Anish Kapoor contributes weird sci-fi sculptue to 2012 Olympics
01 April, 2010
by: Spoonfed Arts Team
A massive great tangle of weird looking steel plops itself down in time for 2012. The man responsible? Anish Kapoor.
A design by Turner Prize-winning artist Anish Kapoor has been selected to mark the 2012 Olympics in London. The monumental spiral structure – over 20 metres higher than the Statue of Liberty in New York – is to be named ArcelorMittal Orbit, and will cost an estimated £19.1 million.
Designed to include the five Olympic rings by the acclaimed artist Kapoor – who had a major retrospective exhibition last year at the Royal Academy – ArcelorMittal Orbit is to be produced in collaboration with structural designer Cecil Balmond from Arup engineers.
The bizarre name comes from Lakshmi Mittal whose steel company, ArcelorMittal, are funding the project, news that comes as something of a relief given the amount of cash already being pumped into the London Olympics. But the London Development Agency are still forking out £3.1 million for a structure that rather resembles a ridiculous theme-park monstrosity.
Boris Johnson said: "Anish Kapoor's inspired art work will truly encapsulate the energy and spirit of London during the Games and, as such, will become the perfect iconic cultural legacy."
Meanwhile, Anthony Walton in the Daily Star described it as "crazy looking" and "resembling a wrecked crane", while Art Review simply said, “it is awful”.
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