Date/Time
Date(s) - 10/03/2021
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

London Art Explorations are a series of walks investigating artworks displayed in outdoor settings in London, devised by Gail Astbury, public art enthusiast as well as practitioners in her own right.

We’ve adapted to the times and are thrilled to be offering a guided public art tour for all to enjoy from home. The tour will be held on Zoom using Google Streetview, and will be recorded too. It will take approximately 60-70 minutes, and there will be a chance to ask questions during the tour.

Evidence of wealth and poverty rub up against each other along sections of this circular walk centred on London’s Liverpool Street station and its immediate surrounds.  The “Corporation” as the City’s government is called, has many of the wealthiest tenants in the world.  European HQs for several large insurers that were expected to debunk to pastures within the RU, have steadfastly remained, and the City is still undergoing huge reconstruction, with tall office towers being built and let despite the COVID pandemic.  With this wealth, the Corporation has installed a significant array of public art as well as annually borrowing major pieces for a temporary ‘Sculpture in the City‘ in the City exhibition.

Kalliopi Lemos’s Wooden Boat 2017 in Spitalfields

Less than a stone’s throw from the Bishopsgate entrance to the station, are the narrow mean streets that border Spitalfields, that once housed the poor in their thousands.  Now seen as trendy warehouse lofts and live-work apartments, these former warehouses and factories, have previously been used by artists.  Gilbert & George still live in a house on one such street, and Gail Astbury, like many artists before her, had a studio in the area.  At the southern-most point of the ‘Loop’ is the Whitechapel Gallery and Toynbee Studios – so Gail will uncover many public art gems of this part of London.

• Held on Zoom using Google Streetview and may be recorded too. It will take approximately 60-70 minutes, and there will be a chance to ask questions during the tour. Unfamiliar with Zoom? Find out more here
• Try before you buy? watch Gail Astbury at the Award-winning Urban Tree Festival
• Bookings will close within 30 minutes of the start of the event
• Range of ticket prices – scroll down to book – including free tickets to NHS & Key workers
• Don’t want to pay via PayPal? – don’t worry, you can pay by credit card – check here to see the steps you will encounter when you book.
• Joining instructions are sent via e mail within 3 hours of the start – the email will include a link to the virtual tour (please check your junk mail folder, just in case…).

Once on the tour, you will be sent a pdf that will include a hand drawn map by Gail and list of artworks, so when restrictions are eased you can retrace the tour.

Can’t join on these dates / Missed your chance to join – send us a note via our Get in Touch form as if we have sufficient sign ups we may run these tours again.

What participants said about the walk when first walked in September 2019

Bookings