Title:
All Hands
Date:
2001
Artist:
Brian Fell
Location:
Customhouse Street, Cardiff
Background:
The Canal’s importance
within the history of Cardiff is under no doubt. Built at the end of the
18th Century, the opening of the canal provided the first successful transport
link between the coal mines in the South Wales Valleys and the tidal harbour
of the River Taff. Norwest Holst Construction Ltd., recent winners of an Arts & Business
award for sponsorship of the arts, see the installation of the final public artwork
under the Bute Avenue Public Art Strategy.
Commission:
The sculpture, inspired by
this almost forgotten piece of the city’s history and installed in the
centre of Cardiff has two fists tightly clenching a rope, standing 10ft high
and fabricated from galvanised and treated steel. The main theme informing
the design of the sculpture has been its location on Customhouse Street and
the corner of St. Mary’s Street, the site of the former Glamorganishire
Canal and the movement of canal workers pulling their boats down the canal
using ropes