Envision a world flipped on its head. That’s precisely what you see before you with The World Turned Upside Down. This sculpture by Turner Prize winner Mark Wallinger sits on Sheffield Street. It resides within the London School of Economics campus.
The World Turned Upside Down takes its name from a 17th-century English ballad. The globe measures 13 feet in diameter. It rests on its North Pole. It was revealed in March 2019. The artwork cost over £200,000. Alumni donations funded it.
Wallinger created a political globe. It shows nation states and borders. It presents a simple twist. The globe is inverted. Most landmasses lie in the bottom hemisphere. Countries and cities are re-labeled. This is for the new orientation. The sculpture highlights the scale of Africa. It emphasizes the vastness of the oceans. This is clear on a globe. It contrasts the flat Mercator projection.
The London School of Economics commissioned the artwork. Funding came from donations. Brian Smith, an LSE alumnus, gave a generous gift. Regular gifts from other alumni and friends contributed as well.
Mark Wallinger engages with power, authority, artifice, and illusion. He uses narratives, metaphors, and puns. He interweaves the mythological, political, and everyday. Wallinger poses questions about identity. He addresses social, cultural, and political power structures.
Wallinger won the Turner Prize in 2007. He won for his installation State Britain. It was a replica of Brian Haw’s protest camp. The camp was in London’s Parliament Square.
Public commissions are central to Wallinger’s work. He created Labyrinth in 2013. It marked the 150th anniversary of the London Underground. It spans all 270 stations.
The United Nations served as the authority. It was for names and borders as of March 2019. The World Turned Upside Down sparked controversy. It showed Taiwan as a sovereign entity. It did not depict it as part of the People’s Republic of China. The university retained the original design. They added an asterisk next to Taiwan. A placard clarifies the institution’s position.
The World Turned Upside Down stands as a testament. It reflects the spirit of progressive inquiry. It embodies the London School of Economics. It showcases the school’s international community and global reach. It encourages us to see the world from a different angle. The sculpture invites reflection and dialogue. It challenges our perceptions of geography and politics. The World Turned Upside Down serves as a powerful symbol. It represents intellectual curiosity. It promotes a global perspective.