Kelpies, etc.

[Peter Connelly]

As much as I think that the tourism industry in some ways hamstrings Scotland, while reading the article on the BBC about Andy Scott’s Kelpies, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-t ... l-27066348 I wondered what if a series of sculptures were rolled out across Scotland, illustrating, perhaps, the industrial and historical past. Large scale sculptures such as the Kelpies would create jobs, requiring specific trades, skills and training which could afterwards be put to further use, while leaving behind tourist attractions. The past, as it were, could be utilised to serve the future, rather than hinder it. Art, history, technology, trades, ideas, training, coming together.

[NickB]

.
I saw the Kelpies from the motorway a month ago. They are a stunning piece of work.

I would love to see more works like this, celebrating and reinvigorating Scotland's history, culture, art and craft.

Here's some aerial footage shot from a model quadcopter.

[youtube]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=zUD3hj-QDQc[/youtube]

[Peter Connelly]

Watching that video reminded me of this, somehow.

'Scotland small?'

Scotland small? Our multiform, our infinite Scotland small?
Only as a patch of hillside may be a cliché corner
To a fool who cries ‘Nothing but heather!’ where in September another
Sitting there and resting and gazing around
Sees not only the heather but blaeberries
With bright green leaves and leaves already turned scarlet,
Hiding ripe blue berries; and amongst the sage-green leaves
Of the bog-myrtle the golden flowers of the tormentil shining;
And on the small bare places, where the little Blackface sheep
Found grazing, milkworts blue as summer skies;
And down in neglected peat-hags, not worked
Within living memory, sphagnum moss in pastel shades
Of yellow, green, and pink; sundew and butterwort
Waiting with wide-open sticky leaves for their tiny winged prey;
And nodding harebells vying in their colour
With the blue butterflies that poise themselves delicately upon them;
And stunted rowans with harsh dry leaves of glorious colour.
‘Nothing but heather!’ ̶ How marvellously descriptive! And incomplete!

.

Hugh MacDiarmid

[DonnieC]

Strangely enough Peter, Mhairi Ross, at the National Collective's Cafe Session on Saturday in the Rowantree Hotel read the same passage, inspired by people she'd been canvassing earlier on the streets of Oban who were opined that we were too wee.

The next session will be Mary Ann Kennedy and Ian Hamilton at the Rowantree on Sat 17th May at 3 pm.

[NickB]

.
I can't help thinking how much my late father in law would have loved the Kelpies. He was a 'fee'd loon' before he went to the war and worked with horses on farms in Aberdeenshire.

When he came back from the war the tractor was taking over, but much of the rural landscape of Scotland owes its character to the massive, gentle Clydesdale.

The Kelpies are a great addition to our built landscape, a reminder of an important part of our heritage. Only the pettiest and most narrow-minded of individuals would begrudge the modest cost of their creation.

[NickB]

.
I believe public art does have monetary value.

It lifts the spirits of the tens of thousands of people who see it.

The effect of that on the health and productivity of a nation may be difficult to quantify, but it is definitely a positive value.

[Innes Newton]

Stoneymollan: Apparently this cost - wait for it - £817 000!

The sculpture is meant to be flying geese and the roundabout itself is also meant to be a gateway feature to the Loch Lomond And Trossachs National Park. Let this put a smile on your face and lift your heart (here it is in all its glory) https://www.flickr.com/photos/star-fang ... 13s-bHMERg

Welcome to…Whit the feek is that?

There’s a much maligned new work o art
Designed tay make a statement
A welcome tay Loch Lomond’s shores
Which reminded me of what HATE meant

By Balloch town, on the Loch shore road
The roundabout’s the site
Where this metallic monstrosity
Is greeted daily with, “Shite!”

The locals aw joost stood in awe
Sayin, “Whit the feek is this?”
“If we hud jobs and hud tay pay tax,
we’d a subsidised this pish!”

Imagine the framework o an auld Gas Tank
Like that big wan up the toon
Then imagine it hud been oan fire
And wiz buckled and meltied doon

Then some eejit wi a welding gun
(will wonders never cease?)
sticks oan an bends some squiggly bits
and says that, “These are Geese!”

The worst thing is its equally loathed
By the jakey and the purists
And’s responsible noo, fur the glaikit look
On the faces o visiting tourists

[NickB]

.
I don't like Stoneymollan much, but its about to be refurbished and apparently the geese will be a lot more obvious after the revamp.

The artwork improvements will see the geese on the timber crown infilled and painted white, with seasonal flowers and trees planted to complete the project.

[Innes Newton]

It's definitely more like an expensive arrestor net in case your brakes fail when you are coming up the A82 too fast.