Detail View: SHIMMER: Teeming

Title: 
Teeming
Creation Date: 
1991
Image Date: 
1997
Period: 
20th century
Location: 
Sheffield, South Yorkshire
Country: 
ENGLAND, UK
Material: 
bronze
Display Creator: 
BELL, Robin Charles Hungerford
Image ID: 
97-1323
Description: 
General view. Location: Lower floor mall at Meadowhall Shopping Centre. Description: Three steelworkers are engaged in teeming. They display the strenuous nature of this process. The figures, slightly larger than life, are set in the middle of one of Meadowhall's 'streets'. Inscriptions: In bronze on base behind teemer: "Teeming" / by / Robin Bell / 1989-90 Two identical bronze plaques, one at front of work and one at side by teemer: BENJAMIN HUNTSMAN (1704-1770) / WAS A CLOCK & WATCHMAKER FROM DONCASTER / WHO CAME TO SHEFFIELD IN SEARCH / OF QUALITY STEEL FOR CLOCK SPRINGS. / THE TECHNIQUE OF STEEL MAKING WHICH HE DEVELOPED / USING CLAY CRUCIBLE POTS REVOLUTIONISED QUALITY / CONTROL & ENABLED SHEFFIELD STEEL TO / BECOME PRE-EMINENT IN THE PRODUCTION OF STEEL. / A DEVOUT QUAKER, HE ALLOWED NO PORTRAIT / OF HIMSELF TO BE MADE BUT THE CRUCIBLE / METHOD HAS REMAINED AS A TESTAMENT TO HIM. / IT WAS USED FOR MORE THAN 200 YEARS. Commission: Stadium Developers commissioned Robin Bell to produce a piece about Sheffield. Bell had been recommended to the Canadian-based company because his work was in a number of shopping centres in Edmonton. The artist worked from old photographs and contact with retired steelworkers, wanting as much information about the process as possible. The representation is accurate in every detail with the exception of the position of the pot being held up rather than alongside; the slag on the bottom is perfect. Comment: The work commemorates the industry's location in the Don Valley. Meadowhall was built on one of the largest single sites. Largely because of its accurate representation and the attendant associations, 'Steelworkers' is a very popular piece. The face of one of the figures is that of the Canadian artist, who otherwise used photographs from the collections of retired steelworkers in designing this piece.
Rights: 
© Sheffield Hallam University
Permissions: 
For educational use only. This image may be used in print or digital materials provided that full acknowledgment is given, expressed as follows: " © < insert details from the 'Rights' field >. Photographed by < insert details from the 'Photographed by' field >."
Image Storage Location: 
http://helios.shu.ac.uk/97-1323.tif
Photographed by: 
K. Boyd
Creator: 
BELL, Robin Charles Hungerford
Creator Dates - Born: 
1949
Creator Role: 
Sculptor.
Culture Gender: 
Male.
Nationality: 
Canadian.
Subject Heading: 
Public art -- England -- Sheffield
Subject Heading: 
Percent for Art
Subject Heading: 
Shopping malls -- England -- Sheffield
Subject Heading: 
Corporate sponsorship
Subject Heading: 
Steel
Subject Heading: 
Sculpture, Canadian
Subject Heading: 
Sculpture -- England -- Sheffield