A groundbreaking augmented reality artwork allows visitors to explore Victoria Park’s lost bandstand site through immersive digital technology, bringing Portsmouth’s musical heritage back to life for the first time since before World War Two.
Accessed via personal mobile devices, The Storm Cone represents a groundbreaking fusion of sound and augmented reality technology that has made its debut in Portsmouth.
This remarkable creation by artist Laura Daly incorporates freshly commissioned musical compositions by Lucy Pankhurst alongside eight audio pieces crafted by Daly herself. Park-goers can navigate around a full-scale augmented reality bandstand positioned at Portsmouth’s original bandstand location within Victoria Park’s heart.
Through The Storm Cone’s complimentary mobile application, visitors will witness the final musical showcase of an interwar brass ensemble and follow the paths of the vanished musicians across the eight audio installations.
The Storm Cone received its initial commission from the University of Salford Art Collection alongside Metal, originally unveiling the disappeared bandstands of Peel Park in Salford and Chalkwell Park in Southend during 2021.
The artwork has now arrived in Portsmouth as part of the city council’s restoration and revitalisation initiative for Victoria Park as the ‘People’s Park’, enabled through £2.4 million funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Council Leader Cllr Steve Pitt commented:
“The bandstand formed part of Victoria Park’s original features when it launched in 1878 as Portsmouth’s inaugural public park for residents. Victorian Britain saw bandstands as tremendously popular attractions, yet like numerous others, Portsmouth’s disappeared prior to World War Two’s commencement.
“This innovative artistic and audio experience offers an extraordinary method for rediscovering Victoria Park’s missing bandstand whilst exploring their cultural importance during that era.”
The Storm Cone recently achieved finalist status for the distinguished international Lumen Art Prize. The work explores themes of loss, celebration, human resilience and vulnerability.
The piece examines community dissolution and reformation throughout the interwar period, taking its title from Rudyard Kipling’s 1932 work The Storm Cone, commonly understood as a warning regarding the approaching Second World War.
Portsmouth visitors can experience The Storm Cone through 30 September using the free application that directs users to the installation. Headphones are suggested for optimal experience.
The Storm Cone received commissioning from Salford University Collection and Metal, with National Lottery funding via Arts Council England, plus additional backing from Salford School of Arts, Media & Creative Technology, PN Daly Limited and Zinc and Copper Roofing Limited. Laura Daly receives support from The Artists Agency.
Laura Daly and curator Lindsay Taylor will participate in a discussion on Tuesday 16 September, 2-3pm, at The Green House Community Hub within Victoria Park.
