THOSE taking an autumn walk at Kielder might stumble across some striking and colourful art installations after the unveiling of a new project last week.

The latest art project, Castles, Follies & Elephants, is a series of eight pieces created by Newcastle artists and architects Oliver Perry, Claire Harper and James Perry.

They vary in shape, size and form and aim to emphasise the role the local landscape has played historically – from defence, to infrastructure, power and leisure.

Each of the creations has been designed to relate to its chosen site, but also to sit ‘unnaturally’ within it. They might frame a view, draw attention to the landscape’s history or highlight the current forest management, and are designed to be open to many interpretations.

The project was developed out of an inquiry into the history of the Kielder landscape.

Each of the pieces references a moment in time, from the 14th century peel towers to the 1930s Lewie Camp and the vast underground infrastructure associated with the reservoir.

Claire Harper, from Harper Perry architects, said: “The project came out of a shared interest in the way that seemingly natural landscapes are constructed, managed and maintained.

“This is perhaps nowhere more apparent than the Kielder Valley. Oliver’s art work often uses unnatural materials in reference to the constructed nature of landscapes.

“As architects, James and I are interested in how people experience the landscape, and how these interventions and structures might alter that in different ways. The combination of our interests has manifested itself here in a series of out-of-scale forms and an industrial colour palette which we hope will bring fun and intrigue for visitors.”

Art and architecture curator for Kielder Water and Forest Park Development Trust, Peter Sharpe, said: “As part of our continual drive to bring innovative art and architecture to new audiences, Castles, Follies & Elephants is an immediately engaging visitor experience.”