Is this London’s Eiffel Tower? The ArcelorMittal Orbit, is a towering new sculpture created for the 2012 London Olympic Park. By sculptor Anish Kapoor and engineer Cecil Balmon, by day its twisted frame gleams vermilion, by night it glows gently with soft light. There is much debate – of course. Some local
the story of its creation has become an urban legend
residents do not like it and have protested – vociferously. The director of the New Tate does like it, so does the ever colorful Lord Mayor of London, Boris Johnson. The press is busy dishing, even nicknaming it the Hubble Bubble.
Apart from the vigorous controversy, the story of its creation has become an urban legend related with gusto to those touring of the new Olympic Park. Tim Adams, writing in London’s Guardian Newspaper on May 5, puts it this way. “Boris Johnson was amost lost for superlatives… “It would have boggled the minds of the Romans, it would have dwarfed the aspirations of Gustav Eiffel, and it will certainly be worthy of the best show on Earth, in the greatest city on Earth.”
“That was certainly the idea to begin with. The story goes that Johnson…. bumped into Britain’s richest man, Lakshmi Mittal in the lavatories at the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2009. Grasping his opportunity with both hands, the mayor buttonholed the steel magnate about the possibility of funding a lasting symbol of London 2012, boggling the minds of Romans etc. Mittal confirms, ‘Boris might have even taken less time to convince me…sometimes you just hear an idea that resonates with you – this was one of them.'”
The rest is history. The Mayor sent out an invitation to artists and architects. Artist Anish Kapoor and Cecil Balmond were selected and the first plans were presented May 2010. They like to describe the Orbit, at 376ft, the tallest sculpture in the UK, 72ft taller than the Statue of Liberty. Like it or not, understand it or not, it has changed the skyline of East London for ever.
The Orbit opens on July 28. Tickets are available to those with tickets to Olympic events. After the Games it will open to the general public. Visitors can climb 455 steps or take an elevator to observation decks which give sweeping views across London.
TTFN
