The Commission

Artstation is commissioned to create an artist’s interpretation of flat holm to complement a wider NLHF-funded historic interpretation project which includes the repair of buildings and monuments to improve the visitor experience both on the on the island and the barrage.

Artstation was commissioned to design

• a waymark sculpture for the barrage

• a processional walk for the barrage

• a creative interpretation website

Overall Vision and Concept

Separating Flat Holm and Cardiff Bay barrage are the treacherous tidal waters of the Severn estuary. The island is not easy to reach or understand from afar and only a few visitors will catch the boat out there. To unfold Flat Holm’s secrets, therefore, requires a leap of imagination and new ways of stimulating exploration and discovery.  The work draws on many themes in Flat Holm’s history, to provide a new lens on the island’s heritage.

Communication and Navigation
Out in the Severn estuary around Flat Holm, there exists a rich maritime language still a vivid part of the heritage of shipping today. We draw upon highly visual maritime communication flags, glyphs, buoys and Morse code sounds.

Marconi’s work was an influence on the proposed creative interpretation, not the person or his beliefs. He was publically identified as an antisemite in research which came to light through the press in 2022. City Council’s statement agreed the focus of the work was on the significance of wireless technology and the ‘Giant Leap’ of the world's first transmission between Flat Holm and Lavernock Point in 1897.

Sculpture
The commission will be made from recycled Jarrah or Hornbeam ironwood railway sleepers. The hardy material was originally imported from Malesia or Southeast Asia during the Victorian era. The sculpture titled ‘Radio Flartholm’ re-uses the heritage materials, configuring them through the modem CADCAM technique of 3D carving into a way mark sculpture for the Cardiff Barrage cycle path, where we hope it will become a lasting commemorative symbol and a great photo opportunity for visitors. The sculpture was created at Boyesen Design.

Flag Walk - large colourful nautical flags will spell out a message on the barrage cycle way - developed through public workshops looking at Marconi’s time on the Island. 

Filming and visual images - Drone aerial photography has been undertaken to create a 3D interactive media map of Flat Holm. A media platform allowing visitors to look at the island from all angles, to orientate and learn 6 interpreted heritage sites through the poetry of Philip Gross and character monologues in English and Welsh by Wyn Mason.

Audio Recordings - Binaural recordings have been used by Council in community workshops for people who are visually impaired. 3D sound give great immersion helping the listener to feel what it’s like on the island. High-quality spatial sound recordings will be streamed through the media platform for earphones.

website contents:

6 interpretive poetry films

1 film documenting a trip up into the lighthouse with Trinity engineers on HMS Mier.

A collection of images documenting the creative process.

A variety of sound recordings of selected places on the island.

3 podcasts

1. the transmission - people and events on the beach in 1897

2. two doctors reflect on differences between covid and cholera on the island with the artist

3. the artist sea kayaking across the perilous waters to mark the heritage route of the worlds first wireless transmission.

A 3D photogrammetry interactive model of Flat Holm ass an interface for the media above.

In collaboration with poet Philip Gross, writer Wyn Mason, sound artist Mike Fedeski, and drone filming and point cloud capture by Dr Mark Palmer.

Further information and arts pages will become available through the Cardiff Harbour Authority website later in 2023: https://art.flatholmisland.com. A link will be provided when available.
The project is funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund.