Robert Hampton

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20th September 2012

Biennial Curious
Posted by at 10.01pm | Liverpool | No responses

The 2012 Liverpool Biennial is in full swing, with exhibitions and shows across the city centre from now until 25 November.

One obvious sign of the event is in Liverpool ONE, where this intriguing exhibit (The Lift by Oded Hirsch) bursts through the otherwise neat pavements of Peters Lane.

The Lift (Liverpool ONE)

I had a wander around some of the venues yesterday in the company of Scott. We ended up at the Cunard Building, former headquarters of the eponymous shipping company. Sadly, while most of the building is occupied, the vast hall on the ground floor which was once the first-class passenger’s waiting lounge is now empty. It’s good news for the Biennial organisers, however, who have taken over much of the space for exhibits.

Liverpool Cunard Building

The “To Let” banners are part of an installation called Liverpool to Let. The artists, according to the guide book, were “struck by the abundance of empty office and commercial spaces in Liverpool’s financial district.”

I tend to agree with them. Can you believe this beautiful space is empty? Speaking in my capacity as a lowly office monkey, I would love to work in a place like this. Someone sort out a lease or something!