Loughborough University’s own contemporary arts programme, Radar, is launching a new event this November by the artist Nils Norman.

“Open-Assembly No:1. Loughborough. Insects, Worms, Mushrooms, Birds and Students” is a prototype for an outdoor public discussion space. A social structure that brings together birds, insects, worms and students all under one roof.

Over the past 5 years Nils Norman has been developing a series of temporary public sculpture prototypes that reflect his interests and research into education, play, public space, work, and the environment. For Loughborough he expands on his investigations into the design of outdoor work/play spaces for the creative classes, creating a meeting and discussion space that offers a situation where new associations between a variety of local actors can be explored. 

These actors include birds, insects, mushrooms, worms and students!!

The sculpture incorporates design elements from defensive street furniture, the ecology movement, protest camps and the middle class British garden. 

Nils Norman has developed his own mix of art and activism, examining histories of utopian thinking and ideas on alternative economic systems that can work within urban living conditions.

The project is launched on Thursday 18th November at 5.30pm, outside the Sports Development Centre, where the artist will give a talk about his work followed by refreshments.

After this,  in association with the Loughborough University Film Society, Flix, at 7.00pm in the Cope Auditorium there will be a performance of Nickolaus Geyrhalter’s award winning film ‘Our Daily Bread’ (92 minutes).

For further information about these events and other Radar programmes visit their homepage here.