Kirsten

Glavin
JO 358
18 February 2013

This article is intended for the Smithsonian magazine for its interest in history, art, and
current societal implications. Edward Thompson, a retired Life editor, started the
magazine and defined his philosophy as follows:

It "would stir curiosity in already receptive minds. It would deal with history as it is
relevant to the present. It would present art, since true art is never dated, in the richest
possible reproduction. It would peer into the future via coverage of social progress and
of science and technology. Technical matters would be digested and made intelligible by
skilled writers who would stimulate readers to reach upward while not turning them
off with jargon. We would find the best writers and the best photographersnot unlike
the best of the old Life."

I believe this article fits the criteria and interest of Smithsonian readers, and that is why
I chose to write within the guidelines of this genre of magazine.

What Makes Canary Wharf Tick?

Undistinguishable faces in designer brand suits frantically shove by one another. Its
your average weekday morning rush. No one speaks, no one smiles, and no one dares
to stop walking. Canary Wharf, home to one of Londons major financial districts,
breeds business. It is located in Tower Hamlets and contains some of the largest
buildings in the United Kingdom. Try walking by One Canada Square, its impossible to
miss. The upper class lifestyle will swallow you whole.

Hidden within the chaos of Canary Wharf are innovative art pieces scattered
throughout the small courtyard gardens. Two structures in particular appear to
represent the day-to-day tensions of cutthroat business that the wharf embraces. The
Globe and Six Public Clocks showcase the pressure of time in a tense part of London.

The first art piece in Canary Wharf is aptly named Globe, and consists of a series of
hanging clocks on Westferry Road. Richard Wentworth, a professional sculpture artist,
constructed the clocks in 1995. Wentworth worked for the famous English sculptor
Henry Moore, and taught his artistic talents at numerous schools including Ruskin
College Oxford, Goldsmiths College and the Royal College of Art. His well-known piece
Globe was commissioned and funded by the Public Art Commissions agency. The
clocks are made of steel and glass, and are all the same in style and size. What makes
the clocks so unique, however, is that each one is set to a different time zone in major
cities around the world. These cities include Moscow, Capetown, Hong Kong, Tokyo,
and many more. Wentworth summed up his achievements in a slick description,
advocating,



Geographical good fortune is
the source of Londons success,
and in their previous form the
West India Docks were central
to it. Two hundred years later it
is international time zones that
dictate the ebb and flow of
business life at Canary Wharf.

Wentworth became a key
component to the New British
Sculpture movement in the
1980s, and was later appointed
Commander of the Order of the
British Empire in 2011 for his
service to art. Globe was
created to remind the citizens of London of their relation to the Meridian line, and unify
these faraway cities in one place. It brings the world together with the agent of time,
and fits suitably in Canary Wharf where the prestigious community flourishes in
international business. The clocks never stop, just like work never ends as
organizations run around the clock.

The second piece of artwork, Six Public Clocks, shares a similar message on a far more
local and communal scale in London. Konstantin Grcic created Six Public Clocks
during a design competition for the Reuters Plaza area. Reuters Plaza contains multiple
small cafs with nearby shopping
available. It is rather diminutive,
especially next to the towering
buildings that enclose the area on
three sides. The plaza always
appears to be congested with the
average workman on his coffee or
cigarette break. The clocks were
created in 1999, and Grcic soon
after won the proposal. Each clock
is created with steel and glass, and
based off of the famous Swiss
railway clock. There is however
one major difference in the
appearance of each. Although the
time is unanimous and stays within Londons time zone, there is only one number of
twelve on each face. The number switches from clock to clock, never repeating.

Six Public Clocks was an original idea for Grcic. The artist was trained as a
cabinetmaker before switching to design. He studied at the Royal College of Art in
London, and later continued to develop furniture along with lighting products. Much of
his work can be found in some of the worlds most prestigious museums such as the
Modern Museum of Art in New York City. He has won multiple awards including the
Honorary Royal Designer for Industry in 2009. Although considered a minimalist, Grcic
firmly believes in simplicity. The six clocks which are elevated on silver poles all
encompass this format, with a hint of individuality on the face of each.

Globe and Six Public Clocks are true symbols of the growing business culture
throughout the affluent financial district. The Docklands were not always prosperous,
however. After the bombings in World War II, 380,000 tons of timber in the Surrey
Docks was destroyed. When the container system of cargo transport took into affect,
larger ships needed places to dock. Canary Wharf no longer had the means to
accommodate such massive ships, and became heavily poverty stricken. Cargo ships
moved to deep-water ports such as Tillbury and Felixstowe, leaving the Docklands with
an alarming unemployment rate.

Redevelopment was necessary and at the peak of 1980, the London Docklands
Development Corporation (LDDC) stepped in to begin fueling a continuously growing
economic fire. It began creating elitist luxury developments and favored upper class
clients. Today, it is home to towering skyscrapers and extravagant flats that showcase
its financial dominance. The reconstruction after World War II was a crucial step
toward the wharfs fiscal triumph. When walking around the crowded sidewalks in
peak hour on a Monday morning, expect nothing less than a posh looking mob of
gentlemen in suits. Each man wears a straight face, checks his watch and pushes
around the slower walkers. By noon, the Docklands are empty with the exception of a
stray smoker in front of his respective business.

But what does the Docklands economic success and upscale lifestyle have to do with
Globe and Six Public Clocks? These clocks all tell time for the citizens of Canary
Wharf and worldwide. In a congested financial district filled with working men and
economic drive, the artwork should reflect the locations personality. Time is money.

Works Cited

http://www.wharf.co.uk/globe.html

www.smithsonianmag.com

http://www.royaldockstrust.org.uk/rdhist.htm

http://art.blurgroup.com/blog/londons-top-three-public-art-spaces/

All sources were utilized for their content in history and biographical content about
each respective artist. No quotes were used for this article.