Sculpture and Structures

Some interesting sculpture and structures have appeared on the Fylde Coast over the last few years. Opinion of their value may vary, but this article is intended to help you appreciate their significance and enjoy their beauty. Our pictorial journey starts at Blackpool's South Shore and ends in Fleetwood

The Mirror Ball

This structure, claimed to be the world's largest mirror-ball, brightens Blackpool's seafront. You can find it on the South Promenade, just south of the Pleasure Beach. The revolving artwork features some 46,500 mirrors, and continuously gives a different view as the light and weather change and traffic passes by.

The Mirror Ball was designed by Michael Turner and made by an engineering firm in Oldham, Greater Manchester. It is apparently called “They Shoot Horses, Don't They?” after a 1906's film, and has beat a 2.4m-diameter mirror ball in a Los Angeles night club to the world record. It was commissioned for the Great Promenade Show.

 

Desire

 

I called this picture “Cutting Edge” because of the perspective and focus on the 'teeth'. There are different published interpretations of this structure: it is heart-shaped, perhaps depicting desire or the pain of love; others conjecture the V-shaped structure is a shark repellent with its sharp teeth. If the latter, it is effective: there are no sharks off Blackpool's shore. The steel structure has rusted to give a natural red appearance, and its 'teeth' appear to be stainless steel.

 

High Tide Organ

This organ was commissioned for the Great Promenade Show and stands some 15 metres tall. The artwork is described as a “musical manifestation of the sea” and was designed by Liam Curtin and John Gooding. The harnessing of wave energy and the sculpted concrete and metals (of steel, zinc and copper) combine to produce a sound as the tide swells.

The best time to hear the organ is two or three hours before or after high tide, as the instrument is played by the sea through eight pipes attached to the sea wall, which are connected to 18 organ pipes within the structure.

The Wave

The Wave is a 10.5 metre high sculpture in St John's Square, Blackpool, designed by artist Lucy Glendinning. It is said to reflect Blackpool's coastal location; its giant curl of steel representing a breaking wave is studded with coloured resin inserts, which were apparently inspired by the detail of the stained glass in St Johns Church.

This creative image pictures Blackpool's Wave sculpture against a sunset sky, depicting surfing at sunset.

Sea Swallow Sculpture

 

This sculpture is inspired by the final paragraph of the book 'The Sea Swallow', which describes two sea swallows that fly over the beaches along the coastline: “For at night they stand together on the sea wall, as if protecting the town with their great white wings.” The book was written by Gareth Thompson, with the birds based Hannah Megee's illustrations.

The Sea Swallow is a children’s story book for the Wyre coastline, a narrative with threads of local folklore woven into the text. It speaks of petrified forests and sunken villages and the Sea Swallows that fly over the coast.

 

The sculpture arrived in Cleveleys in June 2012, and this abstract creative image focuses on the two swallows that protect the town.

Welcome Home Statues

These statues, at Fleetwood, Lancashire, celebrate the heroic lives of the fishermen and their families. It also serves as a memorial to those who lost their lives at sea. The statues are the work of Anita Lafford, and were sponsored by Fisherman’s Friend and Wyre Borough Council.

This creative image highlights the texture of the sculpture.

 

To see these and other images of the Fylde Coast, visit dmcphotogallery.net/gallery.html

 

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