Construction is well underway on a giant humpback whale that will soon set sail for Dundee before the sculpture is installed at the waterfront.
Work to complete award-winning artist Lee Simmons’ stunning design is in progress, with pictures showing the huge sculpture as it is assembled.
Lee said his design was starting to come together after he visited the factory where work to build the structure is being carried out.
His £134,750 work of art was selected from a shortlist of four by a panel of experts led by Dundee City Council.
Judges said the design was chosen for the city’s historical connections to whaling.
Once complete the humpback whale will board a ship before sailing from the south coast of the UK to Dundee.
Meanwhile, work is underway near the V&A to prepare the site where the whale will eventually be installed.
Artist Lee Simmons said: “Coming together rapidly now, my project on the stunning Dundee Waterfront is starting to all come to life now, in many aspects, from pen and screen into the physicality – that moment when you realise its real.”
“This has been a very intense 12 months, working with a great client in Dundee City Council against a challenging backdrop and with a great delivery team, in what to my mind, has been in record time, from design through to construction.
“This inspiring site and project has been a very multi-faceted project that has pushed me and I thought I would share some glimpses of the projects subtle details.
“From the bespoke Caithness stone pavement that I have designed, that echoes the form and silhouette of the soon to be whale sculpture suspended above in flight, to the various digital and audio interactive elements that will make up the park beneath the canopy of the sculpture, through to the subtle fibre optic lighting, that will grace the whale’s shadow canvas and the surrounding installations.”
The waterfront is in the midst of a £1 billion redevelopment, which includes the whale sculpture and the V&A.
It also includes the recently opened urban beach, which welcomed visitors for the first time after it was delayed due to coronavirus.