Sheffield has a Manchester bee in Market. I have also seen one in Manchester park.
Hull moths where are they now?
Hull moths were in honour of aviator Amy Johnson. There was always one at Sheffield university Diamond building and it remains there as Amy attended the university.
Lincoln knights
Butchers in Scotter have a Knight.
Sheffield Elephants Where are they now?
There is one at Northern general hospital.
Artic Monkey Elephant is in the Winter gardens.
I believed the mini herd elephants were returned to the school who designed them. Two were designed by groups based in Sheffield Hallam universiry; therefore they are in the reception of Sheffield Hallam City campus.
The Beat Goes On is on the roof at the back of the Great Gatesby.
Leffie is apparently in the fore court of Direct Cars.
Sheffield Summer is at High Storrs school.
Skeleton elephant is in an office in Stocksbridge.
Saturday morning I did a tour of Crookesmoor drains. Followed an old tram route, so could see remains of that in pavement; cut off electric poles and grates of electric boxes. Saw ironmongery from Victorian times. Also from Victorian times, the metal grates marking first home phones in Sheffield at end of 19th century, close to Victorian sewage lamp (looks better than sounds) and VR post box.
The afternoon of this sunny Saturday was spent in Victoria Quays which was focus that day of Castlegate festival. There was music, stalks and boats to look at as generally enjoyed fabulous sun next to water.
Sunday rain returned. I explored Manor lodge where Queen Mary was once imprisoned. Much of it is in ruins but the turret house has been preserved. In turret house enjoyed spending time with an actress playing Bess Hardcastle. The Manor was owned by her last husband. Bess built the original Chatsworth (which was knocked down and rebuilt by her grandson) and Hardwick Hall that remains. She lived to an incredible age for the time of 81 years old and therefore influenced history of area around Sheffield and it was good to learn more about her.
it was a 5minute Walk from the ship to centre of Invergordon which has lots of wall murals including at the train station (see Wonderwall360 instragram for pictures).
Inverness
From Invergordon we took the train to Inverness which took less than 30minutes. The city is laid out either side of a river, which makes it a pretty focal point when wandering. The wandering was enhanced as I discovered that the city was hosting sculptures from not just one but two sculpture trials.
There were squirrel sculptures part of the Go Nuts Trial across the highlands to raise money for a Scottish hospice. There was a paper map to help find the squirrels.
There were sculptures of Oor Wullie Big Bucket, who is apparently an iconic cartoon character in Scotland, having appeared in the Sunday Post every week since 1936. In addition to the sculptures, this year there will even be a whole musical about the characters from the cartoon. The sculptures are to raise money, for three children’s hospitals across Scotland and are in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow as well as Inverness. In addition to the paper map, there was an app to record codes for each sculpture found, with some rewards being unlocked in the app like discounts at shops and restaurants, as more sculptures are found. See instrafram Wonderwall360 for sculpture pictures).
Would I return?
Really liked Inverness, but may have been swayed because such lovely sunny day to show it at it’s best!
Went to buy a ticket to my favourite comedian Rhod Gilbert at Sheffield City hall. Outside was Morris dancers and the usual Women of Steel statues and Jessica Enis’s Gold Post Box. Then a Busker playing an accordion at the one of the other corners.
I walked with the Sheffield ramblers. We caught a bus from Meadowhall to Kimberworth,Rotherham. We entered wood / parkland called Park Grange woods. Immediately we saw the first of 10 naked people.
The ideas for the sculptures came from a workshop the sculpture Marcela Livingston did with imaginative children. The children’s poet laureate Matt Black, sourced or wrote a poem for each sculpture, sadly as the poems were on metal plaques, all but the first had been stolen.
1. Zena the rock climber
2 Stan the stable boy. A shy character.
3. Morris miner. The children developed a whole story about how he found a pot of gold digging whilst digging the gold. Then used it to fund a sailing trip to far away lands.
4. Crow girl. She had wooden hollow legs. She was a thrift who hid stolen loot in her legs. No one ever dared ask about her childhood.
5. Yazier. A nature lover, perhapas she is knelt to look at a plant.
6 Slip hand Suzy. She is an old lady, having a rest after long day at a pottery wheel.
7. 2 dinners ignatiu . A Monk who likes food.
8. Freddy the Fiery Fork-Maker
I don’t seem to have his photo.
9. Brutus young ambitious solider. Good watcher and bit of a worrier.
10. Revolutions, Goddess of Bikes. Use wheels to defend against armies. One time she cut all heads off whole army and they ran around like headless chickens.
A bonus for me was coming back to Meadowhall, behind the Travelodge, I refound one of Sheffield’s elephants 🐘 (Technicolour pachyderms that was originally on Devonshire green.
A bonus of walks finishing at Meadowhall, is the chance to appreciate the artistry of a Godiva sculptural Hot chocolate.
It was handy having a new bag from Lucy Locket Sheffield , around my waist so could get to my phone easily to take pictures, whilst keeping phone safe.
This year I have enjoyed Lincoln Knights trial and Hull Moths. Last year I enjoyed Sheffield elephants. In a similar vein the following trials are coming up in 2018,
Hares Norwich
24th June – 8th September. 50 sculptures in the city and a further 15 in wider Norfolk.
Girraffes Worcester
25 large girraffes and at least 25 baby girraffes.
Hoodwinked Nottingham
July – September. Robin Hood inspired sculptures.
The big hoot 🦉 Auckland New Zealand<<
tumn 2018. 50 owl sculptures
The big splash 🐬 Perth, Western Australia January – March 2018. 50 dolphin sculptures.
Being Good Friday the museums of museum quarter Injand Ferens art gallery were closed, however I still found things to look at.
The Sping flowers in Princess Gardens were beautiful.
With Emperess pub in backgroundI also saw the temporary installations of daffiodils, present just for Easter weekend and poppies which are moving round the country during the centenary of the World War One years. The train station has dozens of boards showing all the men from Hull, who died in the First World War.
It is a shame all the redevelopment work was not completed before the year of culture as it means there are a lot of fences and barriers around.
The courts on Alfred Gelder street, are a very ornate building.
I went to the Deep car park to see installations within cars. These were not immediately obvious and it felt strange walking round car park trying to look for art in cars as although I may be wanting to not ride.
For example, in this picture one of the cars is the nearest one in this picture ( little light green colour one) then another is same colour other end of row nearly completely hidden in this photo by a van.
The first car:
The second car:
The third car:
I would say don’t come to Hull just for cars. But have a look if you go to the Deep, particularly if you are in group and there is a long queue to get into the Deep; you can take it turns to look at cars / wait in line. From The marine or museum quarter the cars are only a 5/10minute diversion each way.
I was not, expecting to see any urinals during my day out but, saw several at Fountsain 17 during a 5minute stop; did not feel needed to study them. I also paid a quick visit to the Humber Gallery on the same street. The upstairs galleries has exhibition on untill mid June called Becoming the sea. To be honest it was rather space, various videos so did not engage me for long.
Downstairs there was a Raft of Medusa, a reference had recently become aquatinted with due to car 2 at the Deep car park.
Also on Humber street was a couple of fun planters.
The paper exhibition 30June to 9th July, sounds interesting. At the launch the worlds favourite colour will be announced. At the I information point at the train station, I picked up some stickers and cards about how to submit favourite colour.
Humber street is part of an 80million pound regeneration project. Around the area are teasers about what is to come…
I also briefly popped into Playing the Bridge, a multimedia installation on Scale bridge near the museum quarter. In the semi darkness, films played on large screens and a couple of people had different hammers which they banged on the metal to create eerie acoustics.
I may have only popped into some places very briefly but, still fun especially as I discovered today and on previous visit during year of culture there is lots to see around.
During the day I only saw one Amy Johnson moth in St Stephens, not sure if this is now it’s permanent home as other moths have moved.
One of Hull’s heros is Amy Johnson. I have not seen them, but there is statues of her on Prospect Street and near one of her homes in Hawthorn avenue. Untill March 2017 there are 30+ moths in Hull in her honour. Possibly after, the auction of them in April some will be bought and put back on display.
In 2010 there was a similar project to honour Hull poet Philip Larkin; Larkin with toads. I have seen two toads that remain in Hull; there may be more!
Outside Hull’s Historical centreIn Museum QuarterIn the train station there is also a statue of Phillip Larkin.
Hull along with Beverley has white phone boxes instead of the usual red of the rest of the UK. It seems they also have one gold phone box; there is no explanation around it as to why it is gold.
The gold post box on Hessle road is in honour of Luke Campbell’s gold medal in the 2012 olympics when London hosted.
The Land of Green Ginger is a street in the centre of Hull. It’s name possibly coming from the twising of the name, of a Dutch family that lived in Hull in the early 19th centruy. The family name was Lindegreen Jonger which means green lime street. Or perhapas, it references the spices that came into the nearby docks. A range of goods and people travelled to and through the docks. A sculpture along the Humber shows a faimly who have arrived at the docks from North Europe who then proceeded by train to Liverpool and from there by boat to America.
The family sculture is between the Humber and Hull’s marina which forward of Princess Quay shopping city.Walking away from the marina, towards the Deep in front of the pub, come to tables and benches with typical Hull phrases recorded.
Recognising Hull’s fishing and sea faring history, Zebedee’s yard has a tributary scultpture, into which flowers can be placed.
Hull has many scultpures. the newest being the Blade in Queen Victoria Square which was positioned in January 2017 as part of city of culture. Before I went I had heard it was part of a theme of looking up, looking up from the ubiquitous phone and noticing what is going an around. The Blade is certainly big and therefore, causes people to gather, around it. It is not that high up; you can see it without lifiting your head. The highest part is the tip that, protrudes acrooss above the road. At least one of the emotions experincec by crowds in Queen Victoria Square , will be puzzlement. It is impressive in size but, other than that is rather stark with no adornment and a very simple shape some may consider it rather phalic like. It is for all to judge.
Wonderwall 