£2m landmark art project aims to hit the right note

Birmingham Big Art Project has announced the winning £2 million public artwork for the city.

The artwork is set to go on display at Eastside Park, adjacent to the proposed HS2 terminal.

Arts organisations, professionals from across the city and key stakeholders were invited to the announcement of the winning artist, which was revealed by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.

Five shortlisted artist’s designs were considered for the city. However, Turner Prize-winning Susan Philipsz was announced the winner, with her proposed sculpture of an aural clock. The work will include 12 digits, representing the 12 tones of the musical scales, using different vocal combinations for each digit.

Susan will seek the help of the people of Birmingham and Birmingham Conservatoire if chosen for the voices needed for the clock, which will between 156 and 1,092 in total.

Birmingham Big Art Project is the most ambitious public art commission in Birmingham’s history. In 2013, a public process of selecting the artist and artwork for Birmingham was initiated to imagine a major new permanent public artwork for the city.

A group made up of city leaders from council, business, higher education and other esteemed cultural leaders were appointed to agree a strategic plan and assist in raising the target sum of £2 million.

Birmingham Big Art Project believes that art is a vital part of the city’s past, present and future and their aim is to support and expand the idea of a twenty first century city.

A selection panel of artistic curators from around the UK was appointed to advise the steering group. Gavin Wade, the CEO of the commissioning agents, Eastside Projects, said: “With a firm recommendation from the selection panel, the steering group has chosen the artwork that challenges our ideas of what art is, where it is, when it is, how it has been made, and how to imagine art in the future.”

Other shortlisted artworks included a giant piece of jewellery, a 27 metre-long steam train in stone, a sculpture created with minerals and a slow-moving sculpture that would move at a speed of 25 metres per year.

Locals still have the opportunity to see all five shortlisted artist’s models at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery until June.