INFLATABLE STONEHENGE COMES TO THE SOUTH WEST AND WALES
With just over a month to go to the start of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, ‘Sacrilege’, the life-sized inflatable replica of Stonehenge for people to bounce on by Turner Prize-winning artist Jeremy Deller, is coming to the South West.
Heartlands, Cornwall’s new free cultural playground and World Heritage Site Gateway based in Pool, near Redruth will host this spectacular interactive art installation for one day only on Sunday 24 June 2012 as part of a tour that will see it travel to 25 locations across the country.
A co-commission between Glasgow International Festival of Visual Art and the Mayor of London, the work was enormously popular when, supported by Creative Scotland; it appeared in Glasgow earlier this year. With support from Arts Council England it is now travelling around the country as part of the nationwide London 2012 Festival.
Deller’s Sacrilege is aimed at people of all ages and its appearance at Heartlands – the only venue in Cornwall to host the installation – is expected to attract a lot of local interest, adding to the excitement of the country hosting the 2012 Games. It is also light-hearted way for people to think about one of the UK’s most iconic historic monuments.
Jeremy Deller said: “A lot of my work deals with history, and Sacrilege is no exception, this is a way to get reacquainted with ancient Britain with your shoes off.”
Vicky Martin, Chief Executive of Heartlands said: “When one World Heritage Site meets another! We’re very excited to have been chosen to host this amazing installation at Heartlands. To be the only host venue in Cornwall is wonderful and we are intrigued to see how a replica Stonehenge, which is such an iconic heritage site, will look in this awe-inspiring Cornish landscape. We encourage people to pop down to Heartlands for a bounce throughout the day and learn about the importance of both World Heritage Sites – as well as have some fun.”
As Sacrilege moves across the country the growing tribe of followers is being encouraged to ‘offer their images to the gods’ by uploading photos of themselves on the installation onto Flickr to create gigantic on-line clan. To check opening times and local weather conditions for each venue, members of the public should follow Sacrilege on Twitter to receive updates direct from the heavens @Sacrilege2012. And ‘bouncers’ are being encouraged to download free ‘Druid Beards’ from the Sacrilege website, colour them in and arrive in druid fancy dress.
The first venue on this nomadic tour of the UK is the National Botanic Garden of Wales in west Wales, where the inflatable monument will appear on 21 June. It then heads to Heartlands, Redruth, Cornwall, on Sunday 24 June, Belmont Park, Exeter on Tuesday 26 June, Marlborough Common, Wiltshire on Friday 29 June and in College Green, Bristol, on Saturday 18 August.
More info at www.sacrilege2012.co.uk
