On the Shoulders of Giants
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A visually engaging and dynamic public installation in Edinburgh’s city centre to commemorate two prominent Scottish artists.
The 12-foot-tall artwork is positioned on the steps leading to the entrance of the St James Quarter shopping mall, and visually changes depending on where the observer is stood. Walk up the steps and you see the faces of a young man and a woman. Walk down and it morphs into two intellectual giants, fashion textile designer Bernat Klein and illustrator and sculptor Cecile Watson.
Playing with these altered perceptions links past and present, communicating the aspirations of a younger generation of Scottish artists.
The sculpture also has a practical purpose: to provide a protective screen against the decorative ribbon of the W Hotel, which runs alongside the stairs.
The idea of using face profiles was explored early on, and after much discussion and agreement with the client, the two chosen individuals were made from a series of laser cut uprights.
Access to the site and overcoming the physical make-up of the granite steps was a challenge. But after hours of design reviews, digital surveys and a close collaborative relationship with the structural engineers, we created a strong, durable base plate to sit between the sculpture and the steps. We solved concerns around weight loading of the crane with purposely designed counterbalance lifting beam on the sculpture and an extend reach.
If you have a design idea for a public or private space and would like to discuss with our team, email enquiries@davidharber.com.
