Wastelands artist development commission
The Weight of Things is an outdoor sculpture created by David Bethell and installed at Pool 3, Keele Woods in November 2020.
Hand-carved in polystyrene, covered with fibre-glass, textured with kiln-dried sand, painted, and mounted above a wooden frame submerged in the lake, the sculpture presents an impossible floating rock. Inspired by Rene Magritte’s 1953 painting Clear Ideas, the work evokes a sense of flux, simultaneously floating and crashing, reflecting both hope and despair.
Situated within Keele Woods and accessible via public footpaths, the sculpture engages viewers in reflection on impermanence, resilience, and our relationship with natural spaces.
Artist & Support Credits
Artist: David Bethell, Artist Support: Mally Mallinson, Structural Design: Ross Ankers, Additional Support: ARB Tree Care Ltd & Easy Composites Ltd