LX5 - Guardian of the Valleys - a "Man of Steel" commemorating men of iron

I was lucky enough to have the LX5 with me last weekend on a visit to south Wales, where we paid an unplanned visit to Six Bells / Abertillery, to see the "Guardian of the Valleys" - a fairly new statue that commemorates the Six Bells Colliery Disaster, that occurred here on 28 June 1960.


The 'Guardian', overlooking Six Bells.


The Guardian of the Valleys, Six Bells, Abertillery, South Wales


The Guardian, reflected in the wetland garden


Emerging from the forest

On 28 June 1960 at approximately 10.45, an explosion took place in the West District of the Old Coal Seam of the Six Bells Colliery. Coal-dust in the air ignited and the explosion spread underground, killing 45 out of the 48 men working in that part of the mine. The Inspector of Mines later reported that the probable cause of the explosion was firedamp ignited by a spark from a stone falling onto a steel girder. Lethal concentrations of carbon monoxide gas were found to be present, suggesting that the men lost consciousness rapidly and that death occurred within minutes.

In 2010, a 20-metre high statue called "The Guardian of the Valleys" was erected near the site of the old colliery to commemorate the 1960 disaster. The statue, depicted in these images, was designed by Sebastian Boyesen and is fabricated using thousands of steel ribbons.

The statue and the memorial wetland garden nestled in these wooded valleys combine to make this place special; tranquil, now that coal-mining is almost disappeared from these valleys.

Thanks for looking.

--
Paul

Lovely photos Paul I know this part of the world my Father and his brothers went down the pits when they were 14 years old and they worked in the Ferndale pit where the seams in some places were less than 3ft high and had a lot of water laying in them. Very hard times and not that long ago really.
lee

Thanks for posting this set and the background info. Your photos do a nice job of explaining the setting and its monument. It reawakened my recollection of news stories of the tragic accident so many years ago.

Your pictures convey a good sense of the monument's scale and materials. The rich color contrast of rust against the greenery catches the eye.

Fine set, Paul.. lovely work, especially like the last two images for attractive composition by inclusion of statue reflection, and good contrast of colors in the last photo - rust at work? .. thank you also for interesting narrative.

Cheers,

Thank you for sharing this great set of photos.

What I find most striking is the material and construction method. Even though its been standing for decades, it still looks so very fragile. Just like human life. Perhaps that's what the artist intended.

These are lovely images, especially viewed at full size to appreciate the fine details of the statue. The first one is really nice, how you can see through the statue and the pretty village in the background. The shot with the water reflection is beautiful too.

What a sad story about the miners. Undoubtedly one of the most hazardous occupations.

Good set Paul. Is this another Anthony Gormley sculpture?

Nice photos. The first one is my favorite with the town in the background. That is a sad event that took place and this is a beautiful tribute. Thanks for sharing these.

-Tim

Very nice set of images with a fine explanation using words and images! Impressive statue.

Pap

Thanks for the comments Lee.

It was especially poignant reading the names on the information boards there (and on the memorial itself) to learn that the list of the fatalities contained a few sets of fathers and sons, with fathers in their forties and sons in their teens; and a pair of twins.

Difficult times for the families left behind and a difficult way to earn a living for the survivors - as I guess you know yourself from tales told by your own relatives.

Paul

Many thanks for your kind comments.

Paul

Many thanks Bruno,

Some time ago, my wife and I were lucky enough to meet with an artist who had spent a year with the south Wales miners, just before the industry was wound down to a great extent in the 1980s. Some of the paintings which she created at that time were brought together for the inauguration of this Six Bells memorial back in 2010. Unfortunately, the artist wasn't able to attach the arms to the statue before it's unveiling on the anniversary of the disaster, but they were 'retro-fitted' soon thereafter.

The rusting steel presents a lovely tonal contrast to the deciduous woodland in the valley behind - and this must look stunning on a sunny day. The horizontal slivers of steel from which the statue is formed were designed to take on a rusty patina, but the arrangement of the thousands of layers confuses the camera's sensor, leading to unavoidable moire patterning.

All the best,

Paul

Many thanks for the kind comments Yuki.

Many thanks for the kind words, Pap!

Paul

Many thanks Tim!