PUBLIC ART IN SHEFFIELD
Johnny
White/Amanda Wray
‘Dragonfly & Damselfly’, 1996
Ferham Lake, Blackburn Meadows Nature Reserve
steel, stainless and reconstituted marble
Ferham Lake, Blackburn Meadows Nature Reserve (A-Z p78 4A)
Description:
The two insects are planted on two steel poles in one of the lakes created
on this site. They are 3 metres high. Their bodies are made of marble and
have human heads. Their wings, legs and antennae are made of steel. The
pieces were put together and erected onsite.
Commission:
Sheffield City Council and Blackburn Meadows Trust.
Comment:
The sculptures can only be observed from a distance as access to the shores
of the lake is restricted. There are several hides on the edges of the lake
for bird-watchers to use. Since most of the people that see the work will
presumably view it through binoculars while watching the birds, the fact
that the pieces cannot be seen close to equates them somewhat with the wildlife
in the Reserve.
The opening of this piece was featured in local press and also in The Guardian
newspaper (the Guardian photographer was Denis Thorpe; on one of his last
assignments for the paper before retiring).
