For one extraordinary night in London, art en masse will transcend the established institutions that it is usually confined to and occupy a range of unusual and interesting spaces along the Thames river bank.
Art Night, London’s largest free contemporary art festival, is returning to the city for the third year running on Saturday 7 July and the Thames riverbank will be reimagined by a series performances and installations, including new commissions, one-off projects and premieres by internationally renowned artists. From 6pm in the evening until 6am the following morning, a trail of art exploring the unique history, culture and architecture of London, will be incorporated into the landscape of the city, from the Hayward Gallery (who have curated the festival), to Battersea Power Station.
Events will take place in landmark sites along the route, some of which have been specially repurposed as art spaces, including the Hayward, New Covent Garden Market, the British Interplanetary Society, Embassy Gardens, the iconic Battersea Power Station and a dedicated MBNA Thames Clippers boat running a bespoke route on the river until 4am.
The festival’s founders, Ksenia Zemtsova and Philippine Nguyen said, “Art Night 2018 will continue to offer an artistic exploration of London, celebrating diversity, culture, heritage and architecture, through an engaging, free and multidisciplinary programme of events. We’re delighted to present the programme in South London for the first time this year and to continue to be a part of the city’s growing night-time culture.”
The 2018 festival highlights include a live performance event by artist and activist Liv Wynter in the Garden Museum, where she will be engaging with issues such as politics, sexuality, gender, and labour with a series of live performances including dance, poetry, and rap. A new commission by Anthea Hamilton, situated in Battersea Power Station, sees the Turner Prize nominee responding to the site in the form of an augmented reality experience. Cécile B. Evans’ interactive work will involve the American artist staging the production of the final episode of her three-part video and installation work Amos’ World. Evans’ set will be constructed at Spectrecom Studios and visitors can participate in a live taping session with set pieces, chroma blue screen, and live performers. Prem Sahib will be recreating the Vauxhall club scene by erecting a maze-like structure, based on the footprint of a one-bedroom apartment, in one of Vauxhall’s public spaces. Chinese artists, Miao Ying will be creating a gravity-defying virtual reality project in the Embassy Gardens Marketing Suite, and inviting the audience for a session of ‘lifestyle hypnotism’.
In addition to all the events curated by the Hayward, Art Night’s Open Call invites local galleries and spaces along the trail to participate in the festival, details of which will be announced in the coming months.
Art Night 2018 will take place on Saturday 7 July 2018 from 6.00pm to 6.00am at various venues along the Thames riverbank. Visit the website here for more information
