A new public sculpture at a beauty spot has been compared to a poo
As reported here, Earnley Viewpoint at Medmerry Nature Reserve, close to Chichester, has a periwinkle sculpture that mimics a sea snail.
It is made of Sussex willow and was designed by Two Circles Design, a group of local artists. Inspired by its surroundings, the installation showcases a cloud window silhouette of a marsh harrier, a predatory bird.
During the creation of the nature reserve, archaeologists discovered periwinkles in the ruins of an old medieval fish basket, further illustrating the site’s Bronze and Middle Age history.
Specifically, archaeologists found evidence of several circular Bronze Age roundhouses and burial grounds dating from 1,100 BC on the site, along with the remains of a medieval wooden ‘kettle’ designed to funnel and trap fish in a weir at low tide using wickerwork fences.
However, a lot of people questioned how much the recently disclosed item cost and remarked it looked like the poo emoji.
Culture Spark, a partnership between Pallant House Gallery, Chichester Festival Theatre, and Chichester District Council, created the sculpture. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which the Chichester District Council managed, provided funds to Culture Spark.
The site itself, Medmerry Nature Reserve, is one of Europe’s largest coastal realignment schemes. The man-made reserve was designed to protect surrounding villages and towns from flooding. Its creation involved constructing a new 7km flood embankment on higher ground further inland, which transformed 183 hectares into new intertidal habitats for birds and other wildlife. The project was completed in 2013 by the Environment Agency in partnership with the RSPB and was funded by Associated British Ports.
Two Circles Design responded to the criticism by sending two additional sculpture images.
The sight surprised the readers; one said, “I think I might have trod in that this morning; I do apologize.” Another said the sculpture “looks like a pile of poo” and said it was a “waste of money.”
Michael Older said, “Good heavens, what was the size of the creature that produced that?”
Konrad Langhamer said: “It must have been a really big dog that did that.”
Alan York said, “How much public taxpayer money funded the grant to make a statue of a dog’s Richard’s?”
Kim Lyhne Andersen said, “What a load of sh*t.”
Denise Davies said, “Oh my God, I thought we’d been invaded by giant cows.”
Mary Leach said, “Looks like something from a dog or a worm cast.”
Terry Stevens said, “Was that Southern Water?”
Mike Williams said, “It’s a poo emoji.”
Chris Edmonds said, “Someone is having a laugh here.”
Terri Allison said, “Nice poo.”
A spokeswoman from Chichester District Council said: “This was a community project funded by several partners and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and is one of three pieces of public art that were commissioned for the RSPB Medmerry Nature Reserve.”
“As part of the Medmerry projects, we invited local artists to submit ideas for installations, which had to use natural materials and meet the brief of being closely linked to the specific installation sites. This also included running a series of community workshops where members of the public made their own willow art, which was incorporated into the final sculpture.”
“This particular sculpture reflects the site’s rich Bronze and Middle Age history. While the reserve was being created, archaeologists found periwinkles in the remains of an ancient medieval fish basket. The sculpture also features a cloud window silhouette of a marsh harrier, a bird that frequents the reserve.”
“The community project, including the sculpture and community workshops, cost £6,000.”
“These workshops received a really good response from the local community. Art projects like this are a great way to bring people together, connect with nature, and share in the stories and history of their local area.”
Councillor John Cross, cabinet member for culture, sport, and place at Chichester District Council, added: “The inspiration for the Periwinkle Shelter derives from archaeological excavations of the Medmerry site and tells a fascinating tale. This beautiful sculpture is woven from Sussex and Somerset willow and signifies both a glance back to the past and an acknowledgment of this new incarnation for the Medmerry landscape.”
