Anthony Caro - Jubilee Park, Canary Wharf

An exhibition focusing on Caro's steel sculptures from 1973 to 2010. Steel being probably my favourite material for sculpture I enjoyed it immensely. I read that Caro doesn't like his sculpture being displayed outside which is possibly understandable, given its industrial look perhaps he feels it is best in a factory type setting, but I thought it went rather well in the landscaped stone and grass of Jubilee Park.


A word of advice though, try and avoid going at lunchtime on a sunny day if you can. I made that mistake and it was hard to see some of the sculptures properly as the park was so crowded. A return visit on a rainy day allowed much easier, albeit wet, viewing.

Igor Mitoraj - Centurione I; Canary Wharf

There are three of Igor Mitoraj's works at Canary Wharf, one, Cantauro, was featured on this site on 16 August 2011. This one, like the others, combines the surreal with the antiquity of Ancient Greece and Rome.

Suresh Dutt‏ - Drawing Cube (Blue)

I really like this 10ft blue painted steel sculpture situated in Montgomery Square, Canary Wharf. Winner of the 2010 Royal British Society of Sculptors competition for up-and-coming sculptors it explores concepts of space and perspective and seems to revolve as you walk around it. It brightens my day everytime I see it which is a tough ask as it is on my walk to work from the station.

Do Vassilakis-konig - Sasso Cosmico, Canary Wharf

Sasso Cosmico means 'Cosmic Stone' in Italian and the reflective surface captures the surrounding planting, foliage, architecture, sky, clouds, weather and changing seasons especially on a lovely bright day such as when these photo's were taken.

Giles Penny - Man with Arms Open

Wandering around the Canary Wharf estate in London I realised how much public art there is to see (some appeals more than others to be honest but hey! that's art isn't it). Therefore (drum roll please) this will be the second (the review of Five Symbolic Images by Christopher Le Brun on 4th August being the first) in the official 'Kunst Critique of Pure Reason' Canary Wharf series which will be rolled out (bit of corporate speak as befits the location) over the coming weeks or months.

Giles Penny's Man with Arms Open is a bronze figure with head thrown back and arms outstretched. I'm not sure if he is laughing or merely stretching or maybe looking to skywards in exasperation but I like this sculpture, I find it amusing trying to think of all the possible causes of his posture.

Five Symbolic Images:Bronze and Plaster Sculptures by Christopher Le Brun - One Canada Square, Canary Wharf

Christopher Le Brun is known primarily as a painter and printmaker and he came to sculpture relatively late in his career. In the leaflet that accompanies this exhibition he says that the sculptures represent an inner journey but they are not explicit as to their meaning. I must admit that most of the works here are not really my sort of thing, scuptures of wings seem to recur alot; possibly I'm missing the symbolism because it isn't explicit enough but to paraphrase Morrisey it say's nothing to me about my life. The beauty of going to see art though is that you nearly always find something that you enjoy or that interests you even if the exhibition isn't really your thing and I did rather like 'Stand' a bronze and steel sculpture pictured below.