AN illuminated art installation to reflect on the power of creation is planned as part of a temporary summer exhibition at The Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle.
Plans to site the scaffolding-style structure bearing the words, You Create What You Will, have been submitted to Durham County Council.
The artwork, by Scottish artist and Turner prize nominee Nathan Coley, would be within the grounds of the museum, next to the grade I listed building. The installation has been exhibited across the world, most recently in Abu Dhabi, and it invites the viewer to reflect on the profound power of creation.
It is proposed the illuminated text, which measures four and a half metres in height and width, will draw people in.
Bryan Dunkel, operations manager at the museum, said: “The proposed location appropriately sites You Create What You Will within a natural setting and provides a complementary contrast between the architectural features of the listed building and the informality of the grade II listed parkland.”
He added: “As a museum of artists, designers and makers, the ability to imagine what has not yet come to pass, and the power of creativity as a tool to shape the world, are central to our value-system.
“Coley’s illuminated text resonates deeply with the museum’s foundation and future purpose. It also serves the crucial purpose of encouraging visitors to think about the new legacy.”
The lettering will be arranged over three lines fitted to a five-metre-high scaffold tower and will be illuminated 24 hours a day for the duration of the installation. The chosen site is adjacent to a play area to encourage families to explore the grounds and visit the museum.
He added: “The celebration of the grounds in Josephine’s 200th-year, follows the creation of a hay meadow at the back of the museum.
“This is part of our ongoing environmental and biodiversity action planning to help nature and improve our 22-acre habitat for wildlife including small mammals, insects, pollinators, birds and bats.”
“You Create What You Will is a modern intervention adjacent to the natural woodland. As our environmental and biodiversity plans develop so too will our public messaging, sharing ways people can help nature.”
The scaffolding structure will be temporary, and no visible trace left after the installation is removed.
