Italian artist Monica Bonvicini counts an outdoor toilet with one-way glass (‘Don’t Miss A Sec’, 2004) amongst her oeuvre. For the Olympic Park, she’s created something slightly less provocative — a sculpture of the letters ‘RUN’ outside the Copper Box, the venue that will host handball and fencing. The letters — each of which is 9m (30 ft.) tall — are made of glass and stainless steel. They serve as mirrors by day, and are illuminated by internal LED lighting at night. Bonvicini says her inspiration wasn’t the physical act of running, but rather Neil Young’s ‘Running Dry’ and the Velvet Underground’s ‘Run Run Run.’
The Quirky Art of Britain’s Cultural Olympiad
In order to showcase Britain's arts and heritage during the Olympic Games, the U.K. government has bestowed $150 million on the Cultural Olympiad and its accompanying London 2012 Festival, which runs from June 21 to September 9. The results of that investment include a towering Lady Godiva puppet and a taxidermy-style crocheted lion. Is Britain's Olympic art any good? You be the judge