Giles Kent – Carron Crag – 1996
Material: Wood
Trail: Carron Crag Trail
Theme: Nature
Form: Abstract
Maps Featured on: 1997 – 2019
Status: Was still in situ, weathered, Sept 17. Oct 2023 unable to see due to tree growth.
Quote from the Artist: “My sculptures at Grizedale were influenced by the epic expanses of conifers. They refer to the conifer’s strong vertical lines of growth, that from far below, appear to pierce the sky. I have found the main aesthetic qualities of the forest to be purity and repetition; through the use of simple, roughly duplicated forms I hope my sculptures will have a similar presence to that of the surrounding trees.”
On the silurian way north of Carron Crag. Originally in amongst huge pines, these two opposing carved wooden columns were hard to find even with a waymarker. You had to walk into the dense forest before stumbling upon them in a tiny glade. Originally titled ‘Sitka Spruce’ before being renamed something snappier upon Bill Grant’s request. They stand at 22 feet high.
Photograph taken 2010
In 2004 the trees were clear felled. Suddenly rather than camouflaged in amongst pines they became easy to spot on the skyline. In 2017 the trees have started growing up again and the column tops have become damaged. They’re still just about accessible to get close to and are still clearly seen from the path.
Left photograph by Reece Ingram 1997. Right my photograph 2017.
The original marker for this sculpture was a Nuthatch on a smaller version of Brancusi’s Endless Column sculpture. Created and sited in 1997. After the area was clear felled the butterfly waymarker used to denote where the neighbouring sculpture Harbour was was moved here instead, (mid 00s). I am not sure what happened to the mini column was it used by Grizedale Arts? The butterfly has now gone, sometime between Sept 2017 and Oct 2023.
Artist’s other work in Grizedale –
Pinnacles – 1996
Artist’s Website: gileskent.co.uk
Page Last Updated April 2020
Grizedale Forest Sculpture An Unofficial Archive 