Glasgow’s latest sculpture was unveiled recently and I took advantage of the good weather on Sunday afternoon to pay it a visit.
Commissioned by Scottish Canals, The Beithir, or ‘Bella and the Seven Winds,’ is an artwork by Nichol Wheatley with Louise Nolan and Ruth Impey as part of the regeneration of the area which includes the striking Stockingfield Bridge across the Forth and Clyde Canal and linking the communities of Ruchill, Gilshochill and Maryhill.
The Beithir is a Scottish mythological creature (one of many!) and is a ‘lightning serpent’ representing summer storms in folklore. It has been given the nickname Bella and has seven ‘winds’ along the length of its body.
The sculpture is a mosaic containing many representations of Glasgow and, specifically, the local area. Only the head and ‘neck’ have been completed so far and the artists’ intention is to engage the local communities in designing other features over the next five years.
The China Penguin 