Royal approval for Medway's Olympic artist
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The Queen has unveiled a sculpture by the artist responsible for Medway’s Olympic countdown clock. Paula Groves was commissioned to create the piece for the opening of the Diamond Light Source, the largest science facility to be built in the UK for 40 years opened by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh on 19 October. |
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The Diamond Light Source piece is a large sculpture based one of Paula’s original pieces, Lamina. The sculpture references images from within the synchrotron building, looking specifically at the shapes within the roof.
Paula said: “From the first visit to the Diamond Light Source facility the concepts of the synchrotron – magnified atoms and molecules and the actual space, construction, design and materials resonated with the themes in my work.
"I’ve always seen my inspirations as being cosmic - so more looking out - yet this seems to marry with the ideas of looking in."
The synchrotron facility in Oxfordshire took five years to build and is set to play a major role in facilitating groundbreaking science in the UK. Prime Minister Gordon Brown, said: "Diamond Light Source is a superb example of the best of British science - a facility that is one of the best in the world.”
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Paula is a graduate of University College for the Creative Arts Rochester. In May 2004, having spent time developing skills in the industrial welding sector, she moved into a studio at the New Art Centre, Chatham, where she launched her sculpture practice. This summer she moved to bigger premises in Rochester, which enabled her to build up her team and work on a number of larger scale projects for private and corporate clients. Her countdown clock, unveiled during the launch of Medway’s 2012 campaign, is situated behind the Visitor Information Centre in Rochester. Other recent commissions have included the medals and trophies for the inaugural Universities at Medway Boat Race in 2007. More information on Paula's work is available at www.sculptedmetal.com |
