Charity project puts outdoor artworks online
UNIQUE RESOURCE HIGHLIGHTS REGION’S SCULPTURES
ON a housing estate in Killingworth, four stone hippos have grazed on paving stones since the year Rumours by Fleetwood Mac topped the album chart.
In a field outside Cramlington, a 15ft spoon stands in a field, likely only seen by dog walkers and bemused passersby. Deep in Kielder Forest, a giant head stands with its mouth frozen wide open in an endless silent scream.
No, you haven’t stopped reading The Chronicle and stepped into a fever dream.
A new project by charity Art UK has photographed and digitised 13,500 artworks that make up the UK’s public sculpture collection. There are 942 artworks in the North East, and including those mentioned above there are better-known sculptures such as Man With Pigeon in Eldon Square, Spirit of Jarrow and the rather spooky Conversation Piece near Littlehaven Beach in South Shields.
More than 500 photographers and data volunteers made the large-scale project possible, with artworks being found everywhere from city centres to remote islands and forests.
The unique online resource aims to showcase the rich history of public sculpture in the UK and how public sculpture represents our history. It is hoped that it will allow members of the public, historians and researchers to access the information for both pleasure and study.
Anthony Gormley, the artist behind the Angel of the North, one of the symbols of the North East and most famous public sculptures in the country, said: “This is a wonderful resource allowing all of us to know and visit the works that we collectively own.
“Many exist in open space, whether rural or urban, and can be visited day or night whatever the season – works that can truly be lived with and that enrich and deepen our experience of their surroundings.”
Andrew Ellis, director of Art UK gave some further background into the project, saying: “The UK has a rich and enviable collection of public sculptures, and we are thrilled to have
brought them all together on Art UK at this time of national interest in our public sculpture heritage.
“This five-year project to document sculpture in the UK’s outdoor spaces is not only a significant milestone for our charity, but also for anyone who cares about public art or simply wants to find out more about that sculpture they walk past each day.”
As well as this project on outdoor public sculptures, Art UK have been documenting all sculptures of the past 1,000 years held in public collections, with 36,000 works online.
Ellis continued: “Together, these two huge sculpture recording initiatives will make an enormous contribution to the study of sculpture and public awareness of this great art form.”
The project has been led by Art UK’s deputy director Katey Goodwin, whose research has uncovered an imbalance in the representation of females and people of ethnically diverse backgrounds.
“Of the 2,600 sculptures which depict or commemorate named people, 77.5% are dedicated to men, as opposed to 17% to women and 5.5% to both.
Less than 2% of these 2,600 artworks depict or commemorate people of ethnically diverse backgrounds, whereas the largest group of people commemorated are royalty, with 175 dedicated to Queen Victoria alone.
Goodwin said: “Our intrepid team of volunteers have recorded thousands of public sculptures in our streets and parks, at the top of mountains, on the side of buildings and beside the sea.
“Many of these monuments have been erected to commemorate real-life people, to celebrate their achievements and remember the events which defined their lives. These numerous statues, fountains, reliefs and clock towers help to keep their memory alive.
“Analysing these sculpture records tells us a great deal about our country’s history and who we choose to commemorate, highlighting how our public art should become more representative. Each part of the UK reflects its own identity, industries and local heroes in the monuments it builds.”
If you want to explore the outdoor artworks on theArt UK database, visit artuk.org