September 2006: new sculpture in Greece

In early September 2006 ‘Attica’, an eight metre high, six tonne water sculpture in mirror-polished stainless steel was loaded and sent on its way by road and ferry to Greece where it was installed on the slopes of Mount Parnitha, north of Athens. The spectacular site overlooks Athens, the Acropolis clearly visible in the distance with the Aegean beyond. On a clear day the mountains of the Peloponese can be seen poking above the horizon. The exact location is beside the base station of a new teleferic or cable car system that takes people up from a half way point to the top of the mountain.

When approaching the site by car, one will have only perceived a vertical abstract shape with water flowing over its reflective surfaces. However, the image of a helmet will become discernable when looking down from above while ascending in the cable car; and even then it may only be recognised by observant and curious cable car riders.

The piece is a further development of my rollwave series, its shape taking its inspiration from a traditional Greek helmet, where the footprint of the sculpture suggests the profile of an attic helmet. This shape has been extruded to form an eight metre high monolith.