The Radisson Hotel at Stansted Airport

The Hotel Radisson in Stansted, which opened in November 2004, is already known for its outstanding luxury and customer service. The hotel has the first wine tower in Europe, which is 13 metres tall and houses 4,000 bottles of wine.

It is an impressive centrepiece adorning the 19 metre tall atrium which in itself is something of a masterpiece, completely open plan and with hotel rooms looking out upon the various restaurants and cafes, it creates a particular ambience in which to relax and enjoy the hotel.

It is therefore an ideal place for a David Begbie sculpture. The work, ‘stanstill’ was commissioned by the hotel, and now resides in the reception area. The piece is of steelmesh acrobatic figures - a couple with the female front standing on the shoulders of a male back.

The sculpture is suspended within in a glass case and can be viewed from both sides which reveals the ambiguous nature of the piece and of the medium – it is hard to tell whether you are viewing the front or the back. The fibre optic lighting highlights the form of the sculpture giving it an ethereal appearance.

The piece fits perfectly with the hotel’s different and refreshing approach to accommodating the public.