An interactive ‘DigitOwl’ has landed at Bath Quays as part of a major public art sculpture trail featuring a flock of 85 individually decorated super-sized owls.
Created by local artist John Gould the interactive Bath Quays owl is a fusion of a beautiful bird with robotic and artificial intelligence elements.
The owl aims to highlight Bath as not only historically beautiful but also a centre of innovation especially for technology and digital industries which will be attracted to the new workspace at Bath Quays.
Walkers and cyclists will find DigitOwl at the top of Bath Quays Waterside park steps, on the bank of the River Avon near Avon Street carpark and to help cyclists it will be visible at night with reflective strips and solar lights.
People will be able to scan a QR code which is on the owl or enter a web link into their mobile browser and be transported to the future in Virtual Reality.
Using a mobile phone people can see a fictional illustration of how the space could be used in a 360-degree panorama with two versions to experience; one during the day and one at night, each of which will be visible at different times of the day.
Artist John Gould said: “I wanted the sculpture to not just be a piece of art but to perhaps look like it could be a movie prop, something fun that would appeal to children in a space which has been designed for all to enjoy.”
Many residents and visitors have already been enjoying the wildflowers and riverbank at Bath Quays and with thousands expected to view the owls over the next few months, it will further highlight the transformation of the riverside by Bath & North East Somerset Council and help put Bath Quays on the map.
Minerva’s Owls of Bath 2018 is a major public art sculpture trail featuring owl sculptures displayed across Bath and the surrounding region from 25 June–10 September.
The high profile, interactive sculpture trail celebrates the Roman heritage of Bath and marks the 10th anniversary of the highly successful King Bladud’s Pigs sculpture trail. All profits when the owls are auctioned will be donated to local charities which include Bath and North East Somerset Young Carers and the new Cancer Centre at the Royal United Hospital.
The Owls of Bath trail maps will be available from outlets across Bath from 25th June when the trail starts as well as the free Owls of Bath interactive app. The map page of the website will go live the weekend before the event.
There will be QR codes to download the Owls of Bath app on every Owl plinth. For more information about Bath Quays visit www.bathquays.co.uk
