Leadenhall Market to become neon-soaked cinephiles’ dream
Leadenhall Market will this month swap its Victorian grandeur for in-your-face neon lights, transforming into a living art exhibition courtesy of God’s Own Junkyard.
The neon artists at the famous Walthamstow-based studio will create Electric City, an “immersive technicolour production”, featuring highlights from its 40-year history making neons for cinema, including Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut, Judge Dredd, Batman, Tomb Raider, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Dark Knight.
Electric City is part of a programme of events celebrating the full reopening of Leadenhall Market’s 35 retailers, bars, restaurants and cafes.
Since founder and neon artist Chris Bracey passed away in 2014, Gods Own Junkyard has been run by his wife Linda and sons Mathew and Marcus, all neon makers and designers.
“As the exhibition will take place in the heart of London, we thought it would be interesting to look at the work we’ve done in helping to create cities in film, while also referencing one of our deeply-missed leisure activities, the cinema,” says Linda. “We certainly believe it will be an interesting project and like nothing we’ve ever done before.”
One of the most eagerly awaited installations will be Eyes Wide Shut, described as a “vignette” of the hugely involved work undertaken for the famously exacting director.
“It was a dream-come-true for Chris to be involved in this project,” says Linda. “He was such a fan of Kubrick’s work and was blown away by 2001.”
Leadenhall Market is no stranger to films itself, having acted as a backdrop to movies including Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Tomb Raider and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
The installations will open on 26 May and run until 31 July.