Textile wall hanging in Portcullis House
25 July 2011 (updated on 25 July 2011)
The large abstract textile wall hanging in Wilson Committee Room in Portcullis House, rose to public awareness on Tuesday 19 July 2011.
The wall hanging filled television screens for 15 minutes when the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee’s evidence session with Rupert and James Murdoch was interrupted by a member of the public.
The textile was designed by artist Kate Blee, and is one of a series of textile hangings commissioned by Sir Michael Hopkins when he designed Portcullis House, which was officially opened 10 years ago in 2001. Sir Michael chose textiles based art to help soften the acoustics of the rooms. Kate Blee was commissioned to design three works, two hang in the Wilson Room and a third hangs in the Macmillian room, they are entitled Debate 1, 2 and 3. Describing the textiles recently on BBC Front Row, Kate Blee explained she had chosen red as the predominate colour to reflect the heated nature of debate.