This International Women’s Day 2021, Futurecity celebrates amazing womxn behind public art and placemaking. Our team of inspiring womxn have nominated others that inspire them, to draw reference and respect to the force it takes to produce work of scale, longevity and in a built environment context.
Virtual Meetings offer a new, flattened perspective of who makes decisions in our industries; we can see the faces in a snapshot and it is obvious that the balance of representation is still underway and doesn’t reflect, yet, our population demographics. Therefore, it is important to draw attention to those who push forward representation boldly, quietly or historically. There’s no expiration on celebrating– so please continue throughout the week, month, and everyday thereafter to take a moment to recognise who is on your live or virtual ‘room’ and acknowledge and reward the voice and actions of your collaborators.
We will close the month with a Placemaking Happy Hour with contributors to the newest The Routledge Handbook of Placemaking edited by Dr Cara Courage. I will facilitate a conversation with other womxn from the UK and the USA about their courageous exploits across all scales of placemaking.
From all of us at Futurecity, thank you for the resilience in our industries. Keep it coming. #IWD2021
– Sherry Dobbin, Partner
Maria Adebowale-Schwarte
Nominated by Sherry Dobbin, Partner, Managing & Cultural Director
Maria Adebowale-Schwarte is Author of The Placemaking Factor, Founder of Place Making Collective UK & CEO for Foundation for Future London, where she establishes infrastructure for sustainable growth – the long view. Understated but positively fierce, she is armed with degrees in organisation studies; environmental law; and architecture and sustainable design, but always speaks of people.
Emma Talbot
Nominated by Chloe Stagaman, Curator
There are so many womxn artists, creators and curators working in collaboration with the public whom I admire. Today I nominate Emma Talbot, whose colourful quartet of animations referencing the seasons of the past year, titled ‘Four Visions for a Hopeful Future’, are currently on view at Piccadilly Lights every night at 20:21 for the month of March, curated by CIRCA. The works look ahead to fresh futures, nodding to the writer Arundhati Roy who has called the pandemic ‘a portal, a gateway between one world and the next.’
Lakwena Maciver
Nominated by Yasmin Jones-Henry, Strategist
Lakwena Maciver’s work conveys an unapologetic confidence in the power art has to administer hope and inspiration to the viewer. Lakwena’s fusion of bright colours, juxtaposed to her affirmations such as “Nothing Can Separate Us” and “Together We Stand” disrupts the public realm in a very physical and positive way.
Morag Myerscough
Nominated by Rachel Hutchison, Projects Controller
Morag Myerscough’s creative practice focuses on how place can create a sense of belonging. Her approach to design actively engages with community groups to create site-specific projects that are intrinsically linked to historic and contemporary narratives of a place. Her work is bold and colourful and invites people to rediscover and rethink the role of their built environment.
Tamara de Lempicka (in memory)
Nominated by Anna Pearson, HR Manager (& @Annasartdecouk)
Tamara de Lempicka, the Polish artist who rose to prominence during the 1920s, captivated the epitome of art deco style. Fabulously brave with a revamp on classic portraiture and a bold and outrageous new approach to intimacy of nudes. A true icon of talent, independence and feminine allure. “I was the first woman to paint cleanly, and that was the basis of my success.”
Read more about Tamara de Lempicka
Camille Walala
Nominated by Tanisha Raffiuddin, Digital Communications Associate
Camille Walala is passionate about brightening up our cities and making art accessible beyond galleries. Her work is characterised by bold colours and playful geometric patterns. She enjoys doing big murals on buildings and large installations as she can see the effect is has on people, bringing them joy and making them smile.
Save the date – Placemaking Happy Hour on 31 March!
17.00 BST / 12.00 EST
Futurecity is hosting a virtual ‘Happy Hour’ conversation among women in the field of placemaking who will share surprises from the process that helped to shape our guidance in establishing frameworks that both help us measure and create desired chaos.
Sherry Dobbin will bring together fellow expert contributors of the recently published book – ‘The Routledge Handbook of Placemaking’. Edited by Dr. Cara Courage (another womxn to celebrate), this seminal Handbook offers a timely contribution and international perspectives for the growing field of placemaking.
Bring along your favourite drink and snack and join the conversation! (Imagine a cabaret venue of choice – where we can be relaxed, provocative and seriously intended at the same time).
Event booking details will be announced shortly.
Follow the IWD conversation on social media
#IWD2021
#ChooseToChallenge
Read more about the IWD 2021 campaign – Choose to Challenge
Read this article on Women in Public Art: An Essay
Read more about Futurecity’s Public Art Delivery and Public Art Strategy