True amazing Art and History together, The Kelpies in Falkirk, Scotland
6 Likes
Thank you for sharing, @Portucale .
This sculpture is beautiful. Tell us about the history involved. Keep in mind that crafting your posts as detailed as possible makes other members of the community more engaged. If you are interested to learn more, you can check out What makes a good post?
Meanwhile, your post is getting a Photography label to suit its aesthetics better.
The Kelpies are 30-metre-high horse-head sculptures featuring kelpies (Kelpie, or water kelpie, is the Scots name given to a shape-shifting water spirit inhabiting the lochs and pools of Scotland.), standing next to a new extension to the Forth and Clyde Canal, and near River Carron. The sculptures were designed by sculptor Andy Scott and were completed in October 2013. The Kelpies are a monument to horse powered heritage across Scotland. The Kelpies name reflected the mythological transforming beasts possessing the strength and endurance of 10 horses. The Kelpies represent the lineage of the heavy horse of Scottish industry and economy, pulling the wagons, ploughs, barges and coalships that shaped the geographical layout of the Falkirk area. According to sculptor Andy Scott, “The original concept of mythical water horses was a valid starting point for the artistic development of the structures.”[7] He also said that he “took that concept and moved with it towards a more equine and contemporary response, shifting from any mythological references towards a socio-historical monument intended to celebrate the horse’s role in industry and agriculture as well as the obvious association with the canals as tow horses”. Built of structural steel with a stainless-steel cladding, The Kelpies are 30 metres high and weigh 300 tonnes each. Construction began in June 2013 and was complete by October 2013. However, the process of fabricating the steel was several years in the making. SH Structures, of Yorkshire, carried out this fabrication and managed the erection of the sculptures on site. The Kelpies are positioned either side of a specially constructed lock and basin, part of the redeveloped Kelpies Hub. http://www.thehelix.co.uk/things-to-do/the-kelpies/history/#.W7MbG3tKhhE