During my trip to Portland Island in June 2009, I had access to the Independent and surrounding 
Quarries through the Portland Island Sculpture Quarry Trust. The Independent Quarry is not one that is currently being used, but efforts are being made to its eventual re-naturalisation. It currently shows just the beginnings of new life renewed, from its previous industrialisation, by new plant growths and the absence of constant machinery and men working the earth. My goal was to get a feel for the island, the quarry, and to find some connections I could then work with in a site specific manner.
I decided to make an intervention in this area, hand spinning steel wool using an ancient method, the drop spindle, and creating a kind of net to suspend under this area of sliding rocks.
The process of spinning, and the manufactured metal of the steel wool brings to light the other overlooked processes men put into place, such as the gabions to protect land and itself from nature.
Quarries through the Portland Island Sculpture Quarry Trust. The Independent Quarry is not one that is currently being used, but efforts are being made to its eventual re-naturalisation. It currently shows just the beginnings of new life renewed, from its previous industrialisation, by new plant growths and the absence of constant machinery and men working the earth. My goal was to get a feel for the island, the quarry, and to find some connections I could then work with in a site specific manner.One of my first excursions was to the beautiful seaside, where I noticed an interesting 
arrangement of stacked cubes comprised of fencing filled with beach type stones. Upon inquiring with the local pub owner, I was told that these structures were called gabions, and were part of a flood defensive scheme put into place after that area of their coast in particular was badly hit by near tragic immense brutal waves on several occasions throughout the 1970’s.
arrangement of stacked cubes comprised of fencing filled with beach type stones. Upon inquiring with the local pub owner, I was told that these structures were called gabions, and were part of a flood defensive scheme put into place after that area of their coast in particular was badly hit by near tragic immense brutal waves on several occasions throughout the 1970’s.There are several tall fish stories about these incidences such as when one wave hit the pub it 
travelled in through the front windows and straight out through the back, carrying pints and people right along with it out of the pub, everyone miraculously surviving. Inside the pub itself the walls are lined with old photographs showing the area completely flooded.
I found the idea of man using nature, to harness or protect itself against nature an interesting idea, and the structure of the gabions themselves quite intriguing.
travelled in through the front windows and straight out through the back, carrying pints and people right along with it out of the pub, everyone miraculously surviving. Inside the pub itself the walls are lined with old photographs showing the area completely flooded.I found the idea of man using nature, to harness or protect itself against nature an interesting idea, and the structure of the gabions themselves quite intriguing.
The themes of protection and man’s relationship with an unpredictable landscape started to 
surface yet again on my visit to the quarry. The quarry has people behind it, trying to protect and conserve it. The quarry itself though has been a blessing and a curse at times for the people of the island. On one hand providing jobs for its people, as well as a sense of pride for providing the country its beautiful white stone, and on the other taking the lives on several occasions of its quarry workers.
surface yet again on my visit to the quarry. The quarry has people behind it, trying to protect and conserve it. The quarry itself though has been a blessing and a curse at times for the people of the island. On one hand providing jobs for its people, as well as a sense of pride for providing the country its beautiful white stone, and on the other taking the lives on several occasions of its quarry workers.One cause of these tragic events has been attributed to the ‘R’ word, or bunnies rather, as the 
locals prefer to use. A high bunny population, evidence of which is still apparent in the quarries, reportedly caused several cave-ins and collapses, causing a deeply infused superstition of using the ‘R’ word to emerge. Also it’s said that if a quarryman were to one of these furry creatures on his way into the quarry, he would turn around and head home again for the day. Another cause of such sad events is that plainly, working in these quarries can be a dangerous job. Rock like all elements of nature can just be unpredictable.
locals prefer to use. A high bunny population, evidence of which is still apparent in the quarries, reportedly caused several cave-ins and collapses, causing a deeply infused superstition of using the ‘R’ word to emerge. Also it’s said that if a quarryman were to one of these furry creatures on his way into the quarry, he would turn around and head home again for the day. Another cause of such sad events is that plainly, working in these quarries can be a dangerous job. Rock like all elements of nature can just be unpredictable.One element of this danger could be seen at the Tout quarry upon my investigations of the area. What appeared to be a corner of sorts in the lowest part of the quarry is what is referred to as a ‘slithe’. Basically the grain of the stone runs against each other making working with the stone highly susceptible to landslides and is highly unstable.
I decided to make an intervention in this area, hand spinning steel wool using an ancient method, the drop spindle, and creating a kind of net to suspend under this area of sliding rocks.The process of spinning, and the manufactured metal of the steel wool brings to light the other overlooked processes men put into place, such as the gabions to protect land and itself from nature.
The net also resembles a cradle, embracing the stones and preventing them from falling to the 
ground, and eroding further. This is appropriate as the quarry has now been transformed to a protected and almost revered place, where geologists and students come to study the earth’s history and artists come for unique inspiration.
ground, and eroding further. This is appropriate as the quarry has now been transformed to a protected and almost revered place, where geologists and students come to study the earth’s history and artists come for unique inspiration.
