UoB Huxley Building co-commission for new public art: Shortlisted artists announced
A shortlist of six finalists have been selected in the first stage of an open competition from Brighton Digital Festival, University of Brighton and Brighton & Hove City Council, who have partnered up to co-commission a new piece of public art for the Huxley Building on the University’s Moulsecoomb campus.
The shortlisted artists are George King Architects, Matt Jakob / Nexus Studios, Luke Jerram, Paul Sermon & Charlotte Gould and Stanza.
The six chosen artists will spend the next few months developing their original proposals submitted to the open call in preparation for a group exhibition at University of Brighton, to be open during the British Science Festival and Brighton Digital Festival in September/October 2017. Following this exhibition one successful applicant will be selected for the final £30,000 public art commission, which will be produced and installed at the Huxley Building between September 2017 — July 2018.
The Huxley Building houses the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, teaching pharmacy, chemistry, biology, biomedical science and ecology. The common aim for those that use Huxley is, among many things, to discover the causes and mechanisms of disease, new ways to treat these diseases, better (and more individualised) ways to deliver these treatments, how people age, novel methods to remediate environmental damage, the effects of trace pollutants on aquatic life and to understand the lifestyle of mammals in an urban setting. The shortlist were chosen for their engagement with these themes as well as their exploration of how the arts, sciences and technology can combine to engage with complex contemporary challenges.
The shortlist was selected by a judging panel made up of Alan Boldon, Director of Cultural Engagement and Innovation, University of Brighton; Laurence Hill, Director, Brighton Digital Festival; Branwen Lorigan, Economic Development Project Officer, Economy Environment and Culture Directorate, Brighton & Hove City Council; Prof. Tara Dean, Pro Vice Chancellor of Research and Enterprise, University of Brighton; Prof. David Timson, Head of the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Science, University of Brighton; JD Talasek, Director of Cultural Programmes of the National Academy of Sciences, Washington DC USA.
The panel will make a final decision about the selected proposal by 10 September, to be formally announced at the opening event of the Brighton Digital Festival on Thursday 14 September 2017.
