A NEW sculpture has been unveiled at Church Cliff, tracing the flow of the River Lym as it meets the sea.
Created by sculptor and environmental and sound artist Michael Fairfax, The River Lym Fossilised, can be found on the grass bank below St Michael’s Parish Church.
It is the first sculpture to be installed on the east of the town, extending the well-established Sculpture Trail beyond the Langmoor and Lister Gardens.
The River Lym Fossilised is the second piece of artwork Michael has designed and made for Lyme Regis, the first being Ripple, which can be found in Lister Gardens next to the mini golf hut.
The new sculpture represents the River Lym, carved on both sides of the charred oak.
Michael said: “From the church side, I wanted it to look like a fossil which has been released from the wood within. And the reverse side seen from the sea is the river in negative, almost the riverbed.
“The siting is key – as you approach from the church side, the holes in the sculpture depict and highlight the shape of the river and on certain days, the sun dancing on the sea will be seen through these holes and appear to dance. The fossilised River Lym becomes alive.
“When I was first shown this site, the sun was shining and I could envisage a sculpture letting light through and creating a focal point. There will be times, especially if you get nearer the sculpture, that you can see the sun through the holes.
“From the path below you will look up and the holes of the sculpture and the river will show up against the sky behind and entice the viewer up to investigate the sculpture.
“I hope it will become a special sculpture sited between the gravestone of Mary Anning and below, the sculpture of her.”
The sculpture is carved in oak and charred black, while the metal work on the side and base of the sculpture is steel, which will rust and turn a rich orange/brown colour.
As Michael puts it, ‘an allude to the metal work that can be found around the coast’.
He added: “I have used the heartwood but the sides have traces of sapwood which will in time erode and weather, reminding us of the nature of time.”