Title of work Seabird Navigators
Client Bow Arts & Sir William Burrough School London
Date of work 2025
Medium Wall installation - Jesmonite, Acrylic, Aluminium, Mild Steel, MDF
Installed Venues Lower hall at Sir William Burrough School, Limehouse, London

I worked with Y3-Y4 students from Sir William Burrough School on the 'Seabird Navigators' project to create an installation in the school's lower hall where children and parents meet. The theme of the project is Navigation - the school’s emblem is a compass that is represented by seabirds that link to the themes of navigation, the school’s location by the river and historic Limehouse docks, and sustainability.

Children looked at particular seabirds; Fulmar, Puffin, Kittiwake, Gull (Herring Gull), Shearwater, Gannet (all threatened uk residents species) and created their own bird on MDF. Colour was applied to the underside and edges of the bird to create a muted colour reflection on the wall that plays with the light. I created a life-sized Albatross sculpture with a mild metal armature body layered with jesmonite and aluminium wings and installed in the centre. The model for the bird is a Laysan Albatross called ”Wisdom”, at least 74 years old, she is the world's oldest known wild bird and her newest chick hatched at Midway Atoll in January 2025. However, 15 of the 22 albatross species are threatened with extinction.

I installed the children's seabird artworks on every wall, 360 degrees as if they are flying in different directions, suggesting the children's many possible directions for the future.