RICHARD Wilson’s critically acclaimed public art work,Turning the Place Over, will be activated again on Friday 20 April, as part of Royal De Luxe’s Sea Odyssey production. 

The popular installation, in Moorfields, will be re-awakened when the Giant Girl passes by and switches it back on.  Turning the Place Over will remain turning over the weekend as Sea Odyssey unfolds. 

Sally Tallant, Liverpool Biennial's artistic director, said “Richard Wilson’s sculpture deserves to be seen again and I am delighted that it can be re-started, albeit for such a short period of time. We are also working to find a way to re-start it for a longer period, as Britain hosts the Olympics and Liverpool hosts the UK Biennial of international contemporary art.” 

YouTube

Perhaps is time the Place was turned over permanently. After all another “Place”, the Antony Gormley Iron Men work, was given a stay of execution on Waterloo and Crosby beach after its time was up in 2006. The rusting troop of 100 is still standing there today.  Turning the Place Over was conceived as a trailblazer for Liverpool’s year as European Capital of Culture and originally expected to be de-commissioned at the end of 2008.

However, it eventually closed in January 2011, after more than three and a half years of operation. It had turned during daylight hours, with the occasional break for maintenance, since May 2007 and had been seen by an estimated three and a half million people. More than 25 YouTube videos of Turning the Place Over have received hundreds of thousands of viewings. 

The Biennial says it has been possible to extend the life of the attraction thanks, in particular, to the on-going support of project mechanical engineers, Bode Positioners Ltd. 

“We think this could be one of the enduring images of the Sea Odyssey Girl Giant’s progress,” said a spokesman.

UPDATE: The organisers of the Liverpool Biennial contacted Liverpool Confidential this evening to say that this event has been cancelled.

"Engineers went in today to re-activate it and advised that it needs a fuller service," said a spokesman.