Installation.

Cycling along the top of the sea wall between Keyhaven and Lymington I could see something in the distance which I couldn't make out, something new.  The sea wall route to Lymington is a favourite of mine for two reasons. Firstly, the salterns behind it are always teeming with birds of all types and I've had the opportunity to see some great sights, like birds sweeping up fish and rare visitors to our shores. Secondly, the views out over the Solent and onto the Isle of Wight, that mysterious isle, where they say the inhabitants don't have thumbs! Well, that's what I've heard.  Anyway, as I got closer two black shapes came into view. At first I thought they might have been hides for bird watching, a common activity in these parts, but no, to big.  The closer I got didn't make an interpretation any clearer.  Of course it wouldn't, it's art! These two 'buildings' are an art installation called 'The Observatory'; one structure is open and creates a shelter for you to observe the surroundings, the other structure an enclosed artists work space for resident artists. The Observatory will move between four sites over two years and is currently here. You can see the buildings are of a modern design, and can be rotated (I think), they're clad in charred wood, which is interesting and the enclosed one is half glass, so you can peer in at the art in progress. Nice. There should be more space for art, more energy focused in that direction. It's great to come across art in unexpected places, it enriches.  Get down there and have a look, I don't know how long they'll be there, mind.