Bronze Fishermen Statue Casts a Catchy Tribute to Seaside Legends

A new bronze sculpture has been installed at Smeaton's Pier in St Ives, Cornwall, to honor the town's rich maritime heritage. The artist, Tom Leaper, is well known for his previous memorial to lost fishermen in Newlyn, which was put up in 2007. This new artwork features two bronze fishermen holding a basket filled with pilchards, a type of fish that was once very important to the local economy. Tom Leaper, who is an older man with short grey hair and glasses, spent four years creating this sculpture. He funded the project mainly by selling 65 miniature versions of the piece, rather than applying for grants from arts organizations. He explained that he prefers not to deal with the paperwork and rules that come with official funding.

The sculpture is quite large and heavy, weighing about 350 kilograms, which is roughly 770 pounds. Installing such a heavy piece on a pier that is constantly exposed to wind, rain, and sea spray was a big challenge. Tom designed the plinth, or base, with a special hole so he could crawl inside and bolt it securely to the pier. He also made sure to use a stainless steel support structure inside the plinth, but he kept it from touching the bronze by placing a gasket between the metals. This is important because salt from the sea can cause different metals to react and corrode. Tom wanted the sculpture to last for decades, so he took extra care with these details.

Artistically, Tom said this new sculpture is more angular than his previous work in Newlyn. He drew inspiration from famous St Ives artists like Barbara Hepworth and Alfred Wallis. The sculpture also includes many pilchards, which are a nod to the town's fishing history. In the 19th century, St Ives was famous for its pilchard catches. On one day, the town landed 61 million pilchards, and at that time, there were no tourists—fishing was the main way people made a living. Tom said the people of St Ives asked him to create this sculpture after seeing his work in Newlyn, but they wanted something that celebrated their heritage rather than just remembering those lost at sea. He hopes the sculpture will remind everyone of the town's past and the hard work of its fishermen. The new artwork stands as a proud symbol of St Ives' connection to the sea and its history.