Click here to watch a video of a studio visit of John Maine's studio in Wiltshire.

John Maine is a British artist whose site-specific public sculptures can be found across the world. Located in front of the National Theatre on London’s South Bank, Arena both responds to and is embedded within its surrounding environment. Its structure echoes the curve of nearby Waterloo Bridge and the sculpture is made out of the same Portland stone as many of the city’s historic buildings. Arena’s broken circular form encourages passers-by to enter the sculpture’s centre, breaching the boundary between viewer and artwork. It highlights public art’s ability to become part of the architectural fabric of a community’s environment.

Individual photo captions and credits as seen from left to right:

Arena. Photo © Giulia Calvi

Photograph of a performance at Arena, c. 1980. Photo © The Artist

Photograph of a performance at Arena, c. 1980. Photo © The Artist

Photograph of Arena being made out of a block of Portland stone, c. 1980. Photo © The Artist

Preparatory Sketch for Arena, pencil on paper, dimension unknown. © The Artist