Stone Circle Art

Artists, encouraged by the tourist industry, have discovered the South Dorset Ridgeway. A stone circle has been constructed near a car park at Black Down. Apparently, two of the 'windows' are aligned so the central stone is illuminated by the rising sun at the summer and winter solstices. It must be art because it was made by an artist.

Given the number of genuinely impressive, ancient constructions along the ridgeway, I really couldn't get excited about this new arrival. However, having the Q + 01 lens in the pocket, it would have been rude not to try a shot or two. Here are the best of the bunch (with the car park carefully out of frame ).

Thoughts, comments etc. welcome as usual.

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Steve

Whilst I appreciate most forms of art I find “art in the landscape” intrusive and offensive. The landscape is already under threat from wind and solar farms, pylons and phone masts so this kind of arrogant and self-indulgent installation is unwelcome and unnecessary. When we yearn for a walk in unspoiled countryside some prat (and tourist official) thinks this is what we need.

2nd image, nice leading line and liminal space

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Given the date of the original post, the topic seemed perhaps a bit suspicious, but then I found this:
Black Down Stone Circle

Philip

Thanks folks.

I mostly agree. Little of what I have seen enhances, much of it detracts and a lot just leaves me thinking 'So what?'. A few crazy things about this 'stone circle':
- Stone circles in Dorset are few in number and not characteristic of the ancient landscape, so why on earth build one?
- It's close to, and dwarfed by, a much more impressive monument on the highest bit of land - Hardy's Monument (National Trust), which is big, highly visible, much loved and has every right to be there (since 1844) as a memorial to Vice-admiral Hardy of HMS Victory fame (did he or didn't he kiss the dying Nelson?) who lived in the nearby village and whose family owned the land up to Black Down. They wanted a memorial that would be a landmark for shipping, which it most certainly is (and for landlubbers within a wide radius!).
- Not far away, National Grid is spending a lot of money replacing pylons by an underground cable, for the purpose of enhancing the landscape and preserving the setting of the truly ancient monuments.

I had to look up what that meant! Now to find an excuse to drop it into conversation...

I really had no idea what the date was when I posted it! But I see what you mean...

Steve