneously. Art Below also devised an international video link enabling London's travellers to view the Tokyo platform the poster display and all the public activity going on around it.


April - Art In Motion: is a series of short films showing different artists actually in the process of creating their own work. These where shown on digital projection screens (2 m high x 3.7m wide) on the Westbound Central line platform at Liverpool Street.

  • Max Hattler
  • Kasia Jagielnicka
  • Philip Levine
  • Mayra Magalhaes
  • Megan McCann
  • Janis Milzarajs
  • Adeline de Monseignat
  • Daniel Mynard
  • Benjamin Parks
  • Schoony
  • Slinkachu
  • The Three Classicists(Ben Pentreath, George Samurez Smith, Francis Terry)


2010[edit]

December - 40 years of Page 3: to commemorate 40 years of page in The Sun Newspaper a Charity Art Auction being held at the V&A on the evening of the 13th December in support of Break Through Breast Cancer. It was collaboration between different artist and Page 3 models.


September - Art Lift: 16 MA students at City & Guilds of London Art School have transformed the entire 2 lifts at Kennington tube into an art gallery displaying their end of year work in the advertising panels.

  • Minako Nonaka
  • Lachlan Thom
  • Barbara Hoogeweegen
  • Maggie Kennedy
  • Maria Thurn und Taxis
  • Takayuki Hara
  • Scott Blaser
  • Ruth Goddard
  • Margaret Koval
  • Holly Chambers
  • Dan McDermott
  • Amy Gadney
  • Alex Gough


June - Art Barter Collaboration in Berlin: Art Below launched an art campaign in the German capital of Berlin, in collaboration with Art Barter. It was a 2 week long exhibition on 10 public pillars.

  • Saâdane Afif
  • Stephan Balleux
  • Kate Bellm
  • Jason Dodge
  • Charlotte Dualé
  • Evgeni Dybsky
  • Melissa Frost
  • Wolfgang Ganter
  • Isabelle Graeff
  • Uwe Henneken
  • Sophie Holstein
  • John Isaacs
  • Ilona Kálnoky
  • John Kleckner
  • Ludwig Kreutzer
  • Alejandro Moncada
  • Jonathan Monk
  • Yudi Noor
  • Haralampi G. Oroschakoff
  • Ricard Ricard
  • Stefan Rinck
  • Sergio Roger
  • Clemence Seilles
  • Jeremy Shaw
  • Yukiko Terada
  • Pete Wheeler


2009[edit]

November - The Royal British Legion: The work of Sean Power who 40 Commando Royal Marines between 2002 to 2007. After leaving the Royal Marines still staying in the reserve. Sean trained as photo-journalist. In October 2009, Sean spent three weeks back on the ground in Afghanistan, living with and photographing the men and women of Task Force Helmand during their routine patrols and their down time. These images where on display to support the Royal British Legion.

  • Sean Power

Press and controversy[edit]

During the existence of Art Below and its organisation of exhibitions at the London underground, there was always a high interest of the media. Beside several articles, which deals with the concept and work of Art Below and its founder Ben Moore, Art Below has also caused several sensations by displaying disputed artists. Not only the fact of displaying controversial artists but also the restrictions, which go along with displaying art on public places, effected much press.

The work 'Forgive us our Trespassing' by Banksy was censored by the Transport for London (TfL), forbidding display of the work with its halo, because of the prevalence of graffiti in the underground.[29] It was displayed without the halo over the boy's head, but after a few days the halo was repainted by a tagger, so the TfL disposed of the poster. This decline went through the press and several articles were published remarking on the progress of the poster.[29][30]

Another controversy dealt with the question of the correctness of showing the work created by a prisoner. The National Victims Association (NVA) objected to the art of Charles Bronson (prisoner) displayed at Angel in 2010 for two weeks. The NVA issued a statement that the victims found it depressing that a criminal would be allowed to display his artwork on a public space.[31]

A recent addition to Art Below is an image of Boris Johnson created using handwritten quotes by artist Annemarie Wright, exhibited in Westminster tube station.[32] Wright is best known for her image of Tony Blair created using the handwritten names of fallen soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan, entitled "Their families have been told"[33]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "ArtBelow". ArtBelow. 2011-12-02. Retrieved 2011-12-25. 
  2. ^ http://www.artbelow.org.uk/ab/SitePages.action?ShowPage&key=about.us
  3. ^ http://www.artbelow.org.uk/ab/Home.action
  4. ^ http://ymlp.com/ziMmZp
  5. ^ "BBC News - Art students transform lifts at Kennington Underground". BBC.co.uk. 2010-09-02. Retrieved 2011-12-25. 
  6. ^ ArtLyst
  7. ^ "Little Chimp Society" website.[not in citation given]
  8. ^ "Sasakawa Foundation Activities". Gbsf.org.uk. Retrieved 2011-12-25. [not in citation given]
  9. ^ http://www.nola.com/nolavie/index.ssf/2012/02/art_belows_pop-up_brings_fine.html
  10. ^ http://www.artlyst.com/articles/londons-art-below-takes-on-new-orleans
  11. ^ http://www.artbelow.org.uk/ab/Gallery.action?galleryId=101
  12. ^ http://www.artbelow.org.uk/ab/Exhibitions.action?Open&exhibitionId=71
  13. ^ http://www.artbelow.org.uk/artists/artinmotion
  14. ^ [1]
  15. ^ "Ada Zanditon". Adaz.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-12-25. 
  16. ^ "Art Below: Ben Moore on his very own underground arts scene". The Guardian. U.K. 23 Nov 2009. Retrieved 2011-12-25. 
  17. ^ "Biography". Scarlett Raven. Retrieved 2011-12-25. 
  18. ^ "Sarah Maple official website". Retrieved 2011-12-25. 
  19. ^ "Art Below Zero". independent.co.uk. 2011-04-19. Retrieved 2013-03-07. 
  20. ^ a b http://www.artbelow.org.uk/ab/Gallery.action?galleryId=76
  21. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-12978834
  22. ^ http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/showbiz/i417994-16/amy-winehouse-one-year-on-from-death-amy-winehouse-johan-andersson.html
  23. ^ http://www.artlyst.com/articles/amy-winehouse-anniversary-portrait-unveiled-at-camden-tube
  24. ^ "Peace One Day’s 2012 Art Project". peaceoneday.org. 2012-07-12. Retrieved 2013-03-07. 
  25. ^ "AKA BELOW". artbelow.org.uk. 2012-11-27. Retrieved 2013-03-07. 
  26. ^ "AKA BELOW ON DISPLAY". artbelow.org.uk. 2012-11-27. Retrieved 2013-03-07. 
  27. ^ http://www.designweek.co.uk/whats-on/the-peace-project/3035327.article
  28. ^ http://www.artbelow.org.uk/ab/Exhibitions.action?Open&exhibitionId=79
  29. ^ a b "London Underground Banksy work regains its halo". BBC News. 2010-03-17. Retrieved 2011-12-25. 
  30. ^ "Underground mystery as Banksy work regains its halo". London Evening Standard. Thisislondon.co.uk. 17 March 2010. Retrieved 2011-12-25. 
  31. ^ Dangerfield, Andy (28 April 2010). "Charles Bronson artwork on London Underground". BBC News. Retrieved 2011-12-25. 
  32. ^ "Art Below - Our Artists". 19 November 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2011. 
  33. ^ "A Birmingham artist has caused outrage among families". Birmingham Mail. 30 July 2010. 

External links[edit]

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