Ryan Gander’s sculpture approved by the Scarborough council planning committee

Invisible Dust, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and English Heritage are delighted that planning permission for ‘We are only human (Incomplete sculpture for Scarborough to be finished by snow)’, artist Ryan Gander’s sculpture for the Scarborough Castle headland, has been approved by the council planning committee.

The sculpture, planned to be installed in 2022, also functions as a seating structure and a viewpoint for clifftop wildlife and sea views. It is hoped it will provide a waymarker to an incredible coastal view and a point of interest for residents and visitors alike.

Inspired by structures used to prevent coastal erosion, the sculpture’s design has been adapted so that its form is only completed if it is snowed on, something increasingly unlikely due to climate change. It draws attention to the important role of the sea in absorbing carbon and slowing climate change and local coastal erosion. The sculpture will be made of an innovative low carbon material, incorporating recycled glass and limestone.

The sculpture is part of Wild Eye, a new, long-term art and nature project for the North Yorkshire Coast, which seeks to engage local people and visitors with the incredible wildlife of the region, through a programme of collaborative art commissions and a diverse community events programme.

Future Wild Eye plans include the development of a world-class outdoor trail of new, nature-inspired artworks along the coastline from some of the UK’s leading visual artists, alongside more art and nature community activities.

Cover image caption: a visualisation of Ryan Gander’s sculpture in situ on the Scarborough Castle Headland, with people around it. Two people are using it as a seat to look out to sea.