Monster Chetwynd © the artist
The UK artist Monster Chetwynd will unveil a new sculptural childrens playground in Istanbul as part of the 16th biennial launching there later this month (14 September-10 November). The permanent piece is due to be installed in Maçka Sanat Park, a popular green space.
“Monster Chetwynds Gorgons Head Playground is inspired by the heads of Medusa that were discovered in the citys sixth-century Basilica Cistern,” a project statement says. Slides modelled on snakes will form part of the new playground. The ambitious childrens project, made in collaboration with local artists, will also pay “tribute to the stray cats of Istanbul and the Gardens of Bomarzo in central Italy”, the organisers add.
During the biennial, Chetwynd will also present a series of sculptures on Büyükada island depicting hybrid creatures, melding a snake, a crocodile, a spider and a bat with humanoid forms. Last winter, the Turner Prize-nominated performance artist, who has formerly been known as "Marvin Gaye" and "Spartacus", adorned the exterior of Tate Britain in London with two giant slugs illuminated by blue and white LED lights.
The 16th edition of the Istanbul Biennial, entitled The Seventh Continent, focuses on the formation of a huge mass of waste—3.4 million sq. km area of floating plastic in the Pacific Ocean. The biennial has endured, because “we have hired excellent curators who present timely themes linked to both global and local concerns,” says Bige Orer, the biennial director.
This years curator, Nicolas Bourriaud, is focusing on the Anthropocene (the impact of humanity on the planet), "reformulating our understanding of theRead More – Source
