In order to encourage some debate and concern for the design of public spaces in the City, the International 02 exhibition for Liverpool Biennial is promoting a number of newly commissioned temporary artworks for public sites, and one permanent one. It is not easy to design street furniture that is fun and fit for use but also strong enough to stand up to extremely tough wear. Jorge Pardo has designed a new centrepiece for Wolstenholme Square, presently a quiet backwater by day but busy with club life at night. His huge and colourful sculpture (called Penelope and commissioned by the Ropewalks Partnership) comes alive at night, like the square, by providing lighting. It also provides a permanent seat in the centre of the square where people can rest or talk. It is monumental in scale, but unlike a monument it does not refer to anything other than the present moment. Its sole purpose is to provide another means for people to enjoy their immediate experience of the square and the company they are in. Jorge Pardo starts his process of design by analysing how people use a space and how he might express and reinforce their mood, and Penelope is permanent. Lewis Biggs source: Using Urban Space flyer Courtesy Jorge Pardo Studios Inc., Los Angeles and neugerriemschneider, Berlin Commissioned by The Liverpool Rope Walks Partnership With thanks to: Brian Armbruster, Dave Deany, Mark McManus, Jorge Pardo, Clancy Pearson, Phil Wagner and Leo Trebels at Jorge Pardo Sculpture Inc., Los Angeles. Thanks also to: Phil Ross, BDP, Liverpool; Friedrich Petzel, Friedrich Petzel Gallery, New York; Beatrice Fraenkel, Liverpool Ropewalks Partnership, Liverpool; Tim Neuger and Susanne Kuppers, neugerriemschneider, Berlin.

Penelope on Flickr