Celebrations are in hand for the official unveiling of a stunning new landmark sculpture at the Lecht Ski Centre in Strathdon.
The giant 35 ft high artwork by internationally acclaimed sculptor, George Wyllie MBE is set to be revealed on the evening of Saturday September 22 with a community led extravaganza to mark the occasion. Among the highlights of the event is a colourful procession representing the Cairngorms National Park, the lighting of a commemorative beacon bonfire and a fiery finale with fire sculptures and a firework display.
The procession, to be led by the Lonach pipe band, includes more than 80 local youngsters from Mortlach, Knockando, Tomintoul and Glenlivet primary schools who have been working with visual artist Shane Connelly of Sokobauno Theatre to create costumes and large-scale, carnvial style puppets for the event.
The celebrations, which start at 7pm, go on into the evening with entertainment and refreshments at the Lecht's main ski lodge. The sculpture, entitled Cosmic Reach, comprises a stainless frame infilled with natural stone, representing a suspended standing stone as a modern day interpretation of a traditional icon encapsulating the history and culture of the Scottish Highlands.
In creating the work, sculptor George Wyllie explained that the aspiration was to focus attention on the space beyond ourselves. He commented: "The height of the Lecht and the materials that form the natural landscape are ideal for defining a "launch pad" for ideas projected beyond earthbound constrictions. It helps humanity to break free from these and aspire to enlighted ideas that lie beyond." Born in Glasgow in 1921, Mr Wyllie worked as a Post Office engineer until war service in the Royal Navy, after which he became a Customs Officer in Ireland and on the West Coast.
Inspired by Italian metal sculpture, he attended welding classes at Royal Technical College (now Strathclyde University). Becoming a full-time artist in 1979, he specialises in mixed media, kinetic, installation and performance art, and has developed a distinctive form of "Social Scul?ure", humorously exploring Joseph Beuy's assertion that "all art is questionable".
He has exhibited regularly throughout the UK since the 1960's with his work represented in major public and private collections including University of Stirling and the Scottish Arts Council. He has produced a number of notable public works including the Straw Locomotive and the Paper Boat. The Straw Locomotive consisted of a full size steam locomotive, constructed from straw, and suspended from the Finnieston Crane by the River Clyde in Glasgow.
The sculpture was built at the former locomotive works at Springburn and suspended from the crane for several months during the 1988 Glasgow Garden Festival before being taken back to the Springburn site and ceremonially burnt.
His Slap and Tickle Machine is in the collection of the People's Palace, Glagow and wind-up stainless steel palm trees and a sculptural bandstand featured in the café of the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. Wyllie's work can also be seen in the Clyde Clock (depicting a clock on running legs), outside Buchanan Bus Station and in the Monument to Maternity (depicting a huge nappy pin), on the site of the former Rottenrow Maternity Hospital.
He is a past president of the Society of Scottish Artists and provides an award for an imaginative work at their annual exhibition.
An artist of international stature, his Gulbenkian Prize-winning Paper Boat sailed down the Clyde, Sheldt and Hudson rivers in 1990. Scotland on Sunday newspaper now gives "Paper Boat Awards" to artists producing work of distinction. Mr Wyllie was awarded the MBE in the New years Honours List 2005. The Cosmic Reach sculpture project is being undertaken by the Lecht Mountain Association with help from Awards for All National Lottery funding and support from the Cairngorms National Park and Highland 2007, the Scottish Year of Highland Culture.
The sculptor himself will be supervising the installation of the work with the help of the welding shop team at the Lecht Ski Centre.
