Public Art – Otters
Back in the summer, after having spent some time on Harris and Lewis, I took my tent and went off to explore Barra, Vatersay and the Uists. After having spent a couple of days on Barra I headed off to get the ferry across to Eriskay and to head up into the Uists. The ferry terminal is sort of out in the middle of nowhere, well as much as it can be on Barra, with only a single building that acts as a cafe/waiting room. So this is the last place that one would expect to find a work of public art, not to mention a quite exquisite one. But, that is precisely what is to be found there; two otters and a salmon:-
Truly exquisite - click for a larger version
The one thing that does not come across from the photo is the scale, as there is nothing to act as a comparison; but it stands at least six feet tall. I just love the way that they appear to have just leapt over the rocks in pursuit of their quarry…
what a gorgeous sculpture, i love otters and these pair are delightful
Indeed CGP, they were something of a surprise find, I did not expect to discover such an exquisite work of art in such a remote spot as this…
Absolutely amazing sculpture – I think the beauty of it is partly in the fact that the otters are “swimming” – and yet, the sculpture is in the air and sun. The sense of marvel, then, comes in large part from the resulting incongruity, the magical juxtaposition of water and air, a sense of “swimming in the air.”
Thanks for the very perceptive comment Luke, and welcome. Beyond seeing it as a fabulous sculpture I hadn’t really thought of it in terms of the otters ’swimming’, but, of course, given the presence of the salmon, that is precisely what they are doing. The artist here has set up the wonderful paradox of the otters, as you say, “swimming in the air.”