'Slices of Peace’ is the creation of renowned British-Nigerian artist and designer, Yinka Ilori MBE and has been installed in the community’s latest public open space, Orchard Park. ‘Slices of Peace’ is the culmination of Ilori’s tenure as Kings Hill’s Artist in Residence. A multi-sensory piece of work, it comprises one giant apple, flanked by two smaller apples as well as a soundtrack by sound artist Peter Adjaye. It was developed in conjunction with staff from Turner Contemporary, students and alumni from the University for the Creative Arts (UCA) – a collective known as AtelierUCA, and Kings Hill residents, who took part in a series of community workshops. Yinka Ilori was appointed as Artist in Residence in Kings Hill in 2021 as part of the Kings Hill Public Art Commission: a cultural partnership between Kings Hill development partners Liberty Property Trust and Kent County Council (KCC), Turner Contemporary, and the University for the Creative Arts (UCA), as part of a placemaking strategy by Futurecity. 'Slices of Peace' was curated by Turner Contemporary.
"Bringing people and communities together is something I am passionate about and aspire to do through all of my work, which is why I am excited to bring ‘Slices of Peace’ to Kings Hill. This installation is inspired by the rich culture and heritage of Kent, in particular its history of apple growing. Community is at the heart of this installation, and I hope it brings a ‘slice of peace’ to those visiting, offering them a place to wander, reflect, and meditate within the park."
Yinka Ilori, artist
The apples – made from laser cut, powder coated steel – were constructed off site by Firecracker Works and anchored onto concrete plinths. The larger apple is more than 5m in diameter to accommodate people inside it, and the smaller apples are 700mm in diameter. ‘Slices of Peace’ will be the final significant public art commission to be installed in Kings Hill. The sculpture was designed to be site-specific to Orchard Park, which also conserves a rare national monument – a Pickett Hamilton fort from WWII – and features a Kentish ragstone amphitheatre for outdoor performances.
The work is accompanied by a soundscape, Freedom Sounds – Lift Every Voice, written by sound artist Peter Adjaye. The vocal composition was developed in a community choral workshop supported by jazz vocalist Randolph Matthews, using West African ‘Call and Response’ techniques.
The opening event on Friday, 12 April gave the Kings Hill community the opportunity to meet the two artists as well as representatives of the organisations that partnered on the project. In addition to the artwork, attendees were able to view an exhibition by UCA students in the Kings Hill Control Tower Gallery. The Control Tower Gallery exhibition produced by the UCA students contains a selection of key artefacts representing the work that has gone into the artwork’s creation. Open to the public until Friday, 19 April, it includes a site model of Orchard Park and the artwork, the textile resulting from the community stitching workshop, a timeline of key photographs and drawings from across the project, and a video of an interview with Yinka Ilori.
“Public art has been central to our philosophy right from the beginning, helping to forge an identity for the evolving community and instilling a sense of pride in the area. As Kings Hill nears completion, ‘Slices of Peace’ helps represent all that has been achieved and the vision of the people who originally conceived of this community.” Andrew Blevins, of Kings Hill developer Liberty Property Trust
"The three individual apple-shaped structures that form the sculpture reflect Kent’s rich culture and heritage, and the county’s history of apple growing. ‘Slices of Peace’ represents a space for community celebration and an area for people of all ages and backgrounds to come together to create new memories and share in new experiences. The installation aims to promote wellbeing, inspire a sense of belonging, and celebrate joy and positivity.” Sarah Martin, Head of Exhibitions, Turner Contemporary
Futurecity & Liberty Property Trust, A Decade of Collaboration 'Slice of Peace' is one of many new work ambitious public art works commissioned, curated and project managed by Futurecity for the Kings Hill and Cambridge BioMedical Campus developments stemming from a cultural partnership with Liberty Property Trust. In 2014, Futurecity commissioned graphic designer Richard Wolfstrome to develop an embedded signage and sculpture in response to the unique history of the Kings Hill site, an award-winning development at the old Royal Air Force station near West Malling in Kent.
In that same year, Andy Robinson, Head of Strategy for Futurecity team delivered a Public Art Strategy for Cambridge Biomedical Campus that saw international artists working alongside science and healthcare professionals from 2015-2020. The Public Art Programme has triggered a series of ambitious public artwork across the CBC campus. He delivered the landmark art and architecture project 'Green and the Gardens' by artist Ryan Gander for the campus’s new 20,000 sq.mt. central park. Other commissions can be seen across the campus, resulting from an artist in residency programme kicked-off by artists Publicworks and 30Bird at the Medical Research Councils Laboratory of Molecular Biology.
Images: Kings Hill Wayfinding by Richard Wolfstrome; 'Home in the Service of Science' by Publicworks and 30Bird at Cambridge Biomedical Campus Medical Research Councils Laboratory of Molecular Biology; 'Green and the Gardens' launch, by artist Ryan Gander; 'Making Visible' by Hannah Jane Walker.