Art and culture play a unifying role in the making of new public spaces; enabling developers, local authorities and existing communities to start conversation and to establish desirable collaborations with mutually beneficial outcomes. A clear curatorial mission, strong project partners and excellent artistic intentions can bring together, engage and unite distinct voices and stakeholder interests.
Kathrin Böhm, Why Do We Care About Art?, 2024 (install). PSQ, London. Photo Nick Turpin. © Paddington Square.
Paddington Square’s care for community is illustrated by the Tanner Lane Rotational Public Art Commission, a three-year collaboration curated by Lacuna and local arts organisation, The Showroom.
Tanner Lane is a busy narrow thoroughfare in central London, providing pedestrian and vehicle access to St Mary’s Hospital, which sits across from the RPBW-designed building at Paddington Square. The lane presents two custom-made billboards for art: towards the north site corner, sits a 24 x 6 m permanent public artwork (see Reflection #4), and positioned on the corner of Praed Street, is a 12 x 6 m billboard, which is the site of an annual public art commission featuring socially-engaged, London-based artists. When visitors, commuters, hospital and office workers – measuring in the thousands daily – take a break under the building’s elegant white canopy on Tanner Lane, they are met with awe and wonder by two vibrant and engaging artworks across the lane.
The Making of “Why Do We Care About Art” (2024) by
Kathrin Böhm (workshops at The Showroom, 2021-2022).
Courtesy Kathrin Böhm. © The Artist & The Showroom.
The Showroom (est. 1983) is a contemporary public art space located a few minutes’ walk from Paddington Square. It takes a collaborative approach to artistic research and cultural production – covering artworks, exhibitions, events, publications, artistic knowledge and human relationships – to challenge the boundaries and possibilities of art as an agent for positive change.
For the 2024 commission, artist Kathrin Böhm asked the pertinent question: “Why do we care about art?”
Individual and collaborative responses to this question were explored over 12 opinion-sharing and poster-making workshops by community and interest-groups based in the area. Participants ranged from construction-office-and-hospital workers, to local art-and-community groups. By assimilating, compiling, distilling and responding to the taped posters, slogans and statements were created by the participants and incorporated in to the final artwork by Böhm.
The Making of “Why Do We Care About Art” (2024) by Kathrin Böhm (workshops at The Showroom, March 2021). Courtesy Kathrin Böhm, Arturo Bandinelli (camera & edit) and An Endless Supply (graphics). © The Artist & The Showroom. Length: 6 mins 05 secs.
“Art can be many different things to each of us. It was important to hold a space where different meanings, practices, understanding and expressions were possible, and equal to each other. The one word and value we all care about is freedom: in art, through art, and with art.”
– Kathrin Böhm
As the first of three, year-long commissions aiming for maximum visibility and public engagement, this commission presents the power of public art to engage with, care for, and represent local voices. The Showroom’s thoughtful oversight and Lacuna’s vision to position a socially-informed project within Paddington Square’s ambitious public art programme, demonstrate that a new urban development and existing local communities can co-exist and grow respectfully, together and alongside each other.
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The Paddington Square Public Art Programme was developed in the framework of Section 106: a compulsory urban planning requirement in the UK, which supports the realisation of new public artworks. Curated by Lacuna, it was produced in collaboration with the client group, St. Mary’s Hospital, local businesses and residential associations, and with strong engagement from Westminster City Council. It represents a major investment in the city’s public realm by site developer Great Western Developments and development manager Sellar Places.
See AJN NEWS for more Reflections on the PSQ Public Art Programme.
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WHY DO WE CARE ABOUT ART?, 2024
Artwork by Kathrin Böhm
Tanner Lane Public Art Commission
Paddington Square, London
Artwork on view: summer 2024 – spring 2025
Commissioned by Great Western Developments
Architecture by Renzo Piano Building Workshop
Curated by Lacuna x The Showroom
Project Partner: An Endless Supply
Fabrication: Moss UK
Engineering: Price and Myers
Installation: M-Tec Fine Art
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AJN worked as associate curator on the project.
Left: Ugo Rondinone, Orange Yellow Hermit, 2022. Right: Kathrin Böhm, Why Do we Care About Art?, 2021–2024. PSQ, London. Photos Oliver Dixon. © Paddington Square.
