Tony Garofalo
Inside the Atom
The “Atom” panoptican (www.flickr.com/photos/67668518@N08/9301635536/) is a popular artwork in rural north-east Lancashire. It is located approximately 3 miles east-southeast of Colne (“Roaring River”) and stands in the car park and picnic area of Wycoller (“Dairy Farm among the Alder Trees”) Country Park, on the Laneshaw Bridge to Haworth (“Enclosure with a Hedge”) road.
The bronze-coated glass reinforced concrete structure was officially opened to the public on 22nd September 2006 and was designed by Peter Meacock, Andrew Edmunds and Katarina Novomestska of Peter Meacock Projects. It occupies a commanding position on the hillside above Wycoller village and affords spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. Indeed, the panoptican was intended to be not just a work of art, but also to be a viewing point and a shelter. Inside the panoptican there used to be a large, polished steel ball that was mounted on the pillar in the centre. The ball reflected the views to be seen through each of the openings in the panoptican and it was an important piece of the design. Sadly and for reasons known only to themselves, mindless vandals have felt the need to hack off the ball and an important feature of the design has been lost.
The picture was taken inside the atom, looking out of the apertures on the west wall. Unfortunately much of the visual impact has been lost now that the internal globe has been removed.
Inside the Atom
The “Atom” panoptican (www.flickr.com/photos/67668518@N08/9301635536/) is a popular artwork in rural north-east Lancashire. It is located approximately 3 miles east-southeast of Colne (“Roaring River”) and stands in the car park and picnic area of Wycoller (“Dairy Farm among the Alder Trees”) Country Park, on the Laneshaw Bridge to Haworth (“Enclosure with a Hedge”) road.
The bronze-coated glass reinforced concrete structure was officially opened to the public on 22nd September 2006 and was designed by Peter Meacock, Andrew Edmunds and Katarina Novomestska of Peter Meacock Projects. It occupies a commanding position on the hillside above Wycoller village and affords spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. Indeed, the panoptican was intended to be not just a work of art, but also to be a viewing point and a shelter. Inside the panoptican there used to be a large, polished steel ball that was mounted on the pillar in the centre. The ball reflected the views to be seen through each of the openings in the panoptican and it was an important piece of the design. Sadly and for reasons known only to themselves, mindless vandals have felt the need to hack off the ball and an important feature of the design has been lost.
The picture was taken inside the atom, looking out of the apertures on the west wall. Unfortunately much of the visual impact has been lost now that the internal globe has been removed.