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Dream

Dream is a sculpture and public artwork by Jaume Plensa in Sutton, St Helens, Merseyside. Funded through The Big Art Project with support from Arts Council England, The Art Fund and Channel 4, it cost about £1.8 million. The work is an elongated white structure, cast as the head and neck of a young woman with her eyes closed in meditation, and coated in sparkling white Spanish dolomite. Plensa described it as representing the future. The sculpture was originally conceived with a beam of light from the top of the head, under the working title Ex Terra Lucem, though it was not lit due to objections from the Highways Agency. Plensa won the 2009 Marsh Award for Excellence in Public Sculpture for this work.

The Dream sculpture by Jaume Plensa, a tall white head and neck with closed eyes, against a blue sky with clouds.
The Dream sculpture by Jaume Plensa rises above the trees under a partly cloudy sky in St Helens.
August 2019 © · CC BY-SA 2.0
Dream sculpture, a tall white head and neck with closed eyes, standing on a circular base under a cloudy sky.
Dream, the monumental white head sculpture by Jaume Plensa, rises above its base under a cloudy sky.
August 2009 © · CC BY-SA 2.0
The Dream sculpture, a pale segmented head and neck with closed eyes, stands against dark cloudy skies.
The Dream sculpture rises dramatically against a dark sky.
April 2009 © · CC BY 2.0
Dream, a tall white sculpture of a serene face with closed eyes, rising above its stepped base with people nearby for scale.
Dream by Jaume Plensa rises above the former Sutton Manor coalfield, with visitors gathered at its base.
August 2009 © · CC BY-SA 2.0
The Dream sculpture stands tall with a serene face under a cloudy sky, while a worker in a blue hydraulic lift works near the base.
The Dream sculpture near completion at Sutton Manor, with construction equipment visible below.
April 2009 © · CC BY-SA 2.0

Identification

TitleDream
Original titleSen
Typesculpture and public art

Creator

ArtistJaume Plensa

Historical context

Year unveiled2008
First proposed2003
ProjectChannel 4's The Big Art Project
Fundingfunded through The Big Art Project in coordination with the Arts Council England, The Art Fund and Channel 4

Discovery and provenance

Related local monumentsthe wrought iron gates of Sutton Manor Colliery, The Landings by Thompson Dagnall, and Arthur Fleischmann's Anderton Shearer monument
Cultural contextSt Helens retains strong cultural ties to the coal industry
Associated landscapingplans involved a full landscaping of the surrounding area
Site historyplaced on the site of the former Sutton Manor Colliery, a closed coal mine; the land had been allowed to go wild after the pit closed; coal remains in the ground beneath the sculpture
Purposeto fill the empty site left by the former Sutton Manor Colliery coal mine
Proposed as part ofa private-sector-led regeneration strategy in the St Helens district
Community involvementApproximately 15 former miners from the colliery were involved
Commissioned bylocal community, largely made up of former miners who had worked in this industrial region of England
Commissioning processSelected through a consultation and commission process involving the council and local residents

Physical characteristics

Height20 meters
Formelongated head and neck of a young woman with closed eyes
Appearancewhite, almost luminescent finish; contours and reflections change with weather and lighting
Subjecthead of a nine-year-old girl

Materials

Materialsparkling white Spanish dolomite
Additivetitanium dioxide
Concrete aggregatedolomite
Sculpture materialmoulded and cast unique concrete shapes

Technique

Foundationextends into the ground and is secured by 8 driven piles
Head elements54 individual elements
Number of pieces90 pieces in all
Number of tiersover 14 tiers
Casting duration60 days
Construction methodindividual moulds were required for each piece

Appearance

Lighting designoriginal design called for a skyward beam of light from the top of the head
Lighting statusnot lit due to objections from the Highways Agency
Later planningin 2010 a new planning application was submitted to St Helens Council to floodlight the sculpture
Colorwhite
Finishbrilliant white

Iconography and meaning

Artist statementPlensa said that when he first came to the site he thought something coming out of the earth was needed, and decided to do a head of a nine-year-old girl representing the idea of the future
Symbolic comparisonintended to become as powerful a symbol in North West England as Antony Gormley's Angel of the North is in North East England
Contrast referencethe white dolomite coating contrasts with the coal that used to be mined in the area
Working title referencea reference to St Helens' previous motto
Working title meaningFrom the ground, light
Working titleEx Terra Lucem
Interpretationthe closed eyes evoke sleep or a dream
Symbolismsymbolizes the post-industrial transformation of St Helens
Meaningintended to honor the heritage of the place and represent the idea of the future

Location and ownership

LocationSutton Manor Woodland, Sutton, St Helens, Merseyside, England
Location of siteSt Helens district, England
Regionthe area between Liverpool and Manchester
Roleintended to become a regional landmark
Tourist attraction statushas been a tourist attraction since its unveiling
Reported annual visitors35 million visitors per year

History and restoration

Costapproximately £1.8 million; another source says nearly £1.9 million
Award nominationnominated for the Marsh Sculpture Prize
Award2009 Marsh Award for Excellence in Public Sculpture