Artist Cathy Mager launches new sculpture etched with BSL at Bristol deaf schools (BSL)

A new artwork by Cathy Mager called Hand in Hand was launched in the reception area of two deaf schools in Bristol yesterday, featuring a pair of towering trees etched with British Sign Language.

Hand in Hand celebrates the education of deaf children in the UK and will become a striking landmark for pupils, families and visitors to the shared reception of Elmfield School for Deaf Children and Upper Horfield Community School.

The twin trees carry carved trunks and sweeping branches imprinted with the hands of pupils. Their cork-clad leaves act as natural sound absorbers, softening the acoustics of the lofty space. Around them, walls glow with silhouettes created in a shadow-play workshop with the children.

The sculpture was designed by Bristol artist and Spectroscope founder Cathy Mager, who is deaf. Working closely with pupils, local deaf and disabled artists, and former Elmfield students, Cathy’s artwork is rooted in community, creativity and inclusion. Alongside the trees, visitors can also view a sign language poetry film made with the children.

In her speech to the school, Cathy told the pupils that her grandfather and great-grandfather, both deaf, worked as wood and metal etchers. So including etched sign language in this new sculpture was a powerful way to honour her family history and legacy.

To bring the project to life, Cathy assembled a team including deaf creatives Charlie Swinbourne, Peace Adeosun, David Ellington, Lynn Stewart-Taylor, Ruth Montgomery and Chris Laing.

The project also highlights the skills of some of Bristol’s finest makers, including carpenter Rich White at Spike Island and the specialist timber routing team at Bristol Old Vic theatre’s scenic workshop. Other members of the team include Cat Roberts, Alice Bowden-Churchill, Ian Penny, Stephen Ryan, Sonia Burniston and Theo Cuff.

Kate Persaud, Headteacher of Elmfield School for Deaf Children said: “This project has been a wonderful experience for the pupils from both schools. To have such a significant and positive installation in our building helps to reinforce Elmfield’s commitment to creating an environment that celebrates British Sign Language and deaf culture. Cathy’s vision for this piece was ideal for the space and for the ethos of our school, and we are so fortunate to have had this opportunity to work together.”

Cathy said: “Hand in Hand is a monument to the vitalness of communication and friendship in the lives of deaf children as they grow, learn and dream for the future. I wanted to capture the joy of sign language and the transformative impact it has on the wellbeing of deaf and hearing children alike”.

Cllr Christine Townsend, Chair of the Children and Young Peoples Committee at Bristol Council said: “This remarkable sculpture is a celebration of creativity, inclusion and the power of communication. It reflects the values we hold dear in Bristol – that every child, regardless of how they communicate, should feel seen, heard and valued. I’m proud that our city is home to such a pioneering piece of public art, and I commend the pupils, artists and schools who brought this vision to life.”

Hand in Hand was supported by funding from Bristol Council and Arts Council of England. 

Cathy Mager is an acclaimed artist and curator known for her powerful public realm works that explore new perspectives on equity, climate change and heritage. Since 2020 Mager has pioneered sign language projection artworks on major public buildings including The Arnolfini – Bristol Light Festival, The Cunard – Liverpool, Arnolfini – Bristol, Duolun Museum of Modern Art and Suhe Haus – Shanghai. Her immersive installation Finger Talk, for the Wellcome Collection is currently on show in London until October 17. She previously directed the heritage interpretation programme for Bristol Beacon 2021-2023, overseeing a series of permanent artworks that brought to the fore lost histories. In 2021, she founded Spectroscope, an international collective of deaf and disabled artists and their most recent collaborative artwork Night Bloom was featured at Science Gallery as part of Vital Signs: Another World is Possible, 2024-2025 and is due to tour to Plymouth Market Hall October-November 2025. 

Photography by Charlie Swinbourne