‘Star of Caledonia’ to adorn border with England
July 5 2011
Beating off competition from American artist Ned Kahn and Wilkinson Eyre Architects the piece was selected by the Gretna landmark Trust for its reflection of Scotland’s scientific endeavour and “magnetic pull”.
Balmond said of the piece: “The Star of Caledonia is a welcome; its kinetic form and light paths a constant trace of Scotland's power of invention.”
Landscape architect Charles Jencks, who is collaborating on the project, said: “Crossing the border to Scotland, across the River Sark, is now a passage obscured under a bridge by cars travelling at speed. Instead of marking this with motorway signs we are using a landform and sculpture that pulls together the adjacent site, the distant hills and the Solway.”
The “whirling” creation is said to resemble anything from a starburst to energy, a thistle or St Andrew’s Cross.
9 Comments
#1 Posted by The Bairn on 5 Jul 2011 at 14:22 PM
landscape architects...as much use as project managers...this is pretentious nonsense...replies?
#2 Posted by Patrick Bateman on 5 Jul 2011 at 15:42 PM
I would prefer a gigantic bust of Donald Trump on top of that landform, with hair flowing wildly in the wind.
A sort of ginger version of Neil Oliver, if you like.
A sort of ginger version of Neil Oliver, if you like.
#3 Posted by James Tallent on 5 Jul 2011 at 16:50 PM
Hideous. Awful. Meaningless.
Old fashioned perhaps...but would a statue, a flag, or a monument not be enough?
Old fashioned perhaps...but would a statue, a flag, or a monument not be enough?
#4 Posted by The Bairn on 6 Jul 2011 at 13:58 PM
Well call me old fashiooned as well but yes I concur... a nice bust would get my undivided attention...maybe the fruit of Donalds loins...Ivanka Trump...any seconders?
#5 Posted by Aleks on 7 Jul 2011 at 11:42 AM
Honestly, let's just comment once the thing is created in real life.
If you can do better, then why didn't you win?
If you can do better, then why didn't you win?
#6 Posted by Frank Lloyd Wrong on 7 Jul 2011 at 12:36 PM
It would have to be Ivana in her early days - maybe the 1972 winter olympics, as opposed to her current post op tranny aesthetic.
#7 Posted by A on 8 Jul 2011 at 22:24 PM
Aleks; there is a great history of famous/"brandname" designers and starchitects' work being chosen over genuinely better entries in design competitions, it's par for the course. Design is very rarely the reason why anyone wins these sorts of competitions.
Personally I don't see what is wrong with the existing signs (those of the fantastic motorway signage system devised by Jock Kinneir and Margaret Calvert).
Personally I don't see what is wrong with the existing signs (those of the fantastic motorway signage system devised by Jock Kinneir and Margaret Calvert).
#8 Posted by Threeps on 9 Jul 2011 at 12:03 PM
This looks fantastic! What a superb landmark to combine beauty and innovation as travelers arrive in Scotland.
A bust of a the Trump would be very amusing for a short while - however he might think we want him here and not his money! He could then start to collect more of the country... Perish the thought.
A bust of a the Trump would be very amusing for a short while - however he might think we want him here and not his money! He could then start to collect more of the country... Perish the thought.
#9 Posted by Angus on 18 Aug 2023 at 02:23 AM
The placing of this statue in Gretna has an ulterior motive and that motive is greed. A giant cash register would be more appropriate.
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