Art on the Riverside was the largest programme of public art in the UK. Funded by a £3.5m National Lottery grant and £2.7m from the public and private sectors, the project was set up in 1995 and consists of a large range of artworks and design features. The art installations by local, national and international artists were sited along the banks of the Rivers Tyne and Wear.
Within South Tyneside there are many visually stunning pieces of public art waiting to be discovered...
Conversation Piece by Juan Munoz
This magnificent piece consists of 22 life size bronze figures situated next to Littlehaven Beach at the mouth of the Tyne in South Shields. The artwork stands as a magnificent gateway to South Tyneside and is a great favourite with visitors who eavesdrop on the mysterious group of sculptures.
Created by the Spanish sculptor in 1999, each figure is approximately 1.5 metres high and weighs approximately a quarter of a ton.
Flash @ Hebburn by Charles Quick
This installation at Hebburn Riverside Park is at the cutting edge of new technologies in public art and reflects the long history of Hebburn being a place of innovation.
The artwork takes the form of 12 x 8.5 metre columns powered by photovoltaic panels. Revolutionary radio technology is used to control a number of light sequences of blue and white LED lights that replicate industrial flashes of light to echo the area's past.
The piece activates for a 30 second sequence every 15 minutes throughout the day and one of eight different fifteen-minute sequences come on automatically at dusk each night.
Once a year a special midnight sequence celebrates New Year's Eve to reflect the ships sirens and flares that once populated the river.
Visible from as far away as Newcastle, Gateshead and Wallsend the artwork gives Hebburn a distinct identity from other riverside communities along the Tyne.
The £150,000 project delivered by South Tyneside Council and funded by the Arts Council completed the final piece of Art on the Riverside programme.
Spirit of South Shields by Irene Brown
The 'Spirit of South Shields' harbours a ship safely in one arm whilst raising her other arm in greeting. Installed in 2000 within the housing development at Market Dock the bronze sculpture has been adopted as South Tyneside's icon of regeneration.
The work is based upon a great deal of research into the historical associations with South Shields - a long and rich history from the Romans through to the more familiar history of the ship repair yards.
The Spirit is seen as the protector - guiding the ship through the seas safely. She stands strong and optimistic, unafraid and invigorated by the winds of change. She is the prow, the figurehead for South Shields' future.
Fleet by Irene Brown
Irene Brown crafted 'Fleet' in 2004 from highly polished stainless steel. It consists of seven Collier Brigs (sailing ships that carried coal), which appear to be floating in a pool of water. The pool used to be a dry dock used for shipbuilding and ship repairs.
The ships design is the same as the ship being held by the 'Spirit of South Shields', as well as the weather vane on top of South Shields Town Hall.
The brightly polished ships reflect patterns of both moving sky and water and give the impression of a fleet heading out to sea.
Ferry Approach by Bruce McLean
'Ferry Approach" by Bruce McLean' addresses the stark nature of the 1950's and 60's architecture in the underpass leading from the riverside ferry landing to the Market Place.
The work consists of a large metal gateway frame, metal girders and grid work for the underpass ceilings and floor, which gives the passer by an impression of walking through a ship under construction.
'Ferry Approach' provides echoes of the riverside's once thriving shipbuilding and ship repair industry and provides an impressive gateway to the town centre. The metal constructions are robust and highly coloured providing a fresh dynamic to the surrounding buildings including the new development apartments called 'The Landings'.
