APOLLO BY LUKE JERRAM

Apollo
Working with the music of Philip Glass, this new artwork is being created to help fundraise towards St George’s Bristol capital appeal, Building a Sound Future.

The form of the artwork is made by taking a sound file from a section of famous Philip Glass music Philip Glass’ Etude No 2 and rotating it about its axis. The music is especially fitting as Philip performed it at his first visit to St George’s in 2013. The sound-wave sculpture, entitled Apollo (for the Greek God of music), will consist of approximately 100 hand-blown coloured glass roundels fused together.

Luke Jerram is interested in making visible and tangible, that which is invisible and beyond the range of our senses. Here, invisible sound waves are rotated, solidified and turned to glass.

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Posted 1 February 2017

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A fitting symbol of the transformed St George’s, a world class concert hall which celebrates music in all its forms, the 3.5 metre tall sculpture will be suspended in the foyer of St George’s new extension building when it opens in the winter of 2017.

Jerram will use hand-blown glass roundels to create Apollo and individuals and companies are invited to sponsor each roundel. Funding to design and produce the sculpture has already been secured. So far over £300,000 has been raised through the Apollo art work towards the St George’s £5.5 m Building a Sound Future capital appeal to provide new world-class facilities for the venue’s audiences and performers. As members of the ‘Apollo Club’ donors will also enjoy an enduring association with St George’s and this unique artistic collaboration.

Philip Glass has performed at St George’s Bristol a number of times and was the first choice as a collaborative partner. He says: “I am delighted to provide the musical source for the soundwave. I have great affection for St George’s – its intimacy, acoustics and the special relationship it allows performers to have with their audience leave abiding memories for me.”

“It is especially fitting that the chosen piece is my Etudes for Piano, Vol. I, no 2 which I played on my first visit to St George’s in 2013. I am happy to be able to play a part in St George’s exciting plans and look forward to seeing the finished piece.” said Philip Glass

St George’s is grateful to Icon Films for this short film describing the creation of Apollo, donated in support of the Building a Sound Future Appeal. St George’s also thanks Kinneir Dufort for The Apollo logo, which has also been designed free of charge.

Suzanne Rolt, CEO of St George’s adds: “Our Building a Sound Future appeal is really gaining momentum and will hope this latest stage will gather even more attention and support. The creation of Apollo is the main focus for our final push towards the £5.5m target. We want to ensure that St George’s not only survives, but thrives into the coming decades. We are delighted that Luke and Philip have agreed to help us – working with an iconic composer and imaginative artist makes Apollo an exciting and spine-tingling prospect for me and St George’s! We hope that others feel the same and support us.”
Further information on sponsoring a roundel and supporting the Building a Sound Future Appeal can be found at buildingasoundfuture.co.uk

Press Coverage
BBC Making of Apollo artwork watch

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ST GEORGE'S BRISTOL
Great George Street
(off Park Street)
Bristol, BS1 5RR
+44 (0)117 929 4929
administration@stgeorgesbristol.co.uk
http://buildingasoundfuture.co.uk

The making of Apollo, Luke Jerram, 2017

The Making of Apollo, Luke Jerram, 2017