The UK held the Presidency of the European Union in 2005. To mark this, we showcased British contemporary art in the Justus Lipsius building in Brussels. Alongside Pardaxin (2004), a spot painting by Damien Hirst, one of Britain’s best-known artists, we exhibited works with themes of geography, landscape and mapping. Layla Curtis created an unusual world view in her drawings,Globe Tracing II and IV (both 2001). These reveal only the names of cities, states and oceans, an effect the artist achieved by working with tracing paper wrapped around a globe. Prints by Simon Patterson and Langlands & Bell continued these themes. John Wood and Paul Harrison’s video, Twenty Six (Drawing and Falling Things) (2000-2001), featured both artists in comic performances using ladders, buckets and other household objects.

Damien Hirst's Pardaxin, on display at the Justus Lipsius building.

European Union Headquarters (Berlaymont)

Our second project at the European Union grew from the Commission’s interest in illustrating the cultural diversity of the Union by showcasing European contemporary art at the newly renovated Berlaymont building in Brussels. Responding to this challenge, we commissioned Sonia Boyce to re-interpret her earlier work, Devotional (1999 –2004), which was already part of our Collection. This new piece, Devotional II (2005), is made of self-adhesive vinyl and is a site-specific screenprint which lists the names of 85 black British female singers. Set within the building’s press area, it extends nine metres high on an internal column, spanning a height of three floors. Totem-like, its physical presence and array of colours make it highly visible to everyone using the building.

John Wood and Paul Harrison’s video, Twenty Six (Drawing and Falling Things) were showcased in the Justus Lipsius building in 2005.

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