Cathy's Art Diary

Bright installation on the The Tide walkway at the Greenwich Peninsula by Felipe Pantone. I loved the effect of this but it seemed to concentrate more on the underside of the walkway rather than the bit you walk along which last year’s installation did. I would like to see it go further. I need to revisit at other times as I suspect it will change in different lights and it would be very effective at dusk. No closing date given the commentary just says all summer.

Eclectic exhibition in the Design District on Greenwich Peninsula showing work of 50 contemporary artists. Curated by Lisa Gray this was a colourful selection of work in a mix of figurative and abstract styles. There was also a nice selection of sculpture. Highlights for me included Linda Chapman’s architectural works, Caroline Lowe’s abstract works, Paula Menchen’s floral still lives and Hayam Elsayed’s striking portraits. My favourite was this artist, Francesca Busca, who describes herself as a rubbish artist, as these are made of wine bottle tops and ring pulls. Maybe I should start saving them! Closed 26 June 3022    

Novel public light installation in Peninsula Square on the Greenwich Peninsula by the O2 by experimental lighting designers, Squidsoup. The work consists of about 500 suspended lights in a rainbow waves which gradually changes colour. Some commentaries I have read say it has a sound installation within it which noises from speakers in some of the lights which react as people walk though it. Either this wasn’t working when I was there or the surroundings were too loud to hear it. I found the work more striking from a distance and it looks great across the square as you leave the O2. It was less effective when you were under it and it didn’t really work in daylight when it looked a bit thin. No closing date given    

Fun, colourful installation on the Tide walkway on Greenwich Peninsula by Liz West. The sides of the walkway and steps are lined with rainbow coloured plastic which throws patterns onto the surface of the structure creating kaleidoscope patterns. I loved the pattern up the stairs and the reflections it set up. You could also look through it to see multi-coloured views of the river. A great idea for these Covid times offering a bright, cheerful place to walk or sit or to sit and observe the world. I have only been around lunchtime but I guess the light and patterns change during the day so I’ll try to pop by at some different times.    

Fun installation at the O2 by jewellery designer Tatty Devine, commissioned as an alternative Christmas tree by Greenwich Peninsula. This installation brightened up a dull day as it was made up of nine coloured stars in the colours of the rainbow which each represented a theme celebrated at Christmas such as love, peace and joy. The stars were being sold after the event with the proceeds going to charity. They’d each look good on someone’s wall but it seems a shame to split them up. Closed on 6 January 2019