Portishead Sculpture Trail

History of Site: (Source A History of Portishead-Portishead Town Council).

Portishead (or Port at the head of the river) is steeped in nautical history, with its deep- water dock (completed in 1860).From fishing to being a seaside resort; from maritime radio communications to industrial activity that included Mustads nail factory, Albright and Wilsons phosphorous works and a papermill. ( the highest award given to a marina by the Yacht harbour Association The landscape changed with the power stations closing in 1982 and the demolition of the Four chimney stacks in 1992.The marina now provides over 300 pontoon berths and has Five Gold anchors.

The role of public art: (source Alistair Sooke, BBC 21.10,14) Alistair)

In a very broad sense public art is as old as the hills, or at least the pyramids:

Think of the statues of the Pharaohs in ancient Egypt Ramaeses the great was the most celebrated Egyptian pharaoh, with four giant sculptures of him at Abu Simbel. A statement of power and to enemies at the time.

Millennia later Michaelangelo s statue of David symbolised the civil liberties the Florentine Republic stood for from. In the 20^th Century public art moved away from the traditional bronze statues for noteworthy individuals of their time from Henry Moore s abstract figures to Gormley s Angela of the North, which successfully chimed with England s industrial heritage.

There have always been public works of art that didn t chine and were removed.Richard Serra s Tilted Ark in New Yorks federal plaza after the public reacted to the money spent on a "rusted metal wall".

His work Fulcrum 1987 still stands near Liverpool Street station.

Then there is Rachael Whitread s House. A cast of the inside of a demolished Victorian terraced town house. One of the most iconic public works of the 1990s.

Aims of the Public Art project here:

The 10 year Port Marine Public art program began in 1999 grew from planning requirements agreed between North Somerset Council and the developers (Crest Nicholson and Persimmon homes). They acknowledged that public art can

Enrich local distinctiveness and identity
Help integrate new development into existing communities
Create unique and stimulating places

A feature that contributed to the success of the Public Art Programme was the devolution of decision- making powers to a steering group, which could not be vetoed by any of the major stakeholders. The group met regularly and co-opted artists, members of the community, primary school teachers,the head of art at Gordano School.