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Art can save lives, sometimes literally (see above), TfL’s art scheme is more than worth celebrating, writes James Reed, chairman and CEO of Reed
TfL celebrates the power of art
In 2020, a train in Rotterdam dramatically overran the stop blocks at a station on an elevated metro line.
A carriage, at risk of plunging into the water in a viaduct below, was saved by a 30ft high art sculpture of a whale’s tail, designed by architect Maarten Struijs, which elegantly prevented its fall. Only the driver was on board when this happened, and he was able to free himself without injury. Images of this implausible incident were shared widely in the media, with some news outlets using the headline ‘Saved by a Whale’s Tail’.
It became a compelling visual metaphor for the power of art to save lives. It is also the impetus for a new project my company Reed is proud to be involved in that seeks to uncover more such stories at a time when the arts are radically underfunded and undervalued.
Working with Transport for London (TfL), we are sponsoring Art on the Underground, which has been bringing leading international artists to London’s transport network for 25 years.
Travelling is about more than just getting from A to B. A journey can provide a moment in someone’s day for joy or contemplation, and great art can play a real part in that.
One new large-scale commission by artist Ahmet Öğüt, in collaboration with New Contemporaries, an organisation that supports emerging and early career artists, is inspired by that incident in Rotterdam. It is called ‘Saved by the Whale’s Tail, Saved by Art’, and asks what role art can have in society.
The artist is calling for public stories that champion, interrogate and celebrate how art has saved lives, literally and figuratively. Posters displayed across the entire London Underground network from next week will ask the public to submit their stories of how art has saved them to the website of New Contemporaries.
Submissions will be reviewed by a judging panel, including the artist, and the winning entry judged the most compelling and original will have their story displayed alongside a new commission by Öğüt at Stratford Underground station this autumn. In addition, they will receive an artwork, a bronze sculpture created by Öğüt.
There is nowhere like London’s vast transport network to ask for these stories, reaching millions of Londoners and visitors. I hope City AM readers will get involved and share their insights of how art has changed their lives. Submit your story here: https://newcontemporaries.org.uk/current/save-by-art
My attempt to restore the Forest of Bradon
I am thrilled by plans to create a new national forest stretching from the Cotswolds to the Mendips. The Western Forest will see 20m trees planted across the West of England in the coming decades, creating at least 2,500 hectares of new woodland.
We have been planting over 100,000 trees on my own and Reed company land in Wiltshire for several years, in an attempt to restore the Forest of Bradon which was cut down by Henry VIII to make ships. Oak and silver birch have done particularly well because the ground is clay. The forester we work with, Keith Mills, has personally planted 2m trees and tells me if we’d planted enough in the 1980s we could be delivering net zero by now.
The minefield of ‘business casual’
I was recently asked by GQ magazine what sort of attire is acceptable for a ‘business casual’ dresscode. The distinction between business casual and business professional traditionally lies in whether or not a jacket is worn. Business casual suggests that no jacket is needed; a shirt with a collar and a jumper is acceptable. Conversely, business professional implies that a jacket should be worn.
In the old days, people dressing business casual used to wear a suit and a jacket with an open collared shirt, or chinos and a jacket. But now it’s much more varied, and interpreted differently by different generations. Someone in their twenties or thirties may feel quite smart in expensive trainers, for example, while older people might frown on that sort of footwear in the office. It’s a minefield!
Spring has sprung
I have enjoyed getting my Vespa out in the spring weather. I can smell the grass in Hyde Park and the cooking of street food in Soho, and I love soaking up the energy of the young people in the pub on the way home after work on a Thursday. The city feels as if it’s coming to life and it’s very good for the spirit.
A recommendation…
I’m glued to The White Lotus and think Mike White is a genius. Parker Posey as a lorazepam-fuelled Southern grand dame is TV gold. For anyone that’s ever stayed in a luxury resort, the social satire of the appalling behaviour of over-privileged guests is a little too close to the mark.
