The HSBC Yan Shu Commission is displayed at the new London Heathrow Terminal 5. The twin columned light sculpture welcomes all passengers to the new terminal as they enter the check-in hall.
The installation was created by United Visual Artists (UVA), and is inspired by China Design Now. The piece investigates the use of language and communication as important tools for understanding and appreciating other cultures from around the world, drawing on the ethos of HSBC's Cultural Exchange programme.
The two coloured neon columns stand at eight metres high and are positioned at opposite ends of the check-in hall. Each column features 12 large handmade glass Chinese characters that are lit up in varying combinations to convey multiple sentiments. Words like create, connect, dream, frontier, ambition and future are just some of the eclectic words visible within the light sculptures.
The title of the HSBC Commission, Yan Shu literally translates to mean ‘swan letter'. According to Hongxing Zhang, the co-curator of China Design Now in ancient Chinese literature yan shu describes correspondence delivered by carrier pigeons destined for two lovers. Less literally, the title can today refer to a cultural exchange between China and the UK.
The HSBC Yan Shu Commission is the first piece to be installed in Heathrow Terminal 5's EXPO area, as part of BAA's commitment to delivering cultural experiences to enhance the passenger's journey.
The creators, United Visual Artists are a British-based collective with a practice spanning permanent architectural installation, live performance and responsive installation.
"When asked to produce a work that acted as a signpost to the "China Design Now" exhibition at the V&A, we decided to focus on one of the aspects of Chinese culture that is most striking to us as artists - the sheer complexity of the visual landscape," said Matt Clark, Creative Director, UVA.
"We were fascinated by the shapes of conventional Chinese neon signage - the intricate letterforms of the Chinese language naturally produce very sculptural forms, and we simply took this a step further, exploding and abstracting the letters into a more three-dimensional space."
