A complex network of ellipsoidal shapes painted in earthy tones, inspired by the design of the building it enhances.
Artist: James Angus
Artwork description
Day In, Day Out is a large-scale, painted aluminium sculpture that stands at the top of the broad curving steps in front of the entrance to the 1 Bligh St office tower in the city.
The sculpture is a complex network of three-dimensional ellipsoidal shapes, supported on 3 tall columns. The inspiration for the shapes was drawn from the unique design of the building itself. The sculpture is painted with geometric patterns in earthy tones of red, brown, orange and yellow that contrast sharply with the surrounding grey urban landscape.
During development of 1 Bligh Street, the co-owners commissioned Day In, Day Out in 2010 with the intention of adding ‘a new focal point for this key part of the city, enhancing the streetscape at the heart of Sydney’s financial district’.
The requirement of the commission was for the artist to create a work that was ‘monumental, rigorous and bold, whilst also welcoming and approachable’. The aim of the artist, James Angus, was to incorporate key aspects of the Bligh Street development into his design – including its environmental sensitivity, unique design characteristics and welcoming public spaces.
Day In, Day Out is intended to be a 21st century response to the history of formal public art, and equally addresses the task of placing an artwork in a modern, environmentally-sensitive building.
From inside the building, the sculpture will gently frame views of the city and play to the building’s natural strengths by drawing its meaning from the same sources: sunlight, shadows and a modern approach to placing art and architecture in an urban landscape.
– James Angus
Artist
James Angus draws on natural and built forms in his designs, and collaborates with industrial designers and 3D computer engineers in constructing his sculptures.
He works with materials ranging from fibreglass to steel. Angus has held solo exhibitions in cities across the world, including Sydney, Paris and New York.
His work has also been displayed worldwide in galleries, museums and biennales and is held in numerous public collections.
His sculptures have featured repeatedly in the Biennale of Sydney.
