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Barnsley Metropolitan Borough

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ArtistMaker: THOMSON, Jason (sculptor) & Ian McMillan (writer)
TitleOfWork: 'Eeyore'
DescriptionOfPhoto: Detail: rabbit above computer screen with apple core inside it.
DateOfCreation: 1995
Dimensions: 288x72x72
Medium: wood; oak
Location: Hoyland Springwood School. (SE437400)
AtoZReference: p.37 6H
Postcode: S74 0ER
Street: Clough Fields Road
TownOrVillage: Hoyland
AreaInTown: Hoyland
MetropolitanBorough: Barnsley
Photographer: Dave Ball
ImageCopyright: Sheffield Hallam University
AccessionNumber: b001c
Description: The sculpture is carved from a section of the trunk of an oak tree. It depicts a flop-eared rabbit sitting on top of a computer screen. The screen itself is broken and contains a half-eaten apple, a reference to the make of computer depicted. Two robot arms are attached to the side of the screen, the whole resting on top of a giant drill bit which emerges from the ground. A child's furry slipper with rabbit's ears sits below one of the arms.
The spring carved from wood is a pun on the school's name. Apple had been the sponsors of the school computer system. The text on the sculpture comes from ideas developed by Ian McMillan working with children at the school.

Inscription: On the rear of the sculpture on the base of the computer screen: Jason Thomson / '95
Around the base following the spirals of the drill are snatches of text and verse: STAR TREK EEYORE THE GENERATION / PEOPLE ONE STEP IN THE FUTURE / TRAVELLING THROUGH SPACE 100 MILES / PUFFS OF SMOKE TRAILING BEHIND / VISITING THE MOON THE STARS / AND THE SUN AND THE PLANETS / SWINGING FROM THE SILVER STARS
And also a description: Eeyore superrabbit flying to the rescue helping boys and girls to write their poems

Commission: Owned by Hoyland Springwood School. The project was managed by Public Arts of Wakefield. Funding came from Yorkshire and Humberside Arts, Wakefield Youth Hostel Association, GETECH. It was formally opened on 30th November 1995 by Howard Willey, the owner of a local Pet Centre, who had donated the rabbit to the school. Ian McMillan had already worked on projects in the school and Jason Thomson was selected after consultation with Barnsley MBC Arts Department. The project was part of the Arts in Open Spaces programme developed by the Performing Arts Development Service in Barnsley.

Comment: Eeyore was a rabbit adopted by the school, which appeared on television on a number of occasions. It had an eventful life there its notoriety being ensured after chewing through computer cables, escaping, and episodes involving a child's furry slipper and the headmaster's foot. Subject matter for the sculpture was derived from fantastical ideas developed during a project involving writer/poet Ian McMillan at the school. Samples of text developed during this process are on the base of the sculpture which the artist describes as "Eeyore: A super rabbit robot borne out of the earth by spiralling tales of his fantastical and actual deeds" [1]

References: [1] Artist's statement from the Axis website: http://www.axisartists.org.uk/database/online/search/
Interview with the Headmaster of the School







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Last updated July 18, 2005