Scattered with a few benches and bins, Temple station's roof terrace was hardly the most remarkable in the city — but that's just changed with an incredible razzle dazzle makeover.
London based artist Lakwena Maciver has transformed the space into a vibrant, dynamic artwork entitled Back in the Air: A Meditation on Higher Ground.
Maciver — known for her intensely coloured, geometric forms inspired by her Ugandan heritage — has previously exhibited installations at Tate Britain, Somerset House, and the Southbank Centre.
Back in the Air: A Meditation on Higher Ground uses interlocking tiles to create a series of pathways and portals across the roof, which you're invited to walk over, absorbing the "positive dynamism."
The phrase 'Nothing Can Separate Us' is emblazoned across the entrance to the garden.
Maciver says of her installation: "They say that the Garden of Eden was the first temple — the story goes that we were cast out of the Garden, and ever since then we have been longing to find our way back.
"This idea of a subconscious yearning for paradise sits in stark contrast to the highly colonised, concrete environment that now surrounds Temple Station. Yet it is this which has become the impetus for this public intervention."
The garden also features an artist's hut modelled on the iconic cabman's shelter (one of which stands near Temple station) and a plinth showcasing a series of works by emerging artists — starting with the winner of the Royal College of Art/Yorkshire Sculpture Park's Graduate Award, Camilla Bliss.
Maciver's is the first installation of The Artist's Garden, an ongoing project spearheaded by theCoLAB Temple. The Artist's Garden is in partnership with Westminster City Council and is part of its Inside Out festival, running till 31 October.
The inaugural installation is open until 30 April 2022.
All images © David Parry/PA Wire.
