New town sculpture created with community unveiled

6 hours ago

Evie Lake

BBC News, North East and Cumbria

The sculpture will sit outside North Shields Magistrates' Court

Helix Arts The grey sculpture, which is two people intertwined with their hands joined above their heads. Colourful patterns can be seen in sections through the sculpture. It is on a patch of grass with a road behind it. — The sculpture will sit outside North Shields Magistrates' Court

A sculpture featuring the artwork and dance moves of a community has been revealed.

Artists Aaron Li-Hill and Laura Brenchley created 'Our Woven Voices' after working with more than 1,000 people around North Shields, in North Tyneside, to capture the togetherness of the community.

The artwork shows two dancers woven together, a pose Mr Li-Hill said he chose and sculpted because it created "a strong metaphor of shared struggles and solidarities".

It was officially unveiled outside North Shields Magistrates' Court by the mayor of North Tyneside at 11:00 BST.

Workshops across the town saw residents create artworks and scrapbooks about what North Shields meant to them.

Themes included everyday places, like chip shops, beaches and parks.

Some of the art features on the sculpture.

Aaron Li-Hill was commissioned to make the sculpture by Helix Arts and North Tyneside Council

Helix Arts Aaron Li-Hill standing in front of the sculpture. He has dark, short, curly hair and is wearing black clothes which are covered in white paint. — Aaron Li-Hill was commissioned to make the sculpture by Helix Arts and North Tyneside Council

Created with charity Helix Arts and commissioned by North Tyneside Council, the piece of art forms part of its masterplan to regenerate North Shields.

Mr Li-Hill said the pose was created through "workshopping various stances with local dancers".

"They told me that if their pinkie fingers at the top of their clasped hands slipped, if they weren't touching, they would fall," he said.

"Capturing this interwoven and dynamic pose in such a solidified form creates a strong metaphor of shared struggles and solidarities, a concept so important at this time of heightened global division."

Director of Helix Arts Cheryl Gavin said she was "really proud to see the people of North Shields' stories, hopes and creativity" incorporated into the sculpture.