Dazed Club announces exclusive opportunity for emerging arts writers to interview Renée Levi ahead of major Hayward Gallery commission

The Hayward Gallery, an architectural titan of London’s Southbank Centre, is preparing for a significant transformation this autumn as it readies itself for a new, large-scale public art commission by Swiss artist Renée Levi. Titled September, the work serves as the artist’s first major public commission in the United Kingdom and represents a pivotal intersection between contemporary painterly practice and brutalist architecture. To mark the unveiling of this installation on 23 September, Dazed Club has launched an open call for an emerging arts writer to conduct an exclusive interview with Levi, providing a unique platform for a rising voice in cultural journalism to engage with a work of significant international scale.

Architectural Canvas: The Evolution of the Hayward Gallery

The Hayward Gallery has long been a focal point for architectural discourse. Opened in 1968, the building is one of the most prominent examples of the brutalist style in the United Kingdom, characterized by its exposed concrete, geometric severity, and imposing physical presence. Historically, the gallery’s exterior has functioned as a neutral, albeit textured, skin for its programming. However, the commission of September seeks to challenge this passive role.

Renée Levi’s practice is defined by a gestural intensity that often defies the traditional constraints of the canvas. By applying her signature painterly approach to the concrete facade of the Hayward, Levi is engaged in a site-specific dialogue that treats the architecture not as a backdrop, but as an active participant in the visual experience. This intervention invites the public to reconsider the material properties of the building, forcing a confrontation between the softness of artistic expression and the rigid, functionalist history of the Southbank’s most famous landmark.

The Partnership: Audemars Piguet Contemporary and the Hayward

The collaboration between Audemars Piguet Contemporary and the Hayward Gallery is rooted in a shared institutional mandate: the support of contemporary art through the provision of resources that allow artists to expand their technical and conceptual boundaries. Audemars Piguet Contemporary, a division of the Swiss luxury watchmaker, has established a reputation for commissioning complex, large-scale works that often require significant engineering and collaborative support.

For this project, the partnership is designed to facilitate what curators describe as a "total integration" of art and structure. Audrey Teichmann, Curator at Audemars Piguet Contemporary, notes that the project is the culmination of years of institutional observation of Levi’s practice. "Renée Levi’s new work expands the possibilities of painting," Teichmann states. "Levi approaches the Hayward Gallery not as a backdrop, but as a surface to engage, responding to its rhythm, materiality, and scale."

This engagement with the scale of the gallery is perhaps the most significant challenge of the commission. The sheer size of the Hayward’s facade requires a rigorous approach to color, application, and endurance. As a medium, paint must contend with the environmental variables of the London climate, making the technical execution of September a feat of both aesthetic vision and material science.

Timeline of the Commission and Public Engagement

The project follows a carefully orchestrated timeline designed to maximize public engagement and critical discourse:

• Early Development: Multi-year observation and dialogue between the artist and Audemars Piguet Contemporary regarding the potential of the Hayward site.
• Commission Finalization: Coordination between the Hayward Gallery’s curatorial team and the artist to ensure structural and aesthetic compatibility.
• 23 September: Official unveiling of September at the Hayward Gallery.
• 12 October: Exclusive Dazed Club event at the Southbank Centre’s St Paul’s Pavilion. This event will serve as a hub for the arts community, facilitating discussions around the commission’s impact on urban aesthetics and the evolution of public art in London.

The Role of the Arts Writer in Modern Criticism

The open call for an emerging arts writer reflects a broader shift in how cultural institutions and digital media platforms collaborate to democratize the critical discourse surrounding contemporary art. By embedding an emerging writer into the promotion of such a high-profile commission, Dazed Club is facilitating a bridge between established institutional practices and the next generation of critical thinkers.

The selected candidate will be tasked with synthesizing the complex history of the Hayward Gallery with the specific nuances of Levi’s practice. The resulting Q&A, which will be published on Dazed Digital, is expected to provide a primary source document for the commission, offering insights into the artist’s process, the challenges of working in a public, brutalist environment, and the philosophical implications of placing such a personal, gestural work in a public space.

Analyzing the Impact of September on Brutalist Architecture

The intersection of contemporary art and brutalism is a subject of ongoing academic and aesthetic interest. Brutalist architecture, while historically controversial, has seen a resurgence in popularity and institutional appreciation. However, the rigidity of concrete often presents a challenge for the display of art, which can sometimes be "swallowed" by the surrounding structure.

Levi’s intervention is noteworthy for its defiance of this dynamic. By utilizing the exterior of the gallery, she effectively re-contextualizes the building. From a sociological perspective, the project serves as an intervention in the urban fabric of London. The Southbank Centre is a high-traffic area, visited by millions of tourists and residents annually. Integrating a piece of high-concept contemporary art into the daily transit of the city alters the public’s relationship with the space. It forces a pause, shifting the building from a purely functional transit point to an object of aesthetic scrutiny.

Broader Institutional Implications

The commitment shown by Audemars Piguet Contemporary toward this project suggests a long-term interest in the durability and longevity of large-scale public art. In an era where cultural funding is increasingly volatile, the role of private-sector support in realizing ambitious public commissions has become a focal point of discussion within the art world.

Critics often point to the risk of "corporate interference" in artistic projects, yet the collaboration between the Hayward and Audemars Piguet is frequently cited as a model for successful synergy. By focusing on the "expansion of painting," the project avoids overt commercial messaging, instead centering on the technical and artistic challenges of the medium. This approach preserves the integrity of the work while ensuring that the artist has the necessary financial and logistical backing to execute a vision that would otherwise be impossible to realize in a traditional gallery space.

Conclusion: How to Participate

For emerging writers, the opportunity represents a significant milestone. The application process, which is hosted on the Dazed Club app, requires candidates to demonstrate both an understanding of contemporary art history and the ability to conduct an interview that moves beyond superficial praise. The successful applicant will be required to probe the deeper questions: How does Levi define "gestural" in the context of a concrete slab? How does the history of the Hayward Gallery influence the color palette of September? And what does it mean to "paint" a building in the 21st century?

As the date of the unveiling approaches, the anticipation surrounding September continues to grow. It stands as a testament to the enduring relevance of the Hayward Gallery and the ongoing evolution of Renée Levi’s practice. Whether the intervention will be viewed as a temporary disruption or a long-term shift in the perception of the Southbank remains to be seen, but the collaboration between Dazed Club and the participating partners ensures that the conversation will be robust, well-documented, and accessible to a wide audience of art enthusiasts and scholars alike. Those interested in contributing to this critical discourse are encouraged to review the application criteria via the official Dazed Club platform, marking the start of a collaboration that promises to define the tone of the London arts scene for the remainder of the year.