St Christopher’s Place unveils 12th piece of public art work in Central London this year

Nov. 3, 2011 - PRLog -- Made up of 52 shops and restaurants, the unveiling marks the first evening of ‘Thank You Thursday’ shopping this November and St Christopher’s Christmas season. Set to become a key attraction for the area, the specially commissioned female figured sculpture is the 12th piece of public art to be displayed in central London this year.

St Christopher’s Place, historically marked by the clock on Oxford Street will now also be signposted by the ‘Spirit of St Christopher’, looking to attract the thousands of visitors who pass along the busy shopping street every day. Located overlooking Oxford Street, the ‘Spirit of St Christopher’ sits above the narrow entrance that leads to St Christopher’s Place, Gees Court, in-between the H&M and O2 shop and opposite Bond Street tube station.

Designed by Paul Dart of James Glancy Design, the sculpture has been in planning for three years and cost £150,000 to create. The figure is two metres in length and covered by hand, in over 1000 pieces of mirrored mosaic to capture shopper’s attention.

The Spirit of St Christopher will be the only significant piece of art on Oxford Street, creating a talking point for shoppers and tourists alike. With London’s West End traditionally seen as a shopping hub, the area has also become a cultural destination for art installations including; ‘The Jelly Belly Family’ of Marble Arch and ‘Bruce Denny’s one man art show’ in Soho Square.

The unveiling of the Spirit of St Christopher anticipates a £1 million public realm investment at St Christopher’s Place. The scheme to be funded by St Christopher’s Place and Westminster Council will be implemented in January 2012, following the seasonal sales period. Completion for the work is planned for June 2012, in time for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Joanne Wilkes, Head of Retail at St Christopher’s Place comments:
“The sculpture is just one element of a series of exciting changes happening in St Christopher’s Place, which aim to position the area as a destination in its own right. We are addressing the relevant public realm work needed to reflect the area’s excellent fashion and restaurant offering and excited at the prospect of getting underway in the New Year.”

Responsible for other distinctive installations including the iconic ‘plug socket’ near Carnaby Street, the designer, Paul Dart of James Glancy Design, was commissioned to create the sculpture to coincide with the area’s new makeover plans. James Glancy Design is also responsible for the new concept Christmas lights that were switched on in St Christopher’s Place on the same evening by the English National Ballet’s Sugar Plum Fairy.

12 pieces of Public Art unveiled in Central London during 2011:
Paul Dart of James Glancy Design, Spirit of St Christopher at St Christopher’s Place
Stephanie Carlton Smith’s ‘Reaching for Higher Ground’ at Hanover Square
Jeff Lowe’s Olympic Sculpture at Berkeley Square
X2 Lorenzo Quinn – Vroom Vroom on Park Lane, followed by Hand of God on Park Lane
Mauro Perruchetti’s ‘The Jelly Belly Family’ of Marble Arch
Bruce Denny’s ‘one man art show’ in Soho Square
Jill Berelowitz Core Femme at Cavendish Square
Nic Fiddian Green’s Grecian Head at Mount Street Gardens
Yuri Gagarin at Spring Gardens
Nuestros Silencios at Victoria Tower Gardens by Rivelino
Ronald Reagan in Grosvenor Square

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