THE PIECE DEPICTS A CHRIST LIKE FIGURE SITTING IN A BOAT

THE NAVIGATOR BY MARY GREGORIY

Commissioned by Cork County Council with funding from the Per Cent for Art Scheme for the Great Island water scheme. The set theme was the Christian Millennium and Cobh’s maritime heritage.

The piece depicts a Christ like figure sitting in a boat, which may in fact be a bathtub. It is supposed to represent the guiding force of a benevolent Christ helping weak and vulnerable human beings as we battle against life’s storms. The figure cradles a paper boat in his large hands. This represents the fragile and tenuous nature of our existence. Gently he sets the boat down onto life’s troubled waters. The piece contains the hope that he will always remain in the background to steer and guide us. A sextant leans against the rear of the boat and a compass lies at the base – the tools of the Navigator’s trade.

A fountain is incorporated into the sculpture and water flows from the figure’s hands onto the deck of the boat. The human scale, the water and the robustness of materials have endeared it to children and tourists alike.

Artist’s Website http://marygregoriysculptor.blogspot.ie

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