In Pictures: The St Helen’s Dream Statue
THE Dream Statue is 20m-high and stands alongside the M62 motorway, sat on the former Sutton Manor colliery. Sat on a slag heap. Really. It looks like an illustration from self-help manual. It has put St Helen’s on the map – map that featrure the Big Prawn of Ballina. It was created by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa. Says he:
“Normally with a commission like this it’s always about love and hate. When people are negative it’s quite normal, but all opinions are right. However, unveiling Dream in one of the worse economic periods doesn’t reflect that this project started three years ago. Art is about the future.”
Art is not about recording the past? Someone should tell Picasso, another Spanish artist.
“I learnt a lot through talking with the miners. All they spoke about was darkness and I wanted something to reflect the light. Light become a dream when you’re working in darkness.
“I am very happy with Dream because I have created a special place for people to be. The site at Sutton Manor is a high point with amazing views all around and I would like people to use the steps around the sculpture as a place to sit and enjoy looking at the landscape. I hope that it will be a very relaxing and inspiring place and that people say to one another ‘Let’s meet at Dream’. That’s when I will know it is a success.”
One year on, the lights still aren’t working…
Posted: 27th, May 2010 | In: Reviews Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
