Cambridge Live announces artists for Syd Barrett public art project

The selected artists, chosen following an open invitation for submissions and an interview process, have been confirmed as a collaboration between Suffolk-based artists Clare Palmier and Spadge Hopkins with fabrication from Gloucesterhsire-based Cory Burr.

The piece will be called CODA (referencing Syd’s last performance at the venue) and will use reflective surfaces and bicycle components (representing his iconic song ‘Bike’, as well as Cambridge). The piece will be interactive and people viewing it will be able to activate the bike wheel embedded into the piece that will spin to reveal LED images and lyrics of Syd. The reflective surfaces in the piece will be part of a visualisation of Syd’s favourite silver 1962 Fender Esquire Guitar, with its reflective discs.

The public art piece, which has been commissioned in collaboration with Syd Barrett’s family, will be officially unveiled at the Cambridge Corn Exchange on Thursday 27 October 2016, followed by a live concert entitled ‘Syd Barrett – A Celebration’. The public art was made possible by Section 106 funding from Cambridge City Council and is being unveiled in the year that commemorates both the 70th anniversary of Syd’s birth and the 10th anniversary of his passing.

Speaking about the project, Cambridge Live Operations Director Neil Jones said “We were hugely impressed by the submissions that came in from artists not just in the UK but also from abroad. There were some tough decisions to be made but the project group were unanimous in their praise for CODA which captures both the creative and quirky spirit of Syd himself whilst also reflecting on the location of his final ever performances at the venue.”

Speaking on behalf of the Barrett family, Syd’s sister Rosemary Breen said, “This piece is so original and imaginative, I feel it really captures the essence of Syd”.



About Syd Barrett and the Corn Exchange
Roger Keith ‘Syd’ Barrett co-founded Cambridge’s most famous band, Pink Floyd, in 1965 along with Nick Mason, Roger Waters, and Richard Wright. Active with the band for just under five years, Syd’s innovative guitar work and exploration of experimental techniques helped created the band’s unique psychedelic sound and most of the band's early songs, including the singles ‘Arnold Layne’ and ‘See Emily Play’ and much of their first album ‘The Piper at the Gates of Dawn’. Syd Barrett also began a solo career in 1969 releasing debut solo album ‘The Madcap Laughs’ in 1970. Regarded by many as a creative genius, Barrett was also an avid painter. Syd Barrett played his last ever live concerts at the Cambridge Corn Exchange in 1972 as part of the short-lived band Stars with his final live appearance supporting the band Nektar at the venue in 1972.


About ‘Syd Barrett – A Celebration’
Syd Barrett – A Celebration is a live concert featuring Swedish band Men on the Border, who reinterpret the music of Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd, backed by the Sandviken Symphony Orchestra, also from Sweden.  It will feature symphonic interpretations of Barrett classics from his solo albums The Madcap Laughs and Barrett including the likes of Octopus and Terrapin with the repertoire flanked by an interpretation of Floyd’s High Hopes. The concert will also include lighting from Peter Wynne-Willson who worked with Pink Floyd between 1966 and 1968 when he created light shows for their performances at UFO and the Roundhouse and went on to design the lighting for the band’s UK, European and American gigs and tours as well as having since worked with Roger Waters, Radiohead and U2.

About Clare Palmier, Spadge Hopkins and Cory Burr
Clare Palmier enjoys using unusual, irreverent materials, colour and humour. She once hung thousands of artificial cherries up the high street in Frankfurt to great effect. She studied Fine Art at Goldsmiths’ College, London.  Her work includes making things, performance, video and writing. She has exhibited in the UK and Europe, most recently at Artoll, Germany and was an award winner at the Creekside Open 2015 curated by Richard Deacon, Turner prize winner.
 
Spadge Hopkins is an autodidactic artist who has most recently exhibited one of his mechanical sculptures from his "Machin (sic)" series, at the Cornhill in Ipswich. As a long time Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett fan, he was particularly pleased and well-placed to be part of a team working on this exciting project which aims to evoke Syd's playful and humourous character set within the context of the site of his last gig in his home city.
 
Cory Burr Design Fabricators has been helping artists to develop and realise their ideas in the US and in Britain since the early 1990s and has been involved in the concept development, design and manufacture of numerous seminal artworks for artists such as Rachel Whiteread, Damien Hirst, Alex Hartley, Keith Tyson, Darren Almond, Richard Serra, Carsten Höller and Christian Boltanski. In his 4500 square foot workshop in Gloucestershire, Cory has collaborated with numerous designers, architects, engineers, galleries, private collectors, developers and construction companies and installed work in high profile public locations including Hayward Gallery, ICA, Canary Wharf, Frieze Art Fair, Camden Roundhouse, Folkestone Triennial.

Section 106 funding
Section 106 funding is generated from where the council asks developers to pay Section 106 contributions to mitigate impact of developments. This helps fund new or improved facilities in Cambridge under different S106 categories, such as: community facilities; play areas; open spaces; indoor or outdoor sports facilities; public art and improvements to the public realm.

About Cambridge Live
Cambridge Live is the new organisation set up to run the Cambridge Corn Exchange, Cambridge Folk Festival as well as managing the City Council’s portfolio of outdoor events including Bonfire Night and The Big Weekend.  It started trading on 1st April 2015 where staff and assets transferred from Cambridge City Council.

*******

Contacts
For further information, press interviews etc please contact:
Neil Jones, Operations Director, Cambridge Live:
01223 791751
neil.jones@cambridgelivetrust.co.uk

______________________________________________