Big Things on the Beach 2007 - WONDER

SoupDragon · Post by **SoupDragon** » 17 Jun 2007, 21:50

Glad to see the pyramids survived the unusually high tides we've had. Dont think the waves take much heed of security barriers.

Took a walk along the prom this afty, it was very busy, lots of beach volley ball, just as well they didn't try it yesterday they'd have ended up trying to volley a "golden ball", there's only 1 left on its moorings

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 17 Jun 2007, 22:01

To go off topic totally for a minute. A serious question: has the weather been bad here this past week? We were in Germany until today and it was mixed - mostly hot but cloudy and humid alternating with blue skies and we were awoken by thunder in Berlin (although we seem to have missed the really bad hail storms etc they had in Berlin and Bavaria the next day

).

SoupDragon · Post by **SoupDragon** » 17 Jun 2007, 23:08

It's been awful.
Mid week the wind started blowing from the east. I had my winter coat on by Wednesday.
Friday we had a high of 11 deg C , rain, wind- easterly blow not nice. had central heating on most of the day.
The East wind gave us unusually high tides, there's lots of seaweed loose and the golden balls were dragged away.
Friday/Saturday we were looking out and deciding if it looked more like November or February, choppy grey sea, massive surf, great white horses.
Been flooding in parts of England, workers trapped in factories, soldiers swept away
Glad you had it better than us.

rapunzell · Post by **rapunzell** » 18 Jun 2007, 00:36

I was out on the prom today looking at everything that's been washed ashore by the stormy sea; seaweed, golden balls, crabs, trees...

Very refreshing breeze, ice-cream van for leetle snack, and the pyramids are almost finished!

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 18 Jun 2007, 08:29

Good lord! And there we were with air conditioning on, eating outside three times a day and going on river trips for the cool fresh breeze as well as the view. It wasn't as sunny as one would have expected and it did rain a little bit mostly overnight, but compared to here......

!

I asked because my windows and Andy's car where thick with sand and salt and I could see the debris on the beach and the [lack of] golden balls...but I didn't know it was as bad as you described SoupD.

To get back on topic, I'm glad the sandbags are so handy for me if the tide gets too high!!

bellybabe · Post by **bellybabe** » 19 Jun 2007, 12:46

Bob Jefferson wrote:
Big Things on the Beach very much hope that people will respect the artwork and refrain from using it as a play area, climbing apparatus or other
Do any of these people have children? Get real!

I can understand the idea of needing it to stay intact but...this "hope" of BTotB seems to me to contradict the point, really. My kids love art; we encourage them to look at it, touch it where appropriate, explore it...and create it. One of the youngest's favourite things to do in Edinburgh is to climb the foot outside St Mary's cathedral; it's art and it's accessible. On our annual holiday we always take them through a sculpture garden where we talk about what we see. We all really loved the cow parade. Our children love art, and their imaginations have been fired up by the pyramids, which we had thought was interactive art at its best; how disappointing then, and how likely to turn them off art, to be asked not to climb on them or play around them. To build something on a public beach, from sand, with the children helping to build it, and then expect them not to play on it, seems a bit barmy to me. After all, you can climb on the ones in Giza.

rapunzell · Post by **rapunzell** » 19 Jun 2007, 14:16

I'm afraid I won't see you all at the Midsummer pyramid party on Thursday after all, not even from my parking place on the prom (near the ice-cream van...), as I'll be away for a few days.

Sorry about the paths; I tried hard but the council couldn't come up with paths at such short notice, so unless BTotB has organised them, it's not good news for wheels.

Hope you all have a fab evening and get a spectacular sunset.

GRANTY · Post by **GRANTY** » 19 Jun 2007, 15:18

Does anyone know the details of the launch on Thursday - times etc?
ps; have a good break Rapunzel - I have to give you your posh name now that you've moved to the 'posh end'!

rapunzell · Post by **rapunzell** » 19 Jun 2007, 15:47

GRANTY wrote:Does anyone know the details of the launch on Thursday - times etc?
ps; have a good break Rapunzel - I have to give you your posh name now that you've moved to the 'posh end'!

Eh by gum lass, these Joppa garden snails are so posh they only eat the fancy lettuce seedlings and just ignore the ordinary ones

See you soon for a sunset and wine

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 19 Jun 2007, 18:04

GRANTY wrote:Does anyone know the details of the launch on Thursday - times etc?

I'm sure Wangi will have more details Granty, but all I know is it is at 6 o'clock.

SoupDragon · Post by **SoupDragon** » 19 Jun 2007, 18:50

Enjoy your time away Rapunzell.
If the weather is like this for midsummer we'll all be happed up in our winter woolies
Should we all bring something along? Potluck supper?

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 19 Jun 2007, 21:26

bellybabe wrote:I can understand the idea of needing it to stay intact but...this "hope" of BTotB seems to me to contradict the point, really. My kids love art; we encourage them to look at it, touch it where appropriate, explore it...and create it. One of the youngest's favourite things to do in Edinburgh is to climb the foot outside St Mary's cathedral; it's art and it's accessible. On our annual holiday we always take them through a sculpture garden where we talk about what we see. We all really loved the cow parade. Our children love art, and their imaginations have been fired up by the pyramids, which we had thought was interactive art at its best; how disappointing then, and how likely to turn them off art, to be asked not to climb on them or play around them. To build something on a public beach, from sand, with the children helping to build it, and then expect them not to play on it, seems a bit barmy to me. After all, you can climb on the ones in Giza.

Reminds me of the time my son was told off at the Gallery of Modern Art for poking his head through a Henry Moore. Henry would have been turning in his grave.

My conversation with Gemma at the EN, which wasn't published, centred around the distinction to be drawn between the casual vandalism of a few older kids and the playful and innocent exuberance of the hundreds of younger children who had fantastic fun 'interacting' with the pyramids.

Post by **wangi** » 19 Jun 2007, 23:39

bellybabe wrote:I can understand the idea of needing it to stay intact but...this "hope" of BTotB seems to me to contradict the point, really. My kids love art; we encourage them to look at it, touch it where appropriate, explore it...and create it. One of the youngest's favourite things to do in Edinburgh is to climb the foot outside St Mary's cathedral; it's art and it's accessible. On our annual holiday we always take them through a sculpture garden where we talk about what we see. We all really loved the cow parade. Our children love art, and their imaginations have been fired up by the pyramids, which we had thought was interactive art at its best; how disappointing then, and how likely to turn them off art, to be asked not to climb on them or play around them. To build something on a public beach, from sand, with the children helping to build it, and then expect them not to play on it, seems a bit barmy to me. After all, you can climb on the ones in Giza.

Paula, I understand completely where you're coming from - and I'm sure the majority of folk agree. I'd say that particular sentence was written after a bit of concern re progress and vandalism!

Yes, it's all about people enjoying the work and interacting. But also trying to ensure it lasts as long as possible - these aren't concrete bags

Using them as a slide does do a fair bit of damage. Heaving off the top bags to make a platform completely destroys it.

L/

Post by **wangi** » 19 Jun 2007, 23:42

Marya wrote:
GRANTY wrote:Does anyone know the details of the launch on Thursday - times etc?
I'm sure Wangi will have more details Granty, but all I know is it is at 6 o'clock.

Yeah, from six by the pyramids... Drinks (wine & soft) and nibbles (nuts, raisins, etc)...

Obviously if it's lashing down with rain it may well be a quick thing, but otherwise folk'll hang around for a fair while. Myself, I'll not be around till at least half six, but hey...

Post by **wangi** » 21 Jun 2007, 12:35

http://www.theherald.co.uk/features/fea ... 18.0.0.php

Portobello is wistfully touted as "Edinburgh's seaside". Close up, it's a mile-long stretch of urban beach flanked by a coal-fired power station on one side, and a leaky sewage works on the other. The seaside town grew from an eighteenth-century brickworks called Figgate Muir, and, though Portobello has been transformed, its industrial legacy still silently smoulders.

But stroll along the central prom, past a couple of lurid amusement arcades, a modern eyesore block of flats and a traditional Victorian bath house, and you'll find the linear beachscape has also just radically changed.

Glaswegian artist Hill Jephson Robb has just hand-built three pyramids on the central section of Portobello beach.
advertisement

They look raw, majestic and mesmerising. The largest is almost four and a half metres high. Jephson Robb calls his project "Wonder".

He has built these pyramids using sublimely basic materials: 10,000 biodegradable hessian sandbags filled with local sand, layered and stacked like brickwork, in deliberate homage to Portobello's industrial roots.

I perched on a couple of spare sandbags and talked to Jephson as he shifted and stacked the last pile. He was being assisted by a swath of local volunteers who've turned up every day for the past month to help him out.

... (click above for full article)

Dakota · Post by **Dakota** » 21 Jun 2007, 22:54

A splendid time was guaranteed for all! My BTOTB Gallery is here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/eastdakota ... 421594119/

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/eastdakota99/582476547/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1323/582 ... b007f0.jpg" width="500" height="401" alt="Wonder"></a>

Post by **wangi** » 21 Jun 2007, 23:59

Some more photos up at http://www.bigthingsonthebeach.org.uk/c ... view/25/1/

Thanks for the great support on the opening of Hill Jeffson Robb's Wonder! The turn out was amazing and we all hope you had a wonderful time.

Portobello Beach is now the site of three magnificent pyramids, lets work together and make sure they last all the way through to December!

...

We'd love to hear what you think of wonder, please contact us. If you have taken any photographs of Wonder that you'd like to share with Big Things and have displayed on this site you can email them to photos /at/ bigthingsonthebeach.org.uk.

Photos by...

Even more photos at: http://www.pbase.com/wangi/btotb2007

Post by **wangi** » 22 Jun 2007, 00:01

Dakota, I twigged who you were only after serving you the wine... Not a great memory!

And if you had a glass tonight there's a high probability I served it

Spladosh indeed.

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 22 Jun 2007, 00:30

I'd like to offer my thanks to everyone who brought this project to fruition; that means all those who filled in forms, arranged funding, selected the best project and filled and arranged the sandbags.

I'm not sure when these photos were taken (prior to 6 o'clock I suspect), but I can certainly say that when I arrived at 6.15 the place was heaving. Now it might have been the promise of a free drink that brought such a good turnout, but I doubt it. Porty's pyramids are great fun and a great success. Take a bow everyone. It is well deserved

Wangi, I hope you managed to pour at least one drink for yourself!

Post by **wangi** » 22 Jun 2007, 00:41

Marya wrote:I'm not sure when these photos were taken (prior to 6 o'clock I suspect)

Don't know about Dakota's but mine were from half 7, 8 o'clock onwards... On escape from bar duty!

Dakota · Post by **Dakota** » 22 Jun 2007, 06:42

Now this is really odd because I didn't have any wine! I wonder who you almost spladooshed..? Photos were taken netween 6.15 to 7.00pm.

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 22 Jun 2007, 09:22

I thought I spotted you in one of Wangi's photos, Dakota.

Dakota · Post by **Dakota** » 22 Jun 2007, 09:29

Yes, ecm pointed that out to me earlier today!

arachnid · Post by **arachnid** » 22 Jun 2007, 21:07

Good to see that the weather was very kind to you all last night and it was a successful evening.

So were there any talkporty people in the pics then???

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 22 Jun 2007, 21:10

arachnid wrote:So were there any talkporty people in the pics then???

Well in addition to Dakota, I've also spotted Mr Magnolia.

arachnid · Post by **arachnid** » 22 Jun 2007, 21:15

And I wonder which ones they are!!!!!!!!

Just curious!!!

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » 22 Jun 2007, 23:53

I know Mr M but not Dakota

SoupDragon · Post by **SoupDragon** » 23 Jun 2007, 10:09

Was a fantastic opening!
Kept meeting folk I hadn't seen for ages.
Think I can make out the back of my head in a photo, certainly can see the people I was talking to at around that time.

Got a kiss on the cheek from Jephs

Spladooshed Wangi as he poured me a glass of wine, he looked at my feet and said "thought so " ( black DM with purple flowers, the animal print ones hold too much sand in their coats )

Great community art

rapunzell · Post by **rapunzell** » 23 Jun 2007, 12:09

I'm so glad I delayed the taxi and nipped down to catch the start of the opening bash - the pyramids looked great against the fog banks of Fife, there was a cheery atmosphere and I met loads of people, including HJR who came over to offer wine

Granty Marya, Poppy and was even spladooshed by the famous Rathbone and Epykat! Was sorry to have to zoom off

However, BTotB get nul points for making access an optional extra for problem people who might just shut up and go away, and a *huge* penalty for keeping us stuck on the prom on such a wonderful day.

Top marks to HJR who brought wine up onto the prom and raced about to chat to the folk who clearly weren't able to get any closer to the pyramids.

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 23 Jun 2007, 12:58

arachnid wrote:And I wonder which ones they are!!!!!!!! Just curious!!!

It is easy to spot Mr M. He's the only one there who is wearing a suit and who looks like this

Maria · Post by **Maria** » 23 Jun 2007, 13:09

Now that the pyramids have been built, are there contingency plans in place to keep them more or less intact?

rathbone · Post by **rathbone** » 25 Jun 2007, 09:57

rapunzell wrote:was even spladooshed by the famous Rathbone and Epykat!

Always a pleasure to spladoosh someone new....... almost got Seanie as well.

I enjoyed the grand opening. Worth driving 400 miles for. It was nice to meet so many cyberpeople again.

I also need to thank Poppy for the use of her doorway on Saturday. When trying to arrange to meet up with some people I naturally said "See you at the Pyramids at 12 on Saturday then." At 12 on Saturday it was pelting down, as Poppy remarked when she saw me standing outside her door.

When they turned up a few minutes later we took a quick glance at the sand bags and then legged it for the comfort of the snack bar in the baths.

Chatter over, there was a gentle saunter along the now drier promenade to look at the Coadestone pillars in the parkette, and then back to the car.

There were some kids playing on the pyramids, then we noticed this brown object being thrown off the top onto the sand. The wee bees... they were demolishing the thing. So naturally we shouted at them in an aggressive adult manner, only to notice the thrown sandbag pick itself up and try to scramble back up the side....... turned out it was a wee brown dog

Epykat · Post by **Epykat** » 25 Jun 2007, 11:23

I had a great evening and would have stayed longer if we could have. It's always good to meet up with people you don't see on a regular basis for a good blether

. Nice to spladoosh Rapunzell (pity I hadn't had Dakota pointed out to me). The wine was very expertly poured thank you Wangi!The pyramids are great for filling in those little gaps when you have visitors and don't know what to do with them

Poppy · Post by **Poppy** » 25 Jun 2007, 12:42

rathbone wrote: I also need to thank Poppy for the use of her doorway on Saturday.

then

There were some kids playing on the pyramids, then we noticed this brown object being thrown off the top onto the sand....... turned out it was a wee brown dog

Rathers, I'm surprised you recognised me (especially as I had my hood up) if your eyesight is that bad

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 25 Jun 2007, 16:04