In 2006 Liverpool Biennial’s Big Table commissioned artist Ron Haselden for the pilot Winter Lights, the result was Animal, a series of three neon light works sited at locations close to the premises of each organisation in their neighbourhood.  Ron’s artworks were developed through workshops with local schools in each of the three areas and launched in November 06.

For this project the artist invited pupils from schools in each of the Biennial Big Table neighbourhood areas to make a drawing on the subject of Animal on an A6 piece of paper.

Three of these Animal drawings were transformed into large scale, freestanding line drawings in neon light to be installed in their respective neighbourhoods. They were large and glowing lines in neon-coloured light, faithfully describing the original paths drawn by the children’s hands.  The Kensington light was the exact replica of a Polar Bear drawn by a year one pupil from Phoenix Primary School.

Each light measures 6m high x 7.5m wide and are mounted on the façade of the following three locations:

Polar Bear - Community Seven Offices, Junction Sheil Road and Kensington L6 3AF

Camel - Corner Moss Street and St Mary’s Road Garston L19 2NL

Cat - Rotunda College Gable end of terrace 105 Great Mersey Street Vauxhall L5 2PL

The lights were switched on simultaneously at all three locations on Friday 17^th November 2006.

Commenting on why Community Seven was delighted to support this event, Tom McGuire Director of Community Seven said:

‘At Community Seven we believe that a big part of regeneration involves engaging with young people so what we especially liked about this project was the involvement of local school children.  At the end of the day, a giant neon polar bear on our building in the run up to Christmas was an opportunity we could not turn down.’

For a map of the Kensington Winter Lights locations click here.