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Giant head looking out across the Thames

September 17, 2018

The sculpture of a gigantic head looking across the Thames and changing colour at night according to the mood of the viewer is the latest attraction on London's trendy South Bank.

https://p.dw.com/p/34yxB
England Design Biennale 2018 in London
Image: picture-alliance/NurPhoto/A. Pezzali

The work "Head Above Water" by furniture and lighting designer Steuart Padwick aims to raise awareness of mental health issues. The work was installed at the London Design Fair, which opened on Saturday. Padwick explained that the lighting of his nine-meter sculpture could change "to show the moods of the brain: Happy, sad, jolly". People could use a Twitter feed to get in touch with the head illuminated in the dark and express how they feel. The mental health campaign "Time To Change", which supports the project, stated that the work was aimed at "stimulating the debate on the stigmatisation of mental illness". The head is a symbol of hope, courage and compassion.

England Design Biennale 2018 in London
A house-sized wooden head by Steuart PadwickImage: picture-alliance/NurPhoto/A. Pezzali
England Design Biennale 2018 in London
"Head Above Water" is an eye-catcher in the skyline Image: picture-alliance/NurPhoto/A. Pezzali

is/ks (dpa)