Kai Tak Turn
Commissioner: Nan Fung
Location: 2 Concorde Road, Kai Tak, San Po Kong, Hong Kong
Status: Completed September 2023
Photography: miriamandtom | Andras Kare
Kai Tak Turn is one in a series of commissioned sculptures located throughout Airside that is conceived of a marriage between Fabric and Flight – ‘Fabric’ being Nan Fung’s history in the textile trade and ‘Flight’ being Kai Tak’s history as an airport.
It is a monument to the thrilling nature of the arrival into Kai Tak Airport, Hong Kong.
Its shape is a direct reference to the dramatic sweeping-turn each plane made as it came into landing – a manoeuvre that relied on the skillfulness of the pilot and one that created a uniquely theatrical and unforgettable experience of arrival into Hong Kong.
Its form and aluminium construction references aviation wings and the fluidity of its surface references the movement of fabric in the wind.
The stitch-like pattern etched into the surface is derived from aerial view cloud formations. It evokes both the sense of a physically woven upholstery as well as an ephemeral twinkle of sun reflecting off clouds, conjuring the sense of magic and possibility that is experienced when flying high in the sky.
Dimensions: 4.45 x 1.2 x 0.98m
Material(s): Bead Blasted and Polished Aluminium
© miriamandtom
The Weaver
Commissioner: Nan Fung
Location: 2 Concorde Road, Kai Tak, San Po Kong, Hong Kong
Status: Completed September 2023
Photography: miriamandtom | Andras Kare
The Weaver is one in a series of commissioned sculptures located throughout Airside that is conceived of a marriage between Fabric and Flight – ‘Fabric’ being Nan Fung’s history in the textile trade and ‘Flight’ being Kai Tak’s history as an airport.
The Weaver is a gesture to the tradition of tapestry creation. It tells daily stories which are always in transition reflecting the transformation Kai Tak is undertaking.
Using historical imagery from Kai Tak, The Weaver works and reworks the pixels of an image into new and unexpected patterns and images creating a living tapestry.
Dimensions: 3.2 x 0.6 x 0.5m
Material(s): Aluminium, PCB, Polycarbonate
© miriamandtom
Flying Looms
Commissioner: Nan Fung
Location: 2 Concorde Road, Kai Tak, San Po Kong, Hong Kong
Status: Completed September 2023
Photography: miriamandtom | Andras Kare
Flying Looms are a family of objects in a series of commissioned sculptures located throughout Airside that are conceived of a marriage between Fabric and Flight – ‘Fabric’ being Nan Fung’s history in the textile trade and ‘Flight’ being Kai Tak’s history as an airport.
Flying Looms are a crossover of the wing of an aeroplane in sweeping motion and threads flying through the workings of a loom.
The colourful wooden surfaces evoke fabrics to reflect the fashion and retail environment they occupy as well as representing bands and transitions in time of Kai Tak’s past to its present.
The forms have been derived to provide a variety of ways for people to position themselves on and around – from seated to perched – allowing the visitor to see and to be seen.
Dimensions: 3.2 x 0.85 x 0.82m
Material(s): PVDF Coated Aluminium, Dyed Engineered Timber Veneer
© miriamandtom
Crossover
Commissioner: Quintain
Location: Bobby Moore Bridge, Wembley Park, London UK
Status: Completed November 2019
Photography: Andras Kare
Crossover is a permanent artwork that envelopes Bobby Moore bridge in Wembley Park.
Its distinctive visual characteristic reflects the complex makeup of the community that live and pass through Wembley on a day to day basis.
Taking its palette from the surrounding area, these bands of colours have been arranged in deliberate angular contrast to the dynamic arrangement of the architecture, blending itself into the urban fabric whilst simultaneously standing apart from it.
Located at the station end of Olympic Way, Crossover acts as a marker of both arrival and departure, bringing a daily sense of celebration of Wembley and the constant crossover of people and events which the bridge is witness to.
Crossover is a digital media content based artwork by miriamandtom. It displays across the lighting system hardware specified by Spiers and Major and fabricated and installed by The Light Lab. The overall refurbishment of Olympic Way and Bobby Moore Bridge was conducted by Dixon Jones Architects.
© miriamandtom
Taikoo Place
Commissioner: Swire Properties Limited
Location: 1 Taikoo Place, Hing Kong
Status: Completed January 2019
Photography: miriamandtom | Andras Kare | Nicola Gnesi
Inspiration was taken from the historical layers of the site, firstly the area where the building is located has a Chinese name, tsak yue chung, which relates to a small stream where crucian carp were harvested by the locals. Its name in English, aptly named Quarry Bay, relates to its time as an area quarried for granite to supply building material to the developing city to the west. The design reflects the site’s connection to water and its qualities of softness, power and reflectance; and that of the quarry with its qualities of strata, layering, cutting and carving.
Secondly Swire Properties’s history as sea faring traders and the story of John Samuel Swire who arrived in Quarry Bay in the late 1800’s to develop and expand his company’s sugar and shipping divisions. To this day, Quarry Bay remains the helm of Swire Properties, hosting their HQ. This story reinforced the important and powerful connection to water as well as bringing in the ideas of a vessel that transports and contains, and one that evokes movement, progression and tradition.
The furniture elements were produced in Forte Dei Marmi, Italy by Henraux Spa and with stone consultation from EV Surfaces.
© miriamandtom
Skyscape
Commissioner: Moynihan Station Development Corporation
Location: West End Concourse Penn Station, New York
Status: Completed June 2017
Photography: Andras Kare
Skyscape is an animated voluminous sky scene that drifts across the ceiling at the new west end concourse of Penn Station New York.
Light is what sets our body clock and determines our daily existence. The sky is the symbol of the daily occurrence which lends itself to create an atmospheric contrast to the routine and subterranean context of the station. It provides a tranquil space for escapism and daydreaming.
The new concourse was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) as the first phase of the redevelopment of the station and the Farley building. The new concourse provides access to 17 of the station’s 21 tracks and will link the future Moynihan Train Hall to Penn Station, for the 2 million passengers that pass through on a daily basis.
The light Lab designed and manufactured the 258 edge lit spectra glass fins that make up Skyscape’s canvas.
Skyscape brings a bright, fresh and futuristic atmosphere to the commuter experience in the new west end concourse.
© miriamandtom
Pattern Shift
Commissioner: Pacific Place
Location: Hong Kong
Status: January 2016
Photography: Andras Kare, miriamandtom
Pattern Shift is a permanent custom-made LED lighting feature installation commissioned for Pacific Place, Hong Kong’s leading retail destination.
The installation explores and articulates the layers, textures, and patterns used in high end fashion textiles through an animated and evolving geometry.
Its physical manifestation and content mirrors the state-of-the-art character of Pacific Place, which was refurbished by Thomas Heatherwick Studio in 2011, and houses some of the world’s leading retail and luxury brands over 650,000 square feet on four storeys.
The installation is positioned throughout the entire interior space giving the feeling of being under a flowing fabric of shifting patterns.
© miriamandtom
Wonder Skin
Commissioner: Beltane & Pop
Location: London UK
Status: Completed September 2015
Photography: miriamandtom, Andras Kare, ico Design
Wonder Skin was commissioned as the shell for speciality food company Beltane & Pop’s Southbank store. The skin expresses the whimsical and celebratory mood of brand developed by ico Design. From ice pops and slushes to hot chocolates and pastries, Beltane & Pop mixes childhood favourites with a playful immersive experience well suited for its Southbank location in London.
Inspired by late 19th century glass reflectors, which were used in retail window displays, Wonder Skin is a decorative fascinator and a high performance lighting instrument.
Wonder Skin was designed to ensure the LEDs are visible in bright daylight. Using a reflective coating over a multi-faceted surface, colour is clearly perceptible in direct sunlight. At night it becomes an immersive, saturated colour experience, defining the unit and its immediate surrounding as a desirable destination.
© miriamandtom
Cubitt Wall
Commissioner: Argent
Location: Lewis Cubitt Square, King’s Cross London UK
Status: Completed March 2015
Photography: John Sturrock and miriamandtom
Cubitt Wall is a temporary sculpture at Cubitt Square, a new public space built at King’s Cross London. It is 150m long undulating surface, which dips and rises to create an arresting backdrop to an urban environment in development.
The traditional position of a construction wall is defensive. Cubitt Wall challenges this attitude by setting a visual language, which enables a new typology of public space, encouraging the public to freely interpret, inhabit and occupy it.
Cubitt Wall is the first manifestation of an ongoing project by miriamandtom addressing how the public realm is effected by large scale redevelopment programmes and why creative temporary interventions are essential to initiate dialogue between those who develop our cities and those who live and work in them.
Staying honest to its purpose, Cubitt Wall was built using standard hoarding construction techniques and materials.
The wall is intended to be in place for six years. To date, it has been used as an open air gallery, cinema, performance space, football goal and the setting for other organised and impromptu activities.
© miriamandtom
Pipette
Commissioner: Argent
Location: Kings Cross Subway Tunnel, One St Pancras Square, London UK
Status: Completed June 2014
Photography: Andras Kare / John Sturrock
Pipette is a permanent artwork in a new pedestrian tunnel constructed to connect King’s Cross St Pancras Station, one of London’s busiest transport hubs, to its burgeoning local community of students, residents, workers and visitors.
The artwork embodies the colourful tapestry of the location’s rich history. It was the epicentre of the Industrial Revolution and the meeting point of road, rail and river. During the 20th century King’s Cross lost its purpose and became synonymous with seed and vice. It is currently half way through a 25-year regeneration programme, which is redefining its place and purpose in Greater London.
As the artwork’s name suggests, its conceptual framework is simple: it pics colours from historical and recent photographs of King’s Cross and re-interprets them into 25 new colour compositions. Subtle by nature and movement, the colours intermittently intersect and overlay each other in both directions of the tunnel.
The cycle of display is set to ensure that each visitor encounters at least one compositional transition in their journey through the tunnel. Pipette intends to offer each viewer a moment of calm before entering the bustling community of King’s Cross or the rush of the metro system.
Pipette is a living archive of King’s Cross, symbolising its passing of time and its changing of place. Its digital form represents the contemporaneity of its location, informing both its artistic conception and its physical manifestation.
Pipette features as part of the Lumiere London 2016.
© miriamandtom
