Commission: ‘Bridging the Gap‘

The strategy for the commission of public artworks at Wickhurst Green has resulted in a series of curated works by two artists, Will Nash and Tim Ward. Working separately they have successfully produced related artworks each exploring transitions, thresholds and connections within the area and through the new development. A series of interventions exploring the concept of ‘bridging the gap’ across time and in form.

Permanent Artworks

Will Nash was interested in the site archaeology and has installed three different interventions in the environment. Each one inspired by evidence of extensive habitation through the ages.

The installations created are ‘Tipped Disc’, ‘Flat Top Rocks’ and ‘Cut Columns’.

Tipped Discs

An elegant and mysterious installation created from local sandstone, as an imagined space representing distant memories of long forgotten homes. It consists of three crescents formed by slanting three concentric truncated cones so that they appear to wrap around each other as they emerge from, or slide into, the earth.

Flat Top Rocks

There are eight rocks; one group of five and three stand alone stones. They could be the remaining fragments of a larger structure or simply a craggy reminder of the previous inhabitants of this new settlement. The stand alone stones are placed to create perch seats along paths. The group of five stones are placed to suggest the continental drift, the geology of ages illustrated in the sedimentary layers visible through the sides of each stone.

The Flat Topped Rocks were inspired by the mysterious standing stones and stone circles of the British Isles and Europe. The historical purpose of placing standing stones in the landscape is part of an ongoing debate. What is clear is that they persevere as silent monuments to some of the earliest creative efforts of humankind and as such reflect the complexity of occupation of the site.

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Cut Columns

The granite columns were originally salvaged from the church of St. Marks when it was demolished in the late 1980’s. The columns were made available by Horsham District Council and now have decorative images and patterns drawn from local history etched onto their surface. These images are revealed as the light changes or when the surface is wet from the rain. Over time as mosses and lichens slowly colonize the roughened surface of the columns the polished areas will remain clear revealing the images more obviously.

The elements are located at junctions and in green spaces to invite resting and conversation.

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Commission: ‘Bridging the Gap’ Phase One

Artist: Will Nash of Nash Studios

Materials: granite and local sandstone,

Location: various sites including Wickhurst Lane, in Broadbridge Heath, Horsham

Client: Countryside Properties (UK) Ltd.