Giant Goddess to be Carved Into Hillside
Thursday July 2, 2009
More often than not, when I post news stories about a mining company on this blog, it's nearly always in reference to someone who wants to destroy the earth with no regard or reverence whatsoever for the landscape. So when I saw this story out of Northumberland, I have to admit it made me smile.
The Shotton open-cast coal mine opened earlier this year, and rather than just dumping all the excavated dirt in a heap, they've decided to do something good with it. An artist has been commissioned to design a giant goddess statue to be created in the nearby hillside, forming the centerpiece of a new public park.
Local opinion is mixed - some folks say the goddess is a great idea, others pooh-pooh it as a publicity stunt and unecessary waste of money. The park development will cost about 2.5m pounds, and work should begin next year.
What do you think? If you lived nearby, would you want a 400-foot naked goddess peeking at you when you drove down the A1? It's certainly got to be better than some of the things I see when I'm cruising along my local freeway. Seriously, though, I think it's a nice idea. It's aesthetically pleasing, and it serves a purpose that will benefit the local community, so everyone wins.
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The Shotton open-cast coal mine opened earlier this year, and rather than just dumping all the excavated dirt in a heap, they've decided to do something good with it. An artist has been commissioned to design a giant goddess statue to be created in the nearby hillside, forming the centerpiece of a new public park.
Local opinion is mixed - some folks say the goddess is a great idea, others pooh-pooh it as a publicity stunt and unecessary waste of money. The park development will cost about 2.5m pounds, and work should begin next year.
What do you think? If you lived nearby, would you want a 400-foot naked goddess peeking at you when you drove down the A1? It's certainly got to be better than some of the things I see when I'm cruising along my local freeway. Seriously, though, I think it's a nice idea. It's aesthetically pleasing, and it serves a purpose that will benefit the local community, so everyone wins.
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Comments
It sounds great to me. It will be better looking than the trash most people leave on the side of the road and at least relieve the monotony of most long drives. I wish someone would do that here in the states.
Considering the circumstances, it’s very creepy — a rapist of the earth putting up a shrine to his victim while he continues to rape her . . .
Uh… it looks like they are pandering to us earthy types in order to do something bad for the environment and global warming. They’re saying, “Look! Lookie over here at this pretty goddess statue! You like goddesses, don’t you? Yes … oh, no. Not there. Don’t look at that big, ugly hole. Look at the goddess we made for you!”
I don’t like it, and I don’t buy it. NEVER AGAIN THE COAL BURNING!!!
The US raped Mother Earth by having four dead presidents’ heads carved into Mt Rushmore, and the head, arm and a horse’s head and front legs are currently being carved ino the Black Mountains of South Dakota. ALL pagan peoples should protest by writing letters/emails and NOT visiting the site. Has anyone check out mountaintop mining in West Virginia? Google it, and just look at the pictures. Think about what “big coal greed” is doing, and that’s the same thing the Brits are doing over there.
I personally thing you are taking things too seriously. To think that We as humans Have the Power to “Rape” mother earth is outlandish. She was here long before us and will be here long after us.While we are here she provides us with the resources we need and to think we are affecting her more than a mosquito would affect us is something an extremist would say.
Be well.
Hellos,
I agree that it is both a great idea, and a public friendliness stunt.
I would love to see Goddess Mounds in the US; but not at the cost of environmental destruction to do it.
I would rather see the “waste rock” put back when the mine shuts down, and turn the mine into a park; as there will still be a gaping hole next to the current Goddess Mound in its current design.
I also suggest trees for hair, and a shrine so we Pagans can pay our respects
As a Briton I feel offended that the people above are belittling this idea. If the mine was not to be redeveloped it would just become a landfill site. Mining is a necessary thing for survival, and it is not ‘raping the earth’. At least they are trying to redevelop the land and not just leaving it as a scar on the country. We have less land over here than in the US, so we try to repair what damage may have been done. Creating large monuments is a historical tradition, and it is a fine addition to the heritage and history of our country.
I also think it is a great idea!! I wish i lived close so I could go by it everyday!!
I think it is a great idea to do with waste.
More things should be done to enhance artistic abilities with refuse that it going to dumps.
yes some are recycling, but not enough.
I would love to see a Goddess built on our land on freeways, After all, the Female carries and births us all……She is after all, Goddess Gaia being built on the Earth!
I lived in England for a few years and travelled around it several times. Large sexual features on a hillside is nothing new and it does increase the tourism, if for nothing more than curiousity. Would I mind, well, as much of a Goddess worshipper as I am, it would take some getting use to but would I mind, no. That’s what curtains are made for.
I’m sure from the ground you won’t really be able to tell what the sculpture is exactly, and certain it won’t matter that it’s “naked.” The conceptual drawing is just that, a drawing and shown from a high-up position. It looks like it’s going to be amazing.
Great Idea!
It sounds like a wonderful idea…so many industrial situations do nothing but make waste of their by-productsor simply leave behind the scars and remnants of their existance. It’s refreshing to see that there are some who wish to recycle that usually discarded material into something potentially beautiful or useful.
I dont know if I would want a naked Goddess, but I would love to see one.
well growing up in a coal mining town i know first hand what mining ia and what it can do. first off many minin operations work VERY hard to impact the earth as much as posible. and i love it when people scream about the evils of coal mining on there computers that most likley are powered bu coal fuel. kind of ironic that people hate the very nesesity of life. but beyond that they are trying to be a part of there comunity and beautify a park. they are trying to show that they want to work with the people and the comuity here. give them a break you need coal your probubly benifiting from it right now, so step off the high horse and enjoy the art work. pn another note the real evil of coal mining is the fat cats who make bilions off the sweat and labor of the men and women who work in these mines. that my freinds is evil.
blessed be.
Best idea out of UK this year. I can say that: I am 100% English, I drive, and everyone needs all the parks we can get. Can’t we do it here? (USA) 4 Presidents, Stone Mountain and Geronimo seems a bit one-sided.
“While we are here she provides us with the resources we need and to think we are affecting her more than a mosquito would affect us is something an extremist would say.”
I must respectfully disagree. Mosquitos, like fleas and (strip mining), can be a huge detriment. As a former Vet Tech, I have seen kittens and other animals expire due to too many fleas causing severe anemia. These miners are doing the same thing.
If the Goddess in question were being built from excess earth that came from any other means, I would think it would be a glorious, enlightening sight each day. However, knowing its source, it may have the opposite effect on me.
I think it is wrong. To much of something is bad. Lots of people are saying the Earth is getting ready to get back at us too…
I should probably elaborate.
It is wrong because we are taking too much of the resource. I honestly don’t understand what is taking us so long to find new sources of power. If anyone knows what is taking so long then by all means tell me. Back on topic. I think its just trying to distract us from what is happening behind the scenes.