Gwelen is a public artwork by artist Emma Smith and residents of West Penwith. The work consists of a series of sculptures installed along the Penzance–Marazion coastal path and is inspired by Cornwall’s largest submerged forest.

Hidden in Mount’s Bay lies Cornwall’s largest submerged forest. In the time frame this forest established and submerged, the human brain evolved to allow us to imagine things we had not experienced before. By the time the forest had disappeared, we were able to imagine it.

We were tasked with creating the interpretation design for Mount’s Bay that would attract and engage a wide range of visitors, providing pathways through diverse prompts and sign posting, to support individual translations and interpretations of the artwork Gwelen, and themes of cultural heritage, science and social issues, for an immersive, distinctive and enhanced experience.

Working with a range of collaborators—including artist Emma Smith, content creators Storylines, accessibility consultants Access Cornwall and print specialists Freedom Signs —we took a holistic approach, working openly and proactively to ensure a cohesive and successful outcome.

“Two were really attentive to the different voices on the project and cleverly integrated the needs of our different partners into the design.”

We developed creative, playful, informative and inclusive interpretation design that communicates the uniqueness of the artwork, brings stories to life from the local community and landscape, and provides playful insights, clues and prompts that encourages interaction for curious and imaginative interpretations.

Further opportunities were developed to engage audiences through the use of prompts to actively inform, invite and inspire. Sensory prompts were designed for active engagement: to look, find and explore, to listen and to hear, to smell and to touch and do. Mindful prompts were designed for reflection: to consider and think, and to reflect on the information presented, prompts to imagine an idea or conjure up in the mind. And action prompts were designed to access further (digital) information and resources and to share something personal with anyone else present, or remotely (digital).

“The Mount’s Bay interpretation panels perfectly complement the artwork Gwelen. They entice viewers to find out more about the artwork and help uncover the many layers of meaning behind the commission.”

To support the icon set, Gwelen, a bespoke headline typeface, was designed for the project. A feature of the design is the enhanced sense of a middle line throughout the set, evocative of the horizon, tide line or a horizontal measure—a subtle reference to themes of the public artwork around rising oceans and the climate crisis.

Commissioned by Cornwall Council and the EXPERIENCE project, which promotes experiential tourism and sustainable economic growth during October — March. Cornwall’s funding supports sustainable cultural tourism activities, connecting residents and visitors with the distinct historical, geographical and cultural assets of the local area and aims to leave a positive impact for the community and visitors alike. The project is co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Interreg France (Channel) England Programme under the Natural and Cultural Heritage funding category.

tourismexperience.org

Commissioned by: Cornwall Council
Experience Project Manager: Celine Colman, Cornwall Council
Interviews, stories and copywriting content: Storylines
Accessibility Consultancy: Access Cornwall
Print Production and installation: Freedom Signs