David Batchelor. Festival Remix (2006) Copyright the artist, courtesy the artist and Wilkinson Gallery, London
By Sara O’Reilly
Posted: Tue Dec 4 2007
The revamped Southbank Centre, which is now positioning itself as a shopping as well as a cultural destination (the Southbank Centre shop has some great fifties furnishings and accessories), has commissioned a new display of Christmas lights by Turner Prize nominee Anya Gallaccio. It’s also bringing back David Batchelor’s 2006 commission, ‘Festival Remix’ an inspirational confection of festive lights and an old rubbish bin (get the effect at home by ditching the tree and decorating your wheelie bin instead). The switch-on ceremony takes place on Thursday; Sophie Dahl, who also did the honours in Bond Street earlier this month, will flick the switch on the Festival Terrace at 6.30pm, with the backing of a Voicelab Swell choir. To bolster the appeal of the new shops and restaurants at Southbank, the Ballroom in the Royal Festival Hall, decorated by set designer Michael Vale , will host free daytime and evening performances during the Christmas period and there will be a Slow Food market selling fab fresh and preserved foods and sustainably produced craft products from Dec 20 to 23.
