Pete Codling Landmarks and Sculpture

Project is now Complete!

'Mam-gu' is welsh for grandmother, Mam-gu. Spirit of the stream sculpture, The sculpture is 40ft high and is located in Glan Y Nant, at the Pengam Lights, near Blackwood in South Wales.Press release to follow at official opening in June.

Pete Codling selected for landmak sculpture

The artist Pete Codling has been selected to create a landmark sculpture for Glan Y Nant on the Pengam lights crossing on the site of the old Welfare play ground. He was short listed from three other artists by Caerphilly County Council and community representatives in early spring 2008. The project is paid for from the landfill tax fund, not public funds and is a grant specifically for this artwork and the environmental improvements to that site.

He began his search for inspiration with the namesake of the local community Glan Y Nant - translated as: 'the brook or bank of the stream'. The welfare park was built on top of the old river that still passes through the site from under the railway track in a culvert or tunnel and opens out on the other side of the main road behind the builders merchant.

Involving the community

The river has many fond memories for the elders of the community, many of whom the artist met at a story telling and reminiscence workshop held at the Memorial Hall earlier this summer. Pete also visited Lewis boys school to talk about his work and this project.

The pupils helped inspire him with their ideas and thoughts on what the sculpture could be. Many ideas were shared about; the romans, the celts, the blackwood fairy tales, the local folkelore of giants, witches and children who were turned into fish. The history of the location was also explored with the old pop factory, the bus shelter, the county borders, the foundry, the shaft, excavations and the playing field itself.

Thoughts were also shared with customers at the Pigeon Club and local residents and politicians in more formal meetings. Pete has now come back with a proposal for the sculpture; a 12m high landmark sculpture of an abstract female figure emerging from the landscape.

Inspired by Welsh water sprits and river goddesses and the maternal nature of the old playground he has taken up the challenge offered by one of the few female sixth form students to celebrate something different; to look beyond the obvious mining history and very masculine heritage of sportsmen and politicians from this famous ‘boys’ school.

The design

The figure, a simple sculptural form suggestive of a mother stands upright looking gently down across the park over the culvert that flows with water below. The idea is create a monolithic figure, like an ancient Celtic standing stone, a Welsh river goddess, emerging from a landscape that is mounded with river rocks and boulders to suggest the old river bed. In the long term the artist has also proposed a colourful landscaping of the park to create a more beautiful setting for the sculpture and a community garden space for use by all.

Pete will be back to visit in the community with his final detailed design in late September and October before work starts for fabrication starts over the winter.