To the People of the Sea

To the People of the Sea is a public sculpture at East Strand, Portrush that takes its inspiration from both sails and the sea alike: the iconic Drontheim’s sails become a metaphor for the surface of the sea; the flapping sails metamorph into crests of breaking waves as the bellowing sail canvas is turned into sheets of glistening bronze. The sculpture is a metaphorical vessel for sea-related imagery that offers many angles of interpretation: It suggests a sea crature emerging out of the depth of Irish mythology and awakes associations with prehistoric megaliths brought to this coast by early seafarers. Its vertical surface of an angry ocean is a reminder of legendary voyages that passed through the historic waters of Moyle while the deep blue colour gives a glimpse of the depth of the ocean.  

The 4.2m high repoussé bronze sculpture by Holger Lönze was completed in 2011.
The work was nominated for the prestigious Marsh Award for Excellence in Public Sculpture in 2012