A half-tonne “storm-proof” art installation which disappeared during the winter gales has been recovered – looking a little the worse for wear.
‘Still’, a statue of a mirrored figure which stood in Loch Earn, Perthshire, vanished in early January when 114mph winds hit the area.
The 10ft-high piece has finally been fished out of the loch, had its head reattached, and restored to – almost – its former glory.
Sculptor Rob Mulholland, who installed the statue for the Four Seasons Hotel in May last year, was helped by locals in the tricky job of finding and recovering the artwork, nicknamed Mirror Man.
The figure consists of hundreds of tiny pieces which act like mirrors, and was specially designed to allow wind and water to flow through it to minimise any potential damage.
The statue was installed after four similar artworks on loan to the hotel proved popular with visitors.
The mirrored form is designed to appear as if it is continually changing, reflecting the light, rippling water, rocks on the beach and the ever-changing Scottish weather.
Mr Mulholland said: “I was a wee bit gutted when I saw the damage, but it’s just one of those things. You can see he’s been knocked around a bit and has been scratched by some of the rocks.
“What we’ll do next is get a digger to install a concrete base which we will bolt him to, making him more sturdy. We’re also considering taking him out of the water during the winter months to make sure that this doesn’t happen again.
“I’m hoping to have him restored to his former glory and back up within the next month. It’ll mainly be a case of re-welding some parts and then giving him a polish.”
