Alec Finlay

circlesthroughthepath

circlesthroughthepath was made as letterbox part of Alec Finlay’s artist residency at YSP: Avant-Garde English Landscape. Total time:approx 1.5 hours h ci r Distance:approx 2.5 miles / 4 km t c All of Alec’s circle poems are also being a l presented in worldwiderubberstamp The route follows pathways,but there p e

letterboxcirclepoem, a ten year artist are steep and uneven parts which are e s

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project for which letterboxes will be not suitable for wheelchair users. h

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Wear suitable footwear. t sited around the globe. r

h o g Alec has produced a number of If you find any damaged boxes please u publications on his and other artists’ tell a member of YSP staff. projects,a selection of which are available in the YSP Shop. Close all gates behind you.

Alec Finlay is an artist, poet and This map has approximate positions for all publisher. His work includes of the letterboxes;the written descriptions participations,collaborations are a more precise guide. A general YSP and publications. map is also available.

www.alecfinlay.com Please close box lids when you have used the stamp and supervise children when using ink pads. Sculpture Park West Bretton, WF4 4LG To make even more of your walk purchase t 01924 832631 f 01924 832600 the YSP Essential Sculpture Guide, www.ysp.co.uk which contains information about individual sculptures as well as the history of the As an independent art gallery,accredited estate and its landscape features. museum and registered charity (number 1067908),YSP’s core work is made possible by investment from Arts Council , N Wakefield Council,The a poetic mapping and a walk Foundation and Grants. through the park taking about 1.5 hours over approx 4 km there is rough and steep terrain circlesthroughthepath is a walk to your right. Carry on further downhill, at Bretton Hall of Grace,Countess of Pass through the stone squeeze in the gate with four stone posts. Walk sculpture display. Continue uphill to through the park and a poetic mapping away from the Skyspace,keeping the Eglington (1685). Follow the path to the restored dry stone wall. There are two down the path,giving a wave to Antony the glass and stone Camellia House. of the landscape. Follow these estate chapel,St.Bartholomew’s (1744) right as far as the fallen log with a view paths. Take the fork to the right and Gormley’s sculpture One and Other instructions to complete the walk to on your left. You will spot the main path over the lake. follow the path downhill through the which stands on a sycamore trunk. Go letterbox:at the corner of the Camellia find seven ‘letterboxes’,each containing that cuts through the Country Park, beech trees. Emerging from these you over Cascade Bridge,past the gates to House nearest to the large copper a rubber stamp,ink pad and a circle and then encounter a fence with a gate letterbox:behind the fallen log, carry on along the grass path. Looking the nature reserve then turn right to beech tree stump poem. You can collect these by stamping and stile. near some young sycamore to the north,Bretton Hall is in the the kissing gate and into Lower Park. them in the spaces provided here. This distance. Here,don’t turn off to the guide begins from the YSP Centre and letterbox:on the stile right,but look right to see an oval gallop, letterbox:kissing gate proceeds clockwise,but you can start designed for training horses. Soon the at any point on the circle. path that you are on joins the gallop. Shortly after,you reach a ditch where Enter the Country Park through the four conifers and an oak tree grow. This metal gate halfway along the Walk of used to be a horse jump. Beware of the Art. Turn right and follow the wooden nettles. posts until you reach the fence. Turn left and continue past the picnic benches letterbox:by the fallen tree next to until you see a large oak on the right. the old horse jump Behind the oak is a wooden fence. The path turns away from the lake (the nature reserve is only open to visitors letterbox:behind the oak on the who have a permit) and continues up the steps,then on through the birches wooden fence Walk past the Camellia House up the to the other side of the wood where tarmac path and across the car park. there is a picnic bench. Here you can Continue by way of ’s take your ease. Once over the stile,continue downhill The Family of Man and Squares with Two Circles. Across the road, keeping the large,fenced plantation of letterbox:on the picnic bench trees to your left,and head towards the wide paved steps lead to the Formal the bridge, under which the diverted Terrace. This will lead you to the Centre flows. Go over this and in time for tea. Your circlesthrough continue across the dam. If you look to thepath is now complete. the west over the lake you can see the telecommunications mast at Emley Follow the path past Sol LeWitt’s text: Alec Finlay and Alex Hodby From the oak,rejoin the path,walking Moor (at 330m,one of Britain’s tallest Continue around the gallop,past some sculpture 123454321 on your right. Notes to the poems: down and crossing a driveway,keeping structures). On the other side of the small trees to the left. Take the path Before reaching Bretton Hall,turn left shall we go? after Samuel Beckett fallen asleep after an ancient Chinese proverb James Turrell’s Deer Shelter dam is the locked door to an old well. that bends off to the left and carry on and go up the hill,passing between large I am alone after Paul Celan Skyspace The inscription relates to the residence through the metal gate and the old iron trees and through the Lower Park all art is is rhythm after Kurt Schwitters