Named ‘Yerth Threddle’, the installation is comprised of five Tibetan Cherry (Prunus Serrula) trees interspersed with five sculptural drawings in mirror-polished stainless steel. In Old-English-Kentish dialect, ‘Yerth’ means earth, and ‘threddle’ means to thread, with the piece designed to reference the connection with the earth through the establishment and growth of both tree roots and community roots.
Following a public art survey, where residents were invited to share their thoughts and contribute to the visual identity of the artwork, we hope that the installation will celebrate local heritage, enhance people’s experience through creativity, and generate a sense of identity and pride amongst its residents.
Liz Middleton, Sculptor, commented: “It has been a pleasure to listen to the Ebbsfleet Green community to develop a piece of art that will sit in the heart of their neighbourhood. It was important to create a piece that could reflect the community and resonate with the history and heritage of the Ebbsfleet area. Through many conversations with residents, it was clear that a common thread binding the community was the importance of nature and neighbours in their lives. The choice of trees as the main sculptural material was to reflect the theme of nature very literally, but also to emphasise their role in improving the environment as well as acting as a home to birds, insects, lichen, and fungi. To complement this, the use of the sculptural forms was to represent people as a ‘thread’, weaving and strengthening community ties to a place. The end result hopefully is an engaging and contemplative space that reflects and adapts to the seasons and embodies a link to the past and present, as well as being part of the future of a new and developing community.”
Ben Fewsdale, managing director for our South East division, said: “Alongside the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation, we believe that art and culture are fundamental to wellbeing, and help solidify communities and bring joy and inspiration to the everyday. We commissioned Liz as part of our process to produce a creative identity for Ebbsfleet Green, and we’re delighted that the approved piece reflects both our wider commitment to creating thriving communities and our desire to create beautiful, sustainable, and inclusive places that deliver a better quality of life. This public art installation forms part of our wider contribution to Ebbsfleet Garden City. Alongside accessible green spaces, this includes over 1,400 high-quality homes, the equivalent of 50 football pitches of green open space, 120 new jobs, and 25% affordable homes, alongside a host of much-needed community facilities.”
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