Icons, Landmarks and the Meanings of Scotland

* Tuesday, 11th October 2011
* 12.45-1.45pm
* Hawthornden Lecture Theatre - Gardens Entrance (Scottish National Gallery)
* Free
* No booking required: free, unticketed.

Charles Jencks, eminent architectural critic, artist, and author of The Iconic Building, the Power of Enigma (Frances Lincoln, 2005), has been appointed Creative Director for Scotland's newest icon, the Gretna Landmark's Star of Caledonia.

This discussion will include looking at the controversy behind trying to design architectural icons as contemporary successors to the monument and how to develop a meaningful icon for Scotland.

Joining Charles will be Cecil Balmond, influential designer and artist behind the Gretna Landmark's Star of Caledonia, who will discuss his own creation process for envisaging and designing the Star of Caledonia as a contemporary icon.

Charles Jencks on Front Row - Monday 22nd August

On today's Front Row, Mark Lawson visits Northumberlandia, a vast sculpted landform in the shape of a reclining female figure which is being created from 1.5 million tonnes of soil on a mining site near Cramlington, south east Northumberland. Designed by artist Charles Jencks, when complete the earth works will be 34 metres high and 400 metres in length, forming the centrepiece to a new public park.

Certainly (another) a controversial artwork from Charles Jencks.