Call For Play: New sculptures by Hayling Island artist Flora Duley are installed on Southsea seafront near Clarence Pier
Call For Play is a set of sculptures that have just been unveiled on Southsea seafront
Anyone enjoying the unseasonable warmth in the last couple of days with a stroll along the promenade near Clarence Pier may have noticed some new additions to the seafront.
A selection of 10 sculptures - which bear a passing resemblance to traffic cones or sandcastles, depending on how you look at them - have been installed. And they include secret messages...
The colourful artwork is named Call for Play and is the creation of Hayling Island artist Flora Duley. It was commissioned by Portsmouth City Council as part of the Navigate public art programme, which is connected to the new sea defences being installed along the length of the Southsea coast. Aspex art gallery in Gunwharf is involved and the project has been given some money by the Arts Council England.
The sculptures are made from Jesmonite, a water-based, eco-friendly composite material made from a mix of a mineral powder and an acrylic liquid resin, and each one features a hidden word in Morse code, encouraging visitors to decode messages such as "hop" and "skip".
Flora said: "Whilst meeting communities in Portsmouth, including different generations and people from many cultural backgrounds, I asked what ‘play’ and ‘leisure time’ on the seafront meant to them. Questions arose about the role of contemporary sculpture, and it became clear that it could offer opportunities for interaction and movement beyond that of a monument. We discussed artwork ideas until I proposed a final sculptural concept that could be enlivened through informal play.
"This formation of truncated cones, reminiscent of sandcastles, ice creams and buoys, is connected by a trail that invites people to playfully journey through the space, use Morse code (which is apparently faster than SMS texting!) and bring the sculptures to life through interaction. I hope people will explore, reactivate and enjoy them. Thank you to all the community members, past and present, who have taken part."
City council leader Steve Pitt said: "Call For Play is a welcome addition to Southsea seafront, bringing colour, creativity and fun to one of Portsmouth's most popular public spaces.
"It's great to see local communities helping shape the artwork, creating something that reflects our seaside heritage and encourages people to interact with the promenade in a new way.
"Working with Aspex Portsmouth, Arts Council England and artist Flora Duley has helped us create something that is distinctive, engaging and rooted in Portsmouth. Projects like this show how culture can enhance our public spaces and help make the city an even better place to live, work and visit."
Aspex director Joanne Bushnell said: "We have been thrilled to work on behalf of Portsmouth City Council to ensure that local communities can take part in shaping the exciting development of Southsea's seafront through this new public artwork. Flora Duley was an obvious choice for this commission, with her experimental and playful sculptural practice and a long track record of leading inclusive creative engagement.
"Workshops took place across the city last summer and autumn, and Call For Play is the culmination of bringing the community together. Flora's artwork will bring colour and joy to the seafront, while inviting visitors to explore, learn and participate."
The artwork draws inspiration from John Maine RA's The Portsmouth Markers (1974) and incorporates forms associated with the seaside, including buoys, nautical markers, ice cream cones and sandcastles. Its colour palette reflects traditional maritime navigation colours while also taking inspiration from nearby Clarence Pier.