In 2012 a multidiscpilinary team of scientists and social researchers from Sheffield Hallam University undertook a research project looking at the relationship between large or 'landmark' sculptures and the resilience of communities in decline. Here are some of the key ideas to emerge from the project so far. For more information on the project contact Aimee Ambrose a.ambrose@shu.ac.uk

1. Landmark sculpture and
community resilience:
An Interdisciplinary Exploration
Caroline Hart (DECI)
Anne Hollows (H&W)
Hywel Jones (MERI)
Pat Morton (CSE)
Aimee Walshaw (CRESR)

2. What is landmark sculpture?

3. SCR's landmark sculpture?
Sheffield Icon, Steve Medhi, “Man of Steel”
Tinsley Cooling Towers
M1, Meadowhall

4. Losing/gaining landmarks
• What impact does the loss of a landmark
have on a community, especially one in
decline? Bereft or free?
• What impact does the arrival of a new
landmark have? Important and invested in
or imposed upon?
• Does all this depend on how and why the
landmark comes into being?

5. Guardian

6. Multidisciplinary exploration of landmark
sculpture and human/physical resilience and
the linkages between them
re·sil·ience [ri-zil-yuhns, -zil-ee-uhns]
noun
1.
the power or ability to return to the original
form, position, etc., after being bent, compressed, or
stretched; elasticity.
2.
ability to recover readily from
illness, depression, adversity, or the like; buoyancy.

7. When it works
Environment
Community
Economy
Heritage
Tourism
Physical

8. When it doesn't work
B of the Bang, Manchester, 2005
Spikes fell off after completion
Fatigue and construction methods
Dismantled in 2009 . £1.7m damages
Civic Heart, Chester-le-Street, 2007
6m x 23m, 6 tonnes, steel & brick
Damage & bricks fell off
2011 public consultation
93% in favour of demolition

9. Research questions
Research into relationship between public art and resilience is
under researched.
We identified the following RQs after a review:
1. Can large public art have an impact on resilience (positive or
negative)?
2. What factors determine the impact on the physical and social
resilience?
– genesis, materials, design, management, aesthetic, ownership
3. Can lessons be learnt from physical resilience that help
describe and inform the understanding of social resilience?
4. How long does the effect last/need to last?
5. How important is legacy?

10. An interdisciplinary exploration
Inclusion: promoting gender
and cultural inclusion and
engagement with STEM
subjects in educational and
employment settings (Morton
and Hart)
Physical resilience of the
landmark sculpture itself, its
durability and longevity
(Jones)
Socio economic
regeneration of
communities in decline
(Walshaw)
Emotional
wellbeing of local
residents (Hollows)
Landmark sculpture

11. Research activities
• Knowledge review
• Primary qualitative data collection in South Wales
(Guardian):
– stakeholder interviews and vox pops in Six Bells incl. artist
Sebastien Boyesen, LA officers, Communities First reps
and local residents
– Visit to Big Pit: tour and interviews with guide, tourism and
educational officers
• and in SCR (Man of Steel):
– Stakeholder interviews incl. artist Steve Medhi, local MP's
and councillors, LA officers, reps of local industry etc.
– Vox pops at Magna during exhibition of scale model
– Engagement of local schools.

12. • Genesis
– Local artists vision
– scaled up from a small sculpture
– 'SCR's Angel of the North'?
• Commissioning/design
– Artist led in partnership with local industry
– Some in kind public sector support
– Some consultation but has not resulted in modifications.
• Impact so far
– focus for educational activities and STEM
• Community response
• Longevity
Man of Steel (SCR)

13. Guardian (South Wales)
• South Wales Valleys
• Ex mining community
• 1960 mining disaster – 45 men lost
• Open 2010 by Rowan Williams
(arms weren’t on due to engineering issues)
• Genesis: community memorial replaced earlier memorial
• Commissioning: led by regeneration agency with
community/families input
• Community response: positive & emotional
• Longevity? Structure/materials good, owned by LA but
needs maintenance, other benefits (link heritage and
tourism)

14. Next steps
• Complete fieldwork in SCR (vox pops
within host communities)
• Transcription of interview data
• Analysis

15. Will it work?
Environment
Community
Economy
Heritage
Tourism
Physical
Resilient
individuals and
communities?

16. Next steps
• Complete fieldwork in SCR (vox pops
within host communities)
• Transcription of interview data
• Analysis
• Paper and conference: impact of
development and execution of landmark
sculpture on human and physical
resilience

17. Future direction
• Continue engagement with MoS and associated activities
• Monitor evolution of Guardian
• We have identified many more examples...