Location: Birmingham, Edinburgh and London. 2021. This Is Gratitude Art Trail
The image of key workers standing together, but apart, is one of the abiding images of our times – each worker socially distancing and standing apart, while at the same time showing a unique coming together. Gratitude is a spectacular outdoor public art installation which commemorates and celebrates the stories of this extraordinary moment in time.
The exhibition launched in Birmingham in 2021 and toured across the UK. Gratitude brought together uniquely-designed human form sculptures to acknowledge key workers and pay tribute to the NHS.
After touring the UK in accessible locations including Birmingham, Edinburgh and London, the sculptures were auctioned off in autumn 2021 with proceeds donated to NHS Charities Together.
“My sculpture is dedicated to all of the fantastic voluntary key workers from diverse backgrounds and walks of life who played a pivotal role during the pandemic and continue to do so today."
The process
Community Strength is dedicated to all of the fantastic voluntary key workers from diverse backgrounds and walks of life who played a pivotal role during the pandemic and continue to do so today. The elegant design represents their value and unique contributions, wrapped in a ‘quilt of appreciation and protection’ and uses a combination of rich metallic colours, texture and glitter, with strong geometric shapes that contrast the androgynous curvature of the overall sculpture.
As the art campaign is to pay tribute to the NHS and key workers and tell a story about this year, I wanted to dedicate my sculpture to all the brilliant voluntary key workers from diverse backgrounds who played a pivotal role this year and continue to do so.
I wanted to create an elegant sculpture that represented their value and unique contributions, and I did this by using a combination of brushed silver, metallic gold, copper and chrome with textured black and gold and silver glitter.
I wanted to use geometric shapes that contrast the curvature of the sculpture. It wasn’t easy to do but I LOVE how it turned out.
The reaction from the public
The final sculpture
HSBC UK teamed up with MrASingh who created a design that is dedicated to all of the fantastic key workers from diverse backgrounds and walks of life who played a pivotal role during the pandemic and continue to do so today.
Being part of this project gives us an opportunity to express our gratitude to all those on the front line, as well as our own who have shown incredible resilience in the face of adversity.
The 'Community Strength' sculpture was purchased by HSBC UK and is now permanently located at their headquarters in Centenary Square, Birmingham.
It looks pretty awesome in their reception!
Information
Photographers - Daniel Graves, Amrit Singh, HSBC
Materials - Fiberglass sculpture. Metallic, chrome and texture spray paint
Client: HSBC
Charity: NHS Charities Together
Related hashtags: #thisisgratitude, #nhsheroes
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