"TRANSITION"
Helix - Spiral - Boat

Created by Chrysalis Arts and the pupils and staff of St Paul's and Piper Hill High Schools for their new entrance atrium, the project was commissioned by Manchester City Council for their Building Schools for the Future programme.

Chrysalis Arts have worked with the students and staff of St Paul's and Piper Hill High Schools to create a new artwork to celebrate the two schools coming together on one site and to symbolise the 'transition' to a new beginning.

The helix spiral is a fundamental and dynamic form in nature and the concept of a sailing boat is associated with travel, adventure, history and geography and the aspiration of making a journey by harnessing the earth's natural resources in a sustainable way.

The helix spiral is made from the wooden spars from the climbing frame that used to be in the Gym Hall at St Paul's School.

The spiral banners symbolise the boat sails and have words printed on them that were written by students in different languages, the words are all associated with moving, transition, journey.

The ropes and twine are made from natural flax and cotton that have been spliced and knotted in a similar way to traditional boat rigging.

The boat is made from stainless steel and the hull is a series of banners made from natural cotton hopsack with designs by the school students working with the artists; Van Nong, Kate Maddison, Rebecca Stoner and the staff of both schools.

The bow and stern bulkheads and tiller are assembled from salvaged woodwork and metalwork tools and a hand made harp from St Paul's School.

TRANSITION is suspended in the school's main entrance atrium and can be raised and lowered on an aluminium truss frame suspended from the ceiling.