Photos: Charles Jencks
Landscape artist Charles Jencks has turned a Scottish coal mine into a work of art reminiscent of Stonehenge.
It’s not news that to save the plant we need to move away from using coal. Every few days, it seems, someone else is getting on board. Yesterday, for example, I saw that a big Italian insurance company decided to stop insuring coal plants. (Story at Reuters, here.) And remember this post about a German coal town turning an old mine into a giant, water-powered battery?
Well, human ingenuity continues to work at the problem of coal mines present and past. In this story, a Scottish mine was turned into artwork.
Writes Contemporist, “Landscape artist Charles Jencks has completed the transformation of Crawick Multiverse, a former coal mine that has now become a 55-acre artland, visitor attraction and public amenity. …
“Crawick Multiverse is a major land restoration and art project in Dumfries & Galloway, utilising landscape art to transform a former open cast coal mine into an outdoor space that can be enjoyed by future generations.
“Privately funded by the Duke of Buccleuch and designed by globally-renowned landscape artist Charles Jencks, Crawick Multiverse … links the themes of space, astronomy and cosmology, creating a truly inspiring landmark that will appeal to everyone from art enthusiasts and scientists to the wider community. …
“The site is managed by the Crawick Artland Trust which includes trustees from the local communities surrounding the site.”
The BBC adds that the project “follows on from other works by Mr Jencks including the likes of Northumberlandia in north east England, the Garden of Cosmic Speculation north of Dumfries and the Beijing Olympic Park’s Black Hole Terrace.
“He said: ‘This former open cast coal site, nestled in a bowl of large rolling hills, never did produce enough black gold to keep digging. But it did, accidentally, create the bones of a marvellous ecology.
” ‘The landscape had to be healed, it had to welcome the nearby communities of Sanquhar, Kelloholm and Kirkconnel, and help restore the locality both economically and ecologically.’ ” More.
More great pictures at Contemporist, here.
Suzanne's Mom's Blog 
Beautiful. Thank you for sharing that information. Sebby
LikeLike
I visited Scotland many years ago. Looks like it’s time to go back.
LikeLike
I’ve only been once but would love to go again. It’s such a beautiful country. Hope you get there again.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very beautiful. Thank You sharing this with us.
Have a good day!
LikeLike
If we have imagination, we really can make beauty from ugliness.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Finnish people can create art from Clay:
Crazy Clay Art
LikeLike
Wonderful! Gotta love those Finns!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank You. We have many kinds of art, ice, snow, sand, carved art. We love carved bears which means we have also bear carving contests.
LikeLike
Super!
LikeLike
I am glad that You loved the creativity of people of Helsinki.
LikeLike
That is beautiful! Not an eyesore now!
LikeLike
It takes a certain eye to be able to see the artistic possibilities of an abandoned coal mine.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Taking lemons and making lemonade! It’s neat that it brings to mind ancient stone circles and tombs.
LikeLike
It helps to have a duke on your side for a monumental art project.
LikeLike
I read about this I’ll in a cool alternative math book: Bedtime Math. Favorite line from the article: “The cheese can reach up to 70 to 80 mph as it topples down the hill”
LikeLike
Alternative math sounds like something I need!
LikeLiked by 1 person