Re~Stirred Forum

Let's ignore the sickeningly lacking in confidence title about rivalling the Angle of the North.

Does Birmingham need new public art - one major new piece or perhaps several smaller pieces - to represent the city?

If so, what should it be like, and where should it be located?

http://www.birminghampost.net/dailybull ... -33274604/

I agree that we've got quite enough of Mr Gormley's work.

As the Post article alludes, we've already got some fairly iconic pieces and they don't have to be 66 feet tall to be impressive.

The article asks whether we should commission a piece to celebrate Tolkien's association with the city. Of course, we already have more than one. It's to the City's great shame that Perrott's Folly is being allowed to go to rack and ruin while the LOTR and the Hobbit have made millions.

Slightly off-topic, but thanks for giving me the excuse to make the point

You wouldn't get that question being asked in Stratford. Embarassing isn't it!

It's absurd and a wasted opportunity, not just embarassing.

I'm a big fan of public art - though not of course any old junk thrown up in its name.

I'd welcome a new major piece to represent the city, as long as its not announced as Bham's 'version of' or whatever.

I'd also welcome existing items being taken out of storage and put on display.

One person replied to the Post article suggesting the Forward piece be remade in a different material. I always like the structure of that, but not the colour or material. Not a bad idea to have it remade in metal or stone of some kind.

imo we already have one of the best pieces of large scale public art anywhere that I've seen, far better than the Angel of the North. I also agree that if something new were to happen it'd be good to restore the folly and build up the Tolkein connection more.

I’d like to see The Swing taken out of storage
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tim_ellis/442734131/

But the Council is waiting for a suitable Roundabout
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/ ... art_former


It would be good to identify the site for the new work first.

My preference would be to let a local artist make their name and after that I’d like a Thomas Heatherwick piece.

The spitfire and the swing - both I like, rather than love.

Heathwrick's stuff looks of interest: www.heatherwick.com

I liked the fact that forward was designed by someone with a Birmingham link, but don't see that as essential.

Agreed. Interesting and "makes you think" is good enough for me. Not sure I've ever loved a piece but the closest is my long distance affair with The Bean in Chicago.

I like the concept and the form of The Swing and I also like that it was bought for £5k from the Glasgow Garden Festival. I don't know the real story but I like to imagine that someone went to the Festival and bought it on impulse, as you do, and then got home with it. If it  ever does get re-installed they should rename it Waiting for the Roundabout. For who hasn't sat on a swing while waiting for the roundabout.

I do love the way that Heatherwick's mind works. The Rolling Bridge in motion is joyous, the lamented B of the Bang is inspirational for the title alone and yet the Olympic Cauldron lost out to the new Government website as design of the year!

Gormley's work doesn't do much for me other than Another Place. Not sure it would work along the canal.  

We should get the gorilla back that stood in Manzoni gardens

Or get Temper (a much overlooked local artist) to come up with something.

We don't celebrate our artist's enough and we have one that is famous in the very right circles

Agree about Temper - both in terms of this thread and also your general comments about not recognising local talents.

If anyone wasn’t aware there is a bit of a ding dong going on about an old piece of public art.

Brum Kong has been “found” again. This has caused a Twitty and Wiki war about the facts.

The dispute is centring on Mr Carl Racey, the oft-cited but elusive ex-owner of King Kong. It appears that Kong is the star of a course on English prepositions for Japanese students.
You can try it:
http://www.englishforjapanese.com/exerc ... 20kar.html

The theory is now that Carl Racey was a made-up name based on how the Japanese say “racing car”.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:King_Kong_statue
So next time you ask a Japanese person if they like Formula One, don’t be surprised if they say “Ah yes. I like the Carl Racey.”

The worrying part is that with all this renewed interest someone might try and give him back.
http://www.paradisecircus.com/2013/05/0 ... -americas/

entertaining links there! Infact, could quite imagine King Kong back in Bham - perhaps in a park next to a children's play area. Dont think it's quite the thing to represent the city, however, though it would no doubt confirm the rest of the country's view that Bham is a strange place indeed!