Anish & Antony Take Afghanistan

Book excerpt: The astonishing power of public art has long been recognized by both governments and 'big business' alike in the West, with increasingly enormous public sculptures being deployed to 'regenerate' ailing post-industrial areas, or create the 'wow factor' on corporate HQ piazzas and at ever-expanding airports.But what if this strategy were employed in an attempt to turn around the fortunes of a whole country? This book proposes a scenario in which two giants of British public art are commissioned by the United Nations in a last ditch attempt to solve the social, financial and political problems of Afghanistan.Illustrations by Will Henry. Published in the HAPAX series.