Suspended in Silks by Will Budgett
A majestic public artwork, commissioned by Bristol BID as part of Brazen Festival 2026.
Sabrina Shutter
Senior Events Project Manager
The artwork
Suspended in Silks hangs, suspended, from the historic facade of St George’s Bristol, casting the shadows of two majestic acrobats against the wall of the 200-year-old former Georgian church. Based on photographs of Bristol-based aerialist Jude Whitburn, the 5-metre-high piece will be projected onto the building at night. The iconic location brings together art and innovation, using carefully engineered sculpture and lighting to create an unexpected cultural experience in the heart of Bristol.
The artwork was commissioned by Bristol BID, reflecting our commitment to creating engaging experiences that encourage people to explore and spend more time in the city. It also highlights the BID’s role in bringing together Bristol’s creative organisations and industries to enrich the city’s cultural offering and leave a lasting legacy.
Meet the artist
Will Budgett is an artistic sculptor with links to Bristol who builds abstract scrap metal figures that, through shadow and light, project striking figures onto their surroundings.
Will made his first shadow project as a teenager, inspired by light artists such as Edgar Degas, Tim Noble and Sue Webster. He studied Russian at the University of Bristol and lived in Russia for a time. It was there, at a ballet, where he was enchanted by the dancers and their shadows cast into the wings of the theatre. The dancers were poised, their shadows abstract. It was then he had the idea to turn that concept on its head – an abstract sculpture that casts the perfect shadow of a dancer, suspended.
This new commission builds on the ideas explored in Will’s artwork at the 2026 Bristol Light Festival, presented by Bristol BID. The Midnight Ballet saw shadow dancers displayed around the University of Bristol’s Royal Fort Gardens and drew 100,000 people throughout the festival period. It was the success of this piece that led to Bristol BID calling on Will’s expertise for the Brazen collaboration.
Exhibition - What does it take to turn scrap metal into a dancer?
Alongside the artwork, St George’s Bristol will be hosting a free exhibition that takes you behind the scenes of the Suspended in Silks journey.
From meeting the aerialist who inspired the work and seeing the first sketches, to photographing movement, experimenting in the studio, working with metal and exploring the science behind the final illusion. See models, drawings, photography and a film following the artwork from first idea to installation.
Running 26 October – 30 November 2026
Speaking about the artwork, artist Will Budgett said:
"It's the biggest piece of work I've made to date. Having this enormous sculpture on the front of St George's is going to be the biggest moment in my career."
Brazen
Supported by Bristol BID, Brazen takes over Bristol from 9 – 13 November with a week of tech, creativity and culture, featuring speakers from world-famous brands, large-scale immersive experiences, hands-on tech demos and community-run workshops, meetups and talks. Brazen’s involvement in Suspended in Silks reflects the festival’s dedication to bringing creative disciplines together, and the piece captures the festival’s spirit, combining art, engineering and light to create something unexpected.
Explore the full programme here.