Life-size horse statue unveiled on Swansea canal (original) (raw)

When walking past the Swansea canal, you wouldn’t normally see a horse. However, horses near canals were a normal occurrence for hundreds of years until the 1960s, as they were used to tow barges. Now, you can once again see a horse on the canal, just not one that moves or neighs.

Made from more than 800 horseshoes, the new sculpture has been unveiled along a section of the Swansea Canal in the community of Clydach. Swansea Council commissioned this artwork, and it is made by Ollie Holman.

ArtistOllie Holman said: "I've been working with metal from a young age, and over the years, I've created many pieces but this one holds special meaning for me. As a boy, I spent countless hours along the waterways, always finding peace and inspiration in their calm. To now have one of my works standing here, for others to enjoy, fills me with joy.

"I wanted the sculpture to convey the history of the area in an inspiring way. I like to create intrigue with my work, in the hope that people will look closer to investigate and wonder about why it's there and what it invokes."

Ollie Holman with his artwork

The artwork was unveiled as a part of the Welsh Government’s Active Travel Placemaking programme, which aims to add interesting, historic references to the past, along sections of previously completed active travel walking and cycling routes. While the individual cost of the artwork is not available, it is part of a wider £ 156,000 grant by the Welsh Government for the Active Travel programme. For the latest Swansea news, sign up to our newsletter here

This is the first of four pieces of artwork to feature along active travel routes in the city and others will be announced soon. The grant is also used to fund the installation of benches along some routes and also tree planting to further enhance existing routes.

Andrew Stevens, Cabinet Member for Environment and Infrastructure in Swansea, said: "We've recently completed work to upgrade the towpath along the canal, providing excellent walking and cycling facilities. The new sculpture will hopefully further enhance the experience for path users.

"New walking and cycling routes are continuing to be developed throughout Swansea, giving residents and visitors an opportunity to travel in a sustainable and healthy way. Whilst it is important to continue developing new infrastructure for walking and cycling, it is also important to celebrate the past and create points of interest along these routes for the public to enjoy."

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