Forums Forums Local News A 5KM-high column of cloud For morpeth dock

A 5KM-high column of cloud will be projected over the River Mersey as a specially-commissioned artwork created for the London 2012 Games.

The unusual sculpture will rise out of the water at Birkenhead’s disused Morpeth dock and be visible for up to 100km.

New York-based artist Anthony McCall has been awarded a £500,000 grant to create the work, which will be put in place in time for the Olympic opening ceremony.

It is one of 12 commissions aimed at involving the British regions in the international event.

Tony Hall, chair of the Cultural Olympiad Board, said: "I think it’s wonderful to see such a diverse range of creativity across the winning 12 commissions, reflecting the different characteristics of different parts of the UK.

"This is a real opportunity to show the world the breadth of talent and creativity there is in the UK across all art forms."

The Arts Councils of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales joined forces to launch the £5.4 million project competition with London 2012 in March


THE DAILY POST

why dont they just set a few tyres on fire it would be far cheaper, but gotta see that to believe it sounds great.

Is it just a cloud, as in 'gas'? I don't understand?

Isnt the arts council majorly funded with public money? That was how I understood it when the government were talking about the theatre of British film in London a week or two ago..

Talk about the government putting our money up in smoke!! £500,000 that could be better spent on industry or housing or hospitals or police or schools.

What a load of cobblers ! Who dreams this crud up ?? A 5km high "cloud". Aye, that'll be right.

You would have to have 100% still air from ground level up to 16,000 feet. You would have to have the right RH (relative humidity) throughout the column. What is going to generate the water vapour to make a 16,000ft cloud "column" ?

I've just finished 22yrs doing amongst other things, cloud type, heights etc. with the Met. Office. I'm no expert but I do know enough to recognise a complete load of crap !

I'm in complete agreement with ghostly1. Maybe a floating version of the Springfield Tyre Dump in Morpeth Dock.

The only other to generate a column of that height would be a 100kiloton nuclear device set off on a quiet day. No doubt the neighbours would complain though.

The London Olympics. Stick it ............

Birkenhead going up in smoke? 500K, what a waste of public money and I don't know if you've noticed but loads of foreign based "artists" are flocking to UK and getting loads of dosh for so called art installations, even Dooley used to have to work to construct his offerings. How come this money is available for this kind of crap but not to treat someone with cancer? The mind boggles.

How does a big cloud represent our region?

Is it that people would prefer to hide us under a cloud?
Is it supposed to reflect how grim it is 'up north'?
Is it a tribute to industry? Smog, chimneys, chronic bronchitis?

I still wonder what happened to the money that was going to be spent on the 'boat' sculpture they were going to put along A41? Did it sail away to some other crappy arts project?