20th June 2016
White Horse Pacified rides again
Well listeners. This is a bit exciting and no mistake. This week I got a message via the blog from a lady called Julie Livsey – the creator of ‘White Horse Pacified’ – part of the West Swindon Sculpture trail. So this post is White Horse Pacified Rides again!
Said Julie: “It was a lovely surprise to see the image of my sculpture The White Horse Pacified in your article about the Swindon Sculpture Trail. In 1987, when artist in residence for Thamesdown CC , the horse got commissioned. The poet Carol Ann Duffy was Poet in Residence the same year.
If you want any further information about the ins and out of this sculpture I‘m happy to answer your questions.
With best wishes
Julie Livsey”
Wasn’t that lovely? She also kindly scanned and sent across the leaflet about the sculpture. So here it is – straight from the horse’s mouth as it were…
There’s a map and some information about the sculptures on the trail here: https://swindonian.me/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/The-Sculpture-Tour-West-Swindon.pdf
Swindon Link Article – 2019 – From their archives
In March 2018, Swindon Link Magazine wrote: ‘In early 1988 community artist Julie Livsey aimed to complete her large steel and concrete sculpture, White Horse Pacified, by mid-February.
But gale force winds and heavy rain played havoc with her efforts and the Mayor of Thamesdown Peter Owen and council leader Tony Mayer had to unveil the work under the cover of a large tent.
Julie said her work, funded by the Gulbenkian Foundation, represented the ancient ‘God Like’ horses cut into the landscape around Swindon …
… Although there have been a few attempts to clean the imposing landmark, and large willows which were saplings when the White Horse was unveiled were cut back in 2018, the work needs a major makeover, rediscovered and promoted as an important feature in Swindon’s cultural landscape … ‘
Yes! Amen to that. As do all the rest of the sculptures on the trail.
