Title:
Landmark
Date:
1992
Artist:
Pierre Vivant
Location:
Ocean Park, junction of East Tyndall
Street and Ocean Way
Background:
Following
the deterioration of the Cardiff Bay area in the 1970’s and 1980’s
and during the subsequent process of regeneration, many old landmarks have disappeared. The
Cardiff Bay Public Art Strategy in part aims to replace these lost landmarks
with contemporary visual images: “to provide the familiar of the future”. Pierre
Vivant was selected from an international competition to design a gateway work
for an important road junction, at an entrance to a large residential area and
an adjacent industrial site
Commission:
At the centre of the roundabout
five geometric shapes are placed, constructed with aluminium frames and covered
by standard road traffic signs. Around this, topiary has been set which
has been pruned to echo the metal forms. Because of their reflective
property, the sculptures light up at night when caught in passing car headlights. It
is popularly known as the “magic roundabout”.