Norman Rosenthal, the former head of exhibitions at the Royal Academy, is commissioning six new public sculptures for Vauxhall in south London. “The focus is on younger British artists,” Rosenthal, now an independent curator, says.
The works will be launched in two phases. Sarah Lucas, Simon Fujiwara and Mohammed Qasim Ashfaq are creating the first sculptures, due to be unveiled in October to coincide with Frieze London (14-17 October). The works will be installed permanently in Embassy Gardens, a commercial and residential development near the new US Embassy complex, which is currently under construction.
The developer of Embassy Gardens, Ballymore, is funding the public art commissions, but declined to disclose costs. The second round of sculptures will launch in 2016, according to a spokeswoman.
Lucas will create a giant marrow, “an appropriate choice given the proximity to New Covent Garden Market”, Rosenthal says. Fujiwara is producing a work called Modern Marriage, a large-scale foot with a ring on it, which is based on a fragment of Roman sculpture. “It’s a timely work given the US’s decision to legalise same-sex marriage,” Rosenthal says. Qasim Ashfaq is creating a steel sculpture, Finger of God, which will resemble a bolt of lightning striking the ground.
Rosenthal is also organising a new section of Frieze Masters (14-18 October) this year, called Collections. The eight participating dealers have never exhibited at the fair, and many will bring types of work not previously seen at Frieze Masters.
Munich’s Daniel Blau gallery is showing fish hooks from the Pacific Ocean—including one that is 24,000 years old—alongside photographs by David Bailey. Bazaart from London is bringing Italian Majolica, Sycomore Ancient Art from Geneva will show Egyptian wooden sculpture, while the Paris-based Galerie Chenel will display Roman coloured marble sculptures. “Each show is a germ of an idea that could become a museum exhibition,” Rosenthal says. “They are all shows I have dreamt of doing.”