‘Train crash’ sculpture sponsor should have a rethink

I fully endorse all the comments of revulsion and disbelief regarding Roger Hiorns’ submission for the sculpture to be displayed outside the new Curzon Street HS2 station in Birmingham. How is it possible that such an insensitive proposal could even get as far as to be shortlisted? To deny knowledge of the 1952 Harrow & Wealdstone disaster is one thing, but how can anyone contemplate erecting a depiction of an obviously badly wrecked locomotive outside a new railway station? Where is this man coming from? The reference he makes to “sexual identities” is beyond me! London Midland Trains should not sponsor this and should consider the implications. Would it consider placing a wrecked locomotive in the midst of one of its new advertising campaigns? Ian Osborne, Wakefield ◆ Modern artwork does tend to be challenging these days. As you acknowledge, artist Roger Hiorns was unaware of the Harrow & Wealdstone accident, and nothing about it was submitted with the entry regarding it being a train crash. We have an artist born and raised in Birmingham, entering art based on a steam locomotive of the type that City of Birmingham is, in a contest for artwork to be displayed outside a railway station in Birmingham, who wasn’t even aware of the Harrow & Wealdstone disaster. Yet this is supposedly an intentionally insulting piece of artwork denigrating the memory of the Harrow victims, and their families. I would have thought Steam Railway was above this sort of cheap attention grabbing. I dare say that if the artist had been born and raised in Truro, entering artwork based on a steam locomotive for display outside Truro station, then it would be based on a certain GWR 4‑4‑0 instead. Michael McNally, Didcot ◆◆It is possible that Roger Hiorns was unaware of the 1952 Harrow & Wealdstone horror, but how can anyone consider such a pile of scrap as art? As for the judges, just what qualifications does one need to have the courage to reject out of hand such a dreadful lump of trash? The £2m of taxpayer’s money could, and should, be put to a much more positive and beneficial use. Well done Steam Railway for drawing people’s attention to the sculpture. Barry King, by email ◆◆It is appalling that this man will be paid to create a gross insult to people that died in the crash. What will he do next? The 1879 Tay Bridge disaster? Peter Blay, by email