Public Art, Enhancing the World Around us and Helping Wildlife too

Hi!

The children went back to school today after all those snow days and I managed to get a walk in with my friend at the University of East Anglia, Norwich. We walked through Eaton Park to get there and our attention was drawn to a piece of public art high up in a tree. A series of little dens for birds and insects were wrapped around the tree's trunk and up some of the branches like a little housing estate for bugs and birds. The person who drew our attention to it didn't really get it, and was rather cross that it had taken several days, or more importantly, pounds to put it in place.

 I was struck by how art always provokes a reaction, especially when it is within the public domain where it can be stumbled upon by chance rather than confined to the white walls of gallery. Its as though it has to provide an obvious function-(in this case it does, homes for nesting birds and hibernating critters) to justify its existence and be worthy of time and cash being spent on it.

When times are hard it is easy to understand skepticism, irritation and even mild anger, but art demands that we engage with what we are looking at and that we do have an opinion. It has the ability to make us see and think differently. Perhaps it is when times are hard that we need this most?

I love the way these trees appear to be floating.

The University of East Anglia, Norwich in miniature world in itself

I love the shapes these reeds and their reflections make