Features

Art Sheffield 08

An iconic part of Sheffield's skyline was put in the spotlight in February when, for one night, Swedish artist Annika Eriksson illuminated a section of the Park Hill estate. The event launched Art Sheffield 08, a citywide contemporary art festival which ran from 16 February to 30 March 2008.

Phil Collins, 'They Shoot Horses'

The year's event took inspiration from a specially commissioned text by the art critic Jan Verwoet. Subtitled 'Yes, No, Other Options', Art Sheffield explores the service culture that pervades Western society and the constant pressure to say 'yes' this brings.

Exhibitions took place in venues across the city, including Bloc, Millennium Galleries, Site Gallery and S1, and featured a mix of emerging and established artists from around the world.

Highlights included work by Turner Prize winners Tomma Abts and Wolfgang Tillmans, along with Turner nominee Phil Collins' video 'They Shoot Horses', which recreated the gruelling dance marathons of 1930s America using Palestinian teenagers.

For his piece 'Failed Fall', Roman Ondák covered the floor of the Winter Gardens with a carpet of autumn leaves, bringing the seasons into this usually constant environment.

Host Artists Group 2007

The Sheffield-based Host Artists Group contributed a specially commissioned installation, which plays on ideas of efficiency and performance anxiety. 'Observatory' comprised of 21 scale models of artists' workspaces, with each space containing a light, the intensity of which represents their owner’s current level of productivity.

Art Sheffield 08 is organised by the Sheffield Contemporary Art Forum, which works to promote modern art in the city. For more information visit the Art Sheffield website.