Maurice Agis
Encyclopedia
Maurice Agis was a British
sculptor and artist
whose Dreamspace projects have drawn the involvement and work of various schools and art institutions all over Britain. His disillusionment with galleries and museums led him to create his signature "interactive works" in the 1960s.
In July 2006, he came to wider attention after his work, Dreamspace V, came loose from its mooring
s in a park
in Chester-le-Street
, killing two people and injuring 13 others. In February 2008 he was charged with manslaughter over the Chester-le-Street incident. During the course of his trial, Agis vowed to never again make such large works.
in London before going onto postgraduate works on De Stijl
at the Dutch Ministry of Education
in 1967.
His disillusionment with art galleries led to his collaboration with Peter Jones to create Spaceplace, the first of many "abstract walk-through spaces". Spaceplace was installed at the Museum of Modern Art, Oxford
, in 1966 and the next year in the Stedelijk Museum
, Amsterdam
. Agis utilised the abilities of his art students while teaching at various installations between 1962 and 1973 (though the larger pieces were later manufactured overseas in countries such as Vietnam
before being linked together in Britain).
After collaborating for 20 years, Agis and Jones went their separate ways. Agis's first solo project was Colourspace, which he presented for the first time in London in 1980 and later exhibited in Los Angeles
and Brisbane
, extending his profile. When Colourspace was exhibited in the German seaside town of Travemunde it lifted off the ground, injuring five people.
When constructing his works, Agis would often involve local schools in the areas where the work would be displayed.
On 22 July 2006, Agis installed Dreamspace V at Riverside Park, Chester-le-Street
, the second of a three-part tour of Britain. The following day, echoing the events of 14 years previously, the artwork left its moorings, soaring 30 ft (9m) into the air before colliding with a CCTV pole, killing two people and injuring 13 others. Following the incident, Durham Police seized the remnants of Dreamspace and launched a joint investigation with the Health & Safety Executive
.
Vandalism was immediately suspected; the artwork had been slashed with knives two weeks previously. While foul play was not completely ruled out, other avenues were also explored. Another theory was that the warm air on the Sunday had caused the artwork to become a "hot air balloon". The structure had undergone safety checks by a Chester-le-Street health and safety committee made up of police and fire service experts before it had opened to the public.
On 29 November 2006, Agis attended a police interview at Charing Cross police station where he was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter. He was released on police bail, pending further enquiries. A statement was issued indicating that it would be summer 2007 at the earliest before the investigation was completed. Agis was due to answer bail on 3 September but this was extended to the end of November.
On 13 February 2008 Agis was charged with gross negligence manslaughter. The trial began on 26 January 2009. Agis was convicted of a breach of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 but the jury was unable to reach a verdict on the manslaughter charge; a few days later the Crown Prosecution Service
announced that there would be no retrial, no evidence was offered against him and formal not guilty verdicts were returned. On 26 March 2009 Agis was fined £10,000 for the health and safety offences. On 12 August 2009, this fine was reduced to £2500 on appeal.
Agis died two months later on 12 October 2009.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
sculptor and artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
whose Dreamspace projects have drawn the involvement and work of various schools and art institutions all over Britain. His disillusionment with galleries and museums led him to create his signature "interactive works" in the 1960s.
In July 2006, he came to wider attention after his work, Dreamspace V, came loose from its mooring
Mooring
Mooring may refer to:* Mooring , any device used to hold secure an object by means of cables, anchors, or lines* Mooring mast, a structure designed to hold airships and blimps securely in the open when they are not in flight....
s in a park
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
in Chester-le-Street
Chester-le-Street
Chester-le-Street is a town in County Durham, England. It has a history going back to Roman times when it was called Concangis. The town is located south of Newcastle upon Tyne and west of Sunderland on the River Wear...
, killing two people and injuring 13 others. In February 2008 he was charged with manslaughter over the Chester-le-Street incident. During the course of his trial, Agis vowed to never again make such large works.
Biography
Agis was born in east London in 1931. Between 1950 and 1962 he studied painting and sculpture at St. Martin's School of ArtCentral Saint Martins College of Art and Design
Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design is a constituent college of the University of the Arts London. The school has an outstanding international reputation, and is considered one of the world's leading art and design institutions...
in London before going onto postgraduate works on De Stijl
De Stijl
De Stijl , propagating the group's theories. Next to van Doesburg, the group's principal members were the painters Piet Mondrian , Vilmos Huszár , and Bart van der Leck , and the architects Gerrit Rietveld , Robert van 't Hoff , and J.J.P. Oud...
at the Dutch Ministry of Education
Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science
The Ministry of Education, Culture and Science is the Dutch Ministry of Education: the position is occupied with the Dutch education policy, science policy, culture policy and the Netherlands Public Broadcasting.The current minister is Marja van Bijsterveldt, she is aided by a state secretary, Halbe...
in 1967.
His disillusionment with art galleries led to his collaboration with Peter Jones to create Spaceplace, the first of many "abstract walk-through spaces". Spaceplace was installed at the Museum of Modern Art, Oxford
Modern Art Oxford
Modern Art Oxford is an art gallery established in 1965 in Oxford, England. From 1965 to 2002, it was called The Museum of Modern Art, Oxford.-Foundation:...
, in 1966 and the next year in the Stedelijk Museum
Stedelijk Museum
Founded in 1874, the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam is a museum for classic modern and contemporary art in Amsterdam in the Netherlands. It has been housed on the Paulus Potterstraat, next to Museum Square Museumplein and to the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum and the Concertgebouw, in Amsterdam Zuid...
, Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. Agis utilised the abilities of his art students while teaching at various installations between 1962 and 1973 (though the larger pieces were later manufactured overseas in countries such as Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
before being linked together in Britain).
After collaborating for 20 years, Agis and Jones went their separate ways. Agis's first solo project was Colourspace, which he presented for the first time in London in 1980 and later exhibited in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, extending his profile. When Colourspace was exhibited in the German seaside town of Travemunde it lifted off the ground, injuring five people.
When constructing his works, Agis would often involve local schools in the areas where the work would be displayed.
On 22 July 2006, Agis installed Dreamspace V at Riverside Park, Chester-le-Street
Chester-le-Street
Chester-le-Street is a town in County Durham, England. It has a history going back to Roman times when it was called Concangis. The town is located south of Newcastle upon Tyne and west of Sunderland on the River Wear...
, the second of a three-part tour of Britain. The following day, echoing the events of 14 years previously, the artwork left its moorings, soaring 30 ft (9m) into the air before colliding with a CCTV pole, killing two people and injuring 13 others. Following the incident, Durham Police seized the remnants of Dreamspace and launched a joint investigation with the Health & Safety Executive
Health and Safety Executive
The Health and Safety Executive is a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom. It is the body responsible for the encouragement, regulation and enforcement of workplace health, safety and welfare, and for research into occupational risks in England and Wales and Scotland...
.
Vandalism was immediately suspected; the artwork had been slashed with knives two weeks previously. While foul play was not completely ruled out, other avenues were also explored. Another theory was that the warm air on the Sunday had caused the artwork to become a "hot air balloon". The structure had undergone safety checks by a Chester-le-Street health and safety committee made up of police and fire service experts before it had opened to the public.
On 29 November 2006, Agis attended a police interview at Charing Cross police station where he was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter. He was released on police bail, pending further enquiries. A statement was issued indicating that it would be summer 2007 at the earliest before the investigation was completed. Agis was due to answer bail on 3 September but this was extended to the end of November.
On 13 February 2008 Agis was charged with gross negligence manslaughter. The trial began on 26 January 2009. Agis was convicted of a breach of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 but the jury was unable to reach a verdict on the manslaughter charge; a few days later the Crown Prosecution Service
Crown Prosecution Service
The Crown Prosecution Service, or CPS, is a non-ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for public prosecutions of people charged with criminal offences in England and Wales. Its role is similar to that of the longer-established Crown Office in Scotland, and the...
announced that there would be no retrial, no evidence was offered against him and formal not guilty verdicts were returned. On 26 March 2009 Agis was fined £10,000 for the health and safety offences. On 12 August 2009, this fine was reduced to £2500 on appeal.
Agis died two months later on 12 October 2009.
External links
- Official website archived at The Internet Archive