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Issued on behalf of the Tyne Tunnel
Friday 24 March 2006
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| Sculptures brighten journey through pedestrian and cycle tunnel |
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Swan Hunter Chairman, Jaap Kroese, will unveil two landmark sculptures by local artist, Fiona Gray, at the Tyne Pedestrian and Cycle Tunnel, Howdon, on Wednesday, September 22 at 2pm.
Both sculptures will sit outside the rotunda building at the north entrance to the pedestrian tunnel.
The first sculpture is made from stainless steel and stands four metres high. The elliptical artwork is split into two halves – one half representing the north side of the river and the other representing the south side. The two halves are linked at the top by 14 strips which represent the various river crossings – from the Tyne Pedestrian and Cycle Tunnel itself to the ferry and each of the cross-river bridges.
The names of businesses that operate along the river are etched into the surface of the stainless steel and children from All Saints Primary School in South Tyneside turned detective, accompanying Fiona on a river trip to help the artist compile the list.
Sitting on a base plate etched with compass points the sculpture has been named ‘Echo’ and provides a snapshot in time of the river as it as now.
The second sculpture features three fish heads and two fish tails as they appear either to emerge from or dive into a raised bed of blue grass.
Youngsters from St Peter’s Primary School had a hand in making the sculpture extra special by making ceramic bricks which they decorated with fish motifs. These were embedded in the wall that surrounds the fish.
Called ‘The Ones That Got Away’, the artwork celebrates the fact that the Tyne now has a variety of fish swimming in its waters.
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