#iclapfor x W1 Curates X Make it Blue

Today is the one-year anniversary of the start of the Clap For Our Carers campaign in the UK. Artist Ian Berry collaborated with Make it Blue along with David Bailey, Keira Knightly and Ringo Starr with art that was displayed on the 36 giant screens of the W1 Curates public art platform, a giant exhibition space covering the exterior of the Flannels fashion store on London’s Oxford Street.

The exhibition, presented by arts curator W1 Curates, was the pinnacle of the #LightItBlue campaign which was reignited at the start of the year. Major sporting and entertainment venues, national landmarks and historic buildings across the capital have been illuminating blue on Thursday nights in a gesture of thanks to the NHS and all those on the COVID healthcare frontline and has provided a positive back drop of iconic images that will forever be remembered when looking back at this time. 

Ian and Elliott Berry’s #iclapfor Pin Your Thanks badge at W1 Curates photo Ben Waugh

In marking the finale of the nine-week W1 Curates show, today, 25 March, is also the one-year anniversary of the #LightItBlue campaign that has prompted landmarks and buildings to illuminate blue in 23 countries across six continents.

Heading the list of landmarks to light blue for the NHS in recent weeks are The London Eye, County Hall, City Hall, Trafalgar Square, Madame Tussauds London, London Stadium and Olympic Park, the O2, The Shard, Tower 42, One Canada Square, Selfridges and Wembley Arch.  

Wembley Stadium Make it Blue #lightitblue

#LightItBlue is organised by MAKEITBLUE CIC, the #LightItBlue campaign was created by members of the UK events and entertainment industry. It began on Thursday 26 March 2020 when over 100 of the UK’s most famous buildings were illuminated blue to coincide with the nationwide round of applause for the NHS and care workers. Since then, territories in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the United States have joined the campaign.

Ian Berry has also spent much of the last 12 months seeing his and his six-year-old son's  #iclapfor clapping hands artwork projected in support of all on the frontline onto buildings all around the country, and abroad.

A new painting by legendary Fashion photographer David Bailey, CBE has also been included in the one-day show at W1 Curates to mark the one year anniversary. Previous artists to display have included Vhils, Michael Craig Martin, Ian Davenport and Helen Downie. At the heart of London’s iconic Oxford Street, W1 Curates projects powerful art to the people by transforming the exterior of Flannels’ Flagship store into a giant exhibition space.  Using state-of-the-art technology, W1 Curates exhibits the best art with digital prowess and unmissable innovation.

Famed photographer David Bailey also contributed a piece of his artwork. photo Ben Waugh

Tim Owen, Director of the #LightItBlue campaign said: “We love these images, which  absolutely chime with our existing collaboration with W1 Curates. For the last nine weeks artists have interpreted messages of thanks and respect to the NHS in their own unique and beautiful way, so they could be displayed and shared digitally with the world.

photo Ben Waugh

Also illuminated was the Pin Your Thanks project that Ian Berry joined with the Iclapfor hands turning into a pin badge. With art contributed by public figures including Emeli Sandé, Keira Knightly, Joe Lycett and Ringo Starr.

photo Ben Waugh

The Pin Your Thanks is ’The People’s Medal’  #pinyourthanks charity fundraising initiative, which turned the designs into pin badges that say a heartfelt thanks to those who have helped during the COVID-19 pandemic. You can buy a badge here

W1 Curates say that masterpieces should be for everyone, not just the privileged few. Too often, wonderful art can feel exclusive, secluded within dusty galleries or intimidating exhibitions. It can appear inaccessible, upper class or even old fashioned. Instead of being ignited with powerful art, people on the street are bombarded with urban advertising. Mark Dale, Founder, says

“For me, when shoppers rest their bags down and stare at the incredible art, it’s the best feeling in the world. Giving everyone the opportunity to experience art, to access it right on the high street - amid all the noise of city life, it provides this little oasis. Shoppers and workers are left feeling ignited and inspired. That’s why I do it. We bring art to the people, we open those doors, and who knows where that could take them?”

We’re proud to be showcasing works from some of the most innovative artist from around the world.

All #LightItBlue venues are using existing LED technology to illuminate their  structures, facades and screens to ensure the campaign adheres to the critical instructions for people to stay at home. All those involved in the campaign are acting on a pro bono basis.

Ian Berry is proud to collaborate with all of these important initiatives of the last year.

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A post shared by Ian Berry (@ianberry.art)

When the Clapping Ends, the Caring Continues

A creative community claps

Ian Berry has formed a collective of over 20 international artists who all made their Clapping Hands to show their gratitude to health workers and others in this period. 

Ian has seen his hands projected all over the world after making two hands in denim with his son. 

For the last two months his hands have been projected on buildings as far away as Colombia, Mexico City, New York, Sweden and Brazil and here in the UK on 70 different areas walls from Land’s End to John O’Groats, the most Southern and Northern areas of Britain. They were seen on places such as the Baltic in Gateshead, Edinburgh Castle, the South Bank Centre and the BT Tower in Birmingham – it was even on the white Cliffs of Dover! 

 They can now be seen with more artists hands including his sons, only six, who inspired the whole project. Elliott loved the clapping here in the UK on Thursday nights at 8pm. ‘It enabled us to be able to talk to him about it while he was engaged and interested. We could tell him about his auntie who was on the Covid team in Lund, Sweden and our friends on the frontline. He now sees the NHS workers as heroes and gets excited every time he sees the logo. That’s why I think the clapping is great, while I understand the arguments if kids can grow up seeing health workers and others to be respected then we have more hope for the future.’ 

Elliotts hand clap

Ian managed to get his projections to Land’s End prior to the last clap on the tenth week after the ‘creator’ of the clapping Annemarie Plas called for it to end. ‘I can imagine the pressure she was under when It got political’ Ian said. The night before Ian was also at a projection himself in Greenwich, ‘We thought fitting as time was running out just as momentum had really started’. 

Ian was starting to get back into the studio for his museum shows later in the year when a call came in, the clapping was back! For Sunday the NHS celebrates its 72nd year and have asked for a clap not just for them, but all on the front line. This was actually Ian’s angle all along, and this projection on the Angel of the North shows many of the answers to who do you clap for. Ian used the hashtag #iclapfor 

‘All the opportunities that had faded suddenly came back, and then more. A lot came in and led nowhere, no one sees all the time put in, but this week should see a lot of different projections and events! My phone has never been used as much’

 One that is a great development is that Ian isn’t alone, he had many artists submit their hands, traditionally one of the hardest body parts to make. ‘I’ve avoided them for years!’ Said Ian. No one wants to clap alone, and nor did Ian. The isolation was bad enough for him, and now feels a part of a wider community with artists like Dutch artist Max Zorn who sent in his hands with brown packing tape, Daisy Collingridge’s amazing creatures hands, Andre Veloux who makes his work with Lego and Kirstie Adamson who makes collages out of magazines.

I CLAP FOR Really incredible to receive 20 artists hands to clap. Why? It's the NHS' birthday week and we'll clap again on Sunday the 5th at 5pm. And no one wants to clap alone. From packing tape to paint, magazine collage to many in textiles. There are great artists in here, a massive thank you to @daisy_collingridge @maxzornstreetart @willrochfortart @jesswilson1984 @ruth_fox @andreveloux @clockworkspress @kadamsonartist @alice.kozlow @deberazul @sophiestandingart @marcus.aitken.art @benjaminmurphy_ @terryaskeartquilts and @illicitesofwool. Along with @art_in_textiles @casholmestextiles and @rachadizahira_ and of course Elliott who we'll make posts for! Thank you to all the artists who took the time to make these amazing creations. #iclapfor #clapbecausewecare #clapforourcarers #ianberry #daisycollingridge #maxzorn #willrochfort #marcusaitken #sophiestanding #ruthfox #hollybrown #andreveloux #alicekozlow #tapeart #textileart

Jess Wilsons Hans clap in Newcastle

 There were some really successful artists join with more traditional materials like Benjamin Murphy, Will Rochfort, Ruth Fox  and Saatchi’s “Top 20 artists to watch in 2020” Marcus Aitken. Illustrator Jess Wilson of Jealous Gallery made a bold one with a yellow emoji hand that is striking when projected. 

With Ian being a unconventional textile artist, he got many submit with textiles like Sophie Standing, Alice Kozlow,  Cas Holmes, Terry Aske, Béatrice Beraud, Barbara Shaw, Rachadi Zahira, Clockwork Press, and Juan Manaul Gomez and of course little Elliott who also got an added treat, a trip to the top of the Shard with his dad and be the only ones there! 

In the final week culminating in the NHS birthday it was shown in various sites in London, Huddersfield, Newcastle, Halifax, Shrewsbury. In Halifax it was at Yorkshire’s ‘Number One building’ The Piece Hall, for the artist from neighbouring Huddersfield. Ian famed for using denim jeans in his art and it will be shown in the region’s iconic old cloth Hall. They made a film of it with videos of people saying who they clap for which Ian has been asking in this period. 

The angel of the North’s projected final message

‘By asking the question who do you clap for?, it made it personal, but also as well as getting friends and relatives answers, we got certain groups of people like prison officers, unpaid care workers and volunteers - many who had felt forgotten. We projected their names and I know there were many happy to be included when they saw it.’ Ian added.

It all started by accident, Ian’s son Elliott loved the clapping and it gave Ian the opportunity to tell him what was going on and who it was for – and to talk about their family and friends on the front line while he was engaged. He now sees the NHS workers as heroes and gets excited every time he sees the logo. Elliott took the photo of his dad’s hands and sat with him while he made it in his studio. 

He was certainly excited to see a mural made of it in Walthamstow, North London. He even painted a part of it with Wood Street Wallsand Atma. The painting of the now iconic clap was on the side of a Doctor’s Surgery and was liked by the neighbours. At 5pm on the Sunday of the NHS birthday Ian and ATMA clapped with the residents of the street at 5pm.

 ‘I know by the tenth week the clap had its detractors and I understand the arguments. But I have seen children engaged in this and let’s hope they grow up to respect the Heath Service, it’s that well used phrase, they are the future. We live in a country that made the court jesters kings and I think many are starting to see who we should value. And (laughing) I’m aware of the list that placed Artists on the least valued workers in this period.’ 

the pins of Pin Your Thanks on the Royal Festival Hall, South Bank, London

His son now proudly wears the Clapping Hands as a badge. Ian was one of the names behind Pin Your Thanks that also includes Kiera Knightley, Ringo Starr, Anoushka Shankar, Rita Ora, David James and Joe Lycett as a way of showing thanks to those in this time. They are raising money for NHS Charities Direct and Volunteering Matters and backed by the likes of Stephen Fry, Emma Thompson and Oscar winning Costume Designer Jenny Beavan. And it was all launched by.. you guessed it, a projection, and at London’s Royal Festival Hall on the South Bank. 

Ian’s no longer known by just art in denim, perhaps projections are his new medium. 

But as Ian says. ‘When the clapping ends, the caring continues.’

The dedicated Iclap website

www.iclapfor.com