The last installation of 2010

So we are all ready to go and produce the final installation in Holland Park tomorrow.
This has been a long journey for the artist since she first began work with the idea in early 2007. The result of this work has planted the seedbed for her ideas on how to develop the installation. In 2011 she will be unveiling the next stages for DOG and producing some very stunning events in central London in association with major partners.

The story about the DOG sculpture and in particular the struggles the artist had to deliver this work will be the subject of a book soon to be published. We will be keeping everyone up to date on this work and provide details of the release.

Akane Takayama's DOG Sculpture Installation

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The DOGs are coming!

Photo by Kazusa Onoe

高山あかね アーティスト　彫刻家　在英　ロンドン 現代美術展覧会　DOG 2010

Next stop Holland Park, Kensington. Sunday August 8th 2010. Be there as it is the last DOG installation in this country this year.

Holland Park: The Final Installation of 2010

So, this coming Sunday we have the Holland Park Installation of DOG. This promises to be every bit as exciting and popular as the last three installations.

The installation will be slightly different this time as it is being situated in the promenade entrance to the park from Knightsbridge. This is a lovely avenue of mature trees set on a grass verge either side of the main pathway.

Akane Takayama will place the installation among the trees to create a sequence of tableaux framed by the mighty boughs of the plane trees. This is a very different presentation of the sculpture and demonstrates the versatility of the artist in her locations.

Holland Park, Kensington Entrance from 12.30hrs to 16.30hrs Sunday 8th August 2010.

Be Part of the Art

DOGS at Clissold Park by Kazusa Onoe

The Clissold Park, Hackney, London, installation of DOG on Saturday 31st July 2010 was very successful and very popular. the images on this page come from the Japanese blog contributor and photographer Kazusa Onoe. As one of the DOG Stewards at the installation she was able to observe the sculpture throughout the day. Her photographs provide an idea of the scale of this work and some of the forms the artist manages to create within the installation.

Almost everyone who attended spoke highly of the work and participated to the full. People spent a long time walking around the DOGs and reading the messages of hope for the future contributed to the installation by over 500 children in local primary schools.

An example of some of the hundreds of messages of hope from the children. There are more on this blog and in time all of the messages will be here on line.


Kazusa has captured here a wonderful image of the DOGs stretching off into the distance.

And as we look at this image we can see how the artist's placement, the inter-relation with landscape and the strong form of the sculptures all combine to produce combinations which
present different viewpoints.

Clissold Park, now there are more DOGs out there!

The installation at Clissold Park was a great success. We have spent today tired and worn out after having completed delivery of the installation and a very long day.

Already the images are flowing in and we will be getting them up on line. The image above has come in from Oxford! So yesterday's DOGs have already started their individual journies!

We intend to publish all photographs of the DOGs but do not want to publish any images with children in for obvious reasons. Maybe a sign of a sad world but no need to take any chance
where their welfare is concerned.

Equally, with adults in images with DOG sculptures maybe it would be kind of you to state in a text or e-mail if you want us to post the image freely on the web.

The real beauty is that if you gather images of the DOGs within your own creative reference, then there are none of these more mundane problems. The image above is a good case in point, consider what this image conveys to you in terms of ideas.

Many thanks to all the people who came. You are now all in possession of a limited number of Takayama original sculptures which you can now use to create your own artist images. As a public art sculpture this artist conceived of the idea that she is working beyond the conformity of a gallery or installation but to see the process of 'public art' to move beyond public ownership and into public creativity.

Holland Park is the final physical installation, Sunday 8th August, and after that there are a finite number of DOG sculptures out in the world. Some may be discarded, some may be treasured, some may be forgotten but then what turns up from this art is, once Holland Park is complete, the creative input of you.

We can't wait to see what will happen.

Clissold Park 31st July 2010

This image is from the installation at Victoria Park but now we are all looking forward to the installation at Clissold Park, tomorrow, 31st July 2010 from 12.30hrs.

The weather is threatening to be a bit rainy in the morning, the wind may blow a bit but the afternoon should be dry and quite warm. All the preparations are in hand, the team will gather at 10.00hrs tomorrow in the park and we should have all the DOGs in place by 12.30.

IT WILL BE BRILLIANT.

Children's Messages of Hope for the Future

DOG Sculpture Installation: Sculptural Evolution.

Once you have claimed your DOG Sculpture at one of the installation events then you can join in with the ongoing public art which will build to a stunning climax next year.

The first part of the evolution is to take your DOG home and photograph all of the situations it gets into. These photographs can then be sent to a central archive by e-mail: dog@takethepebble.com

Once there they will be archived and displayed in an on line gallery. In this way the dynamic of the sculpture grows and it is the members of the public who become the artists and set the DOG within a context.

The photographs can also be posted on social networking sites and you can join the artist at Akane Takayama DOG Sculpture Installation on Facebook. Twitter news will be found through the HumanRightsTV twitter acount.

As the on line exhibition grows all involved will then be invited to take part in a very special and currently very secret event in which the installation will go international. Every member of the DOG art community will receive a credit for their work and several top public galleries will be involved.

DOG Sculpture Installation: Clissold Park 31st July 2010 from 12.30
Holland Park 8th August 2010 from 12.30

HumanRightsTV Tweet covers DOG Sculpture Installation

You can follow the DOG Sculpture Installation on Twitter at HumanRightsTV and on Facebook at DOG Sculpture Installation.

http://tweetphoto.com/32072828

Sotoko and her DOG

This video is in Japanese but even so we can clearly see how people react to the DOG Sculptures. Sotoko was one of the volunteers who helped to marshall the event at Paradise Gardens and, like all the volunteers, she too wanted a DOG Sculpture.

Colvestone School, Hackney

One of the underpinning principles of the DOG Sculpture Installation was the desire of the artist to provide something of value to her community. As a consequence she has set up and run sculpture workshops for primary school children in the boroughs of Tower Hamlets and Hackney. The idea behind these was not to bring the children into the DOG Sculpture as "workers" or "contributors" but to bring them in as artistic partners.


For this to work Takayama provided the structure of a sculpture making workshop but did not define the form. In this manner the children, with their teacher, could decide on their own artistic ambitions within the remit of their existing educational programme. The idea was for the children to create their own sculpture which they could see in the context of Takayama's public art work and perhaps consider their own artistic future in the process.

Each school involved in the workshops took their own approach, tailored the sculpture construction to relate to existing classroom deliveries. This is the advantage to the schools and the teachers of the approach Akane Takayama has taken; she hasn't sought to impose an "art agenda" on the schools but provide an "art opportunity" which the schools can fit within their own educational management schedule and adapt the workshop content to support that schedule.


The skills and imagination are plain for all to see. As you look through these models consider the detail and imagination these children have employed.

Our Lady and St Joseph's, Hackney

One of the underpinning principles of the DOG Sculpture Installation was the desire of the artist to provide something of value to her community. As a consequence she has set up and run sculpture workshops for primary school children in the boroughs of Tower Hamlets and Hackney. The idea behind these was not to bring the children into the DOG Sculpture as "workers" or "contributors" but to bring them in as artistic partners.

For this to work Takayama provided the structure of a sculpture making workshop but did not define the form. In this manner the children, with their teacher, could decide on their own artistic ambitions within the remit of their existing educational programme. The idea was for the children to create their own sculpture which they could see in the context of Takayama's public art work and perhaps consider their own artistic future in the process.


The educational benefits of spatial awareness, three dimensional sculpture construction and then the public acclaim of having your work on public display (both in local venues and on this site) should be self evident.


What continually surprises is the quality of work 8 year old children are capable of when they work with an artist. Some of the drawing skills, some of the conceptualisation and all of the unbounded enthusiasm are simply to be marvelled at.

Each school involved in the workshops took their own approach, tailored the sculpture construction to relate to existing classroom deliveries. This is the advantage to the schools and the teachers of the approach Akane Takayama has taken; she hasn't sought to impose an "art agenda" on the schools but provide an "art opportunity" which the schools can fit within their own educational management schedule and adapt the workshop content to support that schedule.


The skills and imagination are plain for all to see. As you look through these models consider the detail and imagination these children have employed.

Bonner School, Tower Hamlets

One of the underpinning principles of the DOG Sculpture Installation was the desire of the artist to provide something of value to her community. As a consequence she has set up and run sculpture workshops for primary school children in the boroughs of Tower Hamlets and Hackney. The idea behind these was not to bring the children into the DOG Sculpture as "workers" or "contributors" but to bring them in as artistic partners.
For this to work Takayama provided the structure of a sculpture making workshop but did not define the form. In this manner the children, with their teacher, could decide on their own artistic ambitions within the remit of their existing educational programme. The idea was for the children to create their own sculpture which they could see in the context of Takayama's public art work and perhaps consider their own artistic future in the process.


The educational benefits of spatial awareness, three dimensional sculpture construction and then the public acclaim of having your work on public display (both in local venues and on this site) should be self evident.


What continually surprises is the quality of work 8 year old children are capable of when they work with an artist. Some of the drawing skills, some of the conceptualisation and all of the unbounded enthusiasm are simply to be marvelled at.


If we just consider some of the form these children have presented with their drawings, the drawings which are the basis of the model design, then we really have to question why more art workshops are not provided for children in inner city areas.

No words necessary here, these sculptures speak for themselves. The untutored eye might see the use of a template here but using a template in designing a sculpture is a skill in itself. The purpose of the workshops was to give the children the opportunity to realise spatial awareness, management of projects, design, construction and delivery within the activity of being an artist. All of these skills are valuable educational experiences and reinforce the core curriculum activities but where, especially for children from inner city communities, this approach really has value is in the public presentation of the end results and the consequent approval each child receives for themselves and their work.


Each school involved in the workshops took their own approach, tailored the sculpture construction to relate to existing classroom deliveries. This is the advantage to the schools and the teachers of the approach Akane Takayama has taken; she hasn't sought to impose an "art agenda" on the schools but provide an "art opportunity" which the schools can fit within their own educational management schedule and adapt the workshop content to support that schedule.


The skills and imagination are plain for all to see. As you look through these models consider the detail and imagination these children have employed.

Bangabandhu School, Tower Hamlets

One of the underpinning principles of the DOG Sculpture Installation was the desire of the artist to provide something of value to her community. As a consequence she has set up and run sculpture workshops for primary school children in the boroughs of Tower Hamlets and Hackney. The idea behind these was not to bring the children into the DOG Sculpture as "workers" or "contributors" but to bring them in as artistic partners.

For this to work Takayama provided the structure of a sculpture making workshop but did not define the form. In this manner the children, with their teacher, could decide on their own artistic ambitions within the remit of their existing educational programme. The idea was for the children to create their own sculpture which they could see in the context of Takayama's public art work and perhaps consider their own artistic future in the process.


The educational benefits of spatial awareness, three dimensional sculpture construction and then the public acclaim of having your work on public display (both in local venues and on this site) should be self evident.


No words necessary here, these sculptures speak for themselves. The untutored eye might see the use of a template here but using a template in designing a sculpture is a skill in itself. The purpose of the workshops was to give the children the opportunity to realise spatial awareness, management of projects, design, construction and delivery within the activity of being an artist. All of these skills are valuable educational experiences and reinforce the core curriculum activities but where, especially for children from inner city communities, this approach really has value is in the public presentation of the end results and the consequent approval each child receives for themselves and their work.


Each school involved in the workshops took their own approach, tailored the sculpture construction to relate to existing classroom deliveries. This is the advantage to the schools and the teachers of the approach Akane Takayama has taken; she hasn't sought to impose an "art agenda" on the schools but provide an "art opportunity" which the schools can fit within their own educational management schedule and adapt the workshop content to support that schedule.

The skills and imagination are plain for all to see. As you look through these models consider the detail and imagination these children have employed.

Satoko's DOG goes walkies

Satoko loves her DOG Sculpture and takes him everywhere with her. This constant compainion is reliable and trustworthy and like any good dog always stays still when told to.

Satoko's DOG sculpture loves a really good hole in the ground.

After a good digging around there is nothing like a bit to eat and a drink!

Careful you don't over do it!

Home again soon!

St Scholasticas School, Hackney

One of the underpinning principles of the DOG Sculpture Installation was the desire of the artist to provide something of value to her community. As a consequence she has set up and run sculpture workshops for primary school children in the boroughs of Tower Hamlets and Hackney. The idea behind these was not to bring the children into the DOG Sculpture as "workers" or "contributors" but to bring them in as artistic partners.


For this to work Takayama provided the structure of a sculpture making workshop but did not define the form. In this manner the children, with their teacher, could decide on their own artistic ambitions within the remit of their existing educational programme. The idea was for the children to create their own sculpture which they could see in the context of Takayama's public art work and perhaps consider their own artistic future in the process.


The educational benefits of spatial awareness, three dimensional sculpture construction and then the public acclaim of having your work on public display (both in local venues and on this site) should be self evident.


What continually surprises is the quality of work 8 year old children are capable of when they work with an artist. Some of the drawing skills, some of the conceptualisation and all of the unbounded enthusiasm are simply to be marvelled at.

If we just consider some of the form these children have presented with their drawings, the drawings which are the basis of the model design, then we really have to question why more art workshops are not provided for children in inner city areas.



The purpose of the workshops was to give the children the opportunity to realise spatial awareness, management of projects, design, construction and delivery within the activity of being an artist. All of these skills are valuable educational experiences and reinforce the core curriculum activities but where, especially for children from inner city communities, this approach really has value is in the public presentation of the end results and the consequent approval each child receives for themselves and their work.


Each school involved in the workshops took their own approach, tailored the sculpture construction to relate to existing classroom deliveries. This is the advantage to the schools and the teachers of the approach Akane Takayama has taken; she hasn't sought to impose an "art agenda" on the schools but provide an "art opportunity" which the schools can fit within their own educational management schedule and adapt the workshop content to support that schedule.


The skills and imagination are plain for all to see. As you look through these models consider the detail and imagination these children have employed.

Burbage School, Hackney

One of the underpinning principles of the DOG Sculpture Installation was the desire of the artist to provide something of value to her community. As a consequence she has set up and run sculpture workshops for primary school children in the boroughs of Tower Hamlets and Hackney. The idea behind these was not to bring the children into the DOG Sculpture as "workers" or "contributors" but to bring them in as artistic partners.

For this to work Takayama provided the structure of a sculpture making workshop but did not define the form. In this manner the children, with their teacher, could decide on their own artistic ambitions within the remit of their existing educational programme. The idea was for the children to create their own sculpture which they could see in the context of Takayama's public art work and perhaps consider their own artistic future in the process


The educational benefits of spatial awareness, three dimensional sculpture construction and then the public acclaim of having your work on public display (both in local venues and on this site) should be self evident.



What continually surprises is the quality of work 8 year old children are capable of when they work with an artist. Some of the drawing skills, some of the conceptualisation and all of the unbounded enthusiasm are simply to be marvelled at.



The purpose of the workshops was to give the children the opportunity to realise spatial awareness, management of projects, design, construction and delivery within the activity of being an artist. All of these skills are valuable educational experiences and reinforce the core curriculum activities but where, especially for children from inner city communities, this approach really has value is in the public presentation of the end results and the consequent approval each child receives for themselves and their work.


Each school involved in the workshops took their own approach, tailored the sculpture construction to relate to existing classroom deliveries. This is the advantage to the schools and the teachers of the approach Akane Takayama has taken; she hasn't sought to impose an "art agenda" on the schools but provide an "art opportunity" which the schools can fit within their own educational management schedule and adapt the workshop content to support that schedule.


The skills and imagination are plain for all to see. As you look through these models consider the detail and imagination these children have employed.

Baden Powell School, Hackney.

One of the underpinning principles of the DOG Sculpture Installation was the desire of the artist to provide something of value to her community. As a consequence she has set up and run sculpture workshops for primary school children in the boroughs of Tower Hamlets and Hackney. The idea behind these was not to bring the children into the DOG Sculpture as "workers" or "contributors" but to bring them in as artistic partners.



For this to work Takayama provided the structure of a sculpture making workshop but did not define the form. In this manner the children, with their teacher, could decide on their own artistic ambitions within the remit of their existing educational programme. The idea was for the children to create their own sculpture which they could see in the context of Takayama's public art work and perhaps consider their own artistic future in the process.


The educational benefits of spatial awareness, three dimensional sculpture construction and then the public acclaim of having your work on public display (both in local venues and on this site) should be self evident.


The purpose of the workshops was to give the children the opportunity to realise spatial awareness, management of projects, design, construction and delivery within the activity of being an artist. All of these skills are valuable educational experiences and reinforce the core curriculum activities but where, especially for children from inner city communities, this approach really has value is in the public presentation of the end results and the consequent approval each child receives for themselves and their work.


Each school involved in the workshops took their own approach, tailored the sculpture construction to relate to existing classroom deliveries. This is the advantage to the schools and the teachers of the approach Akane Takayama has taken; she hasn't sought to impose an "art agenda" on the schools but provide an "art opportunity" which the schools can fit within their own educational management schedule and adapt the workshop content to support that schedule.


The skills and imagination are plain for all to see. As you look through these models consider the detail and imagination these children have employed.