I turned six (one for each decade) phone boxes pink by wrapping them in an alternative version of the union jack. My design for the BT Diamond Jubilee ArtBox project was chosen as 'the' design and so for the last six weeks I have been moulding, casting, painting, filling and fixing!
I wanted to create a more feminine styled box, a pink version of the union jack wrapped around the box. The positive message, LONG LIVE LOVE LIFE a summary of our Queen and her reign. The words are relevant for everyone, timeless and joyful. I think the design and message will remain relevant after the diamond jubilee celebrations are over and hopefully serve as a reminder of such a historic event.
The sections of colour of each box where all masked and sprayed by hand, each box has over four litres of pearlescent paint, giving them a different complexion from every angle, the final stage of painting was getting them coated in an industrial laquer - the only part i could not do at my own studio.
Each side of my BT art boxes have a gilt crown resting above of a panel of diamond dust (in place of the traditional 'telephone' wording) representing the 'diamond jubilee'. Big bold pub style chiselled gold letters project my message. 96 letters in total, this gave me the biggest headache and was the most time consuming part of the project. Each letter was originally cut and finished in MDF, then from this original set i made silicone moulds and from the moulds i made casts in polyester resin. these where then sanded, primed and sprayed gold, the last step was to hand paint in the black step border on each letter, at a guess i would estimate each letter took between 45-120 minutes to complete.
This aesthetic runs throughout my work and my background in pub signage design has played a crucial part in my development as an artist. I hope my phone boxes are eye-catching enough so you can't pass them by on the way to work, even walk around all four sides and possibly pose for a photo? I have been sent a few nice shots of people posing with the boxes at their various location from over the past few days and seeing the yeoman guards standing next to them is still very surreal!
www.btartbox.com