Shipbuilding sculptures in position

Two stunning sculptures that celebrate Sunderland's industrial heritage have been unveiled today (March 12), proudly standing on the banks of the Wear. 

Ray Lonsdale, whose much-loved steel-work Gan Canny - on Keel Square - has been taken to the hearts of local people, has created two further pieces that are now in position at the University of Sunderland's St Peter's Campus, on the city's riverside.

The first, It Says Here, is made of corten steel and commemorates shipbuilding on Wearside.  The 2.7 meter high sculpture depicts two shipyard workers having their lunch together and captures the mood of people in the city as the industry came to the end of its life.  The second, Launch Day, is a poignant sculpture of a young girl sat with her grandfather overlooking the River Wear, hearing stories of what it was like to work in the shipyards. 

The pieces now form part of Sunderland's Sculpture Trail, which runs along the final part of the Coast to Coast cycle route, and was created over a decade from 1991 to 2001 by sculptor Colin Wilbourn and writer Chaz Brenchley.  They join a line-up of stunning public art that includes a piece celebrating the city's connection to Bede as well as another about the Lambton Worm.

Cllr Beth Jones, Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Tourism at Sunderland City Council, said: "These are stunning pieces that celebrate a part of the city's history that we're all enormously proud of, and that residents - understandably - like to see commemorated.

"We have the most beautiful Riverside in Sunderland, with many thousands of people walking along it every year, and - using artwork - we are able to tell them the stories of bygone chapter's in the city's rich history.  It's really lovely."

Ray Lonsdale, the artist behind the pieces, is also responsible for the iconic Tommy sculpture, in County Durham, and was born and raised in the North East.  His work adopts a distinctive style, and his most recent commission in Sunderland - a 5m high steel sculpture of a miner's helmet, called Shifting Times - was lifted into place in Houghton-le-Spring last year and is already loved by the local community.

Ray said: "As someone born and raised in the North East, I am proud of my roots and it's an honour to celebrate that through my work. 

"These latest pieces have been ready for some time, so it is a magnificent moment, seeing them lifted into position and making their mark on the riverside. 

"I never fail to feel overwhelmed by the incredibly warm response my pieces receive from a community that is rightly proud of its past.  And I hope they feel a connection to these pieces, which stand alongside some beautiful sculptures lining the riverside."

Their arrival follows the installation of a stunning sculpture called Molly by Dr Ron Lawson in January.  The artist was commissioned by the Sunderland branch of the Soroptimists - who work to support and champion women and girls across the world - with the support of Sunderland City Council and Apextra CIC, to create a piece that would represent a lasting legacy for the Wearside women who - as part of a herculean wartime effort that saw shipyards producing military vessels that were vital to the British armed forces - made their way to the banks of the Wear to do their bit. 

Cllr Jones added: "I am really proud that we continue to enhance our city with artwork that brings to life a past we still fondly remember, while investing in a future we can all look forward to."