Alliance (sculpture)
51°28′42″N 3°10′32″W / 51.47823°N 3.17544°W
Alliance | |
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St David's |
Alliance is a 25-metre-high (82 ft) sculpture in the
Design
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ea/Alliance_by_night%2C_2011.jpg/170px-Alliance_by_night%2C_2011.jpg)
Alliance's arrow and hoop seem to balance in the air. The hoop, filled with a phosphorescent liquid, is partially submerged below the pavement, with a mechanism programmed to make it rise and fall with the Bristol Channel tides.[2][3] Métais describes the piece as "an organic clock" which "connects the place with the people".[4]
Words in both English and Welsh, written by Cardiff-based poet Peter Finch, are projected onto the pavement at night by equipment installed within the arrow. According to the developers, the text is a play on the word Cardiff, reflecting its history and the present day.[1]
Commissioning
The sculpture was commissioned following a national competition to find the right piece of artwork that would fit well within the city and become a new landmark. A total of 120 responses were received from artists across the globe, with just five shortlisted – England's Tony Cragg, Lulu Quinn and John Kennedy, New York City's Roxy Paine, and Métais.[4] There was concern that no Welsh artists were shortlisted; however, Wiard Sterk, representing the Welsh public arts body Safle, emphasised that Welsh artists had been considered throughout the St David's 2 commissioning programme.[5]
Métais had created artworks for cities around the world, including Allotted-Time Eclipse, an elaborate hourglass at
Construction
Work to erect the sculpture began on 16 November 2009 and was completed within a fortnight. The sculpture was brought into the city centre on three articulated lorries and lifted into place by crane.[6] Alliance touches the ground in three places, and its foundations are three metres deep.[2]
Reception
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fa/Alliance_Sculpture_from_inside_Cardiff_Central_Library.jpg/220px-Alliance_Sculpture_from_inside_Cardiff_Central_Library.jpg)
Describing the letters etched beneath the sculpture, poet Mab Jones described Alliance as "impressive", saying "Cardiff has poetry ... etched on her skin. I mean this literally.".[7]
References
- ^ a b WalesOnline | Arrow art aimed at the heart of Cardiff’s history and culture
- ^ a b c "Cardiff Welcomes New Icon for City". St David's Dewi Sant. Archived from the original on 23 December 2010. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
- ^ "Last hoops to jump through for sculpture". South Wales Echo. Cardiff. 25 November 2009.
- ^ a b "Alliance (2009) Cardiff (Wales)". Jean-Bernard Métais. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
- ^ "Welsh artists fail to make the shortlist". South Wales Echo. Cardiff. 29 November 2007.
- ^ WalesOnline | New £1.5m French sculpture to be built by St David’s 2
- ^ Jones, Mab (1 April 2010). "Literary spring in 'Kerdif'". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 October 2014.