ffosfforesence
Commission from Ffotogallery and The Washing Gallery to devise a work to celebrate the 80th birthday of the pier and highlight the Save Penarth Pavillion campaign in December 2009.
We developed a light balloon that would glow and shimmer with the waves. 150 balloons were tethered in the sea right around the pier. As the tide rose, the balloons burst, leaving only a faint outline of what was once there.
This was an ambitious work. The pier is huge - over 200m long - and in an area with a tidal range of 14m. As well as the light balloons, the work required the positioning of 45 heavy building blocks, 1400 metres of rope, 350 batteries, and 400 LEDS.
Key to the success of the work was the strong involvement of the community. An initial workshop a week before the event began to encourage engagement. A larger workshop on the day was attended by over 30 participants who constructed the light balloons and carried them to the pier.