Burgess Lake Sculptural Map

This project was Art in the Park's first opportunity to become involved in the landscaping works to Burgess Park which are still continuing. Groundwork Southwark commissioned the artwork.

We worked with a class of 8 year olds from Cobourg Primary School throughout Autumn term 1997 to produce a sculptural map of Burgess lake, its wildlife and its habitats, to be cast in bronze for permanent siting at a new picnic area by the lake.

The school is actually sited in the park, overlooking the lake and the close proximity aided the first stage of the project, which was for the children to monitor and record the diverse bird population with the artists and a local RSPB member.

They also drew the water patterns and different habitats of the lake, all of which were incorporated into the finished bronze. Close-up observation and drawing of the birds followed.

Research continued with a trip to the British Museum to see how other cultures have represented bird and wildlife in relief. We looked particularly at Egyptian and Abyssinian stone carvings and Benin bronze plaques. Finally, each individual produced a clay relief plaque of a selected bird with suitable habitat background. Kate and Andrea then put together the clay plaques to make one unified sculptural map of Burgess Lake, putting the outline of the lake in and writing all the names of the birds around the edge, so that viewers of the map, once it is sited, will know which birds they might expect to see. The piece was then cast using the "lost-wax" technique.

In March / April 1998 the bronze was sited on a plinth overlooking the lake and its birds.