Wednesday 27 April 2016

Express & Star 26 March 2016

Giant M6 Saxon warrior statue 'would be in the wrong place'

This giant statue of a Saxon warrior, inspired by the discovery of the Staffordshire Hoard, could appear near the M6 in the county.

But the proposal for the 114ft monument near Stoke has already been criticised, as the site would be more than 30 miles from where the hoard was found.
Council bosses want to spend £3.5million on the warrior in connection with the hoard, the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon gold ever unearthed found in Hammerwich near Burntwood.

Lichfield District Councillor Ken Humphreys, who represents Hammerwich, said: "I have seen what they are hoping to do and I am not happy with it being so close to the M6 where it will be more of distraction than a monument, and the fact that Stoke is the wrong place for it."

"But I am not in favour of it at all really.

"The sort of money its going to cost could be better used for permanent displays of the hoard in Lichfield."

Stoke-on-Trent City Council, which is behind the plans for the statue, has stated the city has its own 'special significance' to Anglo Saxon history.
While much of the hoard is on display at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery in Stoke.

Read more at http://www.expressandstar.com/news/local-news/2016/03/26/giant-saxon-warrior-statue-would-be-in-wrong-place/#hhe82ESzR1izwD4j.99

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The purpose of this blogsite prepared by public art consultant Ian Banks was originally to augment his impartial critique and feasibility report funded by stakeholders (and issued March 2012) that evaluated the pre-existing proposal for a major public art work by artist-sculptor Andy Edwards for Stoke-on-Trent. This report was issued in the spirit of a critical friend, and as constructive criticism to help inform major project stakeholders, challenge all pre-determined concepts, whilst simultaneously advocating for best practice. A pdf download can be accessed here, and flip book version with extracted Executive Summary is also viewable in the blog post dated 27th April 2016.

Called the Staffordshire Saxon. This public art proposal references the world famous Staffordshire Hoard. The concept was first supported in a story on The Sentinel website on March 29th 2010 and this support has been attempting to gather pace (and funding pledges) ever since.

Several years on, although this support is still ongoing, the realisation of this highly contentious large-scale sculpture of the Saxon has still to happen, but of course a 9' version of it has. A first scale model was unveiled at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, Stoke on Trent on the 18th May 2012 before an audience of politicians, business leaders, civic dignitaries and Sentinel readers.

The smaller statue was funded by Stoke-on-Trent City Council and unveiled by the Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, Councillor Terry Follows, and Anthony Jones, executive vice president and chief financial officer at Wedgwood, who sponsored the exhibition detailing the making of the statue.

The Staffordshire Hoard is the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver metalwork ever found, anywhere in the world. Discovered in a field near Hammerwich in Staffordshire in July 2009, it consists of more than 3,500 items, that are nearly all military. This contains certain 'star' items such as crosses, zoomorphic mounts and biblical inscriptions.

The Staffordshire Hoard is owned and cared for by Birmingham City Council and Stoke-on-Trent City Council, on behalf of the nation.

Click to access Stoke-on-Trent Museums Hoard Podcasts and blog.