As with so many of the projects it is involved with internationally, Blackout provided a complete production service for the transformation, supplying staff, rigging and access equipment to hang Christmas decorations beneath the glass roofs of the market's two main aisles. The decorations, created by Sculptivate, include 73 giant baubles, the biggest 3m in diameter and weighing 250kg, four Sputniks and 24 enormous candy canes.
The installation took place at night so as not to disturb the market's daytime trade. Blackout's team, led by Tom Lambert and Ian Moody, were on-site for ten "very cold" nights over two weeks.
The installation - due to remain in place until 9 January 2011 - was just one of the many projects undertaken by Blackout through the autumn. These included providing pipe, drapes and purple velour to the Pride of Britain awards at London's Grosvenor House Hotel, installing drapes for the London International Horse Show, rigging truss, drapes, screens and projections for the launch of the Vertu Constellation Quest phone in Moscow and providing the complete rigging and drapes requirements for the pre-show, main show and party at the MTV Music Awards in Madrid.
(Jim Evans)
