Explore the South Promenade Artwork Trail
“Great Promenade Art Show”
We start our exploration of the Great Promenade Show at the very southernmost end, against the beach at Starr Gate. Tucked behind the big tram depot building the trail starts with…
The Sound of the Wind Looks Like This
An artwork made of aluminium poles and powered by the wind. It makes the strength and direction of Blackpool’s fresh air visible. Find it at the southernmost end of the Promenade. By Stephen Hurrel, 2002.
A couple of seafront shelters are next, looking deceptively like artworks themselves. Functional and attractive, they also provide a frame to the glorious views.
The Frankenstein Project
This piece looks like a submarine but is a contemporary freak show that warns of sinister outcomes when meddling with nature. Made in steel, glass and neon, by Tony Stallard, 2001.
Sadly, when we went to take a look, the portholes didn’t reveal anything inside. Can you remember what was once on display?
Blackpool Council is planning to de-commission ‘The Frankenstein Project’ by artist Tony Stallard in early 2022.
Water Wings
An image of freedom made from laser cut stainless steel. The ever changing sky behind this artwork becomes the water in which a child swims. By Bruce Williams, 2001.
This piece is so large that it’s best seen from a distance. At sunset it looks amazing, back-lit with that gorgeous amber glow.
Glam Rocks
You won’t miss this group of three giant pebbles. They sparkle with multi-coloured fibre optic lights which also glint in the sun. Rendered with marble-lite, they’re fitted with stainless steel and glass light points. By Peter Freeman, 2001.
Blackpool’s Giant Mirror Ball
The proper name of the piece is ‘They Shoot Horses Don’t They?’ and is the world’s biggest dance hall mirror ball.
The steel and fibreglass frame is clad in 47,000 glass tiles and weighs a whopping 4.5 tonnes. By artist Michael Trainor, 2002. The piece is inspired by the film of the same name, featuring a giant mirror ball.
During the winter of 2020 it went off for its second restoration. We caught it on our promenade walk as you can see above, framed by the adjacent shelter. The top slice had just been removed, prior to its full restoration. The salty sea air plays havoc with the mirroring on the glass tiles. It’s back in place, reclad in 47,000 tiles. Completely overhauled it looks like new!
Desire
Makes reference to Blackpool as the capital of kiss-me-quick, holiday liaisons. These corten steel slabs tower over the seafront, with their stainless steel spikes. But beware… when the sun is low in the sky it casts the shadow of a broken heart on the ground. By Chris Knight, 2001.
The architectural seafront shelters continue along the New South Promenade artwork trail. Each one is slightly different – almost an artwork in themselves!
The Swivelling Wind Shelters
Are also artworks of the Great Promenade Show. They move with the wind to provide a constant source of respite from Blackpool’s bracing breezes. Their single sweeping form acts as both a wind vane to turn the structure, and a baffle to shelter promenaders. By Ian McChesney with Atelier One, 2005.
Life as a Circus
Casts a variety of fantasy circus acts in bronze for perpetuity. It celebrates the great entertainment tradition of Blackpool. Sir Peter Blake, 2004.
Sadly these bronze statues proved to be a magnet for scrap-metal thieves. But thankfully they’re now on display in the new Blackpool Council office at Bickerstaffe House. Their plinths stand empty opposite the Pleasure Beach. More about them below.
Not far away from ‘Life as a Circus’ you might spot this plaque. It celebrates the architectural lighting columns at New South Promenade. Surprisingly, lending form to such a mundane item makes such a big difference to the look of the place.
Blackpool Rocks
A 10m high prism which refracts visible lights into its component colours. Seven carefully placed object each glow with colour. By Bruce & William McLean, 2004.
Does anyone know what happened to this piece? Are these concrete blocks part of the original installation? Please let us know by leaving a comment below!
There’s another one of the Swivelling Wind Shelters at this northern end of New South Promenade too.
The Tide Organ
The Tide Organ by Liam Curtin and John Gooding was one of the range of art works originally commissioned by Blackpool Council at the start of the millennium in ‘The Great Promenade Show’.
However, the hostile seaside environment has had a big impact on the steel/metal piece. The artwork was commissioned with a planned 15 year life-span so it’s done well to last much longer. The artist has been consulted and informed of the work taking place, and now it’s coming down.
Blackpool Council is following professional advice that the Tide Organ now needs to come down to ensure it doesn’t become unsafe. Specialist contractors will begin dismantling on Monday 13 December 2021. It shouldn’t take any longer than a week but is, of course, weather dependent.
Until 13 December you can see it at the northernmost end of the artwork trail, near to the Sandcastle. A musical manifestation of the sea it stands on a concrete base, with a corten steel reflector clad in copper sheet. It has polyethylene inlet pipes and zinc organ pipes. By Liam Curtin and John Gooding, 2003.
The best time to hear it play is one to two hours before or after high tide, when the sea is rough. The sea forces air into the pipes and through the organ. Have you ever heard it play?
Sir Peter Blake Statues
‘Life as a Circus’ was originally a piece of artwork on the Promenade across from the Pleasure Beach.
The artwork consists of two sculptures, ‘Four Man Up’ and ‘Equestrian Act’. The two statues depict balancing acts as seen in a circus, of strongmen, horses and a mermaid.
Blackpool Council worked with sculpture specialists AB Fine Art Foundry, recreating the statues after they were damaged in 2011. Remoulding them in a material that holds no value to metal thieves.
Originals on Display
The two original ‘Life as a Circus’ sculptures are on public display at the main reception of Blackpool Council’s offices on Bickerstaffe Square. Restored, they now stand in the reception at the new offices, behind an alarmed glass cabinet.
Blackpool Council’s cabinet member for culture and heritage, said: “When Sir Peter Blake was originally commissioned to sculpt this piece of artwork, it was a huge coup for Blackpool.
“He is an internationally acclaimed artist and to have his work in our town was absolutely fantastic. Because of the quality of work, when the originals got damaged, we vowed to do everything we could to make sure that Blackpool locals could still enjoy them in some form.
“Their new home is alarmed and secure, while still being available for anybody to come and take a look at them.”
About Sir Peter Blake
Sir Peter Blake is widely regarded as the father of pop art. After studying at Gravesend School of Art he was accepted into the prestigious Royal Academy of Art in London.
His work extends across a diverse range of media including watercolour, drawings, prints, collage, painting, and sculpture. Sir Peter designed many album covers including The Beatles ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ and the Paul Weller ‘Stanley Road’ album. Sir Peter received his knighthood in 2002.