More details have been added to the Salford horse sculpture that celebrate the city’s history as it begins to be filled with molten bronze.
Sculptor Emma Rodgers has been adding more details to the art installation that is about Salford’s fascinating history. The sculpture shell has also started to get filled with molten bronze.
CC: Emma Rodgers
The piece is set to celebrate the city and its rich history and is expected to stand in Bexley Square.
The horse represents the first horse-drawn bus service in Salford.
When talking about what stage she is at, Emma Rodgers said: “The horse’s head was poured in bronze on Friday (27th November). The rest will probably be cast this week, then we start assembling.”
The process involves molten bronze being poured into the shell. Once poured and cooled, the shell is smashed off to reveal the raw bronze of the sculpture.
Previously Rodgers spoke about how she had cladded the horse with clay but she still had many more details to add.
Rodgers has also added more details to the lamppost which the horse will be tethered to. The lamppost celebrates Chapel Street, the first street to have gas lights in 1806.
She has since added a voting slip and rosette to represent the votes for women and suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst, who lived closed to Bexley Square.
CC: Emma Rodgers
Added to the sculpture are some features that celebrate Salford celebrities such as the poet John Cooper Clarke, musician Peter Hook and William Webb Ellis the supposed inventor of Rugby.
Also included in the sculpture are quotes from Salford City Councilor Stephen Coen who says: “We like to think that the city of Salford helped shape these creative legends that come from this city. People such as Tony Wilson, Albert Finney and Mike Leigh have had a strong Salford base.”
He continued: “it’s important for us to recognise that such world class talented people invariably come from inner cities such as Salford, we share a collective pride in celebrating his impact on the craft of storytelling and acting.”
“It’s good to remind ourselves that there is no limit to what you aspire to be in Salford.”
As well as Councillor Coen, a quote from Salford born filmmaker Mike Leigh, known for Manchester film Peterloo, has also been included, with him saying: “Growing up in Higher Broughton, I saw a lot of films, and I used to sit there thinking, wouldn’t it be great if you could see a film where people were like real people. Most of my ideas about film were formulated as an unconscious reaction to film….
“The Rialto Cinema, Higher Broughton- my glorious alma mater!”
The sculpture also celebrates different aspects of Salford’s history from the first beam of electricity which shone from the roof of Buile Hill in an experiment by William Edwards Staite in 1850, to celebrating the 60-year soap Coronation Street based on the streets of Salford.
Emma Rodgers also discussed how intensive it has been creating the sculpture.
CC: Emma Rodgers
She said: “Each letter has been hand stamped and there are over 70 pages on the lamppost, so it has been very labour intensive. This is the kit I used for the wording (photo to the right).
“From the initial commission I was keen to celebrate and showcase Salford’s rich history and the more I researched the more I discovered, most happening only a few roads from the proposed site for the sculpture.
“It has been a huge part of the project of which I have relished and has given me a greater understanding of the City.
“It truly is a revolutionary city.”
Due to Covid-19 no date has been set yet for when then sculpture will be unveiled on Bexley Square.
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