COUNCIL CHIEFS WARN PEOPLE TO STAY OFF DAMAGED SCULPTURE
COUNCIL bosses have warned people “in no uncertain terms” to keep off a damaged public art sculpture. George Rickey’s Three Right Angles Horizontal was installed in the Queen’s Park pond in a bid to keep it safe.
But when the water froze over last winter, skaters took the opportunity to climb on the work.
Repairs are being carried out this week at a cost of around £2500 by workers using an inflatable dingy to access the sculpture.
A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council said: “The return of the George Rickey sculpture Three Right Angles Horizontal to view was a great moment for public art in Glasgow.
“It was always intended to be displayed over open water and the pond at Queen’s Park was chosen as the most suitable location after the sculpture’s 26 years in storage.
“Members of the public are requested to keep off the sculpture in no uncertain terms.”
Queen’s Park was the second home for the art work.
It was originally installed in Festival Park, in Govan, but was removed in 1994 as it became a favourite play spot for local children.
It had been thought the artwork was lost but it was recovered from storage and the artist’s son, Philip, visited Glasgow in 2019 to take part in work to restore it.
Three Right Angles Horizontal originally formed part of a major exhibition of Rickey’s work that was held in Glasgow in 1982, the year of his 75th birthday.
It was originally made of wood but by 1988, with the wooden version deteriorating badly, a metal version was cast as a replacement.
A new version was created which was eventually purchased by the then Glasgow District Council in November 1991.
The council spokesperson added: “Unfortunately, when the pond froze over in the early part of the year, members of the public were able to access the sculpture and use it in ways it was never designed for.
“Fortunately the sculpture did not have to be removed as previously happened in 1994 after it became a piece of play equipment at its then home of Festival Park.
“We have now been able to undertake the necessary repairs to Rickey’s kinetic art work and we hope people will be able to enjoy it to the full once more.”
George was American but spent much of his childhood growing up in Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute.
Another of his works, Three Squares Gyratory 1, can be seen in the West Quadrangle at Glasgow University.