The Mussel has been selected as the Musselburgh Conservation Society Design Award 2019 and Finlay Lockie (pictured right), patron of Musselburgh Conservation Society, presented the award to sculptor, Michael Johnson (pictured left).
He created the stainless steel sculpture of a mussel shell, which stands 12 feet tall, and is sited at the town’s Murdoch Green.
The work represents the history of the town through images depicted on the outer shell and reflects Musselburgh’s relationship with the sea and land, through the polished mirror inner.
East Lothian Council’s Arts Service brought together a working group to select and commission an artist to create a new public artwork for Musselburgh and the artwork was funded by Tesco as part of East Lothian Council’s Percent for Art Policy.
Alan Stevens from Musselburgh Conservation Society said the committee review schemes that have been completed within the year.
Members voted The Mussel the winner by a substantial majority and the artist said: “Looking back at previous winners, I can see that this award indicates that the sculpture has become part of the fabric of the town and embraced by the community.”
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