Field Visit
Date 12 January 2010
Event ID 613430
Category Recording
Type Field Visit
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/613430
The disintegrating gigantic grey figure of Gulliver lies on its back, legs apart and arms away from its side; in rough grass, close to the park boundary on the west side, beside the Niddrie Burn. It resembles a mountain range connected by the tunnels of the arms and legs (now fragmented into three pieces per arm and two per leg). The massive head has hair folds like a mountainside, a flat face with raised forehead and chin and a clearly delineated nose. The eyes and the inside of the nostrils are still painted lime green. The simple torso shows the ribs; both hands and feet are flat to the ground, details rendered by incised lines.
The sculpture is seen by local people as symbolic of the power of 'little' people if they pull together, as a metaphor for the potential of this disadvantaged area to overcome poverty.
The sculpture is also a play structure.
The sculpture was designed by Jimmy Boyle whilst he was an inmate of Barlinnie Prison. It was made by local people.
Inspected By : D. King
Inscriptions : None
Signatures : None
Design period : late 1970s
Information from Public Monuments and Sculpture Association (PMSA Work Ref : EDIN0906)
