Circus

Joanna Hull – Breasty Haw – 1988

Photograph from ‘Grizedale Experience’ 1991 by Mike Oram

Material: Wood

Trail: Silurian Way

Theme: Humanity

Form: Abstract

Maps Featured on: 1989 – 2005

Status: Decommissioned, cross beam remains Dec 17

Quote from the artist – “After Alan Grimwood died I came to restore his figure in a pond and to build a ‘monument’ to him. I looked back and find I have made a circus, unintentionally disturbing the peace of his figure reigning over the pond… I hope he’s enjoying the spectacle. “

Photograph taken by Robzet approximately 1996

In a tarn at Breasty Haw which could be seen from the Silurian Way. Sited in the middle of the tarn alongside Marshland Figure by Alan Grimwood. Made up of bizarre wooden figures; an umbrella with legs, a fish doing a handstand above a gymnast, all along a long beam. Being in the tarn it was left to slowly deteriorate rather than be removed, by 2002 the left hand side had gone but the balancing legs remain including one set of toes.

Photograph taken 2002

Photograph taken 2002

It was last listed on the 2003 map. By 2017 all that remains is a bit of the beam and the tarn seems to have dried up and is mostly overgrown. I climbed down to it in the dry summer of 2021. I was able to walk up to the beam. The bird can still be made out, though now on the floor.

Photos taken July 2021

Photograph by Reece Ingram 1997

The waymaker for this sculpture was a millipede, created and sited in 1997. In this photo it looks easy to walk down to the water, I think the road level has been raised as doing so in 2021 was no easy feat.

Artist’s other work in Grizedale –

Fish Fork – 1988

Page last updated August 2021