Spirit of South Shields
Art In South Shields, Tyne And Wear
Bronze statue close to the River Tyne, depicting the history of South Shields.
Hidden amongst the houses, Spirit of South Shields was created by Irene Brown and put in place near Captain's Wharf in 2000. 24 years on she still looks brand new and I can't believe I've just discovered her.
Irene Brown is a Professor of Contemporary Art Practice at Newcastle University and a site-specific installationist. You may have seen some of her other sculptures before, which include 'Paperwork' at Wansbeck Business Park and 'Racing Ahead' in Stockton. Close to The Spirit of South Shields, Irene Brown has also created a collection of steel ships called 'Fleet'. Somehow, bizarrely, I didn't spot the ships when I visited so if anyone more observant has any pictures of 'Fleet', we would love to see them.
Spirit of South Shields is made from bronze and depicts a woman with the stars and moon in her hair. There is a lot of movement in the sculpture and it really feels like the wind is howling towards her. There are a few beautiful bronze, miniature sculptures by her feet too which represent the history of South Shields. These sculptures include tiny versions of Arbeia Roman Fort, the Old Town Hall and one of my faves, Herd Groyne Lighthouse.
A lovely sculpture to see if you're in the area, and you can bag yourself a few more points for the FN leaderboard if you pop and visit the Dolly Peel Statue, a 10 minute walk away.
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How To Find Spirit of South Shields
Where Is Spirit of South Shields?
Lat / Long
55.000337, -1.440016
What three words
Where To Park For Spirit of South Shields?
Lat / Long
54.996806, -1.439332
What three words
I parked up for free at The Word and had a wander along the riverside.
Contributed by Sandra Clemens
I love the great outdoors and have been a National Trust & English Heritage member for years. I also love going off the beaten track and finding places like Sharp's Folly or Rothley Castle which are hidden gems in Northumberland. My favourite recent hike was climbing Red Screes in the Lake District on a whim, not fully grasping how high 776m was. It was still an achievement to conquer a Wainwright walk and I hope to do more one day.
More Places from Sandra
More Places In South Shields
Find more fabulous places in South Shields, Tyne And Wear and if you know of a place we haven't listed, then let us know.
Lawe Top
Landscape South Shields Tyne And WearA pleasant green with many fine views of magnificent landmarks of North and South Shields.
Lawe Top Beacons And Cannons
Landmark South Shields Tyne And WearTwo unconnected historical finds in a snug corner of Lawe Top. They are a pair of brick built beacons, and two replica Russian cannons captured from the Crimean War (1853-1856).
Herd Groyne Lighthouse
Lighthouse South Shields Tyne And WearA Victorian lighthouse built in 1882, still used for navigational purposes today.
More Art
So this art wasn't enough and you want more? Don't worry we have you covered.
Jewels Of The Sea
Art Seaham County Durham34 pieces of enlarged micro marine life made from weathered Corten steel by Andrew McKeown at East Shore Village, Seaham.
Skyspace
Art Kielder NorthumberlandArtwork by James Turrell on a rocky outcrop on the edge of Kielder Forest.
Wojtek The Soldier Bear
Art Duns BordersA bronze cast statue of the remarkable war-time bear who lived and travelled with Polish soldiers, and ended his days living in the Scottish Border town of Duns, before retiring to Edinburgh Zoo.
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