Archived press release

ART BYPASS - ARTWORK AT NEWBURY SUNDAY 25TH AUGUST

25 July 1996

ART BYPASS Donnington Castle Farm Newbury, Berkshire Between 5pm-11pm

Art Bypass is a unique art event coming to Newbury on Sunday 25th August 1996. It will centre on a mile-long string of outdoor environmental art roadworks' including: sculpture, performance and film - created and presented by established and up and coming artists from around the world[1].

Art Bypass will take us on an interactive journey exploring the lows of a typical mile of motorway including road rage, the service station, the family row, the breakdown, an accident, a traffic jam as well as honouring the nine miles of ancient Southern English landscape lately cleared to make way for the controversial Newbury bypass [2]. Art Bypass will have a special relevance to the people of Newbury and to all of us who live in a world increasingly dominated by the motor car.

Art Bypass will entertain, challenge, inspire and celebrate. So don't miss this unique artwork experience!

In keeping with the spirit of the event, all participants are asked to leave their cars at home and to walk, bike or use public transport to reach this site. There will be NO parking space available on site [3].

# Meet at Donnington Castle Farm OR at Newbury railway station and take a walk through the beautiful Berkshire countryside to the site. The walk takes approximately 45 mins and maps will be provided. Please note the walk is not suitable for very young children in pushchairs or for wheel chair access.

# Bring a picnic, a torch and wear comfortable walking shoes.

# Call Friends of the Earth's Art Bypass 24 hour hotline on 020 7566 1698 for further information.

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS:

[1] Art Bypass brings together leading international artists, local people,performers and technicians, including: Christo and Jeanne-Claude Javacheff, Heathcote Willilams, Zelito Vianna, Lucelia Santos, Werner Herzog, The Chomondeleys, Steve Bell, Richard Demarco and Eva Beuys, Simon English, Peter Mountain, Roy Hutchins, Crazy Jane, John Philips, Same Sky, Dominic Clare, Dick Straker, Marcus Tate, Ben Keeble, Clare Patey, Paul Williams Chandalay Quor and many more.

[2] The Department of Transport plans to build a bypass for Newbury which will cause massive environmental destruction, and will not solve the traffic problems of the town. Art Bypass offers the public an interactive multimedia vision of Newbury's future, and a powerful incentive to reassess car culture.

[3] Because Art Bypass is highlighting the negative impacts of the car culture, we are asking people to leave their cars at home and travel to the event by public transport. There will be no parking available at the site.The public can go direct to Donnington Castle Farm or meet at Newbury railway station where route maps for the walk out to the site will be provided. The walk takes approximately 45 minutes. A torch and comfortable walking shoes are advisable.

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust