Part of the Norfolk Way Art Trail, Iron Reef by Studio Maetherea at Reedham Ferry Inn is inspired by the nautical heritage of Reedham Ferry and is designed to interact with the surrounding landscape. The tides and the river currents change the artwork’s material over time, creating different colours and textures with the passing seasons.

The curved light metallic structure climbs to the sky and interacts with the wind. The vertical elements gently undulate, echoing the reeds on the horizon and inviting visitors to contemplate the changes in season on the River Yare. Winter tides mirror the artwork, blurring the line between the land and the water.

Iron Reef is deeply rooted in the community. Residents took part in a series of creative workshops, exploring the artwork and inviting them to reflect on their experiences.  Participants created diary entries filled with interesting stories, poetry, and drawings as well as their experiences of the landscape, alongside sensory walks, which influenced the artwork’s design and composition.

Iron Reef will change through time, shaped by water, plants, animals and people. It’s raised platform, formed of a timber walkway and finished in a bioluminescent material, invites visitors to view the River Yare through vertical steel struts which reach heights of up to 12 metres.

The other artworks which form the Norfolk Way Art Trail are Flock at Diss Mere, Honing Passage at Honing Station, Interval at Eastbourne Place in Norwich and Flint at Norwich Arts Centre