New art nests on the podium

Thursday 15 January 2015

A new flock of birds are gathering in St Brelade’s Bay that will be on display for the next year.

The eight seabirds are cast in stone and are the work of local artist Pippa Barrow – the winner of this year’s Podium Art competition - a Percentage for Art Project at St Brelade's Bay Hotel supported by the Jersey Arts Trust.

Speaking about her piece entitled “The Gathering” Pippa said: “I’ve attempted to sum up what the Bay means to me personally. As a ‘westie’ and nature lover, I spend a lot of time on the beaches on the west of the island, and each beach has different associations and therefore meanings for me. I love St Ouen’s and Plemont beaches for their wild open spaces and isolation, dramatic and sometimes bleak scenery.

“St Brelades, on the other hand, is to me a sociable place, where we go as a family to enjoy the enclosed calm waters, and meet up to eat and socialise. In summer it attracts both locals and visitors, parading and mingling on the beach, restaurants and pubs. This is why I chose a design that would express the sociable nature of the area, where people gather not only to admire the natural beauty of the surroundings, but also to relax, interact with friends and have fun. “

Pippa says the birds are deliberately generic seabirds rather than a specific species although she says the colour and posture is based on the tern. She has created some roosting, others quarrelling and one pair are courting. They are set on heavily textured plinths in earthy tones.

Pippa had three months to sculpt her birds into clay and cast them in stone so that they would be hard wearing and withstand the elements. They are being unveiled to the public on Friday and will replace “St Brelade’s Bay Wave” created by local artist Debbie Buterbaugh – last year’s winner.

Sasha Gibb from Jersey Arts Trust and Podium Art Project Committee said: "Although Pippa Barrow's piece was chosen by the Podium Art Panel, the committee were unanimous in their decision. 'The Gathering' is appropriate for the site as well as sensitive and witty. It works as a whole and yet invites the viewer in, to look closer, to have a conversation. Pippa is a fantastic observer of animals, her work has had great aclaim in the UK and I am delighted that, at last her work is being recognised locally. This is a beautiful piece of Public Art, we are lucky to have her."