RUN - an Olympic-size artwork
Date uploaded: February 8, 2012
A 30-tonne artwork inspired by popular music artists is being installed in the Olympic Park.
RUN, created by Italian artist Monica Bonvicini, will be the largest artwork on the Olympic Park, situated on the plaza of the 6,500-seat ‘Copper Box', the London 2012 Handball Arena. It features three nine-metre tall letters constructed from steel and reflective glass.
Commissioned by the Olympic Delivery Authority and funded by the London Development Agency and the Greater London Authority, the sculpture is part of the Art in the Park programme. This aims to be an attraction for the Olympic Park both during the Games and in the years ahead when it will be opened up as Britain’s largest urban park for over a century.
In daylight, the letters will act as a mirror for visitors and their surroundings, and at night the letters will become more transparent and glow with internal LED lighting.
Monica’s inspiration for the work comes from musical references such as ‘Running Dry’ by Neil Young and the Velvet Underground song ‘Run Run Run’, which have also influenced her previous work. Inspired by the many uses of the Park, it was a natural choice to return to these works and the word ‘run’ for this permanent work.
