Catching colour at London City Island

A colourful new art installation has brought together the best of London City Island’s community this month, with a sculpture, performative dance piece and post-production film, all created by Islanders and creative partners of Ballymore.

Catching Colour is an outdoor public sculpture by Rana Begum. The installation is Ballymore’s latest collaboration with The Line – an ambitious public arts trail; it  features colourful ‘clouds’ of suspended coloured mesh, expertly displayed to appear as if they are floating above the central pathway of the square.

The installation was launched as part of a Catching Colour event on 9th April - one attended by a host of guests including actor Bill Nighy (pictured below). Ballymore co-hosted the event with English National Ballet whose acclaimed Associate Choreographer, Stina Quagebeur, coordinated a five-minute dance piece in response to the sculpture. Bringing in even more of the Island’s community, the piece was then filmed by a graduate from the London Film School.

Speaking of the event, Olivia Payne, Regional Sales Manager at Ballymore, said: “This is a vibrant, colourful example of our community coming together, bringing the Island’s creative minds to the epicentre of the neighbourhood, resulting in an expressive performance that captured the attention of so many people on the day.

“We thank The Line, English National Ballet, the London Film School, and all of the other collaborators for capturing the essence of our community, and instilling joy in our Islanders’ hearts with this stunning work.”

The sculpture is now on display in Botanic Square on the Island. The ‘clouds’ are inspired by memories from Begum’s Bangladeshi childhood and her recollection of the forms and reflections cast by fishing nets suspended over water – the work is a fitting response to the natural environment of London City Island and the River Lea that winds around it.

Speaking of her work, artist Rana Begum concluded: “I am really excited about this project. It has been the product of years of experimentation and thought, travelling in many directions before it arrived to what it is today.

“While challenging, designing this outdoor, large-scale installation has allowed me to push this body of work in new directions beyond the studio. I am so excited for the work to be outside and for it to be transformed by the changing seasonal landscape and variations in light. I think these environmental changes will make the work come alive, creating a new experience for the individual every time they pass by and encounter the work. It is a privilege to have my work included in The Line’s public art walk. I love the way art becomes experienced as part of a journey, as a way of navigating through a city. The work becomes embedded into its urban habitat, surprising us and making us reconnect to our surroundings.”

To find out more about The Line and Rana’s installation, click here.