Last November, artist Chila Burman decorated the fascade of Tate Modern in glowing neon for the annual winter commission. (To read more about that exhibit, please read my post on this blog here: Remembering a Brave New World). Her transformation of the gallery became so popular that Covent Garden provided her the opportunity to transform their market to bring more people to the area. Burman uses her Punjabi and Liverpool heritage as inspiration. Placed at the end of August, the installation will remain until October, and there are three main areas to see it at Covent Garden with the main area being the hall. Over the Covent Garden market hall is the text "do you see words in rainbows?"
The neon installation will remain in place until October, and the best time to visit it is from sunset when the market gets darker, although the lights are switched on from 7am and switch off at 11pm or midnight.
There are three areas of lights in Covent Garden. The first is the main hall, and it contains the largest number of neon and features dragons, flamingos, hearts, monkeys, ice cream, peacocks, and more. The imagery is a mixture of Punjabi or Hindu and the artist's upbringing in Liverpool where her family owned and ice cream business.
The second place to see the neon artwork is in front of Ivy Market Grill just outside Covent Garden market. A giant peacock with colourful flowers decorates the doorway.
The third and final place to see neon is outside the St. James Street entrance to the market. It features a white tiger, and the words above the archway read "look at you through their eyes and wonder what you see". The tiger is placed on a mirror.
As the neon lights will be illuminating Covent Garden market until October, you still have some time to visit.
Leave a comment