Today we are thrilled to announce the addition of a new installation by artist Hanna Benihoud at Claremont Park. Rainbow of Ribbons is a rain screen that is now part of Gussy’s Ice Cream Parlour.
It was important to us to partner with local people to bring the park to life, which is why we teamed up with artist Hanna Benihoud to create a vibrant, playful ribbon rain screen installation.
I'm a Londoner born and bred, my first job was in Brent Cross Shopping Centre, so when I was asked to work on this project, I jumped at the chance to give back to the area I grew up in.
Hanna creates public art and blurs the worlds of architecture and design to make pieces that engage local communities. After collaborating with Levitt Bernstein to build the City of Stories installation for the London Festival of Architecture, Hanna’s studio has gone on to create public art in London and abroad, always committed to telling stories and adding joy to public spaces.
“Related Argent wanted to focus on play and sport, so I spent a sunny day in the park with a load of brilliant local children of all ages – from toddlers right through teenagers – playing with colours and shapes to see what inspired them. Eventually a theme of a rainbow made from ribbons shone through. These ribbons looked like the ones you might have used in a PE class at school, which was a way to integrate physical movement and play into the artwork itself,” says Hanna.
Hanna then used photographs taken on the day to create sketches and 3D models of how the installation might look, while ensuring it also served the practical need of providing a screen.
The installation itself is made from steel and is powder-coated in the colours of the rainbow. “I used to be an architect and I love creating huge pieces of work and installations, but the challenge is always what material to use,” explains Hannah. “I’ve worked with all kinds of materials, from helium to concrete but this is the first time I’ve worked with steel. It’s much more pliable and fluid than something like timber, for example, but it’s strong enough to survive being outside all year around.”
To create the installation, Hanna collaborated with The White Wall Company, who used a blowtorch to heat the steel until it was molten and could be manipulated. The team then had to work fast to mould the steel into a spiral before leaving it to cool, which can take up to 24 hours.
“I loved working collaboratively as part of a team when it came to actually making the installation,” says Hanna.
I loved working collaboratively as part of a team when it came to actually making the installation
“That’s the most incredible thing about Brent Cross Town, it’s a collaboration between something new and local people who are being given a say in what will be best for their community moving forward. It’s been wonderful to be involved in something that’s such a positive moment for north London.”
See Rainbow of Ribbons in Claremont Park, NW2 1DG
Subscribe now to be the first to get the latest news, events and happenings at Brent Cross Town sent direct to your inbox.
