Out There: Our Post-War Public Art
Interesting exhibition at Somerset House organised by Historic England looking at work in the public realm since the Second World War. This show had a good balance of real objects, document s and photographs. It highlighted the role this work had played but also at the current vulnerability of the work. The first section looked at the Festival of Britain and the work commissioned for that. There was a lovely selection of marquettes of the pieces as many of the originals had been made in cheaper materials with no idea of them having a life after the exhibition. Particularly interesting was a model for Miranda by Arthur Fleishmann which had formed a fountain in the display for the Lockheed Hydraulic Brake Company display. I liked the section on Harlow new town which has 65 integrated art works around the town including a number such as Elizabeth Frink’s Board which have recently been listed. Also the section on how the Ministry of Education encouraged schools to a...