The most important aim of a public sculpture is to foster a sense of community ownership and create a shared sense of place.
Public Art
Dulwich Picture Gallery - Tessa Jowell Health Centre
Osiris was commissioned by the Dulwich Picture Gallery for the Tessa Jowell Health Centre in Dulwich, South London. Patients and medical staff participated in the creation of the sculpture.
Translucent im ages of paintings from the museum collection are installed on the windows of the centre.
Completed December 2022.
“I am so thrilled with your sculpture installation! Thank you for making your beautiful vision an even more beautiful reality.”
Jennifer Scott, director, Dulwich Picture Gallery
An Angel for Edmonton
What does an Angel mean to you? In workshops with local people during the North London Lates Festival and with pupils at St. John and St. James School, drawings and models were created in answer to this question.
The results are being incorporated into a new sculpture for the Angel, Edmonton.
Installation May, 2024.
Read more about An Angel for Edmonton here
Covid Memorial Sculpture
“What was your experience of Covid?” This questioned was answered by a range of local residents and the drawings and text produced was the basis for this permanent sculpture in Edmonton Green, London. Completed summer, 2023.
Read more about this project.
Durlston Country Park
Klein has recently completed two new sculptures for Durlston Country Park in Dorset.
Consultation with visitors to the park and workshops with local families schools have resulted in artwork and text being incorporated into the sculptures.
Click here to read more about this project.
ASPIRE - Thames Reach
A sculpture commission for the new Employment Academy developed by the London homelessness charity. The artwork was developed with clients of Thames Reach who were involved in all of the sculptural processes. Made of forged steel and cast iron, it stands 22 ft. high and weighs over 7 tons. Read more about ASPIRE here.
This sculpture project developed out of an Arts Council funded film project, Home Truths, in which formerly homeless clients of Thames Reach took the artist back to the streets where they used to sleep rough. They were involved in every aspect of the award winning film. It was televised on LWT.
See the film here.
Woodmansterne School
Woodmansterne School in Lewisham, South London wanted a new feature gate for the entrance to the school. The children of the school created artwork inspired by the school values. The large gears represent Cooperation, the leaves are Responsibility, the hands represent Respect and the large circular forms symbolise Unity.
Fabrication and installation with the assistance of Creative Metalwork.
To explore this project click here
Angel of Poetry
The Angel of Poetry created for the Biblioteca Classense in Ravenna, Italy. The text is from Dante’s Divine Comedy. Dante’s tomb stands 50 metres from the site, and an exhibition was held to coincide with the installation of the sculpture, with all of Klein’s artworks inspired by the poet.
The classic poetry of Dante and Ovid has inspired much of my work – artists’ books, prints, and sculpture. Some can be seen here.
Friary Estate, Peckham
Artwork created as part of the upgrade of living areas on the Friary housing estate in Peckham, southeast London. Designs developed in workshops with residents which were then cut in stainless steel and placed into new balustrades. Vitreous enamel photographs show the history of the area.
This project won an RIBA Housing Sector award. It led to further collaborative public art projects on several other housing estates, including the Mozart Estate in Westminster, London.
Nunhead Station, South London
A sculpture arch at the entrance to the train station in south London. The design was selected by public vote and is based on the view from the platform. A rolled stainless steel drawing is held by two steel trees, and ringed by LED neon. It stands 4.5 metres high and 4 metres wide.
Kender School, Lewisham, London
As part of the new school development, Klein designed and fabricated two large tree sculptures for the entrance. Figures climbing in the sculptures represent the growth and joy of the children. Laser cut coloured details inset into the perimeter fencing were designed by the children.
Keith Barr, Headteacher has said, “I think we probably have the most beautiful school in Lewisham. The trees either side of the main entrance are just fabulous! Still a joy to come to work.”
Horniman School, Lewisham
An interactive project using fixed bicycles which children can use to generate energy to run a school radio station. Incorporating artwork by the children, the project is an outdoor classroom.
This project at Horniman School in Lewisham developed out of a complete redevelopment of all outside space at the school.
Lily Lane School, Manchester
The project for this school in Manchester began with a contest of children’s ideas for a new tree house, and developed from there. It included completely redesigning the outside space of the school, including new entrances, perimeter artwork, gates and the new tree house based on children’s designs.
In addition I applied for and received planning consent for change of use of open land opposite the school to become a Forest School, change of use of the schoolkeeper’s house into a school community resource building, and a new entrance building for the school, working with architect Drawings by the children are incorporating in all the new artworks. Read more about this project here.
Tribute Tree, St. Christopher's Hospice
Created for St. Christophers Hospice, this relief sculpture is a memorial to loved ones. The tree was present without leaves, and each leaf represents a donation in memory of someone. The tree has raised over a quarter of a million pounds for the hospice.
As a result of the enormous success of this sculpture, a second Tribute Tree was commissioned from the artist.
Read more about the Tribute Tree here.
Home Truths, Thames Reach
Working with formerly homeless clients of Thames Reach to create an award winning film funded by the Arts Council and KPMG. The film won first prise in the Whose London competition by TV company LWT, and was broadcast.
The project led to the creation of a book exploring homelessness, as well as ASPIRE, a sculpture commission (see above).
Giant Leaves
Taking its theme from the underground River Peck and the London Plane trees above, these leaves and flowing lines enclose the space and allow landscaping. They are created in 8mm steel, hot zinc dipped and silver leaf finished.
The Tiara
This sculptural entrance feature was commissioned as part of the regeneration of Brimmington Park, on the Old Kent Road in London. This was a disused bit of waste ground. This sculpture was commissioned to highlight the new green space and provide an identity and focus. Designs were developed in workshops with local young adults neither in school or work. Stainless steel, it stands 6 metres high.
After completion, local residents gave this entrance sculpture the nickname ‘The Tiara’. And a formerly avoided derelict path was transformed into a much loved public space.
As Far as the Eye Can See
A collaborative project, in which over 150 children’s drawings were combined to create a panoramic sculpture. The artwork is placed at the edge of a school playground, overlooking the view the drawings were based on. Laser cut from 6mm stainless steel, and it is 6 metres long and stands 2.5 metres high. Funded by the Arts Council of England.
Mozart Estate
Klein was commissioned to work with tenants on the Mozart Estate as part of a regeneration project. New feature walls and a large sculptural entrance to the new play area were created. The artist’s relationship iwth the local area began with a project to enhance social cohesion across the three languages spoken at a local school -English, Arabic, and Bengali. The artist’s idea was to ask the children ‘What would happen if there was no allphabet?’. An award winning book called Alphabetland was the result.
Read about this project here.