The inaugural Folkestone Triennial, titled Tales of Time and Space, will open this Saturday, June 14 with a new work by Season 4 artist Mark Dion. A medium-sized town 66 miles from London and 22 miles from France, Folkestone began as a fishing village, became a successful trading port, and later emerged as a popular Victorian seaside resort. Dion is one of 23 artists invited to engage with Folkestone’s history, culture and built environment for this three-month exhibition. According to artreview.com, Dion researched Folkestone’s gull and, seeking to foster greater love for the birds, developed a Mobile Gull Appreciation Unit (sketch above).
The Triennial is presented in public spaces–the beach, the harbour, parks, the marine promenade and in historic buildings. While some of the commissioned projects are fixed, objects like Dion’s Gull will move around the town over the course of the exhibition. All of the artworks will be on display for the public to experience free of charge through September 14, 2008.