ArtBox

The good old British phone box was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott to commemorate King George V’s Silver Jubilee.

This year we’ve got a Diamond Jubilee and London 2012 to look forward to, so some artists decided they needed to do something to celebrate.

That something turned into BT ArtBox.

It’s a campaign that thrives on the nation’s artistic talent.

Across London’s streets you’ll find replicas of the Gilbert Scott phone box, transformed by the imaginations of some of our very best creative minds. More than 80 full-size replicas of the classic telephone kiosk will be made into stunning artworks by leading creative talents for a month-long showcase.

The designers include architect Zaha Hadid; fashion designers Giles Deacon, Zandra Rhodes and Julien Macdonald; artists Rob and Nick Carter, Ryan Callanan and Martyn Ware; sculptor David Mach RA; interior designer Nina Campbell; Duran Duran’s Nick Rhodes and The Prodigy’s Maxim .

Then later on they will be auctioning all the boxes off to raise money for ChildLine’s 25th anniversary.

The project launches today 15 June when a selection of BT ArtBoxes will be on display in Trafalgar Square for the day. From 18 June – 16 July, you can see the BT ArtBoxes in landmark locations around London, such as Covent Garden, St Pancras Station, Carnaby Street, Hyde Park and even the shark tank at the London Aquarium.

Here are some of the BT ArtBox designs:

For further information on BT ArtBox and to see how you can get involved check out http://www.btartboxes.com

Mooooo

xxx

Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in Pictures

A Diamond Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 75th anniversary, but only the 60th anniversary in the case of a monarch (e.g. length of time a monarch has reigned). Traditionally, the diamond jubilee or anniversary of a person was also on the 75th anniversary. This changed with the diamond jubilee of the English Queen Victoria’s reign. There was considerable national unrest when Queen Victoria largely withdrew from public life after her husband’s death in 1861. It was decided to bring the diamond jubilee forward to the 60th anniversary on 22 June, 1897. The Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, celebrated on 2 June, 2012, was only the second in the country’s history.

More than 1 million people gathered in central London as the Queen made her final public appearance of the diamond jubilee celebrations.

Here are some pictures of the 4 days

Saturday 2 June

The Queen attended the Epsom Derby

Sunday 3 June

The Big Jubilee Lunch: Building on the already popular Big Lunch initiative, people were encouraged to share lunch with neighbours and friends as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

The Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant: This event took place on the Thames and consisted of up to 1,000 boats assembled from across the UK, the Commonwealth and around the world. The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh travelled in the Royal Barge which formed the centrepiece of the flotilla.

Monday 4 June

BBC Concert at Buckingham Palace: A host of famous faces came together to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee against the backdrop of Buckingham Palace.

The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Beacons: A network of 2,012 Beacons will be lit by communities and individuals throughout the United Kingdom, as well as the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and the Commonwealth. As in 2002, The Queen will light the National Beacon.

Tuesday 5 June

The Diamond Jubilee weekend culminated with a day of celebrations in central London, including a service at St Paul’s Cathedral followed by two receptions, a lunch at Westminster Hall, a Carriage Procession to Buckingham Palace and finally a Balcony appearance, Flypast, and Feu de Joie.

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Mooooo

xxx

Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Pageant

It was a quintessentially British occasion, with weather to match.

The sky over the Thames was a steely, unbroken grey. The vast crowd certainly needed their umbrellas.

The Queen and other members of the royal family have taken part in a flotilla of more than 1,000 boats that made its way along the Thames in the Diamond Jubilee river pageant.

Some 1.2 million people gathered in central London to watch the pageant and cheer on the royal barge, the Spirit of Chartwell, in the centrepiece of celebrations marking 60 years of Her Majesty’s reign.

Bells rang out to mark the start of the pageant, and among those in the flotilla were narrow boats, tugs, Dunkirk little ships, pleasure cruisers and steam boats.

Bridges and embankments were filled with spectators, all desperate to catch a glimpse of the myriad of vessels passing by.

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh were joined on their vessel by the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, as well as Prince Harry and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

The royal barge, decorated with 10,000 flowers from the royal estates, began its journey from Cadogan Pier in west London.

The 86-year-old monarch wore a silver and white dress and matching coat – an outfit that has been a year in the planning and was designed by the royal dresser Angela Kelly.
Its colour scheme was chosen to stand out against the red, gold and purple hues of the royal barge.

After travelling for around seven miles through the capital, the royal barge moored just past Tower Bridge, as heavy showers began to fall.

The Queen then braved the rain without an umbrella and stood under an ornate canopy to watch the spectacle of the flotilla, that had been travelling behind her.

The boats passed under all 13 central London river crossings from Battersea Bridge to Tower Bridge in what was thought to be the largest live public event ever held in London.

The pageant was brought to a close with an orchestra playing Land of Hope and Glory, Rule Britannia and the national anthem.

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Mooooo

xxx