This September is rife with amazing temporary art in public places; just last week I blogged about the amazing balloon installation “Heartbeat” in Covent Garden. When I had some time to spare, I popped down to Nine Elms along the south bank of the Thames (close to Vauxhall Station) to see the giant horse statues.
“What are these Thames horses?” you might be wondering. Well, it’s an installation called “The Rising Tide” by the artist, Jason deCaires Taylor. Because of their position on the bank, they are practically covered at high tide, but as the tide subsides, the statues are slowly unveiled till low tide is reached and you can wander out on the bank to see them up close. Then they are slowly submerged again.
The riders are two adults and two children; the adults looking up, the children looking out. At high tide only the heads of the riders are above water, looking delicately perched, yet perilous. The piece was commissioned for the Totally Thames Festival, a celebration of the history and importance of the Thames to London. The Thames horses can be viewed till the end of September.
If you’re going at low tide to pay them a visit up close as opposed to just viewing them from the sidewalk, it’s worth wearing wellies. I stepped on an unstable patch of shore and sunk up to the knees in the mud and silt. For a moment I panicked and thought I was in quicksand – nope, I was just horrendously muddy.
Have you gone down to see the horses yet?
