Site for Dante artwork being sought

Midhurst Town Council is looking for a suitable location in the town for a statue of 14th century poet Dante.

At a community and environment committee meeting last Monday, town councillors discussed options for placing the sculpture of the Italian writer and philosopher, known for his epic — The Divine Comedy.

Cocking-based sculptor Philip Jackson is gifting the bronze-cast sculpture to the town because, he said, ‘Midhurst is Paradise’.

Councillor Mark Purves, chairman of the committee, described the town council’s gratitude to Me Jackson for the donation, and said he and his colleagues were working ‘very hard’ to bring the plans to fruition.

He said: “Philip Jackson is gifting the statue to the town which Harvey Tordoff [vicechairman of the Midhurst Society] has been liaising with Philip about.

“It’s a significant piece of work and his work is worldrenowned so we want to make sure it is in the right location.

“We are absolutely delighted and honoured that he is giving us a piece of work like that and we are working very hard to make it happen.

“The challenge we have is that we don’t own lots of land so we have got to work with landowners to try to make that all happen.

“We have identified a site of preference and we are starting discussions with stakeholders.”

The town council has set its sights on a patch of land at South Ponds, which is owned by Chichester District Council, and Mr Purves said the town council now needed to demonstrate there was public support for the project.

Councillor Jeanette Sutton said: “As a town council we are thrilled, delighted and honoured to be offered this amazing gift from a worldrenowned sculptor.

“It will be a lasting legacy which will attract tourists and will look wonderful.”

She emphasised the role Dante played in influencing writers and artists for centuries.

“Philip obviously really admires the man who around 1300 made changes to writing and poetry which still affect writers to this day.”

Following the announcement in February this year, Mr Jackson said: “The sculpture is of Dante having found paradise and I do agree with him – it’s a lovely town.”

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