PASW Regional Newsletter: Spring 2002
Regional Projects - Falmouth Moor Project
I was one of seven artists commissioned by Carrick District Council to make artworks for the regeneration of The Moor in central Falmouth. The works were sited during the summer and autumn of 2001 in the new piazza designed by David Buurma Associates, Landscape Architects.
Planters Falmouth Moor: Photo: David Westby
Sculptor Phil Booth and myself suggested using local artists for the design and construction of artefacts for The Moor, Falmouth. Committees and advisors were consulted and eventually a group of about 20 artists were invited to submit proposals. There was an attempt to create a team of artists to hammer out themes to underpin the designs, but the competitive nature of the commissioning seemed to preclude this.
Anyway, I was pleased to be able to use my artistic skills to create bollards, planters, cycle racks and litter bins for the town that has been my home for 30 years. The work was scheduled within very tight deadlines so quite a lot of production I subcontracted. This was not without problems, but the artisans I employed did high quality work on time and to budget.
The sea was my underlying theme to realise the original sculptural forms for these artefacts. The rippling form of the obelisks used for some of the galvanised steel bollards implies reflections in slowly moving currents. The undulating rhythms in the cast granite planters echo the swell of the deep sea, or boats bobbing on the waves. The rolling, circular line of the cycle racks imply the shape of waves breaking on the shore. Information and inspiration was also taken from historical monuments on the Moor. Each of the bollards is a miniature of the Falmouth Packet Memorial inset with a bronze plaque to remind us of the places visited by the Packet boats. The detail of the rope on the edge of the planters is taken from the old market fountain and also reminds us of the days of sail. Although these designs have references to the real world they are essentially abstract shapes. I was conscious of the practical uses of these objects so I used sympathetic but durable materials.
An early part of the research for these commissions was with the children of the Junior Schools in Falmouth and I was pleased to incorporate some of their drawings in my designs for stainless steel litter bins, the shape of the bin was a formal derivation from the obelisk.
David Westby
Artist, Falmouth Moor Project.