Tricorn Hoardings The colour happened on the inside The Tricorn Hoarding project was a socially interactive artwork providing a focus and forum for opinions, comments and memories relating to the notorious Owen Ludder, Tricorn building. Located in Portsmouth, it was once considered a significant building of brutalist architecture as well as being on the ‘Ugliest Building’ List. The ‘colour happened on the inside’ artwork, referred to by the press as a ‘giant sounding board’ was located in a prominent position on the hoardings surrounding the building. It provided a legitimate space for people to add comments and opinions. During the time the artwork was installed, a local campaign run by the Portsmouth Historical Society, attempted to save the building by lobbying organisations including CABE and the 2Oth Century Society and the local press worked hard to have the building demolished. The artwork became hugely popular for people wanting to have their voice within this hotly contested case for demolition of the Tricorn. The 70 metres artwork, used graphic icons to structure comments. Marmite jars were used for comments relating to the buildings architecture, personal memories and experiences. This humorous approach borrowed from the advertising world was a valid way of creating spaces for positive and negative comments on an equal visual footing, whilst summing up the antithesis of opinion. Memories relating to the music scene were placed in glasses- referencing the logo of the once vibrant, night club, ‘Grannies’. Anthony Rollinson, author of “20 Missed beats’, wrote a specific colourful monologue for the artwork about life at the club. A list of bands also grew as people added names during the life of the artwork. The final section, imagine, contained light bulbs for ideas and opinions regarding the future site, from comments relating to redevelopment of the building to new services and facilities. Comments for the artwork were gathered by ‘in residence days’ by consulting with shoppers, shop owners and members of the public. A network of comments were also gathered by questionnaires given out by a network of volunteers, including shops that had originally been located in the Tricorn building. Other comments were received by email, advertised by the local press and TV. The pre collected comments were written in the graphics during installation leaving 50% of the graphics clear for people to add their comments on site. Although this was potentially a risky situation, the graphics with the comments already added created a precedence and on the whole people added comments in the graphic spaces provided. The artwork used figures to humanise the area and to encourage a connection of the building with people. A figure, in a profile-walking pose is repeated throughout the artwork and walks undisturbed, looking ahead and not engaging with the building. Other figures appear once and are taken from photographs of shoppers in Commercial road. They are fabricated from two colours of vinyl and have a more relaxed feel, they engage with the artwork as well as providing visual interpretation of the text. I.e. the first section that focuses on the opinions of the building, is introduced by the Text, “stand and stare” followed by a figure doing just that. Graphic signifiers of the Tricorn pillars, framed the three sections of the artwork were in orange, relating to the famous orange ‘Tricorn’ logo. The text ‘ the colour happened on the inside’ was emblazoned in large red vinyl. Recognising the life that went on inside the Tricorn. It was not a desolate building but one utilised by the people of Portsmouth. Whilst the building may not be classed as an “economic’ success, many people I met during the project valued their experiences and memories relating to the building. |  |