Tuesday 8 August 2017

Mark Wallinger's White Horse

Literately everyone who is alive today is talking about "Bonjour" (Francis Macdonald and Harry Pye's debut L.P.) I wonder how many of the millions of people who've bought Bonjour and stared lovingly at the cover have wondered about the life sized statue of a white horse? Well, wonder no more - here are some fascinating facts... Way back in 2014 The British Council Collection commissioned Turner Prize winning artist Mark Wallinger to make the sculpture which they then put outside their offices in The Mall for approximately two years. Mr Wallinger part owns a real horse called Rivera Red. His horse was put into a white line scanner and the scan was moulded into a robust resin, marble and steel structure. The ambitious Mr Wallinger will one day make a 50 metre high version of the same horse which will be the biggest piece of public art in the whole of the United Kingdom. He's been given the permission to build the giant horse in Ebbsfleet Valley in Kent but doesn't have the funds to realise the project. Some estimate building the statue could cost as much as 15 million pounds.
When Mark saw a C.D. of Bonjour for the first time he exclaimed "Good Heavens!" and seemed pleasantly surprised.
Here are some other recent reactions to the album... "Would make perfect Summer listening, if there was a Summer." - Ian Rankin "A thoughtful collaboration with Macdonald providing the elegant soundtrack to Pye's lyrics on art appreciation, nostalgic reminisces and the simple pleasures." Fiona Shepherd, The Scotsman Newspaper. “Punky vignettes, fusing spoken word with classic pop, easy listening and more” - Robin Murray (CLASH magazine) “Old fashioned, poignant, likeable and offbeat. Macdonald is a dab hand with sweet melodic easy-listening indie numbers, while Pye contributes spoken word anecdotes that are perfectly written, clumsily delivered and gripping” – Thomas H. Green (The Arts Desk) Sympathy For Jean-Luc Godard is “shimmering and radiating feel good vibes” Mark Barton (God Is In The TV website) “Delightful stuff.” Roland Monger (Listen with Monger website) "Odd but good" **** (Jenny Bulley Mojo Magazine) “I Feel Like a Record That’s Scratched is pure catchy power pop... a work of art.” Calum Craig (Is This Music? Website) “Wonderfully quirky” – Flux magazine “The results of their collaboration will make you want to smile” – Carlos Benito (El Correo website).
Bonjour
the art pop album which costs a lot less than 15 millions pounds is available on i-tunes, Spotify, Amazon, Rough Trade in London, Monorail Music in Glasgow and all good record shops in UK/Europe. For signed copies visit: https://bonjour.tmstor.es/

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