Public art sculpture taking shape

The designs for a new public art piece for Sheffield have been revealed, and the work is now in production. Sculptor, Coralie Turpin, was chosen by us to create the artwork for our new Beckett Hill (Malthouses) development - in the Parson Cross area of the city. As well as engaging with schools, Coralie reached out to local residents to hear stories from people with strong connections to the area to influence the design.

Coralie, who works from a studio in Yorkshire Artspace's Persistence Works, says: “The idea behind the work is around milestones. You can see these old markers beside the roads leading into Sheffield - and certainly in the Parson Cross area - showing the distances from the city centre.

“Milestones also play a part in our lives. Some people move away from where they used to call home but – even though they may be many miles away – still have an affinity with a place and the past. Likewise, some people move to a new area and establish a new home which marks an important milestone in their life. Where you have deep roots might not always be where you end up but it is a big part of the journey!

“This sparked the idea for the title of the work ‘Milestone - Compass' and how from one place, everyone has the potential to grow, shine and branch out - like the points on a compass that help navigate the way.

“It is essential to encourage this potential in people and to help them find their own way. Through working with the schools, I was keen to emphasise the idea that anything is possible. The children worked with arrow shapes on to which they carved their ideas. These will be incorporated into the finished piece. From a distance, the sculpture will look a bit like a star but close up, it will have all this detail included.”

Coralie's sculpture will be made of cast iron which is a very sturdy material that lasts thousands of years. It will be installed adjacent to a residential boundary at Beckett Hill (Malthouses) later in the year and will be visible from the public highway.