On the Shore 2021 by Ackroyd & Harvey and Ben Okri

Tate Modern to Thames Bankside

On 25 June 2021, Ackroyd & Harvey and Ben Okri realised On the Shore, an installation and performance work in two acts.

On The Shore Act 1

Act 1 documents the revealing of poetic words by Ben Okri, photosynthesized into a living banner of seedling grass grown over nine days in Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall. A live cellist played as the 16m x 4m artwork is rolled and removed from the building by 18 performers.

On The Shore Act 2 

Act 2 documents the procession to the embankment, led by a dancer to the call of a trumpet. Lowering the banner to the shore, the grass is secured to a cork raft.  At 11am, to the sound of St Paul’s bells, the artwork is lifted by the waves and floated on the river.  Speeches and music followed.

Commissioned by Writers Rebel for the Paint The Land https://writersrebel.com/painttheland-launch/ campaign where artists, writers and the public are invited to create landscape graffitos with a powerful ecological message.

Special guest – Damon Albarn

Soloist– Mirabella Okri with The Capital Children’s Choir

Cellist– Georgina Lloyd-Owen

Trumpeter– Sam Keen

Dancer– Charlotte Jarvis

Film Maker – Andy Delaney

Sound – Graham Tobias

Creative team – Ackroyd & Harvey and Ben Okri with Liz Jensen, Kelly Hill, Paul Ewen, Laura Toms, Gus Mitchell and Ben Anderson