Marker tree

Slig

Heard this on the radio yesterday, just getting round to reading up abit on it today.

Basically, as far as I can see, if a stretch of motorway (or national infrastructure, I think) is constructed a percentage of the cost has to be spent on artwork or sculpture to distract drivers/ provide large volumes of easily accessable and valuable scrap metal for scumbags to steal and generally brighten up the road side.

Sometimes it looks pretty good, but most of the stuff I've seen is pretty naff. Those stupid stainless steel steel circles on the M4 between Enfield and the toll, The scattering of white crosses with coloured deer antlers/legs on the M7 to name just two. But what gets me is that this thing is from Germany, couldnt we find someone in Ireland that could melt down a couple of hundred blastic bottles, fix them to a lump of steel and charge us 132K for it and why did it take so long to put it there?

Anyway heres a link to the article
http://www.sdublincoco.ie/index.aspx?pageid=939&pid=22264

Gunmonkey

I think we should get those guys that turn scrap metal into sculptures of Predator, Robocop and Aliens and build giant ones having a fight beside any new motorways thats built/completed.

paddy kerins

Gunmonkey wrote: »

I think we should get those guys that turn scrap metal into sculptures of Predator, Robocop and Aliens and build giant ones having a fight beside any new motorways thats built/completed.

I agree with everything he just said

Archeron

I cant comment on the cost of them, I havent a clue about that, but I think they are pretty cool. There are some naff ones about, but most of them are good. I like the one further on the M4 (or just after the turnoff to the M6) which I think is the cycles of the moon, but actually just likes a still life of Pacman doing a complete "wacka wacka"

And that big circle on the hill before the toll on the M4 is the worlds largest polo mint making a break for freedom.

Doc Ruby

paddy kerins wrote: »

I agree with everything he just said

Yes.

Saila

ok Ill say it...why is the word tree in the title then

Slig

Saila wrote: »

ok Ill say it...why is the word tree in the title then

The name of the sculpture is "Marker Tree" as its meant to represent a tree, seemingly

Slig

Archeron wrote: »

I cant comment on the cost of them, I havent a clue about that, but I think they are pretty cool. There are some naff ones about, but most of them are good. I like the one further on the M4 (or just after the turnoff to the M6) which I think is the cycles of the moon, but actually just likes a still life of Pacman doing a complete "wacka wacka"

And that big circle on the hill before the toll on the M4 is the worlds largest polo mint making a break for freedom.

Polo or not it just annoys me, its too bloody simple. The coolest one has to be the horse on the N4 between Boyle and Sligo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Curlew_Pass

oppenheimer1

I like the ball in Naas

My name is URL

Saila wrote: »

ok Ill say it...why is the word tree in the title then

http://www.rembrandt-lounge.com/works/sculpture/marker_tree/index.html

It looks shit imo

im invisible

Doc Ruby wrote: »

Yes.

+1

Saila

its like something someone from a sketch show, an artist character, would make up!

Red Hand

Slig wrote: »

Polo or not it just annoys me, its too bloody simple. The coolest one has to be the horse on the N4 between Boyle and Sligo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Curlew_Pass

No, the sculpture of the unicorn on the road from Killarney to Macroom is the coolest roadside sculpture in Ireland. Wild looking beast for a wild looking landscape.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0FVd_KwcPZs/TgXvysozXDI/AAAAAAAAC3g/kNvpHon95Y0/s1600/Unicorn%2BIreland%2BStatue.JPG

You can close this thread now, Mods.

My name is URL

Red Hand wrote: »

No, the sculpture of the unicorn on the road from Killarney to Macroom is the coolest roadside sculpture in Ireland. Wild looking beast for a wild looking landscape.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0FVd_KwcPZs/TgXvysozXDI/AAAAAAAAC3g/kNvpHon95Y0/s1600/Unicorn%2BIreland%2BStatue.JPG

You can close this thread now, Mods.

That's pretty cool

as is this - http://www.globalpost.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/gp3_full_article/photogallery/gallery_3382859/Gaelic_Chieftain_Lane.jpg

breadandjam

These percentage for art schemes are generally open to anyone to submit to and are then chosen by a panel of experts- so get cracking OP

rainbowtrout

Slig wrote: »

Polo or not it just annoys me, its too bloody simple. The coolest one has to be the horse on the N4 between Boyle and Sligo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Curlew_Pass

Known locally as 'The Ass on the Pass'

I like these cows on the Limerick bypass on the way to Cork

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2416/2855235919_caa30b63fb.jpg

AnamGlas

Red Hand wrote: »

No, the sculpture of the unicorn on the road from Killarney to Macroom is the coolest roadside sculpture in Ireland. Wild looking beast for a wild looking landscape.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0FVd_KwcPZs/TgXvysozXDI/AAAAAAAAC3g/kNvpHon95Y0/s1600/Unicorn%2BIreland%2BStatue.JPG

You can close this thread now, Mods.

+1

Unicorns are badass in any context.

Always a pleasure passing it!

Lynfo

Archeron wrote: »

And that big circle on the hill before the toll on the M4 is the worlds largest polo mint making a break for freedom.

Driving to work one morning a few months ago, somebody had put a giant steel rat inside the circle, so it looked like it was running around a wheel. Improved it enormously I thought, but it was gone by the time I was driving home that night.

bonzodog2

I think they're all sh|te TBH. Make them out out of concrete if you must have them and they won't get stolen for scrap. Vandalised maybe, but not stolen.

entropi

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

I like the ball in Naas

I was just going to post about that...shite looking thing it is!

Kidchameleon

Archeron wrote: »

And that big circle on the hill before the toll on the M4 is the worlds largest polo mint making a break for freedom.

My daughter calls it the "stargate"

Slig

That scattering of white posts and crosses with the coloured antlers and legs just before the Kildare exit on the N7 is just rubbish! What is the point, did someone forget to finish it or is that it? Who thought that was a good way to spend a ball of money?

Also does anyone else think the Marker tree looks like something you'd see outside a eastern European communist apartment block from the 1960s?

Charity2020

Gunmonkey wrote: »

I think we should get those guys that turn scrap metal into sculptures of Predator, Robocop and Aliens and build giant ones having a fight beside any new motorways thats built/completed.

Here, here, well said....

Mike 1972

Unfortunately the problem is not confined to South of the border

Slig wrote: »

provide large volumes of easily accessable and valuable scrap metal for scumbags to steal

Maybe calling them "scumbags" is being a tad judgmental ?

Removing some of these "artworks" and having them recycled into something actually useful would constitute a public service.

Slig

Mike 1972 wrote: »

Unfortunately the problem is not confined to South of the border

Slig wrote: »

provide large volumes of easily accessable and valuable scrap metal for scumbags to steal

Maybe calling them "scumbags" is being a tad judgmental ?

Removing some of these "artworks" and having them recycled into something actually useful would constitute a public service.

I take your point, but personally I have doubts that they are providing a selfless public service, I kinda think it may be simply to make a quick euro, course it could be viewed as a tax rebate either

up for anything

How about a decomposition (do I have to point out the pun) of gibbets festooned with some our favourite present and ex politicians. We could change them on a quarterly basis to avoid getting bored and it could double up as an educational tool for biology teachers?

Einhard

I love the way people take something as subjective as art, especially public art, and deride it as a waste of time and useless simply because they don't happen to like it. I enjoy much of the art along motorways and other roads; some of it I don't, but I get that other people do.

Overheal

I always thought it was strange seeing that bull on the side of the road as you drive through Tipp, but I do like that one thats a sculpture of all the warped roadway in Dublin somewhere.

westendgirlie

When the Ballyshannon/Bundoran bypass was completed they commissioned a bronze tree. It's about 4ft tall and high up on the hill.

They also decided to plant real trees around it. 6 years on and the real trees (more pleasing on the eye) are growing. Soon you won't be able to see the bronze tree!

Looks sh1t too.

Mint Sauce

Where on the by pass is that, have never noticed it?

westendgirlie

Head towards Bundoran and when you are on the straight it's on the left. There is (can't think of the right word) a hill/grass bank. Just when that ends you will notice a little tree with all the branches facing back towards Ballyshannon.

Supposedly, it cost nearly 50k!

rainbowdrop

Overheal wrote: »

I always thought it was strange seeing that bull on the side of the road as you drive through Tipp, but I do like that one thats a sculpture of all the warped roadway in Dublin somewhere.

Did you spot the other sculpture on the opposite side of the motorway of the man 'pulling' the bull?

Pretty cool piece of artwork imo!!