6.15pm CROWN PIER, VICTORIA EMBANKMENT, EC4N 0DN. Between Temple & Blackfriars Directly across on the North Side of the Thames from the OXO tower
Taking art out of the gallery and into the wilds, MONSTER, will be an art experience to remember. As with Giles Walker’s impressive ‘Last Supper’, recently exhibited at The London Science Museum, MONSTER will be a kinetic installation but, this time, of intense proportions.
We need your support to help this artist build a totally relevant and immersive sculpture installation incorporating large scale animatronic figures and furniture choreographed into something resembling mechanical theatre.
“It’s our memories that make us interesting; stories of amazing journeys, nights out seeing something new, cultural, exciting, provocative, or even life changing. These were my emotions after seeing Giles Walkers’ The Last Supper when I saw it at The London Science Museum. I want you to understand those feelings when you come to experience MONSTER.”
– Ben Oakley, Curator
Giles Walker is no stranger to producing the full on ‘art experience’. Over 30 years ago he joined the guerrilla art group, Mutoid Waste Company. With this collective of artists, he travelled all over Europe living and creating art experiences that are still spoken about with enthusiasm today. With Giles Walker’s current work, he continues to deliver intense, physical, sculpture. Emotions are acted out in the movement of figures and everyday objects using simple mechanisms. Kinetic sculpture, as with the choreography of dance, or physical theatre, can also strive to find a ‘poetry in motion’ and this has become the main drive behind his work.
Using animatronics, sound and light to create a tightly synchronised piece of art, MONSTER is sure to provoke a raw emotional response and leave the viewer with an experience they will remember.
The installation will be set in an atmospheric Georgian Warehouse on the Thames. You will not view this installation passively from a far…you will be in it and immediately surrounded by animatronic figures (some 4.5m tall) as they interact between themselves and with you. Different perspectives will be experienced from this piece of sculpture depending on where you are, and when, allowing the audience a fresh experience if they visit again.
“Giles Walker is a master sculptor and a genius”
– Ken Russel, The Times
WHAT WE NEED & WHAT YOU GET
Giles Walker & the Ben Oakley Gallery have been in pre production on MONSTER for around 14 months already, there have been numerous studio and location visits, midnight phone calls, the odd pint, emails galore, design drawings, meetings, models made, creative planning and fine tuning. All this preparation leaves us truly confident us that we can deliver a memorable art experience to everyone who visits the MONSTER exhibition.
The same attention to detail has been given in developing some interesting and creative ideas to offer as our exclusive Indigo crowdfunding perks/rewards.
Work on the show has already begun. The concept behind the show is pretty much locked down and Giles has already begun fabricating some of the animatronic characters that will play a part in this huge kinetic sculpture. A singer has been found and has begun recording vocals for one of these characters to sing. Dialogue is being written. Trees have been felled and carved for the larger sculptures and our various storage units are beginning to fill up with a collection of materials needed. We are on it.
We have set our campaign target at just £40,000. This is the minimum amount we believe is needed to make this project possible.
Half of this will pay for the all the motors, steel, bearings, digital components etc that go into the fabrication of this piece. Giles’s many years of experience has taught him how to be imaginative in order to keep costs down (he is originally a scrap artist after all) but, ultimately, the work must be made to a high standard and some short cuts can often backfire badly in the world of kinetics!
Most importantly, at this early stage, in order for Giles to continue with the build and stick to the schedule, we need to raise £6,000 so that he can concentrate full time on the essential design & dialogue phase. This amount will allow him a few months without other distractions. These are his minimal living & studio costs.
The Georgian Warehouse where we plan to exhibit the show will cost £10,000. This is for the 25 days of MONSTER pre-build, technical checks, exhibition days & dismantle.
An additional £6,000 is needed for staffing, production & PR for the next 7 months until instalment.
Combined, we have over 50 years experience in the creative art world industry. Ben Oakley Gallery has been in operation for ten years and has curated over 100 Exhibitions in London and Europe. It is well experienced in putting on large public events. Giles Walker has travelled with his work all over the world and exhibited it in a huge variety of different venues and environments. With the funds requested we can do this.
For an additional insight into Giles Walker’s work please check out his website and this link to a short film of his phenomenal piece ‘The Last Supper’, recently exhibited in The London Science Museum. You will instantly get a clear picture in your mind of the exquisite finish, style & quality he incorporates into his work and how he uses it to build upon a strong and provocative concept.
A similar approach to his work will of course be taken as he launches into his most ambitious installation to date, MONSTER. A unique art experience we feel you’ll happily carry with you for a very long time. It can’t happen without you. Thank you.
THE IMPACT
“To be perfectly honest.. too much art leaves me feeling cold. I feel it is either lacking in passion or substance. With MONSTER my aim is to present a difficult and broad concept in the most visual way possible. However, I wont stop there because I will use sound and movement in a way that will make you feel this sculpture physically as well.
My intention is that MONSTER will appeal to all people of all ages. I hope that everyone will experience something personal as well as collective from their visit. I want to leave people inspired and satisfied but also with the feeling that they missed something…so they come back again!”
– Giles Walker, Artist
RISKS & CHALLENGES
We have a proven track record of working successfully on many different projects and that does help with our confidence that MONSTER will be completed.
Our major challenge is to raise enough funds so we can secure the materials for fabrication, the venue/location, and buy some focussed creative time within our set timetable.
We think that the perks/rewards on offer are interesting, of worth, and reflect the nature of the project as a whole. We sincerely hope that you can see the value in backing/investing in our Monster Campaign and find a perk that suits you.
We fully understand that not everyone is in a position to contribute financially but wish that you share our Indiegogo MONSTER campaign to some or all of your contacts and we will look forward to seeing you at the secret warehouse location in September 2019.
SHARE
Click the big red button below to take you to our fund-raising site and don’t forget… share it with EVERYONE….. www.igg.me/at/monstercampaign
Created by Jason Boughtwood
Created by Jason Boughtwood