The Hope Sculpture by Steuart Padwick is a public art installation across 3 locations in Glasgow and is a COP26 legacy gift from over 50 companies.

The 23m high Hope Sculpture is situated in Clyde Gateway’s beautiful woodland park at Cuningar Loop. The 4.5m high Beacon of Hope is located at the city’s architecturally significant Glasgow Central Station and the 3.5m high Hope Triptych at the University of Strathclyde’s Rottenrow Gardens.

Leading Scottish writers, poets and local children have created Words of Hope that are engraved onto the pieces. The design team collaborated with Mental Health Foundation Scotland to produce supportive mental health sign posting.

the mouth of this river is running out of words
despite despair discreet elders sit gently among us 

vakuru vakati muromo hauzarirwi nerwizi
wangu ngauyambuke mhiri kwemhirizhonga
mangwana kunonaya chete

Hekani

Tawona Sitholé, 2021

Unesco RILA Artist in Residence Tawona Sithole - better known as Ganyamatope (his ancestral family name) - is a storyteller, musician and teacher as well as a widely published poet, playwright and short story author who uses both Shona and Ndau in his work. 

His contribution to the art installation appears in both English and Shona.

All the Words of Hope can be found at www.thehopesculpture.com/words-of-hope/ 

Tawona and other contributors to the triptych spoke at the public unveiling at Cuningar loop on Wednesday 8th December. 

First published: 16 November 2021

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