Artist who created Margate's sliding house turns the world on its head by making an upside down building.
- Artist Alex Chinneck created the piece for annual Merge Festival in London
- The 29-year-old built the new facade on to the existing building
- Mr Chinneck started the project after completing a sliding house in Margate
Anyone taking a stroll down this central London street might be forced to do a double take when they see this unusual property.
With its front doors high up in the air and its roof running along the pavement, this building has seemingly been flipped upside down.
Artist Alex Chinneck built the new facade on to the existing building to create the new piece of art for the annual Merge Festival in London.
The 29-year-old, who lives in Hackney, east London, started work on the piece in October, the day after his 'sliding house' in Margate had been completed.
He has worked with a range of construction companies since October to create the artwork, called Miner On The Moon, on a building in Blackfriars Road, London, which is due to be demolished.
Mr Chinneck said: 'I'm keen on this idea that when people go to an art gallery they go there through choice and they enter into that experience.
'But with public sculpture, people don't necessarily make that choice - they may not like the artwork or may not want the artwork and therefore I think it's important for the work to be able to disappear and not dominate its environment, but be harmonious with the environment.
'For that reason I used only the materials which feature across Southwark and Blackfriars so although the artwork is quite bold it also has subtlety and the ability to camouflage into its environment.'
Built in 1780, the building was originally used as livery stables, housing horses and carriages for hire.
The access through the building was also used to transport live cattle and goods from the courtyard to trade along the Thames.
Mr Chinneck said the conecpt for the artwork had been inspired by the shape of the building and the links to its heritage.
He said: 'The original building had been conceived with a function in mind.
'There was a yard at the back of the building and that was used to store cattle and the alleyway that is now used for vehicular access was used to move cattle and they would lead the cattle to the Thames and to the market.
'Because the shape of the building was so closely intertwined with its heritage, I created a concept, an artwork, that actually responded to the shape of the building.
'So I have created seemingly two buildings which are seemingly upside down.'
The building itself was used as a residential unit for families and workers. In 1880 the ground floor shop unit changed use and was listed in the local Post Office as a Pawn Broker, while the passageway to the side was used to gain access to the Tress and Co site. From the 1800’s onwards the history of the building is unknown.
Donald Hyslop, chairman of Better Bankside and Head of Partnerships at Tate Galleries, said: 'In the space of little over a decade, Bankside has been transformed into one of the most unique places in London, the UK and internationally for a cultural, business, residential and visitor experience.
'We are immensely proud that these artists are giving their time to help us celebrate that success through the Merge festival.'
Other works by Mr Chinneck includes a factory in Tudor Road, Hackney, with 312 identially smahed windows.