Bridge Pillar Public Art work by Ian Hamilton Finlay (1925 – 2006) on pillars remaining from the now disused Caledonian Railway bridge.  Ian Hamilton Finlay was a poet, writer, visual artist and gardener who is internationally recognised for his work in all these areas. 

The bridge pillars have a carved excerpt from Plato’s Republic “All Greatness Stands Firm in the Storm” in English and Greek. It is thought to maybe be a comment on the decline of the Empire or industrial heritage maybe? They were created in 1990 as part of the “New Works for Different Places; Four Cities” project with Television South West Arts – artworks were created in Derry, Glasgow, Newcastle and Plymouth, some temporary, some permanent.

Further information:

A New Path · Existing Artworks · Ian Hamilton Finlay: Bridge Piers, 1990

Interesting snippet – the French Communist Party presented Ian Hamilton Finlay with a bust of Saint Just – read more here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Hamilton_Finlay

New Works for Different Places – https://seakayakphoto.blogspot.com/2010/12/all-greatness-stands-firm-in-storm.html

Discussion on the translation here: https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1658814

https://www.citycentrecontemporaryarttrail.co.uk/artworks/ArtWorkabout/2

Walking Route Instructions: To get to our next stop, walk along the front of the Casino and you will see the Clyde Navigation Trust building on the other side of the road.