Thursday, 3 July 2014

Swoop from Elland

Swoop from the streets of Elland









Above the Working Men's Club in Elland

Detail of the murmeration of starlings



Sunday, 29 June 2014

Bird's eye view


A photo I took of swoop from a light aircraft the day after it was installed.


























detail of swoop


Wednesday, 25 June 2014

Installation - from paper to hillside.

The detailed design was divided into a grid of 5 metre squares to be marked out on the hill. The 560 birds were arranged on the site following the plan as closely as the contours of the hill allowed. Adjustments to the design were needed when it was viewed from different vantage points. The alterations were directed from a distance using walkie talkies, mobile phones and binoculars.

The installation was carried out with huge energy and commitment by members of Worth Valley Young Farmers and other artists over 5 long days.





Andy Plant and Simon Manfield adjusting the flight path of some of the birds. 



Monday, 23 June 2014

Friday, 20 June 2014

Cutting the starlings

The starlings were cut by Kedel, who manufacture objects from recycled plastic.  They cut the starlings on a CNC cutter at their factory in Colne.

Kedel made a film of the process  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JF9M5H61dIs




Offcuts to be recycled.

Wednesday, 23 April 2014

Before

The site is a landfill site that had suffered a landslip.
The site in April.
The site in May when work had been started to cover the landslip. 

 June. Swoop was just installed and a visitor, just visible as a tiny black dot, has climbed up to investigate.