''Bigfish'' is a printed ceramic mosaic

sculpture Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...

John Kindness John Kindness (born 1951) is an Irish artist working a range of media including sculpture and painting. His work often contrasts material, image and reference in an unusual and humorous way. Kindness was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He att ...

. The statue was constructed in 1999 and installed on

Donegall Quay Donegall Quay is a public park and Urban open space, greenspace located in Belfast. It borders with Obel Tower and the River Lagan.http://www.futurebelfast.com/property/donegall-quay/ FF References

Parks in Belfast {{Belfast-geo-stub ...

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdo ...

, Northern Ireland, near the Lagan Lookout and

Custom House A custom house or customs house was traditionally a building housing the offices for a jurisdictional government whose officials oversaw the functions associated with importing and exporting goods into and out of a country, such as collecting c ...

. ''The Big Fish''s image appears on

tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring (disambiguation), touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tour (disambiguation), tours. Th ...

material related to Belfast and Northern Ireland.

Construction

The outer skin of the fish is a cladding of ceramic tiles decorated with texts and images relating to the history of Belfast. According to the Belfast City Council, each scale "tells a story about the city". Material from Tudor times to present day newspaper headlines are included along with contributions from Belfast school children (including a soldier and an

Ulster Fry A full breakfast is a substantial cooked breakfast meal, often served in the United Kingdom and Ireland, that typically includes back bacon, sausages, eggs, black pudding, baked beans, some form of potato, tomatoes, mushrooms, toast, and a be ...

). The

Ulster Museum The Ulster Museum, located in the Botanic Gardens in Belfast, has around 8,000 square metres (90,000 sq. ft.) of public display space, featuring material from the collections of fine art and applied art, archaeology, ethnography, treasure ...

provided the primary source of historic images, while local schools/day centres located along the line of the River Farset were approached to provide drawings for the fish. Images were provided by Glenwood Primary School, St Comgalls and Everton Day Centres. ''The Big Fish'' contains a

time capsule A time capsule is a historic cache of goods or information, usually intended as a deliberate method of communication with future people, and to help future archaeologists, anthropologists, or historians. The preservation of holy relics dates ba ...

storing information, images, and poetry on the city.

Commission

The work was commissioned to celebrate the regeneration of the

River Lagan The River Lagan (; Ulster Scots: ''Lagan Wattèr'') is a major river in Northern Ireland which runs 53.5 miles (86 km) from the Slieve Croob mountain in County Down to Belfast where it enters Belfast Lough, an inlet of the Irish Sea. The ...

. The site is a significant landmark as it is the location of the confluence of the

River Farset The River Farset (''An Fhearsaid'' or ''Abhainn na Feirste'' in Irish) is a river in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is a late tributary of the River Lagan. Course Rising on Squire's Hill on the north-western edge of Belfast, the River Farset ...

with the River Lagan (Belfast is named after the River Farset). ''The Big Fish'' was funded by the

Laganside Corporation The Laganside Corporation was a non-departmental public body formed by the Laganside Development (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 with the goal of regenerating large sections of land in Belfast, Northern Ireland adjacent to the River Lagan. This ...

and the National Lottery, through the Big Lottery Fund, through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

Gallery

File:The Big Fish.jpg, Location on raised platform File:Belfast (070), October 2009.JPG, Visitors view ''The Big Fish'' File:The 'Big Fish' - geograph.org.uk - 637926.jpg, Lit up at night File:Belfast (067), October 2009.JPG, Close-up of scales File:Belfast (068), October 2009.JPG, Close-up of scales

Construction

Commission

Gallery

References

See also