Would you want this monstrosity in your town?

[joeluke]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/...ainment-arts-19881524

A 66ft bronze statue of a naked heavily pregnant woman, with half of it showing 'her' insides

I'd be embarrassed if this was in my town, it's an eyesore

Why do 'artists' feel the need to produce monstrosities that shock?

Whatever happened to quality bronzes of famous people erected in the towns where they were born?

I was born in same town as Stan Laurel and there is a bronze statue of him and Oliver Hardy in the town centre, it is a focal point of the town.

[Psybbo]

NO

[China Doll]

Not particularly, it's not my sort of thing and I'm not mad keen on Hirst.

[erin-x]

No!! Pregnant bellies give me the boak! I wouldn't want a giant sculpture of one hanging over me =s gross.....

[Euphemia]

No, it's an eyesore. I'd rather a sculpture relating to the sea/coast.
No doubt it received funding from the local Council.

[ludwig]

I think it would be ok if it was just a naked pregnant woman. The peeling flesh etc makes it look crap.

[woofgang]

I think this is beautiful though

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/104026

[Mick-Talbot]

It is rubbish, I can't see me going out of my way to see it.

I do like the 'Angel of the North' though.

[joggerjayne]

I like it.

[237SJ]

I`ve just been talking on the phone to someone about this. The interesting thing is, the outsiders who have moved to the town (on the whole) think it`s great and the locals (who aren`t known for their artistic appreciation) think it`s terrible. Damien Hirst has achieved publicity for himself and has opened the debate regarding artistic appreciation being in the eye of the beholder. I don`t think visitors will flock to the town to see Verity and the council has been calling to get the harbour dredged so that it can accept cruise liners. The powers that be obviously haven`t considered the fact that there might be passengers on those cruise liners who might be of a religious disposition which is offended by Verity. But then again, that`s North Devon for you! (I come from there)

[Baldric]

Just seen in the article that he (Hirst) lives in the town, he can't like it very much to do that to it!

[rockyracoon]

Not my cup of tea!

[pdq1]

They made similar comments about the 'Angel of the North'. This monstrosity has allowed to decay and now looks like a rust heap eyed by millions on the nearby A1. Work of art or just an overpriced symbol?

[ll_billym]

I think 66 foot is too tall for any statue that is in a town centre.

[237SJ]

As far as I know, it`s not in the town centre. It`s down on the harbour. It won`t become a rusting hulk either. It`s on a 20 year lease.

[woofgang]

I think the weathering is part of the plan and not "being left to decay"

"The sculpture has been created by the artist as his own response to the site, which had already been chosen as the location for a ‘landmark’ work of public art. It is a stark, otherwise unremarkable, skyline site visible from a distance. The artist has described how he felt this called for a feature which would link between earth and sky.

Some facts about the ‘Angel of the North’:
It is made of weather resistant steel, containing copper, which forms a patina on the surface that mellows with age
Below the structure are massive concrete piles 22 metres deep anchoring it to the solid rock beneath
The body is hollow to allow for internal inspections with an access door high up on a shoulder blade
It is built to last for more than 100 years and withstand winds of more than 100 miles per hour"

[boxtops]

I think it's horrible, I didn't ike the one in Trafalgar Square either.

[boxtops]

^ like

[Baldric]

I thought that one was ugly boxy.

[boxtops]

Don't say that, baldric, they'll bring it to Dover to replace the dandelion fountain :-(