Mechanical Statues (Exterior, Leeds Industrial Museum, Armley Mills)

They could almost be art. All those straight, perfectly crafted lines, gradually eroding and slowly being invaded by the surrounding greenery. Right now, they wouldn’t be out of place in an HR Giger landscape, a Steampunk comic or a late 70’s episode of Doctor Who. Give them a few more years, and they might look as timeless and organic as a Barbara Hepworth sculpture.

It’s strange the way that these decaying machines have such a mysterious charm. Especially given that they were made for such practical purposes. Left to their own devices, they become playthings, set free for our imagination.

Damian Mark Whittle