To give it its full name, it’s Anish Kapoor‘s Arcelor Mittal Orbit. It’s been called a lot worse things than that. For the sake of brevity let’s just call it the Orbit.
If anyone doubts Anish Kapoor’s credentials as an artist they can check out these links –
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anish_Kapoor
Or just do an image search for Kapoor and his work on Google.
Here’s a summer holidays activities suggestion for parents and grandparents. Let the children use a digital camera to keep a record of as much public art as they can see on outings and visits. Go on special trips to look at public art. Talk to them about the role and the importance of public art. Ask them to categorise the public art they’ve seen (and their photographs of it) into the good, the bad and the ugly. Ask them to write brief descriptions of the art they come across, giving reasons why they like or dislike it. Ask them to write personal appreciations, stating what the art does for them – the feelings or emotions which are aroused by the art, if any. Go on the Internet and look in any books available to see examples of public art right around the world. Try to create greater awareness of art, especially public art. Find out about the people who create public art. Ask the children to create their own pieces of art to put on display where other people can see it – even if it’s just an arranged collection of pebbles, bricks or sticks.
Consider the work and the public art of Andy Goldsworthy which he’s made from natural materials. Do an image search and a video search for his work on Google.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Goldsworthy
http://www.goldsworthy.cc.gla.ac.uk/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/andy-goldsworthy-art-in-a-natural-environment/8230.html
http://www.ucblueash.edu/artcomm/web/w2005_2006/maria_Goldsworthy/TEST/index.html
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2012/may/06/olympics-orbit-anish-kapoor
http://www.arcelormittalorbit.com/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/oct/28/arcelor-mittal-olmpic-tower-grower
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3D Eye 
caught the doco about how the work came about – and the compromises Anish Kapoor made. We caught his work Ascension at the Venice Biennale 2011 – inspirational
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Thanks to your comment we’ve just discovered this excellent clip of ‘Ascension’ on YouTube – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8-cRBRO4X8 , and also this video of Kapoor’s show at the Royal Academy of Arts – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umVSGErfg8E&NR=1&feature=endscreen . G
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Gorgeous! I enjoy this sculpture and all your photos of it. I also like what your commenter Corrine said about street art being polarizing, and getting people talking. However one difference is that I particularly enjoy the shots of the sculpture with the flowers ~ it’s such an startling juxtaposition that it brings out the organic fluidity of the the shapes of the sculpture for me. I also enjoy the shots against the sky, with the jet passing. Another great post! Thanks for helping bring the Olympics closer for all of us – not just what we’re seeing on TV.
Hugs, Gina
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Thanks Gina. From a photographic point of view we were fortunate that on the first day we were in the park (Monday) there were interesting cloud formations in a brilliant blue sky as a backdrop to the Orbit. I’m looking forward to shooting some more photos in the future at sunrise and sunset as I’d like to see it against oranges, reds, yellows and golds. I’ve noticed on the television that they’ve taken the trouble to light it after sunset in quite a dramatic way, and I’m looking forward to going back and seeing that lighting from close range as well. No doubt professional photographers are going to do some brilliant shots of it as well, if they haven’t already.
G
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What an amazing sculpture. In some of the photos I absolutely love it, but in others I really don’t like it. For example, in your photograph with the field of wildflowers in the foreground, I find it ugly. I want to see something natural in that environment, not something all twisted and metalic. Yet in other pictures, like the first one, I love all the spirals and twisted forms. This is something I really like about street art – it can be polarising. It starts people thinking, talking and debating. I love that this isn’t a safe work of art. What a great time to be in London – I wish I was there!
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Thanks for this Corinne. It is amazing, isn’t it? It’s been interesting this past couple of years just to pass by the site and to see from a distance the structure rising from the ground. One of the friends I was with in the park said it’s a much more interesting structure from up close, and from certain angles. The other friend can’t stand it from any point of view! Unfortunately we were unable to get tickets to go up the Orbit, and I’m looking forward to doing that, and to looking out from the observation room, possibly during the paralympics next month. It seems the people of Paris hated the Eiffel Tower when it was first built, but of course no-one would suggest getting rid of it nowadays! I suspect the Orbit will come to have similar significance for East London, especially when there’s full public access to the Olympic Park and everyone has an opportunity to get close to it and go to the top of it. It is a great time to be in London. I heard from a friend in Melbourne this morning who tells me she’s already fed up with your winter weather!
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