Big 4 (sculpture) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Big 4 |
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The Big 4 sculpture outside the Channel 4 building in London in January 2016
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| Artist | Freestate (design) Atelier One (engineering) |
| Year | 2007 |
| Type | Statue |
| Medium | Steel bars |
| Subject | Channel 4 logo |
| Dimensions | 15 m (50 ft) |
| Location | London, SW1 United Kingdom |
| 51°29′45.4″N 0°7′58.6″W / 51.495944°N 0.132944°W | |
The Big 4 is a cool sculpture made of strong steel bars. You can find it outside the main building of Channel 4 in London. It looks like the Channel 4 TV channel logo. But it's not just a statue! It's also a special frame for different art projects.
Since it was built, many artists have used its steel frame for their amazing art. Some designs have celebrated big events like the 2012 Summer Paralympics. Other designs have covered it with newspapers or umbrellas. One even made the statue look like it was breathing! More art projects are planned for the future.
How the Big 4 Was Made
The Big 4 was created by a team of talented people. This included Mike Smith Studio, Freestate, and Atelier One. They worked together to make sure the sculpture looked exactly like the Channel 4 logo.
The statue is built from strong steel bars. Mike Smith Studio put all the steel pieces together. The main idea was to let other artists use the statue as a canvas for their own art. The Big 4 stands proudly outside the Channel Four Television Corporation building. This is on Horseferry Road in London.
The sculpture was officially shown to the public on October 16, 2007. Margaret Hodge, who was a government minister at the time, helped unveil it. This event celebrated Channel 4's 25th birthday. It also happened at the same time as a TV show called The Big Art Project.
Cool Art Projects on the Big 4
In its first year, four different artists created special art for the Big 4. These artists included a photographer named Nick Knight. There was also Mark Titchner, who was nominated for a famous art award called the Turner Prize. Another artist was El Anatsui, a sculptor. The fourth artist was a young art graduate chosen from a competition.
The first art project covered the statue with photos. These pictures showed the inside of a human chest, near the heart. Mark Titchner's art project was called "Find your world in ours, Find our worlds in yours." For this, a video booth was set up at the bottom of the statue. People could record their thoughts about Channel 4 and TV. These videos were then shown on big screens all over the statue.
El Anatsui's design wrapped the Big 4 in newspaper pages. These pages were made from printing plates given by different newspapers and magazines. This included Creative Review and The Independent. People had different opinions about this art. Some liked it, but others thought it wasn't very good.
Stephanie Imbeau won the competition for young art graduates. Her artwork was called "Shelter." She covered the Big 4 with hundreds of umbrellas. This project wanted to show how important everyday things like umbrellas can be.
Another competition was held for a new design for the Big 4. Hannah Gourlay, a fashion design graduate, won this one. Her design covered the statue with a special material. This material would inflate (fill with air) and deflate (let air out). This made the statue look like it was breathing! The material is usually used for hospital bed mattresses. Electric fans blew air into the Big 4. Then, when the fans turned off, the fabric would push the air back out.
Before the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, the Big 4 got a Paralympic makeover. This was to celebrate Channel 4's TV coverage of the Games. The art was called "Monument to the Unintended Performer." It was designed by Tony Heaton. It combined three ideas: a discus thrower (like a Greek statue), a circle (like the symbol for access), and the colors gold, silver, and bronze (like Paralympic medals). Lord Sebastian Coe, who helped organize the Games, saw it first.
Claire Watson created the last design for 2012. It was based on the Christmas TV special The Snowman and the Snowdog. This show was broadcast on Channel 4 during Christmas.
Images for kids
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Stephanie Imbeau's "Shelter"
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Tony Heaton's "Monument to the Unintended Performer", during the 2012 Paralympic Games
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The installation on the Big 4 by Hannah Gourlay
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The Snowman and the Snowdog themed installation
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The Big 4 sculpture made of colours in March 2014
