Look up for The Lion – and attend a sculpture workshop

A new, gravity-defying sculpture will guard the gateway to Chinatown on Wardour Street. Come to the unveiling on April 8th - and register for a series of free sculpture workshops…

Lions are a traditional Chinese symbol of greeting and guardianship; now, a three-metre specimen will welcome visitors to Chinatown from on high. Arriving on April 8th,The Lion is a stunning sculpture by artists Hsiao-Chi Tsai from Taiwan and Kimiya Yoshikawa from Japan that will perch above Wardour Street for the next ten years or more.

The Lion is a striking contemporary interpretation of a traditional Chinese temple lion. Made of jesmonite, brightly coloured Perspex and treated steel, the colourful, patterned sculpture will represent the diversity of East Asians living and working in Chinatown and the UK. The design was chosen from several entries from around the world.

This work of public art has been brought to Chinatown as part of the Five Circles arts festival, organised by Chinatown Arts Space. The festival is a series of events that includes rap music, film, contemporary dance, visual public arts and education. Chinatown Arts Space is running a series of ten free sculpture workshops to celebrate the unveiling of The Lion, led by sculptors Hsiao-Chi Tsai, Kimiya Yoshikawa and Asaki Kan. To register, please email info@chinatownartsspace.com.

Workshop times and locations: