Bryan Robertson
Catalogue Introduction to the exhibition Christopher Le Brun Paintings 1991-1994 at Marlborough Fine Art London 1994.

Bryan Robertson and Christopher Le Brun
Interview. Lindos, Rhodes. April 1997 and January 1998.

Caroline Collier
Exhibition review. Christopher Le Brun at Nigel Greenwood, London. Flash Art no.124 October/November 1985

Charles Saumarez Smith. Christopher Le Brun
Introduction to the monograph Christopher Le Brun Booth-Clibborn Editions 2001

Christopher Le Brun and Cecilia Powell
Constructive, Investigative and Truthful. Christopher Le Brun interviewed by Cecilia Powell on J.M.W. Turner and Watercolour. Published in the Turner Society News August 2006.

Christopher Le Brun. Giorgio Morandi
This essay was published in the catalogue for the exhibition 'Giorgio Morandi Etchings' at the Tate Gallery in 1992.

Christopher Le Brun. Representation
Paper delivered to the Royal Academy Forum. Published by Architectural Review November 2004

Donald Kuspit
Exhibition review. Christopher Le Brun at Sperone Westwater, New York. " ..the Watteau of the new expressionism..." Art Forum vol.XXVII, no.1, September 1988, p.136

Ebbsfleet Landmark
Artist statement and description of the proposal for a 50 metre high sculpture.

Eileen Myles.
Exhibition review. Christopher Le Brun at Sperone Westwater. Art in America, December 1988, p.154

John Aiken. Paradox and Modernity
Written for issue no.4 of the Slade Magazine c.1999. John Aiken is the Slade Professor.

Jonathan Glancey. A Chip off the Old Block
Jonathan Glancey on how a sculpture by Christopher Le Brun became the template for the office of the future. Published in The Guardian, 8th March 2004

Mario Cutajar. Fade into Darkness
Christopher Le Brun at the Art Center College of Design and L.A. Louver Gallery. Review. Artsweek March 1993.

Mark Francis. Interview with Christopher Le Brun
Fig-1, 50 projects in 50 weeks. 2000

Norbert Messler
Review of the exhibition at Rudolf Zwirner, Cologne. Artscribe International 1988.

Patrick Elliott. Four Riders
From Contemporary British Art in Print. Booth-Clibborn Editions 1995

Patrick Elliott. Seven Lithographs
From Contemporary British Art in Print Booth-Clibborn Editions 1995

Patrick Elliott. The Wagner Prints
From Contemporary British Art in Print. Booth-Clibborn Editions 1995

Stuart Morgan
Exhibition review. Christopher Le Brun at the Nigel Greenwood Gallery. Art Forum November 1985.

Tony Godfrey. Finding the Figure in the Landscape
Christopher Le Brun and his recent work. Catalogue essay . Arnolfini Gallery 1984

Ebbsfleet Landmark

Artist statement and description of the proposal for a 50 metre high sculpture.

The imagery of the sculpture reminds us of the strong presence of the Romans in the immediate area. The winged messenger Mercury, god of travellers (and athletes), was also the god of commerce. It was his duty to look after the roads and the transport of goods between cities.
As well as being one of the great national hubs of transport, Ebbsfleet is one of the most significant archaeological sites in Britain. Excavations have revealed it as an important religious centre. A large group of Romano-British temples, perhaps as many as a dozen, have been discovered at Springhead (Vagniacis).

A significant feature of the proposal is that the sculpture will be manufactured and erected on site using mostly immediately available materials - Chalk, Greensand and Concrete as well as highly skilled local expertise. The chimneys of the Lafarge factory are prominent in the distance. Consequently it was a natural decision to use concrete as the principal material since it will employ one of the main industries of the local area. The lightness of what the sculpture evokes and how it appears to defy gravity, contrasts with the physical reality of its construction.

The third formal element of the sculpture is the casting pit where the wing and disc will be made. The elements will be seen to rise literally from the soil of Kent.

After its practical use the casting pit will become a landscaped grassy circle like an amphitheatre. It will provide an opportunity to appreciate the scale of the great disc, which can be felt by walking (or running!) its diameter or long perimeter. It is an important aspect of the composition with the elliptical shadow of the disc moving continually through the pure circle of the casting pit.
It will be a permanent reminder of how the work was made. All this is intended to enrich the experience of visitors and the local community.
The disc itself is highly suited for the projection of films or light and colour displays.

Although the sculpture has been conceived as one complete entity there are very different views as one travels around it.
This gradual revealing is at the heart of the sculpture's conception. From the side there are two slim vertical elements with a canyon like space between. (I thought of as these as like the Old Man of Hoy in relation to the cliffs in Orkney). Standing between the base of the wing and the disc and looking up will provide a vertiginous experience. It should be similarly thrilling to stand and reach around to touch both sides of the disc as the leading edge soars high above and over.
The side without the wing will display the evidence of its casting in its texture. Its formal companion as a composition here is the casting pit. As the wing throws its shadow on the disc so the disc throws its shadow across the casting pit. In the right conditions it will most often appear as a giant ellipse moving perceptibly across the landscaped bowl of the pit.
The sculpture is oriented to the South East and will therefore pick up light on the cast side in the morning.
I have resisted the temptation to elaborate this side of the sculpture, although it has a more textured surface, trusting in its simple planet-like form, which makes it more receptive to changing light and weather.

It has been oriented to best combine long views for the majority of train and road traffic with the best sun path on the sculpture while paying careful attention in its siting to how it would look for the residents nearby.

Description of the Work

The sculpture consists of three elements.
A disc of between 40 and 50 metres, a wing-like form of similar scale, and a circular casting pit starting directly from the base of the disc, where the wing and disc are made.

The disc is a very shallow concave form and has a slim appearance when seen from the side. The wing, similarly slender in lateral view, is broadly modelled on the outer surface, sufficient to evoke the energy of the motif but without undue naturalism.
The wing and the disc are free standing, not touching, and particularly in the case of the disc, appear to rest very lightly on the base. The wing and the disc should appear as if the grassy hill itself is the plinth. The hill will be mounded slightly up to the base. The intention is to underline the simplicity of the forms with an extremely discreet transition to the ground and the foundations.
The proximity of the wing against the shallow concave form of the disc make variations under differing light conditions and the potential for cast shadows more visible, which is one of the works principal features.
The elements are cast on site in locally manufactured concrete. The material lining of the casting pit itself is chalk, which is present in the hill itself.
It is intended that the sculpture have a very pale or light appearance so as best to show the shadows and not to interfere with the subtle colours of the atmospheric perspective when seen from the distance.
One could describe as a fourth element in the work the dramatic raising into position of the sculpture from the casting pit.
The surface of the convex side will pick up the form of the casting pit itself, and is likely to be textured. By contrast the concave surface of the disc behind the wing will have a smoother finish. The edge of the disc will taper to a relatively fine edge.
After dark full use is made of the opportunity for dramatic shadows by lighting from the base all around.
The sculpture stands on the crest of a low hill above the main high-speed rail link and the A2 motorway. The traveller from Ebbsfleet Station sees a tall ellipse which as it turns reveals two slender forms which gradually open into a full circle. Similarly from the road the long view seen by the majority of travellers will show an ellipse gradually opening into a full circle becoming most impressive when nearest. Approaching from the east the traveller first encounters a disc shape rising increasingly above the hill. From this approach the presence of the wing will be more suddenly revealed.

Following its use the casting pit will be landscaped with grass or be used to form a reflecting pool.