Ellesmere
Ellesmere Gateway Sculpture
Completed April 2008
British Waterways Commison for three linked sculptures
Site: Ellesmere Canal Wharf Junction
Project Brief:
New Sculpture Commission for Ellesmere – The Ellesmere Gateway
Following the successful Extramuros exhibition at the Mere in Ellesmere three new sculptures have been commissioned for the town.
The commission is for one large gateway sculpture and for two smaller visually linked pieces, to be sited along the canal forming a short sculpture trail.
British Waterways is the commissioning body working in partnership with Oswestry Community Action.
Local Public Artists Ruth Gibson and Huw Powell Roberts have been awarded the commissions which had many opportunities for community involvement. The design for each of the sculpture has been inspired by the canal and the old industries that it served.
They have worked with the community in developing ideas for the works and have now agreed designs with the Ellesmere sculpture steering committee.
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| Fender Idea |
Bench Idea |
Ellesmere Gateway Idea |
The sculptures and have now been completed and can be viewed along the canal.
Community Involvement
Ruth and Huw are experienced ceramic artists and workshop leaders. They have collaborated on many public art projects including the Benchart project at Cross Houses, Shropshire.
To influence the final detail in the sculptures Ruth and Huw asked local people to give them memories and old photographs. They were in Ellesmere Market on Tuesday 12th and 19th June 2007 to record these and also showed their plans and gave the market customers a chance to work with the sculptures key material - clay.
In the market hall there was a display of ideas and work in progress along with a demonstration of brick clay carving and an opportunity to have a go. Also there was a chance to make clay tiles by gathering textures from in and around Ellesmere and the canal.
They also worked with pupils at Ellesmere Primary School and at Lakelands School in June 2007
'In the primary school we looked at various industrial artefacts borrowed from the maintenance yard, and using them the children made decorative clay tiles which have been incorporated into the new 'Gateway' sculpture on the canal'
'In the secondary school we worked with older children teaching the art of brick clay carving and the children carved brick paviers using images of the canal architecture. This may be made into a permanent ceramic sculpture for the school'.
Poetry
All three sculptures have words and poems incorported into the designs.
Shropshire poet Bob Gibson was commissioned to write a series of poems based on Shropshire canals and below are those which were selected for use on the sculptures.
Narrow boats
Loaded with tons
Of limestone, coal,
Milk and cheese,
Duchess Countess,
Jupiter move slowly
On the way to Whitchurch
Pontcysyllte
Mighty aqueduct
High over the Dee,
Stone Pillars
Support the canal
Where heavy boats
Float through water
And Space.
Vale of Llangolle
Wetlands of Whixall,
Shropshire, Cheshire,
Wales.
In Ellesmere yard
Blacksmiths, wheelwrights,
Navvies, carpenters,
Shovel and pick
Hammer and tongs
Spanner, chisel, saw,
Red hot iron
Hammered to shape,
Timber sawn and nailed
Making lock gates,
Horse shoes, boats
Building
The great canal