A trio of innovative three-dimensional sculptures have been unveiled along the eastern seafront’s boardwalk this week, inspired by the stories and memories of local residents and the history of the area.
Created by artists Anna Dumitriu and Alex May, who live in the city, the Black Rock ‘Beachcombers’ were commissioned by the council as part of the area’s rejuvenation.
Before starting work on their designs, Anna and Alex spent months talking to local residents and visitors, gathering information, memories and stories about what Black Rock means to them.
Anna said: “Our sculptures aim to make a link across time from the early days of Black Rock to its contemporary and future story.
“We heard so many fascinating stories from local people who are passionate about the area, and we really enjoyed researching the rich history of Black Rock.
“As a result, all the elements are very meaningful to the city.”
The artists used a cutting-edge technology called photogrammetry to make digital re-constructions of objects found at the site, scanning driftwood, historic seaweed collections and even an Iron Age hoard which was found at Black Rock.
These elements were then digitally collaged according to three distinct themes – nature, people and engineering. The sculptures were 3D-printed, before being cast in aluminium.
Nature focuses on the flora and fauna of Black Rock, which includes pioneering Victorian seaweed collectors as well as a recent rewilding project.
Look out for the yellow horned poppy, barnacles and limpets, seaweed and driftwood.
The People sculpture reflects what makes Black Rock special for residents and visitors – from the Madeira Terrace and famous residents to a secret tunnel.
Look out for the face of Neptune, barbed wire used to close the beach during wartime, parasols carried by Victorian promenaders and a tunnel thought to have inspired the Alice in Wonderland author Lewis Carroll.
The third sculpture reflects the theme of Engineering and its importance to Black Rock. Features include a Volks Railway carriage, windmills, the Big Apple Roller-coaster and parts of Genevieve, star of the historic London to Brighton veteran car rally film.
The sculptures are accompanied by a website which traces all the inspiration behind the work.
An exciting, augmented reality app to accompany the sculptures will enable users to digitally re-wild the beach with sea kale plants. The app will be launched next May during the Brighton Fringe Festival, when the artists will lead tours of the works.
Councillor Mitchie Alexander, Cabinet member for Culture, Heritage and Tourism, said: “It’s amazing how the artists have managed to capture and embed so much of Black Rock’s fascinating past, present and future in these three unique and beautiful sculptures.
“I’m sure visitors to the area will enjoy spotting the hidden stories and learning more about this historic and well-loved part of the city.
“I’d like to congratulate Anna, Alex and the many residents who provided the inspiration for the project – together you have all created something really wonderful.”
The Black Rock rejuvenation project, led by Brighton & Hove City Council, with funding from Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership, is part of a large-scale regeneration effort to transform the city’s eastern seafront and enable further development in the future.
