Wild Eye

AN EXCITING NEW OUTDOOR ART AND NATURE PROJECT FOR THE NORTH YORKSHIRE COAST

Wild Eye is an inspiring nature and art project that brings together leading artists with great opportunities for people in the Scarborough and Whitby area and visitors to observe and engage with the outstanding wildlife found along the North Yorkshire coast.

Wild Eye aims to foster a greater understanding of the incredible wildlife found across the North Yorkshire Coast through artworks and events, raising awareness of issues around nature, biodiversity and climate change.

Curated by Jeanine Griffin and Alice Sharp, Wild Eye has been developed by Invisible Dust and Yorkshire Wildlife Trust with support from Coast and Vale Community Action (CaVCA), and English Heritage.

Current Wild Eye Projects

Ryan Gander’s sculpture We are only human (Incomplete sculpture for Scarborough to be finished by snow), at Scarborough Castle headland launched in March 2022 and 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 is made of innovative low carbon material, incorporating recycled glass and limestone.

Ryan Gander is a world-renowned artist who has been awarded an OBE for services to culture and Scarborough will join Cambridge, Liverpool, New York, Mexico City and other international cities in hosting pieces of his thoughtful and engaging works in public spaces.

Also launched in March 2022 as part of Wild Eye was a community-led art project in Whitby, in collaboration with artist duo Juneau Projects, which explored the importance of improving the water quality of the Esk Estuary. The outcome of this is a series of co-designed sculptural street seating structures ‘There Is Another Alphabet‘ for the Esk estuary area in Whitby harbour The three coloured brick benches illustrate different stages of the Esk environment, highlighting the particular wildlife of each area.

Wild Eye in 2021

Wild Eye commenced in September 2021 with free art and wildlife family events in Whitby and at Scarborough Castle; Sea Songs, a project in which Scarborough Sixth Formers with acoustic artist Rob Mackay created field sound recordings of marine mammals and their underwater environment which were turned into an audio walk for Scarborough and Whitby. And a series of nature-inspired podcasts made by sound artist Lucia Scazzocchio, who spoke to local residents, scientists, artists and conservationists and about their views on the marine environment, climate and the future.

Funding has been applied for future Wild Eye projects which would include a Porpoise Viewing Platform on Scarborough’s famous Marine Drive, a collaboration with SeaGrown seaweed farm and a nature viewing site on the cinder track, an old railway line between Scarborough and Whitby.

Wild Eye is funded by the government’s Towns Fund through Scarborough Borough Council and English Heritage’s Shout Out Loud programme. Invisible Dust is funded by Arts Council England and the Wellcome Trust.