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The Diver (full name:The Diver:Regeneration) is a sculpture by John Kaufman located in the River Thames at Rainham, east London. The Diver is made of galvanised steel bands on a steel frame and is 15 feet (4.6 m) tall and approximately 6 feet (1.8 m) wide and is partly submerged every high tide and totally submerged by spring tides.

The Diver is constructed from (approx.) 300 m of galvanised steel banding and 3000 nuts and bolts and weighs 3 tons. It is secured 26 feet (7.9 m) into the Thames mud.

History

John Kaufman (1941–2002) was a self-taught sculptor living and working in the London Borough of Havering, East London. Inspired by prominent public artist Don Rankin to create his own piece of public art, John embarked on the Diver project in 1995. Initially he financed the project himself but later received funding from Cleanaway, a local refuse company. Receiving mentoring from Don Rankin, support from the Havering London Borough Council in the person of Adam Nardell and additional financial support from friend, John Bowyer, John was able to complete and site the statue in August 2000 in its current location. It was installed at 3:30 am in order to avoid river traffic.

The piece is inspired by Kaufman's own family history. His grandfather Friederich Johann Andreas Kaufmann was a diver in the London Docks c. 1900. The sculpture stands as a monument to this man and all working men of the area who have worked in difficult and dangerous conditions.

Soon after the completion of the sculpture, John fell ill and died in 2002. After his death, a wake was held at the location of the sculpture with family and friends.

Location

The sculpture is sited in the River Thames in Rainham, East London. It can be reached from the Ferry Lane Industrial area and Coldharbour Lane. The car park is found by passing the Tilda rice warehouse.

See also

• List of public art in Havering

References

1. ^ Public Monument and Sculpture Association – National Recording Project

External links

• www.thediversculpture.com – Official Sculpture Website
• www.mylondondiary.co.uk – Image of sculpture

v t e London Borough of Havering
Districts	Ardleigh Green Beam Park Chase Cross Coldharbour Collier Row Cranham Elm Park Emerson Park Frog Island Gallows Corner Gidea Park Hacton Harold Hill Harold Park Harold Wood Havering-atte-Bower Heath Park Hornchurch Hornchurch Marshes Noak Hill North Ockendon Rainham Rise Park Romford Rush Green South Hornchurch Upminster Upminster Bridge Wennington
Attractions	Bretons Brookside Theatre CEME The Diver Havering Museum Langtons Queen's Theatre Rainham Hall Rainham War Memorial The Rom Tithe Barn Museum Upminster Windmill
Major retail	The Brewery The Liberty The Mercury Romford Market
Places of worship	St Andrew, Hornchurch St Edward the Confessor, Romford St Edward the Confessor Catholic, Romford St Helen and St Giles, Rainham St John the Evangelist, Havering-atte-Bower St John, South Hornchurch St Laurence, Upminster St Mary Magdalene, North Ockendon
Parks and open spaces	Bedfords Park Cranham Brickfields Cranham Marsh Dagenham Park Hainault Forest Harrow Lodge Park Havering Country Park Haynes Park Hornchurch Country Park Hylands Park Ingrebourne Marshes Ingrebourne Valley Lodge Farm Park Pages Wood Pyrgo Park Rainham Marshes Nature Reserve Raphael Park St Andrew's Park Tylers Common Weald Brook Wildspace Conservation Park
Constituencies	Dagenham and Rainham (part) Hornchurch and Upminster Romford
Tube and rail stations	Elm Park Emerson Park Gidea Park Harold Wood Hornchurch Rainham Romford Upminster Upminster Bridge
Other topics	Council Grade I and II* listed buildings People Public art Public transport Schools
Category Commons

• London
• Visual arts

51°29′51″N 0°10′56″E / 51.49743°N 0.18236°E / 51.49743; 0.18236

• Media and communications in the London Borough of Havering
• Buildings and structures on the River Thames
• Outdoor sculptures in London
• Steel sculptures in England
• 2000 sculptures
• Underwater diving in art