The sprawling spider’s web of Stirling’s sloping streets which flow out and around the unique, iconic landmarks which make up the city centre have been painstakingly mapped out in hand-drawn black ink and are currently on display at the city-centre venue for live music and the arts.
The sketch is the fifth in a line of 69 projects from self-taught artist Lavia, who aims to replicate all of the UK’s cities in the same style.
Measuring two meters in width, the massive art work covers a radius of three miles, stretching as far north Cambuskenneth Abbey, resting place of one of Scotland’s most controversial monarchs - King James III – and as far south as Stirling’s monumental Castle.
The cityscape also stretches to a meter in width and spreads west towards the university and as far east as Stirling Albion’s home at Forthbank stadium.
Completed using a mix of technical and Bic pens on archival paper and mounted onto Dibond, Carl spent three months researching, mapping and sketching the city of Stirling while working alongside photographer Lorna Le Bredonchel.
Lavia said: “The small city of Stirling left a huge impression on both Lorna and me. Stirling and its epic history inspired us to change course going forward in the '69 cities' project.
“Previously the cities would be chosen spontaneously but it was while mapping Stirling that we decided to continue our Scottish adventure and depict all the Scottish cities first. This is a testament to Scotland’s mighty and alluring cultural pull.
“We nicknamed the Stirling sketch ‘The Brooch’ having read: It has been said that ‘Stirling, like a huge brooch, clasps the Highlands and Lowlands together’.”
“Lorna and I feel honoured that the sketch is being housed within Stirling's Tolbooth, one of the city’s major arts spaces. We hope that this cityscape shall be seen as an affectionate document to the city’s present time in history, and hints at the ties connecting people to places - a ‘sketched’ page in Stirling's incredible and continually ongoing story.”
Carl has been sketching since he was five years old. As a child, he was fascinated with drawing maps, architecture and fictional cities. It was after contracting and overcoming Guillain–Barré syndrome, a condition that affects the nervous system and can leave sufferers paralysed, that he decided to take his childhood passion more seriously and begin sketching with a more ambitious vision.
It was in 2016 while mapping the city of Birmingham that he joined forces with photographer Lorna Le Bredonchel and together they formed the ’69 cities of the UK’ project.
The cities of Manchester and Edinburgh were completed and displayed in 2017. At the beginning of 2018 the city of Dundee was completed – now displayed at the McManus, Dundee’s Art Gallery and Museum – and in March they turned their attention to the city of Stirling, a city they had not previously visited.
Stirling Council Provost, Christine Simpson, attended the launch of the artwork and said: “I am delighted that Stirling has been chosen as the fifth city to feature in such an exciting UK-wide art project, #69 Cities.
“Having seen the finished product, I am impressed with the dedication and detail Carl has displayed through his work.
“We are lucky to have this impressive cityscape of Stirling displayed at the Tollbooth, one of Stirling’s main Arts and Cultural venues, for the next year. I am passionate about supporting young talented artists and would encourage visitors and residents to view the installation and see our city through Carl’s interpretation.”
Councillor Chris Kane, convenor of Stirling Council’s Community Planning and Regeneration committee said: “Stirling has been a magnet for artists for hundreds of years, with every artist of note from Turner to the Glasgow Boys keen to cross Stirling off their artistic bucket list.
“Carl’s attention to detail is stunning and this image of Stirling is a worthy addition to the canon of Stirling landscapes.
“It is fantastic that Stirling is part of the 69 Cities project and I’d encourage everyone to visit the Tolbooth and take the time to appreciate this work of art and see Stirling from a different perspective.”
Prints in various sizes of the Stirling artwork are available. For further information please contact Lorna Le Bredonchel by email emanuellebredonche@hotmail.com or follow Sketch and Lorna for updates on Twitter and their website @sketchnthecity @Lebredonchel www.sketchnthecity.com