Commissioned in 2010 by Gloucestershire County Council, in partnership with Gloucester Heritage Urban Regeneration Company (GHURC), this scheme comprises a 16 metre high tower and a 30 metre long wall. The sculptures form the centrepiece of Kimbrose Square, a recently transformed area of public space in Gloucester's city centre.
The inspiration is St Kyneburgh who, according to medieval legend, was a Saxon princess who fled to Gloucester to escape an arranged marriage, and was adopted by a local baker. The baker’s wife became jealous and killed Kyneburgh, throwing her body down a well. The well became known as St Kyneburgh’s Fountain, a place of pilgrimage in the middle ages, famous for its healing powers.
The outer shape of the tower is based on an undulating body of water, as if poured from above, and represents the fall of Kyneburgh’s body down the well. The tower’s inner surface gently spirals upwards, like a rising body of steam, and recalls the ‘tunnel of light’ effect those with near-death experiences often describe. Its apex is a perfect circle of light, which suggests the wellhead, Kyneburgh’s ascent to heaven, and a saintly halo. The open-slatted structure of the tower is designed to create a moiré effect, so that when approached it appears to flow up and down.
The wall lies along the line of the city’s Roman wall, which continues the theme of fluidity, in this case through time, and the changing nature of the site over the centuries.
Curated by Ginkgo
Structural engineer: Toby Savage Design
