Public Art Project

Big Fit? – A temporary public art project in Seaton, Aberdeen

Strange bird related sightings have been reported across the Seaton area of Aberdeen; Large bird footprints in golf bunkers, super-sized bird droppings at Seaton School and deluxe sized bird nests and eggs.

Over the last 6 months a community group in Seaton Aberdeen, ‘The Seaton Art & History group’ have been working with Arts Development, Aberdeen City Council to learn about, develop and execute their own public art project made in response to their local area.  Their art piece has been revealed bit by bit over the last week.

What we have created is clues to the idea that large Sea birds have come to settle in the Seaton area; this imaginary sea bird we envisage to be a cross between a sea gull and an albatross.
To create this myth we have produced large bird footprint makers that attach onto your shoes, a recipe for bird droppings which includes yogurt, spinach and some spices, we have made large bird nests, modelled on albatross nest complete with eggs, these have been located at the mouth of the River Don and on top of a generator hut amongst the high rise flats in Seaton.

To perpetuate the story the group set out on a bird watching trip around the area in a mini bus borrowed from a local community project which we labelled with vinyl lettering reading ‘Grampian Ornithological Society’, everyone dressed up in suitable bird watch gear, complete with binoculars.  We set off from the ‘Burger Box’ by the golf course where we queued for a bacon roll and spoke to folk in the queue about the large bird we were hoped to see that day and of the evidence there was to support it.  Members of the group have been going about their daily business, spreading the story and looking up to the sky for a chance sighting while waiting at bus stops.

One of the group members Richard Wood is the DJ on the community radio show ‘Seaton Speaks’ on SHMU fm.  He has further added to the story mentioning sightings of bird related items on his show.

Bird footprints have been left by the high-rise flats on Seaton Crescent, on the beach and around the golf course, especially in the bunker areas.  Supersized Bird dropping have been seen on bus shelters and in the playground and on the glass frontage of Seaton Primary School.

Leaving these clues has been a covert operation, with small numbers of the group meeting up daily before dawn to discreetly mimic the activities of the mystery bird. 

With this project the group want to present a positive view of their area rather than the one that is often presented and want to engage local residents in this fun, light hearted view of Seaton, witch also encouraging people to connect with the wildlife that share their community.



Further notes
This project is part of a larger project called Art & Engagement which is set up to evaluate public art in the city and work towards a ‘tool kit’ to inform artists, commerce and communities to create or commission their own public art.  This project is funded through Aberdeen City Council’s Cultural Grant Scheme.

Partner organisations involved have been; Scottish Sculpture Workshop, Country Ranger Service and Adventure Aberdeen

Quotes
We wanted to install one of the nests on the island at the Mouth of the River Don, we had to do this when the tide was at its lowest and as safely as possible.  We enlisted the help of Adventure Aberdeen, Aberdeen City Council to ensure this operation was carried out as safely as possible, this happened to be on Monday 21 March at 8:31 pm, and the cover of darkness helped conceal our activity. – William Moulding, Artist

I am really impressed at the level of commitment shown by everyone in the group, everyone has really taken on the story.  We developed the project concept of the large bird within 2hrs and since then the project has been about problem solving, and we have come across some of the strangest problems you can ever imagine having to solve.  There have been 13 people working on this project throughout, with everyone has added their ideas and opinions along the way to shape this story.
Margaret Stewart, Community Arts Officer

Click here to view the photostory of the project