Web was an organically growing sculpture at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, lead by artist David Allies-Curtis, in collaboration with ecology and knot expert, Dale Mortiboys.
Over the course of two days, members of the public dropped by the site to participate in performative knot tying activities, contributing to an evolving temporary sculpture based on the natural architecture of spiders. Using only red rope for aesthetic consistency and impact, people were taught to tie a selection of knots to incorporate into the sculpture.
The concept of the artwork had three main reference points; the first being the maritime heritage of the River Lea where the use of rope and knots was integral to the working life of sailors, the second being the ecological diversity of the park, and the third being the act of looking and tactility first hand experience. Web embraced human touch through the idiosyncratic formality of collaborative design and its potential for the serendipitous creation of beauty.
Web was a site-specific artwork, responding to the landscape, location and diverse ecology of the park. The project took place in the North Park, located near the River Lea, linking with the project’s themes of the River’s maritime heritage and ecological diversity, which participants reflected on and discussed throughout the project.
