I've been thinking a lot about Neon recently, since Richard William Wheater has returned to Site Gallery for Platform: In the Making. His latest work, 'Neon is Neon, Sex is Sex' is a beacon to passers by, celebrating neon as a medium, from all angles - the craftmanship, artistry, literary references and design. Wheater alludes to neon's alternative purposes, at a time where this glowing material and it's history is re-peaking our interest. Probably because that glorious beacon of neon is quite simply a light, vibrant and optimistic sight. The "Neonisation period" - an excellent term coined by photographer Ilona Karwińska. Watch this fabulous short video interview with her - via the BBC.
Wheater's imperfect handproduced neon is quite different to these graphic socialist post-Cold War Polish Neon signs, which Karwińska says were in English words to add glamour, how after Stalin's death the call was for "Western magic in the Polish cities".
- Neon in bespoke handwritten fonts
- Neon designed for particular buildings
Check out Richard William Wheater's year-long public art project with artist Victoria Lucas; '12 Months of Neon Love' (I designed the book and now I love neon even more...)
