Art & Architecture: Taubman Museum of Art in Virginia, USA launches Swoon

The distinctive design of the Taubman Museum of Art in Roanoke, Virginia, stands out in the urban landscape. Situated in the heart of downtown near the city market area, its location is part of the city's efforts to revitalize and enhance the cultural offerings of the downtown area.

This November, the Taubman Museum of Art has launched Swoon, an exhibition to celebrate the work of contemporary American Street artist and activist Swoon, whose real name is Caledonia Curry.  

Swoon is known for her use of delicate paper cutouts which gives her pieces a distinct and ethereal quality. 

Born in 1977 in New London, Connecticut, Swoon's work is characterized by intricately cut paper portraits and figures that she often wheat-pastes onto buildings and other public spaces. Her art often incorporates elements of mythology, social issues, and personal narratives. 

Swoon studied at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, where she developed her skills as an artist. Her early works gained attention for their unique blend of street art, activism, and community engagement. 

Swoon's work has been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world, in both solo and group exhibitions. Over the years, Swoon has collaborated with other artists and engaged in diverse projects. She has worked on large-scale installations, public murals, and community-based art initiatives. Her approach often involves collaboration with local communities to create site-specific and socially engaged artworks.

Blue Panel Star, 2020 - Swoon.
Wood, spray paint, hand-cut paper and silkscreen on
paper.

The artist adopted the name "Swoon" early in her career. The choice of the name reflects the emotional impact she aims to have on viewers with her art, creating a sense of awe or "swooning" in response to the beauty and depth of the work.   The Swoon exhibition is on until March 10, 2024.

As for the architecture of the Taubman Museum, it was designed by American architect Randall Stout (1958 - 2014) and completed in 2008. 

Stout took special care to honour naturalistic elements of the Roanoke geographic surroundings in designing the museum's architecture featuring a striking combination of glass and steel, with a dynamic, angular structure that incorporates both geometric and organic forms, according to the museum literature.

Suspended in the atrium of Taubman Museum of Art is
"Experiment in Gravity"- Alyson Shotz, 2019 - 2023
Punched, painted aluminium trailer skin, stainless steel rings, airplane cable, steel support.

The design is characterized by a series of interconnected, cantilevered boxes that create a sense of movement and openness. The extensive use of glass allows natural light to fill the interior spaces and provides visitors with views of the surrounding cityscape.  

View of Blue Ridge Mountains from McAfee Knob.

The Roanoke Star -
The iconic symbol of 
 the city of Roanoke, Virginia.

The 77-foot glass peak in the atrium recalls the point of the Roanoke Star (above Mill Mountain), and the undulating roofline reflects the Blue Ridge Mountains.

"Dancer" - Betty Branch, 1934
Rosa Portuguese Marble

An associate in Frank O. Gehry’s office before establishing his own firm in 1996 in Los Angeles, Stout was known for his innovative and sustainable architectural designs, often referenced with the influence of Frank O. Gehry and other contemporary architects such as Zaha Hadid and Coop Himmelblau.

Stout specialised in cultural projects, especially midsize museums and cultural facilities. His portfolio includes the clifflike Hunter Museum of American Art in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the Abroms-Engel Institute for the Visual Arts in Birmingham, Alabama, and the Art Gallery of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

At his death in 2014, Stout was an associate professor in the architecture school at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

All images by Lucia Carpio.

Control Room A at iconic Battersea Power Station restored as a distinctive event space

The Battersea Power Station is one of London's most recognisable landmarks due to its Art Deco architecture with four towering chimneys, looming over the River Thames in the Nine Elms area south of the river.  

Today the restoration of the  historic Battersea Power Station, restoring the imposing building to its former glory, has been deemed a major success; the extensive restoration work involved repairing the  brickwork, replacing damaged elements, and preserving the iconic chimneys.  

It is today a thriving shopping destination, having been transformed into a substantial retail complex, with a hub of offices, residences, restaurants, open green spaces and parks.  Tech company Apple became the largest office tenant, occupying six floors in the central boiler house.  The surrounding area has also been transformed into a vibrant mixed-use development.

Back in its heyday, one important feature of the Battersea Power Station building was the Control Room that played a crucial role in overseeing the operations of the power station during its active years. 

As part of the redevelopment of the Battersea Power Station, the Control Room also underwent extensive restoration with the aim to preserve its original features and historical character while also ensuring its accessibility to the public. 

As the original nerve center of the power station, where skilled engineers and operators monitored and managed the various processes of electricity generation, the Control Room housed an array of control panels, instruments, and communication systems that in its previous capacity allowed the operators to regulate the boilers, turbines, and other machinery within the power station.   

Now having been sympathetically restored, the Control Room A as it is now known has been transformed into a desirable elegant, entertainment and hospitality space that can serve 220 guests for receptions, and up to 100 seated. 

The main Control Room A showcases gold-coffered glass ceiling and original Art Deco finishings, along with its impressive banks of switches and dials that gained iconic status over the years.

In keeping with the Art Deco architectural style of the Battersea Power Station, the design of the Control Room A  features original elegant and ornate details, combining functionality with aesthetics. 

The main Control Room A showcases gold-coffered glass ceiling and original Art Deco finishings, along with its impressive banks of switches and dials that gained iconic status over the years.  It presents itself as a unique and highly memorable space for events, ideal for events including receptions, fashion shows and brand launches, as well as commercial photography or film sets.

Art deco bay windows allow guests to look down into the shopping centre below.

Control Room A is accessed through the
Directors’ Entrance to the south side of
the Battersea Power Station,
featuring bronze doors with original
sculptural panels, leading to
an Art Deco lobby.

 Control Room A is accessible through a dedicated entrance, known as the Directors' Entrance, leading to a lobby.

Guests would travel via the staircase or the original lift up to its reception areas. Much of the original Art Deco features have been retained to offer historical reference.

From the lobby, guests would travel via the staircase or the original lift to the purpose-built Directors' Bar that serves as the reception room that could be used as a catering breakout area between conference sessions, or as an exhibition stand area.

Prior to the Control Room A is the purpose-built Directors' Bar area, which could be used as a reception or breakout area between conference sessions, or as an exhibition stand area.

The history of the Battersea Power Station dates back to the 1930s and up till the 1980s, it was a coal-fired power station that at its peak was producing a fifth of London's power, supplying electricity to some of London's most important addresses, including the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace.

By the 1970s, the station became less efficient and cost-effective to operate. As a result, it was gradually decommissioned, and its operations officially ceased in 1983.  

The Battersea Power Station was officially reopened in October 2022.

Now after its closure and decades of unsuccessful redevelopment attempts, the Battersea Power Station was finally reopened in October 2022 following a 10-year, £9 billion ($13.36 billion) redevelopment project ( thanks to a consortium of Malaysian investors called the Battersea Power Station Development Company (BPSDC)).

The entire Nine Elms area has witnessed the construction of numerous new residential and commercial buildings, attracting people to live, work, and invest in the area.

A view of the Battersea Power Station and the regenerated Nine Elms district
as seen from the Chelsea Bridge.

With great transport connectivity, thanks to the extension of the London Underground Northern Line to serve the Battersea Power Station and with its proximity to the Battersea Park railway station, the redevelopment of the Battersea Power Station has acted as a catalyst for the regeneration of the surrounding area, known as the Nine Elms district. The entire area has witnessed the construction of numerous new residential and commercial buildings, attracting people to live, work, and invest in the area.  

The regeneration efforts have also brought in cultural and recreational facilities, including art galleries, theaters, and entertainment venues, contributing to the overall appeal and vibrancy of the neighborhood, boosting the local economy by creating job opportunities, attracting businesses and driving tourism to the area.

The Battersea Power Station project truly represents a successful example of transforming a once-derelict industrial site into a thriving and modern urban neighborhood, while preserving the historical significance of the iconic power station.

All photos by Lucia Carpio.