WHAT?  STRIP-TOWER by Gerhard Richter 

WHERE?  Serpentine South Gallery, Kensington Gardens, London W2 3XA

WHEN?  Now until 27th October.  Free to view 

WHY GO?  For art in the park.  If you go down to the park today, you’re sure of a big surprise! Suddenly standing there in the glare is a colourful tower of stripes, a new large-scale sculpture by German artist Richter, famed for his glorious stained glass windows in Cologne Cathedral where he lives and still works at the age of 92!

It’s a whopper, to the amusement of dog walkers on their daily stroll and gallery visitors since it stands upright on the plinth just outside the Serpentine South gallery entrance.

How encouraging it is that The Royal Parks are displaying so much enthusiasm for modern public sculptures that make visitors stop, stand and stare, whether in a reflective mood or in irritation that things have gone a bit ‘artsy’ in the park.

How encouraging also that it is simply a glorious modern monument with no political overtones that make for argument.  What’s not to like about a tower of stripes rather like Joseph’s coat of many colours? 

Richter began a series of ‘Strip’ paintings in 2010 which led to experimenting further digitally, taking the grid concept further working with Perspex and colourful ceramic tiles. 

The result is a towering show-stopper with visitors invited to stand inside the cross-sections and feel elevated, adding art to their walk in the park!

IN THE KNOW  For more art in the park, come June, the annual Serpentine Pavilion goes up.  This year’s architect is Seoul-based Korean Minsuk Cho and his firm Mass Studies.  

It will be the 23rd Pavilion; the project was initially introduced in 2000 with Dame Zaha Hadid.  This year’s Pavilion called Archipelagic Void will be on view from 7th June.