<< News >> Soft-play area inspired by the neolithic Dagenham Idol opens in... Barking
Submitted by Andy B on Tuesday, 07 April 2015 Page Views: 4622
Neolithic and Bronze AgeCountry: England County: Greater London Type: Modern Stone Circle etcInternal Links:
[Left - the original 'Dagenham Idol' whose image is at the heart of the new creation] Soft play areas, with their wipe clean vinyl and heavily prescribed health and safety protocol, carry a set of aesthetic and social conventions which become the medium for this new work.
The project is the latest commission by Create London, who go on to describe it: Large-scale black-and-white printed walls and floors envelop children in a chaotic, fantastical world of images. Ancient and modern spectacle will collide and merge; from Greek myth to ancient Egyptian statues to Sci-Fi cyborgs. The walls will teem with glimpses of different historical eras in the form of architectural fragments, sculpture and robots.
At the centre of the space is The Idol, a two-storey-high climbing frame that takes the form of a towering, cage-like robotic figure with labyrinthine chambers, ramps and levels. Children are able to climb into the Idol’s head to look out of its two giant eyes. Part machine and part totem, it takes inspiration from the Dagenham Idol, a Neolithic figure discovered in the borough in 1922.
While colourful and cacophonous in its subject matter, the play area is a monochrome environment consisting entirely of black and white. It stands in bold contrast to the conventionally multi-coloured aesthetic of soft play areas. Chetwynd has brought to the commission the same spontaneous energy and dreamlike imagery of her performances.
This major new permanent work of art and play area is set to engage over 700,000 young children and families from across east London in its first ten years.
Visit the Abbey Leisure Centre’s website for a full list of opening times. The Idol will also be open to visitors unaccompanied by children on Thursdays from 26 March – 14 May 2015, 6-9pm.
See below for links to reviews and more
It seems difficult to capture the whole effect in a single photo but here's a taster of the interior design
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