Challenge hosted by Sally Kelly over at Ruined for Life: Phoenix Edition.
This striking Merchant Seaman’s Memorial in Cardiff Bay is in the form of a sleeping face fused with a ship’s hull. This was made by riveting plates of metal together, a traditional technique used in early iron and steel ship building. The sculptor Brian Fell, whose own father had been a merchant seaman, was commissioned to create the work in 1994 by Cardiff Bay Arts Trust, Cardiff Bay Development Corporation, Merchant Navy Memorial Committee and Cardiff County Council and it sits in Tiger Bay, Cardiff.
The ports of South Wales played a vital role in supplying coal from Welsh mines to fuel the world’s ships, especially warships and the allies were dependent on merchant vessels to transport troops, food, ammunition, raw materials and equipment. Shipping lanes ran around Pembrokeshire and around the island of Anglesey to get to and from the port of Liverpool and to access the Atlantic; within these lanes German U-boats targeted ships, sinking them with torpedoes and sea mines.
Over 150 vessels were sunk off the coast of Wales during the first World War alone.
Challenge hosted by Sally Kelly over at Ruined for Life: Phoenix Edition.
MARI'S TRAVELS WITH HER CAMERA 
Love this, what a striking memorial. I like that the wreaths hang from the top rather than being laid at the feet as is the norm. No idea why, but that speaks to me.
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I agree. I thought it one of the best memorials I’ve ever seen and one that makes one think. So often it’s just a cross with carved names but this face is just inspired.
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It is certainly an unusual approach to the subject, “modern” without sliding into ridiculous abstraction.
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I love the way the face is fused into the hull. Such talent…..
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How interesting is this! If I had come upon it unawares, I might have taken several steps back. But actually, it means a lot to those who have created and installed it. Great post.
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Thank you. I was intrigued and took the photograph before I found out what it represented and then it made a lot of sense to me.
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That face is so beautiful, Mari! Such a great memorial 🙂 🙂
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