Major new public artwork unveiled at Gunwharf Quays

A major new public artwork designed to reflect Portsmouth’s maritime heritage has been unveiled at Gunwharf Quays. The 14 ft (4.25 m) bronze sculpture entitled The Whale’s Tail has been created by Alton-based Hampshire artist Richard Farrington.

It was officially unveiled by Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Mike Blake at a ceremony which took place at 4pm on Thursday 27th March.

Commissioned by Berkeley Homes, the developer behind the Gunwharf Quays regeneration, the artwork was selected following a brief for a piece of art which related to the site’s nautical history and its waterside location. The sculpture is engraved with intricate designs taken from early sea charts and maps. The design was created following workshops with local schools and community groups and selected by a committee comprising members of Berkeley Homes (Southern), RPS landscape architects, community members and Portsmouth City Arts Service.

The installation of the sculpture marks the culmination of the development of Gunwharf Quays which has completely regenerated Portsmouth Harbour over the past ten years. The sculpture will be installed in the East Side Plaza at Gunwharf Quays, which is at the top of the canal. It will become the focal point of the landscaped Plaza, which will also provide a flexible venue for open air events.

In order to engage the local community with the creation of the artwork, RPS and Berkeley Homes arranged for Richard Farrington to develop his ideas for the project through a session with Wimborne Junior School in Southsea and then a workshop with local special interest groups such as the Friends of Old Portsmouth Association.

It took the artist six months to model the sculpture at his studio in Hampshire, before it was reconstructed in wax and finally cast in bronze at the Bronze Age Foundry in East London. The foundry had to be specially adapted to be able to cast the huge pieces with some of the sections weighing more than 400 kilos.

Richard describes the inspiration behind the sculpture: “I have inscribed the surface with designs taken from early sea charts and maps. Some of the images depict the perils that early sailors faced from the elements; symbolised through serpents, waves, rows of teeth and rocks. Other engravings show the fabulous beasts and monsters of the deep that illustrate the old maps, drawn by cartographers based upon the tales of the sailors.”

The sculpture, which weighs 1.5 tonnes, appears to be diving into the Plaza. Richard Farrington explains: “The invisible part of the sculpture is as important as the section above ground as it refers to the hidden depths of the ocean and the past history of the site.”

Robin Rixon, Sales & Marketing Director of Berkeley Homes for Gunwharf Quays said: “We are thrilled to see the sculpture in situ, taking pride of place in the Plaza at the foot of the tower, No.1 Gunwharf Quays. We hope the many visitors to Gunwharf Quays will enjoy the artwork too.”

For more information, visit Gunwharfquays.co.uk.