It’s not without fluency in contemporary culture that you negotiate the placement of one of Ai Weiwei’s thousand-strong bicycle sculptures outside the Gherkin or drive a large flock of sheep across the Millennium Bridge. Interventions like these require intimate knowledge of many interplaying factors, mapping complex environments as well as understanding the people behind and in front of such radical projects. We have that insight.
Between artists and sites, international audiences and local stakeholders, and between wild ambition and the grit needed to realise it, Lacuna believes in dialogue at every level. Only by attending to each ingredient in turn can a project be executed in all its authenticity. Continuous consultation is integral to how we work, and relationships are the keystone on which a vitalising project is built.
When your desire to find the best possible solution is unrelenting, you have to marry practicality with intuition. Knowing when to challenge the rule book is what makes for a Lacuna kind of dynamism. In its first edition (2011-2012), Sculpture in the City was comprised of four artworks in four locations. Now in its eleventh edition (2022-2023), the project exhibits twenty works in as many locations, and continues to match innovation with longevity.
Since our inception we have worked with renowned international artists and progressive emerging talents alike. With an extensive network of specialists from across the cultural sphere, we maintain an esteemed reputation among all the major galleries in the UK and beyond, on the international stage. We believe this makes us ideally-equipped to develop unique and memorable culture projects worthy of the bluest of blue ribbons.
“For Stella the word ‘impossible‘ simply doesn’t exist. Whatever she is trying to achieve she always succeeds due to her charm, tenacity, power to persuade and unfailing good humour. This makes her not only a great pleasure to work with but also engenders the greatest assurance that all will be well – and the end result will be the best. Which it invariably is.”
Sarah Gaventa, The Illuminated River Foundation
Meet the Team
Jade Niklai is a curator, art consultant and founding director of Blood Mountain Projects (Vienna). A former curator of architecture (Foster+Partners & The Architecture Foundation, London) and art (Ludwig Museum, Budapest/Aachen & Museum of Modern Art, New York); she was a curatorial advisor to Louis Vuitton Espace (Paris/Munich) and remains an active researcher, visiting lecturer, art juror, writer and board member at various organisations. Jade and Stella have collaborated on numerous art architecture and design-related projects over the past 15 years. Jade joined Lacuna as Associate Curator in 2020.
Alice Sandon joined Lacuna as the Arts Producer in 2022. Her producing experience spans live and visual art, film and theatre with a keen interest in the relationship between art and the people and place it is presented within. Previously Alice was the Senior Participation Producer for SPILL Festival where she oversaw large outdoor artworks by international artists. She graduated from the Royal Central School of Speech & Drama with a BA (Hons) in Applied Theatre and is intermediate level in British Sign Language. Alice has worked across Asia and Europe to deliver seemingly impossible, breathtaking artworks and continues to do so with Lacuna today.
Associates
A selection of associates we have worked with on our projects, whose specialist knowledge enriches the final result
Nick Luscombe is the founder of Musicity, the leading agency for music + architecture, with a series of commissioned work and events across Asia and Europe. It’s great to see how Musicity has grown and developed from the original idea Nick came to talk about with us back in 2009 and a genuine pleasure to partner with Nick and Musicity on Sculpture in the City.
David Rosenberg has worked as an Architect and Exhibition Designer for Foster + Partners and Venturi Scott Brown & Associates, and as a teaching fellow at University College, London; his mission, and that of Velorose, is to bring great art and architecture to life. David is the person we recommended to work with Do Ho Suh studio on Bridging Home London.
Nick is the founder of the international street photographers group in-public and in 2010 he established Nick Turpin Publishing. Nick has also taught and lectured on contemporary street photography at Museums, Universities and on TV. Very much part of the Sculpture in the City team we love catching up with him during the installation weekends.
Patrick Fry Studio is a London based design practise that create everything from books and exhibitions to branding and packaging. We are a huge fan of his work and love the logo Patrick designed for LACUNA. Currently working with him on a secret project; watch this space!
We are pleased to partner with Palm Chocolate. All of their products are hand made with care, free from refined sugar, no artificial additives and are 100% vegan.