Location (see map): The River Stour, Canterbury, England
Depth: 1.5m to 80cm (depending on rainfall)
Installation Date: 2024 Original installation: 2008
A new sculpture installed on Thursday 12th of September 2024, positioned on the bed of the river Stour near the Westgate bridge in Canterbury, Kent.
Made from recycled glass, LED’s and marine stainless steel, the work incorporates environmental monitoring sensors and is lit from within at night. The work draws reference to Sir John Everett Millais’s celebrated painting Ophelia (1851-1852). A character from Shakespeare’s Hamlet which some have suggested could have been inspired by a 16th century drowning which took place on the river stour.
This new work replaces a previous installation which was damaged during river dredging several years ago.
The title Alluvia refers to the alluvial deposits of sand left behind by the rise and fall of the river’s water levels. The figure’s posture responds to the river’s flow, reflecting both its ceaseless movement and the invisible barrier of water—like being trapped behind a window. As the river swells and recedes with the seasons, and as the light shifts, the sculpture transforms, first through the play of shadows and light, then gradually as reeds and algae form on and around it. This ebb and flow evoke a dialogue with memory, challenging how we grasp fragments of images and ideas, always fluid and elusive in their formation.
The restoration of these pieces was undertaken by the Canterbury Commemoration Society (www.cantcommsoc.co.uk) with funds generously provided by local businessmen Paul Abbott and Paul Roberts.
To discover more of Jason deCaires Taylor’s projects, view Exploring the Underwater World Through Sculpture here.
Other previous projects located the UK include: The Rising Tide, Plasticide, Inverted Solitude, and the Chelsea Barracks Sculpture Trail
Supported by: Canterbury City Council
Materials: Recycled glass, marine grade stainless steel
