ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT
ART
Al Fresco
BY LISAMARIE LAMB
Art can be infinitesimally small; just think of the stunning sculptures that are created on the head
of a pin or in the eye of a needle, or even the novels that have been written on the back of a stamp.
Time, patience, and a desire for perfection are all part of making something this tiny and time
consuming. Art can, however, also be huge – big enough to be seen from the air (where, it might
be argued, the best view of it can be had), and certainly too large to keep in the living room. These
pieces are known as ‘outdoor art’, and there is plenty of it in Kent.
Outdoor art is amazing and can be extremely complex – it has to be in order
for those admiring it to see it as the artist intended it to be seen. Many
months, if not years, go into not only the design but also into the way it is
set out so that it makes sense to the viewer A misplaced line here or wrongly
.
angled limb there, and the entire project suddenly makes no sense.
A Different Ball Game (Kings Hill)
If you want to experience outdoor art for yourself, there are many places
you can visit in the county that will show you exactly how well humanity and
nature can combine to create something awe-inspiring. Here are some great
examples...
The Folkestone White Horse
Designed by Kevin Atherton and installed in May 1993, A Different Ball Game
(a reflective ball pushed along by bronze figures) has become synonymous
with Kings Hill in West Malling. It was created to show how humanity has
a tendency to fight against itself; even when the outlook appears to be bright
we over think and overanalyse it. The three bronzes, based on real local
people, pushing the mirrored ball are also pushing against each other,
thwarting their own efforts. A Different Ball Game shows how important
teamwork is in reaching a goal.
The Waiting Miner
(Deal)
The Waiting Miner was
commissioned by the
Central Electricity
Generating Board in order
to commemorate those
who had died in the
coalmines of Kent. It was
originally located outside
of Richborough Power
Station, but when that
closed, there was a fierce
battle to decide where the
statue should be relocated
to. Eventually it was
decided that outside the
National Coal Board’s
offices in Dover was the
best place. In the end,
though, when the National
Coal Board was
disbanded, the Waiting
Miner was left, alone, on the seafront, seemingly out of place. Campaigns
were mounted to have the statue moved to a more appropriate place, and
in 2010 is was relocated once again, this time to Fowlmead Country Park
in Deal, which had been built on an old coalfield.
In 2003, the construction of the giant Folkestone White Horse was complete.
Carved into Cheriton Hill, this figure was designed by local artist, Charlie
Newington, as a millennium landmark, and it formed part of a plan to
regenerate Folkestone, and entice more visitors and tourists to the area. In
order to ensure that the 90-metre-long figure (which is based on the Uffington
White Horse in Oxfordshire) looked perfect on completion, the workers were
directed from a distance using a Walkie Talkie. Each trench or line is between
30- and 60-cm (12-24 inches) wide, and once cut out they were filled with
limestone slabs to protect the integrity of the horse itself.
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