Trifter

The sculpture is on the site of the former Sutton Manor Colliery. It is 20m (66 feet) in height and is constructed of 90 blocks of concrete containing marble aggregate.

 It started three years ago when a group of miners who had been friends and worked together at the colliery, applied to the council for a grant to create a piece of art.

“We didn’t want the site to die as a whole” said former miner Gary Conley. “We wanted something that would create a visitor attraction.”

 “The Dream” represents the face of a 9 year old girl with her eyes closed in a dream like state; reflecting on what used to be on the site – a mine, but also looking to the future. The porcelain appearance of the sculpture is in sharp contrast to the blackness of the coal that lay in the mine beneath.

 This was a unique project bringing together miners and artist. A total contrast between the miners who worked in the dark and the artist whose work is based around light

The Spanish sculptor, Jaume Plensa who met the miners to formulate the design for the piece, said the miners had said to him “you must remember – working in the dark: light is a dream”

It was these words that conceived the sculpture.

 The sculpture cost £1.9m, but is not being paid for by the local council.

Council leader, Counsellor Brian Spencer, himself a former miner, stated that the money was coming from grants from various sources including “the Forestry Commission and the North-West Development Agency.”

 At the “unveiling” sculptor Jaume Plensa said “It is a very special day, the end of a very, very long road.”

As for creating a visitor attraction, Gary Conley said oh yes “we’ve certainly done that.”

 “The Dream” is located close to junction 7 on the M62.

Pictures

Sutton Manor Colliery

The view from the M62 during construction

The final piece being put into place.

Dreaming

The miner and the dream. (Gary Conley)

The images used are screen shots by the author.

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