This site-specific artwork references Bedford's brick-making history and the surrounding architecture around the new square at the Bedford Riverside Development. The artwork partially conceals an electrical substation. Situated adjacent to the river and a new bridge, this new contemporary artwork acts as a focal point within this new open space.
The overall design is composed of rows of printed bricks showing the concave top face of the bricks. Interspersed within the concave bricks are convex bricks that reveal the shape of the mould used to create the brick. The title ‘The Frog’ references the concave face ‘frog’ of a brick. The window design is a subtle reference to the blocked up window in the building directly behind the Frog.
Using an economy of means, the overall composition plays with ones perception of space, perspective and illusion. Apart from the window, there is no focal point and your eye moves around the different elements of the design, creating a sense of rhythm and continuity around the sub-station. The use of bold colours and subtle variations in tone emphasise the illusionistic qualities of the bricks that wrap around its structure.
The Frog was commissioned by Bedford Creative Arts on behalf of Bedford Riverside Regeneration Limited. 2017
http://bedfordcreativearts.org.uk/frog-riverside-square/