The internationally acclaimed British artist, Monster Chetwynd, created a permanent new sculptural children’s playground as a highlight of the programme of the 16th Istanbul Biennial. Permanently located in the city’s Maçka Sanat Park, one of Istanbul’s public green spaces, Monster Chetwynd’s Gorgon’s Head Playground is inspired by the heads of Medusa that were discovered in the city’s 6th-century Basilica Cistern. The playground which displays the distinct features of the mythical creature, includes slides that form a head of snakes and also pays tribute to the stray cats of Istanbul and the Gardens of Bomarzo in central Italy.

Monster Chetwynd

Monster Chetwynd (b. 1973, London, UK) lives and works in Glasgow. Known for her bric-a-brac style performance pieces, featuring handmade costumes, props and sets, Chetwynd describes her work as ‘impatiently made’, often re-using cheap materials that are easy to process and to use by the many performers she invites to participate, emphasizing the notion of collective development that informs much of the artist’s work. Recent solo exhibitions include De Pont, Tilburg (2019); Villa Arson, Nice (2019); Winter Commission, Tate Britain, London (2018); The Owl with the Laser Eyes, Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Turin (2018); Uptight upright, upside down, Centre for Contemporary Arts, Glasgow (2018); and Camshafts in the Rain, Bonner Kunstverein, Bonn (2016).