Yn Arreyder Conserved and Reinstalled at the Manx Museum

Manx National Heritage is delighted to announce the completed conservation and reinstallation of Yn Arreyder (‘The Watcher’), the monumental steel sculpture by distinguished Manx artist and sculptor Bryan Kneale RA.

For nearly 50 years the eleven foot sculpture has stood proud in the Museum grounds overlooking Douglas Bay. The impact of the marine environment over time meant that the sculpture required extensive conservation to ensure its long-term preservation. Manx National Heritage worked with local business Ramsey Shipping Services Ltd who stripped the paintwork back to the base metal, treated corrosion, and resprayed the sculpture to reflect its original finish, restoring the bold visual impact intended by the artist.

Constructed in 1977, Yn Arreyder was originally exhibited in London under the title Tarquinia at the Silver Jubilee Exhibition of Contemporary British Sculpture in Battersea Park, held as part of the celebrations marking the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. Later that year, the sculpture was presented to the Manx Museum by the Royal Academy of Arts, a major gift in the field of contemporary art. The acquisition significantly strengthened the Museum’s holdings of Kneale’s work. He was notably the first Manx Royal Academician.

Yn Arreyder was the culmination of a series of works based on the motif of a standing ring. Deceptively simple in its construction, the sculpture brings together individual steel elements to form a single, powerful image. A large steel ring is twisted to hold aloft a heavy double dome, positioned to look out across Douglas Bay towards the sunrise, giving resonance to its Manx title, meaning ‘The Watcher’.

Manx culture was a source of inspiration for Bryan Kneale. Reflecting on the influence of his heritage, he once said: “I have always found a rich source of inspiration in the vigour and stylistic power which manifested itself in silver, iron and stone in a culture which still runs strongly when an artist grows from the same soil”.

Chris Weeks ACR, Collections Care and Conservation Manager at Manx National Heritage said:

“Manx National Heritage is proud to see Yn Arreyder brilliantly restored and returned to its place overlooking Douglas Bay. This important work by Bryan Kneale is a powerful symbol of Manx creativity and identity, and we are delighted that it can continue to be enjoyed by the public for many years to come.

The conservation of Yn Arreyder has been carried out to an exceptional standard, and we are sincerely grateful to Ramsey Shipping Services for their outstanding workmanship. We also extend thanks to Fox Group Plant Hire for transporting the sculpture with great care, and to Isle of Man Heavy Crane Services Limited for their expertise in safely lifting and reinstalling this significant piece.

Finally, we are very grateful to the Friends of Manx National Heritage, whose generous support made it possible to conserve one of the Island’s most distinctive works of public art.”

Hannah Murphy, Admin & Development Officer for the Friends of Manx National Heritage says:

“It is fantastic to see Yn Arreyder restored and safeguarded for future generations to enjoy. The Friends of Manx National Heritage are delighted to fund this project and support the expertise of Manx National Heritage.”

The conservation and reinstallation of Yn Arreyder ensures that this landmark sculpture continues to watch over Douglas Bay from the grounds of the Manx Museum, connecting the Island’s artistic legacy with contemporary cultural life for generations to come.

—ENDS—

Editor’s Notes

Born on the Isle of Man, Bryan Kneale displayed signs of artistic flair from an early age. He studied painting at Douglas School of Art in 1947, before attending the Royal Academy Schools, London from 1948 to 1952, where he received a Rome Scholarship in painting (1949-51).

In 1960 he moved from painting to sculpting and in 1968 was Head of Sculpture at Hornsey College of Art and Design. Most of his subsequent teaching career was spent at the Royal College of Art, London, where he was Tutor (1963-1980) and Senior Tutor (1980-85), Head of Sculpture (1985-90) and Professor of Drawing (1990-95). He was also Professor of Sculpture at the Royal Academy Schools from 1980 to 1987.

Kneale’s first solo show with paintings was in 1954 with the Redfern Gallery, London. He continued to exhibit there regularly until 1986. Other solo shows include a retrospective of his work at the Whitechapel Art Gallery (1966), the Serpentine Gallery, London (1978), and further retrospectives at the Henry Moore Gallery, Royal College of Art, London (1986), Royal West of England Academy (1995), and a drawing retrospective at the Natural History Museum (1991). Kneale has participated in many group shows, both in the UK and Europe. These include Sculpture International, Battersea Park, London (1963-1966), British Sculpture in the 60s, Tate Gallery, London (1966), New Art, Hayward Gallery 1975 and Chelsea Harbour Sculpture Show (1993). Kneale also curated and exhibited in British Sculptors, Royal Academy of Arts (1972) and Jubilee Exhibition of British Sculpture, Battersea Park (1977).

Kneale won the Leverhulme Prize in 1952, the Daily Express Young Painters’ Prize in 1955 and received an Arts Council Purchase Award in 1969. He was elected Royal Academician in 1974 (ARA 1970) and was a Trustee of the Royal Academy of Arts and a Senior Fellow of the Royal College of Art. He lived and worked in London, maintaining a close connection with the Isle of Man.

Bryan Kneale became an internationally renowned Manx sculptor with his work held in several public collections throughout the world. Several of his public sculptures are on the Isle of Man. These include the ‘Three Legs of Man’ at Ronaldsway Airport; the ‘Hall Caine’ monument in Strathallan Crescent, Douglas; the ‘Backbone of Herring’ or ‘Deemster’s Oath’ at the Courthouse Atrium, Douglas; and ‘Yn Arreyder’ or ‘The Watcher’ outside the Manx Museum, Douglas.

His most recently unveiled works on the Isle of Man include 8.2ft (2.5m) steel Eelips at The Arboretum in St Johns, a statue Manx patriot ‘Illiam Dhone’ in Malew Parish Church and a bust of Manx Trafalgar hero ‘Captain John Quilliam’ in Castletown, which won the Marsh Award for Excellence in Public Sculpture, an award recognising the UK’s most outstanding public sculptures and works of art.

Images:

Image 1: Left: Marshall Cubbon (Director of the Manx Museum & National Trust) and Bryan Kneale overseeing the installation of the Watcher at the Manx Museum, late 1970s.

Image 2. Yn Arreyder Conserved and Reinstalled

Media Contact:

Lynsey Clague, Communications Manager, Manx National Heritage

Tel: 01624 648032

E: lynsey.clague@mnh.im

Manx Museum, Kingswood Grove, Douglas, Isle of Man IM1 3LY.

Isle of Man registered charity no. 603.