Last month our Founder & CEO, Gwen Rhys attended the unveiling of New Dawn in St Stephen’s Hall, Westminster.
New Dawn is located above the entrance to St Stephen’s Hall, the site of numerous demonstrations, so that viewers of the artwork will literally stand in the footsteps of the hundreds of thousands of women and men who came to Parliament to fight for women’s right to the vote.
New Dawn was designed by artist Mary Branson is a permanent addition to the Parliamentary Art Collection, as well as the first piece of abstract art commissioned for permanent display here.
Measuring over six metres high, the massive scale is intended to reflect the size of the campaign, and the unique hand-blown glass scrolls crafted by Adam Aaronson that make up its dawning sun reflect the many individuals who were involved in the movement and the special contribution they made to modern democracy.
As the tide ebbs and flows, the lighting behind the glass scrolls changes, so that the installation is constanting changing.
View the videos about the making of New Dawn.
Part 1 – Developing the Prototype
Part 2 – Making the Glassword
Part 3 – Making the Metalwork