Adrift is a 1907 group by the Irish-born sculptor, John Cassidy (1860-1939). The monument used to be in Platt Fields Park (just like Abraham Lincoln statue that is now in Lincoln Square), but has recently been moved to St Peter's Square. It can be found practically between the Central Library and Town Hall extension.
The original plaque explains the meaning of this moving work:
'Humanity adrift on the sea of life, depicting sorrows and dangers, hopes and fears and embodying the dependence of human beings upon one another, the response of human sympathy to human needs, and the inevitable dependence upon human aid' (J. Cassidy).
Being me, I cannot help but make an observation. You see, the entire sculpture faces the metrolink and a bus stop. With all the changes to tram lines in the last few years, as well as the regular liver-venting of other public transport users, it is hard not to notice a certain irony in what monument is being placed, and where. Whether in the morning, afternoon or evening, half of the population of Greater Manchester is found adrift, at the mercy of engines and timetables, withstanding the impossible pressure of not opting in for a taxi, having given up the hope for a bus arriving on time.
I am not at all inviting us to read more into Cassidy's monument than there is. Trams were more of a dream than reality in 1907, as well as buses. But every time I go past the sculpture on the bus, I realise that it means more to me. I am sure the city authorities will see my point and introduce changes to the public transport service. I hope they don't decide that the easiest thing to do is to move the monument... read more
