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Inside the Rock

The story of Cruachan Power Station and the art it has inspired, 50 years on from its completion and in anticipation of the premiere of the forthcoming work, Master Rock.

In the middle of Ben Cruachan in the hills of Argyl and Bute is a man-made cavern 90 metres high and 36 metres long, reached through a kilometre long rock tunnel. It's tall enough for an entire Cathedral to sit in its belly. This is the home of the Cruachan Power Station.

Marking it's 50th anniversary, the writer Maria Fusco is creating a site-specific work. Master Rock is a repertoire for the mountain and will be performed live inside the power station for broadcast on 17th October 2015.

This documentary provides context to Maria's work and tells the remarkable story of the power station's construction. We'll hear from some of the self-styled Tunnel Tigers, workers brought in from around the UK to perform the highly dangerous task of blasting into the rock. We also hear from Elizabeth Falconer - the unknown artist who made a huge mural inside the turbine hall of the power station.

Master Rock was commissioned as part of a wider collaboration between Artangel and 大象传媒 Radio 4 to find ground-breaking projects from artists working in any medium that will transform the UK's cultural landscape.

Producer: Hana Walker-Brown
Executive Producer: Joby Waldman
A Somethin' Else production for 大象传媒 Radio 4.

Available now

30 minutes

Last on

Thu 15 Oct 2015 11:30

Broadcast

  • Thu 15 Oct 2015 11:30