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Art at the Home Office

The Government Art Collection began commissioning public art for the Home Office in 2002, before construction began at 2 Marsham Street.

Working collaboratively with the Home Office, the architects Terry Farrell & Partners, the developer Anne’s Gate Property plc, and the construction company Bouygues UK, new works of art were soon being created.

The artist Liam Gillick was chosen to create works for the building’s façade. Drawing on his interest in the built environment and architectural history, Gillick designed coloured glass elements for the main entrance canopy, and the ground floor recessed window spaces.

Other elements that he integrated into the architectural design were the striking entrance icon based on rural and urban street plans; text 'hidden' within the façade, and distinctive mirrored steel sculptures on the adjoining lawns.

The artists

Other site-specific works were commissioned from the following artists, selected by Liam Gillick in association with the Government Art Collection:

• Roger Hiorns
• Georgie Hopton
• Runa Islam
• Emma Kay
• Simon Periton
• Gary Webb

Using media including film, installation, sculpture and multi-media, they created works that provide eloquent responses to the Home Office's varied public spaces.

Additional art projects

Other art projects commissioned so far include:

• art created by convicted prisoners and young offenders and selected for display by artists Jeremy Deller and Alan Kane
• for the main foyer, Toby Paterson designed two relief murals (Townscape 1 and 2) based on modernist architectural plans