Urban Art Projects

Urban Art Projects

Formation	1993
Founder	Matthew Tobin and Daniel Tobin
Founded at	Brisbane
Legal status	Privately owned company
Location	Brisbane
Locations	Shanghai, New York
Staff	300
Website	uapcompany.com
Formerly called	Urban Artists

Urban Art Projects (UAP) is an Australian company that works with artists, architects, designers, developers, curators, institutions and art commissioners to realize public art and architectural design elements. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

History

The company was founded in 1993 in Brisbane, Australia by brothers Matthew and Daniel Tobin. ^{[4] [5]} Its initial name was Urban Artists. ^[5] The Tobin brothers first purchased a small welding and metal fabrication company that worked on marine and construction projects. ^[6] Over time, they invested the profits of this first company into the construction of a foundry that could be used for art projects. ^[7] One of UAP's first clients was the Australian Waanyi multi-media artist Judy Watson. ^{[8] [7]}

The company has its main office and studios in Brisbane, and a satellite studio in Shanghai. ^[9] In 2019, UAP acquired New York-based foundry, Polich Tallix. ^{[5] [10]} The same year, UAP began using a large industrial robot for selected projects at its Brisbane studio. ^[11]

Notable projects

• Hank Willis Thomas' oversized arm sculpture Unity at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge, cast at UAP's Polich Tallix foundry. ^[5]
• Tow Row, a bronze fishing net sculpture in front of the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art by Judy Watson. ^[8]
• Gilded Cage and Arch, part of Ai Weiwei's 2017 project Good Fences make Good Neighbors. ^{[12] [13]}
• Wahat Al Karama, a 2018 memorial to fallen Emirati soldiers by Idris Khan. ^[14]
• Kraken a giant 2017 octopus sculpture for a Shanghai playground. By Florentijn Hofman. ^[7]
• Messengers of Brisbane, a series of oversized finch sculptures installed around Brisbane. By the artist Florentijn Hofman. ^[15]
• NOW, a sculpture installed on the rooftop Courthouse of the Appellate Division, First Department of the Supreme Court of the State of New York. By the artist Shahzia Sikander. ^[16]
• City of Parramatta public art sculptures for artists Reko Rennie and Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro. ^{[17] [18]}
• Lindy Lee's Ouroboros an immersive public art commission for the National Gallery of Australia ^[19]
• George Stanley's Oscar Statuettes ^[20]

References

1. Mohn, Tanya (19 May 2021). "In New York and More, Public Art Is Taking on Thorny Social Issues". The New York Times.
2. Zeiba, Drew (19 June 2018). "Visiting UAP, the studio fabricating many of the biggest projects in art and architecture". The Architect's Newspaper. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
3. "Specialist foundry UAP aims to "make art happen"". Dezeen. 30 June 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
4. Magazine, Wallpaper* (12 October 2010). "Urban Art Projects". Wallpaper*.
5. "From a Tucked-Away New York Town, UAP Brings Large-Scale Art to Life". Metropolis. 25 March 2020.
6. Forman, Sarah (14 March 2018). "The Shanghai Art Factory That's Constructing Massive Public Artworks". Artsy.
7. "Meet the dream builders bringing Ai Weiwei's art to life in New York". South China Morning Post. 19 December 2017.
8. "Judy Watson for GOMA Turns 10". Radio National. 2 December 2016.
9. McDONALD, PATRICK (22 February 2016). "The amazing 5-metre inflatable sculpture". adelaidenow.
10. Franklin, Sydney (11 April 2019). "Two major art and design fabricators merge into new powerhouse". The Architect's Newspaper. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
11. Pash, Chris (10 August 2017). "Meet the Australian robot creating unique pieces of public art". Business Insider Australia.
12. "Ai Weiwei launches controversial public art project focused on immigration". the Guardian. 11 October 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
13. "Arch: Good Fences Make Good Neighbors". CODAworx.
14. "British artist Idris Khan designs first memorial dedicated to Emirati soldiers". Architectural Digest India. 31 March 2017. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
15. "Brisbane Festival 2020: Beware, giant Gouldian finch birds are coming from big rubber duck creator Florentijn Hofman in September". Australian Financial Review. 13 August 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
16. Tuchman, Phyllis (11 April 2023). "Having Excelled as a Painter, Shahzia Sikander Is Mastering an Unexpected New Medium: Sculpture". ARTnews.com. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
17. Busby, Ellie (28 July 2023). "First Nations artwork honours the eel". Parra News. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
18. "Artists bouncing back". Blue Mountains Gazette. 27 February 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
19. Convery, Stephanie (23 September 2021). "National Gallery of Australia orders $14m Ouroboros sculpture – its most expensive commission so far". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 4 August 2023.
20. Almond, Kyle (8 March 2024). "Inside the Making of an Oscar Statuette".