Salmon Shoals

Making Marks: Salmon Shoals Steel, Marine Timber, 5m tall, 2008, Either side of the banks of the River Foyle, Londonderry. The river Foyle is known for its salmon stocks and stunning landscape setting, but has for centuries also been a symbol of division between Catholic and Protestant communities. Our aim for this piece has been to create a dialogue across the river, linking two deprived communities. Making Marks worked with a cross cultural mix of young students and youth workers. The workshops covered many aspects relating to the creation of the artworks, looking at history, environment, social inclusion & exclusion, materials and implications on budget. The final artwork consists of 3 tall poles on each bank. The constant changing light and weather are reflected in the mass of stainless steel mirrored fish, each one moving gently with the wind to create a ripple of light and movement. One side reflects the sunrise, and one side reflects the sunset ( sited on the East and West banks of the river). The fish are a reference to the salmon as well as a unifying Christian symbol.