Public Artworks

Construction & Art go hand-in-hand

The Hawick Flood Protection Scheme is not just about protecting the town from damaging floods. It’s also about enhancing the town so that, once construction work is finished, Hawick will be an even more attractive place for local people and visitors.

That’s why the creation of a series of public art works along the route of the Scheme is a central element of the project. These are being co-ordinated by Project Artist, Andrew Mackenzie, and are supported by CABN (Creative Arts Business Network), part of Live Borders.

Andrew recalls that it was obvious from public consultation exercises carried out in 2017 and 2018 that local people saw nature as the most important theme. This is entirely appropriate since the construction works are all about containing the powerful force of nature in the shape of rainfall, river flows and flooding. Members of the public have been active in putting forward various ideas for the artistic elements of the project and their ideas have been most welcome.

Perhaps the most obvious items of public art that people will see will be the large glass viewing panels to be set at intervals into the new flood walls. In all, there will be 80 such panels, each 2.5 metres in length, some being paired together to make 5m long windows. 30 windows will feature specially commissioned “river maps” - etchings of the many tributaries which flow into the River Teviot specially designed by artist Gill Russell. Sitting alongside these etchings will be lines of poetry by poet, Alec Finlay, reflecting the rich heritage of local language and place names which Hawick is famous for.

For each tributary featured in this way, a tree will be planted on the banks of that tributary. The glass panels will include a map reference so that people, if they so wish, can go to the very spot and see the new tree (known as a “tributree”) for themselves.  

One thing that all Hawick people will be sure to welcome is the inclusion of one of Bill McLaren’s most famous quotes.  Arising from a suggestion from local people, and chosen in a public vote, the words “slippery as a baggy up a border burn” will be set in tall letters into the existing River Teviot wall near the North Bridge. We are sure the great man would be delighted.