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Seafront sculpture re-installed after 50 years

Portsmouth City Council John Maine stands next to his latest sculpture, the sixth Portsmouth Marker. It is a large grey bolder carved in the shape of a hexagon and Mr Maine stands to the left of it. He is wearing a pale blue long sleeved collared shirt with black trousers and a pair of brown lace up shoes. He is standing on the promenade, there are crowds of people enjoying the sunshine in the background and the glass Pyramids building can be seen in the distance. The sea is also in vision as well as Southsea Pier.Portsmouth City Council
A sixth Portsmouth Marker has been installed along Southsea seafront

It's been more than 50 years since six stone sculptures lined Southsea seafront.

A series of five Portsmouth Markers have been dotted across the coast since 1974 as part of a citywide art project.

They were originally a series of six, but Portsmouth City Council says one disappeared from its location in the late 1970s.

Now John Maine, the artist who originally designed the series, has carved the sixth addition to be unveiled along the promenade near the Pyramids.

The local authority commissioned Mr Maine to create the sixth 'cousin' as part of its arts programme for the Southsea Coastal Scheme.

The sculptures, carved from Portland stones, were some of Mr Maine's first pieces of work.

Portsmouth City Council A black and white image of a Portsmouth Marker. It is a stone structure in the shape of a triangle, with a brick wall in the background. To the right of the image is a lighthouse and a concrete wall lining the seafront.Portsmouth City Council
A picture of a Portsmouth Marker when it was first installed in 1974

Mr Maine explained: "The Portsmouth Markers have been sited to emphasise key points along the coast.

"In the Solent nearby there are island fortresses and navigational markers which create intervals across the vast expanse of the sea and this inspired my approach to sculpture in landscape."

The other stones are located at The Point, Hotwalls Studios, Spur Redoubt, Bandstand Field and Castle Field.

Mr Maine said the space between the sculptures "becomes part of the story".

"I believe that such small-scale interventions can have a powerful influence on our reading of the whole landscape," he continued.

"It is a pleasure to revisit the project after an extended period of time and make a new mark on the landscape."

Tom Maine John Maine looks directly at the camera as he poses for a headshot. He has short grey hair and blue eyes. He is wearing a french blue linen collared shirt and the background behind him is blurred.Tom Maine
John Maine, now in his 80s, was elected a Royal Academician in 1995

The sculpture was funded by Arts Council England.

City council leader, Steve Pitt, said: "Over five decades, the Portsmouth Markers have been recognisable fixtures of our seafront.

"The sculptures are the only remaining artworks from a 1974 citywide sculpture exhibition so it's great to see the full set completed by the current addition as part of today's sea defence project."

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