Public Art Research Archive, Sheffield Hallam University
PUBLIC ART IN SHEFFIELD

Rod Powell
'The Green Man', 1989
now destroyed
Graves Park
wood, an oak stump

now removed

Location:
Graves Park, on a trail close to the duck pond. (A-Z p111 6E)

Description:
The torso of a man appears to be emerging from the top of the tree stump. One foot is just visible on a lower part of the stump and a leaf curls out from the man's mouth.
Update [Feb. 2001]: Sadly the piece no longer exists. The tree stump has been cut to ground level and the carved piece of wood now rests on the ground further down the slope. The area near the base of the sculpture does appear badly decomposed and the assumption must be that it was no longer safe and was therefore demolised.

Commission:
Sheffield Recreation Department and Sheffield Contemporary Arts Trust.

Comment:
Artist refers to the work as a "half man, half tree", but admits he was not familiar with the image of the green man. He says he asked that the tree be cut at a certain point to provide proper scale for the work. Though the tree is dead, he likes to imagine new shoots finally enveloping the figure, causing it to disappear back into the green. This is beginning to happen.



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Last updated September 5, 2006