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Review Dec 12 2008 « | »
Wilkinson lights up The Economist Plaza 'The Economist' and 'contemporary art' may seem worlds apart, but the magazine's plaza provides a great venue for just......

Jon Openshaw

'The Economist' and 'contemporary art' may seem worlds apart, but the magazine's plaza provides a great venue for just that. The space has been given over to The Contemporary Art Society for over a decade now, creating the only outdoor public exhibition space in Central London with a continuous program of sculptural works; the latest being Tom Wilkinson's 'Light Wave'. Read more on The Economist's contemporary art program here.

Central London on a mid-December evening will always provide two things: Baltic temperatures and gaudy Christmas decorations. St James Street had both in abundance last night, so The Economist Plaza provided welcome shelter. The space in itself is fantastic; a raised modernist platform designed by the Smithson's in the early 60s. It is enhanced by Wilkinson's kinetic sculpture undulating in the center, setting thousands of reflections to play across the glass and concrete.

The sculpture is a sine wave made up of 95 cut glass blades which slowly rise and fall in turn, set in motion by a tiny motor (the energy equivalent of a household bulb). This is kinetic energy and gravity in perfect equilibrium, making almost half a ton of glass and metal move effortlessly like a prehistoric ribbon-eel. Wilkinson's interest here is in the ambiguous nature of matter, glass being the perfect paradoxical medium of a molten solid.

There is something inherently calming about 'Light Wave' - a clinking wind chime gone horizontal. Well worth a moment of reflection for the thousands of worker bees that stream through the Plaza every day. I would advise stopping by in the evening for the full glitter ball experience.

The exhibition will run until the 6th February, and for more on the artist go here.

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