Andy Bannister MRSS

My current practice investigates the impact of science and technology on culture and society during the second half of the twentieth century and through to the present day. Recent sculptural works and installations make reference to examples of civil and military defence architecture-such as nuclear bunkers and watchtowers- and the technologies associated with the transportation and storage of nuclear materials. These pieces incorporate video and sound elements that relate to the identity, function and location of these structures and which reference the broader cultural and historical context in which they arose.

These themes are also explored in drawings (documented on my website) which involve the meticulous transcription of archival photographs and documents that relate to the history of the atomic age.

Other works reflect a longstanding interest in elements of urban spaces that have been forgotten, overlooked or destroyed by the passage of time, neglect or conflict. One series of works- based on the climbing frames that furnished playgrounds in the UK from the late 1960's through to the 1980's- relates to my fascination with how space exploration, aeronautics and abstract sculpture influenced the language of design during this era. In making these works, I aim to explore the character of these play structures and reflect on how they have deteriorated over time, gradually disappearing from the urban landscape.