Following the removal of 'Place', the Forest of Dean Sculpture trail has recently gained two new (temporary) artworks.

Both are right at the start of the trail at Beechenhurst Lodge.

First up is "Charcoal Measure".  It's basically a series of black lines on the ground, made from charcoal produced from burning the wood that made up Place.  The lines map old coal mine workings in the forest.  So that's two ways it links up with the history of the local area.

However the work itself is a little underwhelming.  It had been there for about six weeks when I visited, and is already looking quite faded.  I've read a lot of negative reaction and I was trying to be more open minded but really, it's just a few lines on the floor which you could easily miss/think nothing of.

The second new work is a bit more interesting.  It's called "Sentient Forest", and is interactive!

The idea behind this one is that trees in a forest are somehow connected and can communicate with each other.  When you pass the motion sensors, a series of lights radiate out from the bottom of one tree, then a second, then a third - as if the trees are passing on the message that someone is walking past. I did take some video but apparently I'm not good at holding the camera still!

tags: Forest of Dean local walking