It's not unusual to see a project that straddles the worlds of art and architecture, but this piece by Alex Chinneck, wonderfully titled From the knees of my nose to the belly of my toes, is surely a stand-out. I'm not sure which is the most eye-catching feature of this bizarre refurbishing of a four-story house: the curving brick facade that seems to have slipped down onto the ground, or the gaping cavity exposing the innards of the top floor as the notional result of said slide.
The property had stood vacant on Godwin Road in Margate, England for 11 years before the district council okayed the installation. It's an area that has suffered from the dreaded d-word (decline) as tourism has decreased over the years.
The work was conceived entirely by 28-year-old artist and designer Alex Chinneck who, having been given the go-ahead, spent six months convincing industry to donate the materials, expertise and machine time needed to see the project through.
"Alex Chinneck's practice playfully warps the everyday world around us," says the accompanying press release, "presenting surreal spectacles in the places we expect to find something familiar."
The newly opened installation will stay put until October, 2014. It's hoped cultural works like this will help to boost tourism in the area.
Source: Alex Chinneck
