London-based artists Oli Epp and Maja Djordjevic announce the launch of a one of a kind public art project on Brighton‘s vibrant seafront. Strategically positioned between the iconic nudist beach and the bustling Brighton Pier, two classic red telephone boxes have been given a new lease on life as dynamic showcases for contemporary art.
The project kicks off with an inaugural installation by Maidstone born artist Rosie McGinn, an artist celebrated for her exploration of emotional extremes through an eclectic mix of mediums.
Born in 1993, Rosie McGinn has created a new body of work depicting two stuffed sculpture ‘beings’ stuck in the bit before lift off. Equipped with space gloves, lunar boots and breathing apparatus the couple stare out onto the sea’s horizon, across the English Channel. Sitting patiently, they wait in their capsules as an atmospheric sound design [ created by Ollie Dook ] counts down to zero before shooting them off into the stratosphere. The telephone boxes, like Charlie’s Great Glass Elevator, they spin and hurtle towards the blackness of space as a celestial duet plays “I will always love you.” Words first sung lifetimes ago by Dolly Parton and Whitney Houston are now echoed by these space ‘beings’ as they say goodbye.
“A goodbye letter to home, a self-sacrificial journey to beyond; a pair of lovers sit awaiting their lift off from Brighton beach, UK, Earth. Primed in their phone box rockets the two figures anticipate a journey to the far reaches of the universe. Having tasted the forbidden fruit, they leave their beloved planet behind, so it may grow on without them. In the words of Dolly “..we both know that I’m not what you need.” – Rosie McGinn Epp and Djordjevic’s vision for the telephone boxes is not just a tribute to the past but a beacon for the future of public art.
Photography by Joshua Tarn. Courtesy of Carl Kostyál and the Artist
By curating an ongoing series of installations, they aim to create a constantly evolving conversation between artists and the community, making art accessible and engaging for everyone. The red telephone boxes are reimagined as vessels of artistic expression, inviting all who pass by to pause, reflect, and connect in an ever-changing world. Isn’t art all about communication?
©2024 Oli Epp, Maja Djordjevic, Rosie McGinn
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