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Originally from Cork in Ireland, Jim now lives and works in Scotland.
He is Reader in Fine Art at Gray’s School of Art, Aberdeen, and has undertaken sculpture commissions in many countries including Japan, France, Korea, Ireland and the UK.
Location: Courtyards
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Slinky Tower
This sculpture has been specially designed for the deep well of the courtyard which is overlooked by wards, waiting areas, parent rooms and treatment rooms over five floors. The challenge for the artist was to make a work which was of interest from all
viewpoints during the day and at night.
Jim took his inspiration from the wire Slinky toy and created a dramatic 12 metre high spiral sculpture. Made from stainless steel, the sculpture rises up through the centre of the space. Wrapped around the outside of the spiral are coloured fibreoptic lights. By day, the work stands as a strong feature within the space. By night, the stainless steel seems to disappear as the slowly changing fibreoptic lights in green, yellow, blue, purple and pink wind their way up the spiral – like a colourful line drawing in space.
Installation of Slinky Tower was a spectacle in itself as the 1.5 tonne sculpture was levered over the new five storey building and into one of the courtyards by a 100 tonne crane.
Because it’s a children’s hospital, I approached the project from a slightly different starting point from usual – I looked at children’s toys which is when I came up with the idea of using the Slinky – it’s a toy that appeals across generations too.
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