arch

Jubilee Arch is a large processional temporary arch built in a prominent public space in Upper Teesdale, County Durham, UK, in June 2022. Standing 7.5 metres high and measuring six by 2.8 metres at its base, the structure was clad in raw Swaledale sheep fleece, supported by plywood and scaffolding, and commissioned by UTASS, the Upper Teesdale Agricultural Support Services, to mark a historic moment and celebrate the largely agricultural community of the upper dale. Created at the height of the wildflower-meadow season, the arch is a strong visual statement of the upper dale, a testament to those who help shape and nurture the stunning landscape. The choice of raw fleece ties the temporary monument directly to the local farming economy and to the material culture of the fells, translating a civic celebration into a locally specific, tactile gesture rather than a generic commemorative object. Fabricated by Steve Messam Studio, the arch operated for a limited period within the summer landscape before being dismantled, leaving no permanent footprint. The project sits alongside the same artist's Clad Sentinel series of fleece-clad temporary pavilions, and is characteristic of a practice that uses ephemeral, site-responsive installations to draw attention to working landscapes and the rural communities that maintain them. Project details are limited in the source material.