It has today been announced that Sacrilege, the life-sized inflatable bouncy castle replica of Stonehenge by Turner Prize-winning artist Jeremy Deller, will finally make its way into Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park as part of Open East Festival – a weekend of music, food and theatre to celebrate the anniversary of London 2012 on 27 & 28 July 2013.
Sacrilege toured the UK as part of the London 2012 Festival celebrations, delighting visitors the length and breadth of the country throughout the summer. Originally co-commissioned by Glasgow International Festival of Visual Art, Create London and the Mayor of London, it has since toured the world travelling as far afield as Paris and Hong Kong. Now the artwork-come-attraction will finally have a chance to appear in the former Olympic Park on the weekend that marks the first anniversary of the Opening Ceremony of the Games as well as the start of the phased opening of the Park to the public.
The Fairey Band, also known as Acid Brass, will be performing at the festival. Acid Brass, the brainchild of Deller, is the unlikely fusion of Acid House anthems with the sound of a traditional British Brass Band. Their performances of music by groups like the KLF, 808 State and many more have been huge hits with audiences at music festivals across Europe and beyond.
Open East Festival organisers the Barbican and Create London have also today announced further leading artists will appear in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park as part of the arts extravaganza including Bob & Roberta Smith, Gavin Turk and leading East London street artist Pure Evil who will be appearing as part of The Art Car Boot Fair, which gives visitors the chance to meet and buy work from leading artists.
Bompas & Parr, named by the Independent as ‘one of the 15 people who will define the future of arts in Britain’, have been commissioned to create a spectacular finale which will be the climax of each day of the Festival. The duo are famed for creating dazzling spectacles including a scratch’n’sniff cinema, a walk-in cocktail, installing mini-golf and rowing boats on the roof of Selfridges, building a climbable mountain of chocolate and transforming Kew Gardens pond into a giant fruit salad. Details of the spectacular are being kept under wraps by organisers who aim to save the surprise.
Louise Jeffreys, Director of Programming, Barbican, said:
“Jeremy Deller’s Sacrilege was one of the hits of the London 2012 Festival and we’re delighted to be bringing this extraordinary work to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park for thousands of people to enjoy. The artists and commissions announced today ensure that Open East Festival will be one of the most exciting events of the summer and we can’t wait to welcome the crowds to London’s newest park.”
Mark Camley, Director of Park Operations, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park said:
“Open East Festival is a fantastic opportunity to visit Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park before the first phase opens to the public. People will be able to enjoy the beautiful parklands whilst watching the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games on a big screen – it will bring the atmosphere of London 2012 back to the Park for the first time since the Games. Jeremy Deller’s bouncy Stonehenge will delight visitors and the surprise Bompass & Parr spectacular will entertain children and adults alike.”
About The Open East Festival
The Open East Festival in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park marks the one year anniversary of the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony as well as the start of the phased opening of the Park to the public with a weekend of international music, food, theatre, family fun, art and much more. The north area of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park will open up to thousands of people for this packed weekend of entertainment and activity, art and food programmed by the Barbican and Create London.
The festival includes a host of international music acts on the main music and Caught by the River stages including The Waterboys, Seun Kuti with special guests Robert Glasper & Dead Prez, a supergroup of Malian artists including celebrated duo Amadou and Mariam, Vieux Farka Touré and Fatoumata Diawara assembled by Cheick Tidian Seck, Ondatropica featuring Quantic and Frente Cumbiero, U-Roy, Bomba Estéreo, Jupiter & Okwess International, Soul Caribbean, DJ Don Letts, Wire, Stealing Sheep, Viv Albertine, Le Volume Courbe and The Rockingbirds.
Open East Festival promises a fantastic day out in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park for all the family. Young visitors will be enchanted by The House of Fairy Tales who will be presenting their legendary Travelling Art Circus (which includes Gavin Turk’s Space Pyramid), encounter Joey from the acclaimed National Theatre production War Horse, and be mesmerised by Graeae’s production of Ted Hughes’ The Iron Man.
There will also be opportunities to witness performances from some leading east London artists and organisations, sample the flavours of the world at the Real Food Festival and the ‘Buccaneers Banquet on the Bridge’, unearth a future masterpiece at the Art Car Boot Fair, experience the Pandemonium Drummers and BMX riders from the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony and explore London’s newest park before a spectacular finale closes each day.
For the latest programme and ticketing information visit noordinarypark.co.uk
