Anish Kapoor unveils 'awkward' London Olympic tower

British sculptor Anish Kapoor on Friday unveiled the controversial tower he designed for London's Olympic Park, defending the tangled red structure as 'awkward' but beautiful.

Officials hope the ArcelorMittal Orbit tower, which looms 115 metres (376 feet) over the Olympic Stadium in east London and includes two viewing platforms and a restaurant, will continue to attract visitors long after the Games.

The sculpture, named after the Luxembourg-based steel company that provided most of its funding, is the tallest in Britain and 72 feet (22 metres) taller than New York's Statue of Liberty.


But its twisting loops of steel have divided art critics and Londoners alike.
"It is awkward," Kapoor admitted as he officially unveiled the tower. "It has its elbows sticking out."
"It is unsettling and I think that is part of this thing of beauty," added the sculptor, a previous winner of Britain's prestigious Turner Prize for art.

But Kapoor, who designed the tower with architect Cecil Balmond, criticised its £15 ($24.20,18.70 euros) entrance price for adults, saying it was "a hell of a lot of money".

The artist said a 'more democratic' ticket price should be introduced when the Olympic Park -- which will be closed for a year after the Games end on August 12 -- reopens.
Visitors are encouraged to walk down the tower's 455-step spiral staircase to admire the view after taking the elevator up.

London Mayor Boris Johnson, who has dubbed the sculpture 'the hubble bubble' after its resemblance to a shisha pipe, said he hoped the site would boost economic growth in east London, which is poorer than the west of the capital.

"It's a beautiful work of art, let's be in no doubt," he said. "But the objective here is economic and strategic as well. It's to drive jobs, to drive growth in this part of London."
He too defended the design, pointing out that many famous landmarks have met with initial opposition, only for the public to warm to them.

"The Eiffel Tower attracted a great deal of hostility when it was first created," Johnson said.
"This is a very sinuous and sophisticated, complex structure," he continued. "It rewards the eye. Walk around it and you see these great loops of steel twisting against each other, against the sky. I think people will enjoy it."

ArcelorMittal, the world's biggest steel company, is contributing up to £19.6 million ($31.6, 24.4 million euros) towards the £22.7 million project, according to the tower's website.