To mark their 25th anniversary, Lowry have released the first in what is to be an annually changing exhibition space inviting international artists to respond to the Lowry MediaCityUK surroundings. The back wall of the Lowry’s Andrew Law Galleries has been transformed into a vibrant abstract piece thanks to the innovative work of Camille Walala.
Accompanied by funky music, Walala entered in an equally eye-catching purple hat and blazer, accented by a splash of red and green.
Square Eyes is a response to the surrounding cityscapes, a colourful metropolis mirroring Salford’s bustling collage of shapes and patterns. Looking outside, its easy to spot the similarities, from the striped columns reminiscent of sky-scrapers, to the interweaving soft shapes, as fluid as the river.
In her opening speech, Walala shared how the “geometry” and “colours are already in the building” as something she wanted to “embrace” in her piece. Aided by Bristol paints boldly coloured paints, her geometric patterns and whimsical designs pair perfectly with the building’s unique architecture and colour palette, also complimenting the playful neighbouring Quentin Blake gallery.
The enormous piece spans several walls, with curved columns and sharp angular corners blending seamlessly with the evocative false 3D perspectives of Walala’s piece.
After some hors d’oeuvres, colourful drinks, and friendly mingling, guests were invited to join an after party (“housewarming party”) at the newly opened Nell’s on the edge of MediaCityUK. This disco ball-cladded bar served a surprising variety of huge pizza slices, ice cream sandwiches, and provided yet another stunning view of Salford Quays.
Camille Walala: Square Eyes is on the promenade of the Andrew Law Galleries at Lowry.
JADAR 