Visitors look closer at the light sculpture hanging in the Foyers (July 1981). Art print reproduction of a photograph by Peter Bloomfield from the Barbican Archives.

Black and white image of Barbican Centre Foyers, showing original sculpture by Michel Santry from above. According to Santry's website, it was 'suspended from the skylight over the main stairs, built from six honeycomb groups of gold patina and brushed stainless steel with polished acrylic arrised blades on the top edges, in the shape of an octahedron - 5.7 x 5.7 x 6.5 metre high.'

Photographer Peter Bloomfield was commissioned by Henry Wrong - the first Managing Director of the Barbican Centre - to photograph the final stages of the arts centre. This collection of photographs has, as far as we know, never been widely shared with the public. Peter kindly gifted the c. 1400 negatives he produced to the Barbican.

The rediscovered archive reveals the ambition and scale of the construction of what The Queen called 'one of the modern wonders of the world'; from trees being craned into the conservatory to the hand-finishing of the structure's famously textured concrete walls.

Print Specifications 

Size: A3 (297 x 420mm)

Material: Giclée printed with UV inks on art paper