Hello and Good Morning on this wet and dull day in February. 2017 is the Hull year of Culture, and in the city centre is installed a massive wind turbine blade. I went to see it on Thursday. This is my first sighting of it as I walked towards it. Oh wow, that looks big, can't get all of it in one picture.
The wider end sits on a cradle quite low to the ground. Close up you can see the the big bolts that fix it to the main tower. It will be a delicate operation when the crane suspends it while the holes are lined up with those on the main tower. It's amazing that those bolts will support the blade however fierce the wind is blowing.
When you look up to the top of a wind turbine it looks as though the blades are straight, they aren't, they are curved. Several seagulls have taken to using it as a resting place.
It is lying at an angle, corner to corner, across Queen Victoria Square.
The narrow end is supported by a cradle, protected by a wooden surround at ground level.
People can walk underneath it. It looks as though those blocks were put there to stop people bumping their heads as it's a bit low on that end, health and safety and all that.
Fascinating how the cradle works. It rests on some kind of webbing, with rubber buffers each side to clamp it into place. The legs are bolted into the ground, it's all very stable.
Here is a little video, found on yooootooob.
Some have disputed whether this is a work of art. I tend to think it is, because of the surrounding location which has been chosen for it. While it is up in the air sitting on top of a tower, it's a piece of machinery doing it's job. While it's down on the ground and can be viewed at close quarters, with a backdrop of ancient buildings, I see it as art. What do you think? Is it art?
The weather was not good for taking photo's, I snapped a couple as I was walking around the Marina.
I went into the Ferens Art Gallery, but sadly there was a 'no photography' rule, which was a shame, because the Open Exhibition which covered three large galleries, and had several hundred artworks, was fantastic. The talent of these local and amateur artists was very awe inspiring, I really enjoyed looking at them. The Open is on until the 12th of March. I highly recommend a visit.
It's still raining, I'll have lunch, and maybe a quick trip to town later. I've had an email I need to reply to in a post, so that's next on the to do list. Sorry to keep you waiting.
Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon. Toodle pip
