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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