The Tide


Disappointing new public space at the O2 at North Greenwich.

As a regular Thames Clipper user I’ve been diverted round these building works when walking to the O2 for at least two years so I was excited that the quicker path was going to reopen and be a park area with a high level walkway with river views. It is great to have the path back but when the Tide opened there still seemed to be a lot of building work going on and temporary barriers and sadly even Morag Myerscough’s bright murals “Siblings” couldn’t disguise the tube vent shafts. The whole area need tidying up a bit.

The high level walk way is quite fun but I’m not sure it gives much better views than from the riverbank and it was obvious from a sign that they’d already had some health and safety issue with raised sections and I spotted another accident waiting to happen with a run of shallow steps which looked like a slope as you set off from the top. I fear the effect will soon be ruined by yellow tape.

On the plus side this a fun space for new public art works. As well as the aforementioned Morag Myerscough’s murals there is a fun mermaid by Damian Hirst which had been part of his “Treasures of the Wreck of the Unbelievable” show in Venice.  Also a huge, bold Allen Jones work, an eight metre high abstract head which works well from the ground level and from the high walkway. When I went there was also a temporary work by Geronimo, 25 inflated droplet sculptures whose affect was spoilt by the paraphernalia needed to hold them in place.

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