News / Green Capital 2015
New home for Bristol Whales
The giant wicker whales created for Bristol’s year as European Green Capital have found a permanent home in a nature reserve alongside the Portway.
Drivers commuting in and out of the city centre from Shirehampton and Avonmouth will have their daily grind brightened up by the life-size sculptures.
Designed and built by Cod Steaks and funded by Arts Council England, The whales are made from Somerset willow and depict the head of a humpback whale and the tail of a blue whale.
The sculptures were installed in Millennium Square for six weeks during the summer of 2015 where they were surrounded by a sea of 70,000 plastic bottles.
Inspired by the Bristol Whales, local campaigning organisation City to Sea secured Green Capital funding for Refill Bristol, which has established a network of 170 refill stations around the city offering free drinking water to anyone with a refillable bottle.
After a brief absence, the whales have now resurfaced near Sea Mills and taken up permanent residence at Bennett’s Patch and White’s Paddock Nature Reserve – also known as the ‘people’s nature reserve’ – which was created by Avon Wildlife Trust during 2015.
Artist and creator Sue Lipscombe said the whales project had a profound effect. “For me personally, it’s made a big difference to my life. It’s made me think and really look hard at my life and business and the way I create and deal with waste.”
She added: “This is a piece we are all particularly proud of and we are delighted people can see it here permanently. Hopefully it will continue to get people thinking.”
is needed now More than ever
Read more: What’s next for Bristol’s Green Capital?
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