Lots Road Pumping Station, London
Lots Road, London: Ascent, Jo Chapman
Year
In development
Client
fereday pollard for Tideway
Artist
Jo Chapman
Service
Commission Management
Location
Lots Road, London
A permanent commission for Lots Road Pumping Station (Cremorne Wharf Depot)
Jo Chapman has been commissioned by Tideway to create an artwork for this listed building in Chelsea.
This and all of the permanent commissions respond to the site-specific narratives set out in the Heritage Interpretation Strategy. The cultural meander for the Central section of the tunnel is – ‘Babylon to World City: Civic London’, the site-specific narrative references to explore how new fashions in amenity and recreation broke down social constraints and realised communal value in the river, i.e. as an early illustration of how people can be connected with the Thames.
One of the activities in the nearby historic Cremorne Gardens was balloon racing which was a very popular past-time. The balloons are also a metaphorical reference to the HIS’s main theme of the River of Liberty – with access to leisure activities and general enjoyment. The closing of Cremorne pleasure gardens in 1877 ended a brief period of public access to the River; by presenting elements from the pleasure garden, the artist’s proposal remembers and recalls this time. The pub on the corner of Lots Road was formerly known as the Balloon Tavern.
“The gates subtly evoke the celebratory nature of the Cremorne Pleasure Gardens.”
The proposal is to replace the pedestrian gates to the Pumping Station with a pair of new gates in painted steel using a balloon design, with the colourway reflecting the colours of the river. The proposal utilises the balloon imagery to give a sense of depth, drama and to make the imagery abstract yet recognisable. Taking line drawings of soaring balloons the artist has developed the proposal for the artwork.
The muted colours of the artwork are drawn from the tones of the river Thames. The gates are the central pedestrian gates in the middle of the building, at the front of the pumping station facing onto Lots Road.
The artwork will create a better relationship to Lots Road for the pumping station whilst celebrating the history of the area. Lots Road Pumping Station is a Grade II listed building and is still operational as a pumping station.
For more information on the site’s history see Tideway’s Heritage Interpretation Strategy.
“The proposal is intended to draw more attention and recognition to the pumping station building and its setting, including its Victorian heritage. ”
About the artist
Jo Chapman is an established site-specific artist working in the public realm on large scale commissions for a variety of sites, she has undertaken projects in the UK, France, India and Ireland. Jo also works as an arts educator and has lectured, curated and worked on the design and build of gardens.
Originally studying embroidery at Birmingham City University, Jo has worked in a range of formats from stitch to drawing, printmaking, text, sculpture and temporary, installation-based works. Her visual language draws from diverse influences, she does not try to create a particular style but to be responsive and to continue to find new ways of working, the ideas drive the work. Her artworks will often reference the history of their locations and the people. She sees her role as offering a unique approach to solving problems and bringing high quality art to spaces outside of galleries, injecting some beauty and a sense of curiosity into our everyday lives.
She divides her time between Suffolk, UK and Normandy, France.
For more information on the project see: www.tideway.london