* Below: Mock-up of ‘Bridges, Not Walls’; artist Luke
Jerram stands in front of Llangollen Bridge; tailor upholsterer Emma Williams
stitches fabric squares together
International artist Luke Jerram is working to transform Llangollen Bridge into a giant artwork celebrating peace, as part of this year's Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod (LIME).
Luke plans to wrap the Grade 1 listed stone
bridge in a giant patchwork of fabrics, reflecting the crafts and cultures of
Wales alongside the festival’s participating nations.
Called Bridges, Not Walls,
the artwork celebrates the idea of peace on which the festival was founded
nearly 75 years ago.
Known for public art installations
around the world including Museum of the Moon, Play Me, I’m Yours, which
brought street pianos to dozens of international cities, and his recent Glass
Microbiology sculptures depicting the coronavirus and its
vaccine, this is the first commission in Wales for Luke, who completed his degree
at Cardiff Metropolitan University.
Whilst the Llangollen Eisteddfod will
mainly be held online this year, organisers hope the eye-catching Bridges,
Not Walls will also attract people to visit the town this summer.
In a race against time, 800 squares of one-metre-wide
fabric, including local donations from Llangollen, are currently being stitched
together to cover both sides of the 60 metre-long bridge.
Organisers say creating an ever-changing artwork depending on the angle, light and weather conditions, the bridge will become an incredible sight to view and visit and a powerful symbol connecting this year’s online festival with its physical roots.
Even the water below it will be
transformed with the reflections and colours from the bridge.
Luke Jerram’s new bridge artwork aims to connect and extend the Eisteddfod’s creativity out from the field where it is
normally held each year into the town, transforming and animating Llangollen
for the whole world to see.
With the panels of the archways almost
complete, work will soon start on the material to cover the bridge’s
stanchions, or columns, which stand in the water and support the bridge above.
Luke said: “From the moment I saw it, Llangollen Bridge struck me as incredibly powerful, both physically and symbolically.
"The message and celebration of peace is at the heart of the Llangollen Eisteddfod and so this historic bridge, one of the seven wonders of Wales, makes the perfect canvas.
"As Sir Isaac Newton once said, 'We build too many walls and not enough bridges.'
"From
Israel to the USA, we are at last exploring the possibility of building bridges
rather than walls.”
Usually attracting over 4,000 performers from around the world and 35,000 visitors to Llangollen, this year’s unique celebration of global peace and harmony will be largely held online in July 2021, with the main programme being presented over the weekend of the July 9-11 July.
Bridges, Not Walls will remain in place on Llangollen Bridge until August 5.
Betsan Moses, chief executive of Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod (LIME), said: “We’re hugely excited about Bridges, Not Walls which celebrates everything Llangollen’s much-loved Eisteddfod stands for - peace, creativity and togetherness.
"We’re looking forward to sharing a varied and inspiring programme of events online this year and we hope Luke’s artwork will also encourage people to visit the historic town over the summer.”
With major event funding from Welsh
Government, this year’s online Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod will
celebrate the broadest possible range of musical genres from classical, opera
and choral, to jazz, soul and rock, to connect with existing and new audiences
in preparation for its physical return in 2022.
* For more information, visit https://international-eisteddfod.co.uk/
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