Richard Wilson sketch for a Ships' Opera
This has been an incredibly busy period for the artist Richard Wilson culminating in 1513 A Ships’ Opera on the River Thames and the exhibition No Formulas at CHELSEA space
The Thames Festival documentation says
“1513 A Ships’ Opera is a spectacular night-time, water-borne performance for the 2013 Mayor’s Thames Festival, staged by an armada of historic vessels from the age of sail, steam and diesel. A live, moving operatic concerto of ships’ whistles, bells, horns, sirens and cannon-fire will recreate the lost voices of the Thames in a spectacular show of sound, light, and steam in the Pool of London at Tower Bridge on 14 September 2013. The opera is collaboration between twice Turner Prize-nominated, Richard Wilson (UK), and Thames-based artists, Zatorski+Zatorski (UK)”.
This incredible event can be viewed from the banks of The Thames at Tower Bridge / The Pool of London
14th September 2013
19.45 Bridge lift. Vessels go through and turn to hold, in formation, against the tide.
19.45-20.30 steam whistles/ horns/ bells/ simulated cannon sounding
20.45 Bridge lift. Vessels depart upper pool.
Personel and vessels:
Lightship 95 = Ansuman Biswas. Conducting the fleet + the Trinity Foghorn is on board
The Kent Vintage diesel Tug = Jem Finer + Miyako Narita. includes 16 ships air hooters + Ark Royal Hooter + Large 5 chime horn
The Barking Vintage Steam Tug = Sean Dower + 3 steam Whistles
The De Walvisch = Steve Noble + 8 varying sized Trinity ships bells
Steam Ship 56 = Rowland Humble and Steve Shiell = 16 Ships steam whistles/sirens/chimes
Steam Ship 96 = Aldo Z Wilson and Richard Wilson = 16 Ships steam whistles/sirens/chimes
HMS Belfast = Nick Sales + 6 Cannons Firing a total of 14 Bangs
Richard Wilson working on his exhibition at CHELSEA space
As if Richard wasn’t busy enough building steam hooters and conducting a flotilla of noisy ships, he has also been rushing back and forth to projects in Japan and France and has been working with us for his show
No Formulas which opens with a private view next Tuesday, 17th September, 6-8.30pm.
Richard Wilson checks over his maquettes and models with CHELSEA space's Daisy McMullan
No Formulas focusses on Richard Wilson’s sketches, collages, proposals, scores, and preparatory models and gives a rare insight into his working practices. The works date from the 1980s right through to the scores and collage for 1513: A Ships’ Opera taking place only 3 days before the CHELSEA space private view. Tacitly the exhibition is also a tribute to those who have unconditionally supported Wilson’s practice and those who have commissioned and sponsored his epic projects with only these visualisations to go on!
