''The Diver'' (full name:''The Diver:Regeneration'') is a

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 ...

by John Kaufman located in the

River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, se ...

at Rainham, east London. ''The Diver'' is made of

galvanised Galvanization or galvanizing ( also spelled galvanisation or galvanising) is the process of applying a protective zinc coating to steel or iron, to prevent rusting. The most common method is hot-dip galvanizing, in which the parts are submerged ...

steel Steel is an alloy made up of iron with added carbon to improve its strength and fracture resistance compared to other forms of iron. Many other elements may be present or added. Stainless steels that are corrosion- and oxidation-resistant ty ...

bands on a steel frame and is tall and approximately wide and is partly submerged every high

tide Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravity, gravitational forces exerted by the Moon (and to a much lesser extent, the Sun) and are also caused by the Earth and Moon orbiting one another. Tide t ...

and totally submerged by spring and neap tides. ''The Diver'' is constructed from (approx.) 300 m of galvanised steel banding and 3000 nuts and bolts and weighs 3 tons. It is secured into the Thames mud.

History

John Kaufman (1941–2002) was a self-taught sculptor living and working in the

London Borough of Havering The London Borough of Havering () in East London, England, forms part of Outer London. It has a population of 259,552 inhabitants; the principal town is Romford, while other communities are Hornchurch, Upminster, Collier Row and Rainham. The ...

, East London. Inspired by prominent public artist Don Rankin to create his own piece of public art, John embarked on the Diver project in 1995. Initially he financed the project himself but later received funding from

Cleanaway {{Infobox company , name = , logo = Cleanaway logo.png , type = , traded_as = {{{ASX, CWY , fate = , successor = , founded = 1979 , founder = Brambles , defunct ...

, a local refuse company. Receiving mentoring from Don Rankin, support from the Havering London Borough Council in the person of Adam Nardell and additional financial support from friend, John Bowyer, John was able to complete and site the statue in August 2000 in its current location. It was installed at 3:30 am in order to avoid river traffic. The piece is inspired by Kaufman's own family history. His grandfather Friederich Johann Andreas Kaufmann was a diver in the

London Docks London Docklands is the riverfront and former docks in London. It is located in inner east and southeast London, in the boroughs of Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Lewisham, Newham, and Greenwich. The docks were formerly part of the Port of L ...

Public Monument and Sculpture Association
– National Recording Project c. 1900. The sculpture stands as a monument to this man and all working men of the area who have worked in difficult and dangerous conditions. Soon after the completion of the sculpture, John fell ill and died in 2002. After his death, a wake was held at the location of the sculpture with family and friends.

Location

The sculpture is sited in the River Thames in Rainham, East London. It can be reached from the Ferry Lane Industrial area and Coldharbour Lane. The car park is found by passing the Tilda rice warehouse.

References

External links

www.thediversculpture.com
– Official Sculpture Website
www.mylondondiary.co.uk
– Image of sculpture {{DEFAULTSORT:Diver Media and communications in the London Borough of Havering Buildings and structures on the River Thames Outdoor sculptures in London Steel sculptures in England 2000 sculptures

History

Location

See also

References

External links