'Dream' is a 20-metre-high sculpture located on the former site of Sutton Manor Colliery in St Helens, designed by world-renowned and award-winning artist, Jaume Plensa.
"When we dream, anything is possible ......." Jaume Plensa
Origin of Dream
In 2008 St Helens took part in Channel 4's 'The Big Art Project' along with several other sites. The local community, former miners from the colliery and St Helens Council were involved in the public consultation and commission process through which Dream was selected. The plans involved full landscaping of the surrounding area on land previously allowed to go wild after the closure of the pit.
The sculpture itself is sited on an old spoil tip of Sutton Manor Colliery, which closed in 1991.
The land surrounding Dream is owned and managed by Forestry England.
Representation
The sculpture takes the form of a young girl's head. Her eyes are closed in a dream-like state. The white, almost luminescent finish is a stark contrast to the history of the site and the black of the coal that still lies in the ground beneath. The facial contours and reflectivity changes regularly, due to the changing weather and light conditions.
The sculpture is the artist's response to conversations with the ex-miners and the local community who wanted a piece of work that looked to a brighter future and created a beautiful and contemplative space for future generations.
Construction
Dream consists of an elongated white structure 66 feet (20m) tall, weighing 500 tonnes.
It is built out of moulded and cast unique concrete shapes, 90 pieces in total, contributing to over 14 tiers. Dolomite was used as a concrete aggregate to provide the brilliant white finish.
Location
'Dream' is a gateway sculpture for both Merseyside and Greater Manchester at the heart of the Northwest.
The sculpture is at the site of the former Sutton Manor Colliery, close to Junction 7 of the M62, midway between Liverpool and Manchester.
Dream is surrounded by woodland and offers great views across the Cheshire and Lancashire plains, out to the mountains of Snowdonia, the Pennines, the Peak District, as well as landmarks from the skylines of the cities of Liverpool and Manchester.
