Between 15 March and the 6 April 2019, something wondrous happened in Sheffield, when an abandoned Cutlery Works in Milton Street was transformed into a place of mystery and magic.
Eyewitness Works became the vehicle by which the artist known as Phlegm spent five months in situ secretly creating a physical world for his fantastical creatures, a final resting place for the Mausoleum of the Giants.
An incredible photographic record of both the exhibition and the exhaustive physical process involved has now been released as a brand new book to create a lasting reminder of this journey.
During the epic three-week installation, over 12,000 visitors queued for up to four hours to witness the marvel of the Giants. No words can describe the impact of these macabre solemn creatures laying in situ in the abandoned courtyard presided over by the Guardian but the visual archive can.
Working in association with the University of Sheffield, designed by Human Studio and featuring the photography of Chris Saunders, Phlegm: Mausoleum of the Giants, is available for a limited time period from the Millennium Galleries shop from 11 - 23 December.
The book is also available online through the artist’s website but copies can only be purchased in person through Museums Sheffield where limited amounts of signed copies are available.
Professor Vanessa Toulmin, speaking on behalf of the Mausoleum of the Giants Production Team praised the spirit of solidarity, community and collaboration of the city as a main factor of the success of the exhibition:
“Together all of us, the 100 plus volunteers, staff, production team and artist crew who worked on this exhibition brought Phlegm back. This is his gift to the City he called home for 15 years, a once in a lifetime never to be repeated experience of truly gigantic proportion. This book brings it all back and we are delighted to support the publication of this final part of the journey – a fitting epitaph to the Giants and to the genius of the artist who created them.”
Phlegm himself writes: “Sheffield gave so much to this project it just wouldn’t have worked anywhere else… it was Sheffield that made the mausoleum what it is…”
The book is available now at the Millennium Gallery shop open 10am-4pm Monday to Saturday until Wednesday 23 December: https://www.museums-sheffield.org.uk/museums/millennium-gallery/home and through the artist’s website: https://phlegmcomic.myshopify.com/ from today, priced £18.00.