Phi (and Axe Head)
Phi (and Axe Head)
Phi (and Axe Head)
Phi (and Axe Head)
Phi (and Axe Head)
Phi (and Axe Head)
Phi (and Axe Head)
Phi (and Axe Head)

© the artist. Image credit: Dainis Ozols / Art UK

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This work combines two elements: a hollow upright piece with its outer shape, which has a textured dark brown finish, following the curve of the Golden Section spiral and its inner edge (the green patinated area) representing a stone age axe-head (dated between 4500 BC and 2000 BC) found at Pen Y Coed Fawr, near Blackwood. At the base of this is a bronze ring dubbed Phi by the artist, which comes from using the first three letters of the Greek sculptor and architect Phidias, who used sacred geometry in his sculpture and buildings such as the Parthenon on the Athens Akropolis. The Golden Section design, which is found in nature as well as the mathematical series, the Finbonacci Sequence, perfectly embodies the town's public art theme 'where nature meets industry'.
Title

Phi (and Axe Head)

Date

2007

Medium

bronze

Measurements

H 150 x W 120 x D 120 cm (E);
Plinth: H 150 x W 250 x D 250 cm (E)

Accession number

NP12_DO_S179

Acquisition method

commissioned by Caerphilly County Borough Council

Work type

Sculpture

Owner

Caerphilly County Borough Council

Custodian

Caerphilly County Borough Council

Work status

extant

Unveiling date

25th April 2007

Access

at all times

Inscription description

steel descriptive plaque attached to the stone capping of the brick plint, in English and Welsh: “PHI”. RUBIN EYNON / THE SCULPTURE COMBINES TWO MAIN ELEMENTS WITHIN ITS DESIGN. THE FIRST IS A STONE AGE DOLERITE AXE HEAD, FOUND NEAR BLACKWOOD. THE / AXE HEAD WAS USED TO INFORM THE INNER CONCAVE SHAPE OF THE SCULPTURE. THE SECOND ELEMENT IS THE GOLDEN RATIO SPIRAL. THE OUTER PRO- / FILE OF THE SCULPTURE WAS PRODUCED USING THIS MATHEMATICAL RATIO. THE GOLDEN RATIO (1.618), ALSO KNOWN AS PHI, THE DIVINE PROPORTION / OR GOLDEN SECTION, IS A NUMBER OFTEN ENCOUNTERED WITH NATURE AND CAN ALSO BE FOUND THOUGHT HISTORY IN ART, ARCHITECTURE AND / MUSIC. THE SYMBOLS ON THE RING AROUND THE BASE REPRESENTS THE FOUR ELEMENTS, RELIGION AND THE CARDINAL POINTS. MAE'R CERFLUN HWN YN CYFUNO DWY BRIF ELFEN O FEWN EI DYLUNIAD. Y CYNTAF YW PEN BWEYELL DOLERIT O OES Y CERRIG A GAFODD EI EDDARGAN- / FOD YN AGOS I GOED DUON. DEFNYDDIWYD FFURF Y PEN BWYELL I GREU SIÂP CEUGRWN MEWNOL Y CERFLUN. YR AIL ELFEN YW’R DROELL CYMHAREB / EURAIDD. FFURFIWYD SIÂP ALLANOL Y CERFLUN GAN DDEFNYDDIO’R GYMHAREB FATHEMATEGOL HON. MAE’R GYMHAREB EURAIDD (1.6180, SYDD / HEFYD YN CAEL EI GALW’N PHI, Y GYFRANNEDD ODWYFOL, NEU’R ADRAN EURAIDD, YN RHIF SYDD YN AML I’W FFEINDIO YN NATUR A THRWYDDI DRAW YN / HANES, CELF, PENSAERNIAETH A CHERDDORIAETH. MAE’R SYMBOLAU O AMGYLCH Y SAIL YN CYNRYCHIOLI’R PEDAIR ELFEN, CREFYDD A’R RELIGION A / PHWYNTIAU’R CWMPAWD. (Welsh dragon logo) / Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru / Welsh Assembly Covernment (diagram of axe head + golden spiral = diagram of sculpture) CAERPHILLY / COUNTY BOROUGH COUNCIL / GYNGOR BWRDEISTREF SIROL / CAERFFILI

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Located at

Cefn Road, Blackwood

NP12 1ZD

Located outside the Methodist Church at the junction with High Street.