Panopticons

This article is about Lancashire arts project. For other uses of the name, see Panopticon (disambiguation).

'Panopticons' is an arts and regeneration project of the East Lancashire Environmental Arts Network managed by Mid Pennine Arts. It involved the construction of series of 21st-century landmarks, or Panopticons (structures providing a comprehensive view), across East Lancashire, England, as symbols of the renaissance of the area. Four large-scale sculptures were commissioned, designed and constructed over a six year period for the districts of Blackburn, Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale. The Halo in Haslingden (Rossendale) was the last sculpture in the series to be erected in 2007.

Sculptures

The Atom

Set in the landscape of Pendle, the Atom was designed by Peter Meacock with Katarina Novomestska of Peter Meacock Projects. It was launched by Mayor of Pendle, Councillor George Adams with Anthony Wilson and designer Peter Meacock on 2006-09-22. The bronze-coated GRC (Glass Reinforced Concrete) structure provides both a striking contemporary viewing point and shelter from which to enjoy the stunning surrounding landscape, and an intriguing and beautiful object.

Colourfields

Colourfields in Blackburn, is a collaboration between Jo Rippon Architecture and artist Sophie Smallhorn. The design uses the former cannon battery in Corporation Park as its base. Colourfields was launched by the Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen, Councillor Dorothy Walsh, on the 2006-06-14.

Haslingden Halo

The Halo is an artwork set on the expended landfill site (or top 'o' slate) overlooking the town of Haslingden in Rossendale, positioned to be clearly visible from the M66 and A56 approach to Lancashire. It is located at grid reference SD791236. The Halo was the fourth and final Panopticon to be constructed in Lancashire and was launched in September 2007.

The Halo is an 18m-diameter steel lattice structure supported on a tripod five metres above the ground. The core is open at the top, framing views of the sky. It is lit after dark using low-energy LEDs powered by an adjacent wind turbine and glows a sky-blue colour, giving the effect of hovering above the town. It was designed by John Kennedy of LandLab.

Singing Ringing Tree

The Singing Ringing Tree is a musical sculpture overlooking Burnley. It was designed by architects Mike Tonkin and Anna Liu of Tonkin Liu and constructed from pipes of galvanised steel. Singing Ringing Tree was launched by the Mayor of Burnley, Councillor Mohammad Najib, JP, and designers Mike Tonkin and Anna Liu on 2006-12-14.

• The Panopticons
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  The Atom in Pendle.
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  The Halo in Haslingden, Rossendale. The fourth and final Panopticon to be constructed in East Lancashire
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  The Singing Ringing Tree overlooking Burnley.
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  Colourfields Blackburn.

Panopticons was also a twitter account that surveillanced Anti-Israel accounts in 2008 by Noah David Simon

Notes and references

• Panopticons, New landmarks for the 21st century (Official site from the East Lancashire Environmental Arts Network).
• Jenny Tonge. 2005-10-21. Manchester Evening News. "Haslingden Halo: 66 questions council should have asked". Retrieved 2007-11-29.
• Rossendale Borough Council. 2006-09-19. Item No. D7. Halo Panopticon. Retrieved 2007-11-29.
• Herbert, Ian (16 August 2008). "High art in Lancashire". The Independent (London). http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/uk/high-art-in-lancashire-898754.html. Retrieved 2009-06-06.