From the Knees of my Nose to the Belly of my Toes, Public sculpture in Cliftonville, Margate, United Kingdom.
From the Knees of my Nose to the Belly of my Toes is a public sculpture in Cliftonville where a four-story building's facade was designed to appear as though it is sliding into the front yard, creating a powerful visual illusion on Godwin Road. The structure features curved brickwork and shifted windows that reinforce the impression of a descending wall.
Artist Alex Chinneck created this installation in 2013 from a property that had stood vacant for eleven years, using 100,000 pounds worth of donated materials from British industry. One year after completion, the facade was dismantled and the building was converted back into residential housing.
The work responds to urban decay by transforming an abandoned building into a visual statement about how architecture can change a neighborhood's character. Visitors can still observe how this artistic gesture affected the street's appearance and the conversations around it.
The work is located on Godwin Road in Cliftonville and is easily accessible on foot with clear views from the street. Visit during daytime hours when natural light best highlights the curved forms and creates the strongest visual effect.
The curved brick facade required specialized construction methods to achieve the illusion of a sliding wall while maintaining the building's structural strength. This made the project both a technical achievement and an artistic challenge for the craftspeople involved.
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