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Our Angel - have your say
8:58am Thursday 26th July 2007
Comments (40)ST HELENS will soon have its own iconic landmark to rival The Angel of the North.
A world famous artist has accepted the challenge to design a £700,000 artwork in Sutton Manor as part of Channel 4's Big Art Project.
Barcelona-born Jaume Plensa has exhibited all over the world and completed major commissions in Canada, Israel, Japan, France, Germany, and the United States.
His most famous work is the iconic Crown Fountain in the centre of Chicago.
Jaume's public artworks in the UK include a laser beam light sculpture at the Baltic Arts Centre in Gateshead and, most recently, a sculpted and illuminated glass dome for the BBC's Broadcasting House.
Channel 4's Big Art Project involves the creation of seven new landmark public art works across the UK. Progress is being filmed by Carbon Media as part of a major Channel 4 series to be broadcast in 2008.
The Sutton Manor site boasts a rich heritage as a former colliery and visible location beside the busy M62 motorway midway between Manchester and Liverpool.
Working title for the project is our old Latin motto, Ex Terra Lucem (out of the earth comes light) and the brief is for a forward-looking artwork that will not only put St Helens on the map and come to symbolise the massive transformation the borough has witnessed in recent years, but also to become a new regional icon for the North West.
Jaume Plensa commented: "My work is first and foremost about celebrating life and the human experience of standing in between past and present, present and future, knowledge and ignorance. I fell in love with this site in St Helens as soon as I saw it. The spectacular setting, proud heritage, vision for the future, and the warmth, humour and passion of the former miners I have met are all truly inspirational. To have been invited to capture the essence, hopes, and aspirations of a whole community on this scale is a great honour but also an awesome responsibility."
St Helens Council leader, Brian Spencer, said: "As council leader and someone who worked down Sutton Manor Colliery myself, I am delighted that an artist of the calibre and international standing of Jaume Plensa has accepted our commission."
Jaume Plensa will develop concepts over the summer. The designs will be finalised in autumn and construction will begin when planning permission is granted. The process will also feature a huge local community involvement programme intended to form the basis of a significant Big Art Project legacy initiative.
- Funding totalling more than £700,000 has been raised from The St.Helens Local Enterprise Growth Initiative, Forestry Commission, North West Coalfield Communities Regeneration Programme, and the Arts Council.
What do you think about this project. Post your comments below.
Your Say YourSt Helens Star
Steve, Sutton says...
7:54am Fri 27 Jul 07
Steve, Sutton says...
7:54am Fri 27 Jul 07
Steve, Sutton says...
7:54am Fri 27 Jul 07
June Jenkins, Sutton St Helens says...
3:40pm Fri 27 Jul 07
June Jenkins, Sutton St Helens says...
3:40pm Fri 27 Jul 07
June Jenkins, Sutton St Helens says...
3:40pm Fri 27 Jul 07
June Jenkins, Sutton St Helens says...
3:40pm Fri 27 Jul 07
DP, Sutton Heath says...
3:59pm Fri 27 Jul 07
As Council leader propped up by the same Tories who actually closed all our local pits including Sutton Manor!!!
DP, Sutton Heath says...
3:59pm Fri 27 Jul 07
As Council leader propped up by the same Tories who actually closed all our local pits including Sutton Manor!!!
DP, Sutton Heath says...
3:59pm Fri 27 Jul 07
As Council leader propped up by the same Tories who actually closed all our local pits including Sutton Manor!!!
DP, Sutton Heath says...
3:59pm Fri 27 Jul 07
As Council leader propped up by the same Tories who actually closed all our local pits including Sutton Manor!!!
DF, SUTTON MANOR says...
1:12am Sun 5 Aug 07
Or maybe the money could be used to improve the parking around here,there is a real shortage of parking facilities around here and most of us along Jubits Lane have recently had the pleasure of a parking ticket.
There must be a million and one other things that money could be used for,things that the whole community would benefit from,but will we get any money spent on the things that would truly benefit us NO we wont.We get a stupid statue instead.
DF, SUTTON MANOR says...
1:12am Sun 5 Aug 07
Or maybe the money could be used to improve the parking around here,there is a real shortage of parking facilities around here and most of us along Jubits Lane have recently had the pleasure of a parking ticket.
There must be a million and one other things that money could be used for,things that the whole community would benefit from,but will we get any money spent on the things that would truly benefit us NO we wont.We get a stupid statue instead.
DF, SUTTON MANOR says...
1:12am Sun 5 Aug 07
Or maybe the money could be used to improve the parking around here,there is a real shortage of parking facilities around here and most of us along Jubits Lane have recently had the pleasure of a parking ticket.
There must be a million and one other things that money could be used for,things that the whole community would benefit from,but will we get any money spent on the things that would truly benefit us NO we wont.We get a stupid statue instead.
DF, SUTTON MANOR says...
1:12am Sun 5 Aug 07
Or maybe the money could be used to improve the parking around here,there is a real shortage of parking facilities around here and most of us along Jubits Lane have recently had the pleasure of a parking ticket.
There must be a million and one other things that money could be used for,things that the whole community would benefit from,but will we get any money spent on the things that would truly benefit us NO we wont.We get a stupid statue instead.
e dobson, rainford says...
1:19pm Wed 8 Aug 07
e dobson, rainford says...
1:19pm Wed 8 Aug 07
e dobson, rainford says...
1:19pm Wed 8 Aug 07
e dobson, rainford says...
1:19pm Wed 8 Aug 07
s bennion, parr says...
12:02pm Fri 10 Aug 07
s bennion, parr says...
12:02pm Fri 10 Aug 07
s bennion, parr says...
12:02pm Fri 10 Aug 07
s bennion, parr says...
12:02pm Fri 10 Aug 07
Stephen Wainwright, Sutton says...
4:23pm Tue 14 Aug 07
This is not a council idea and has little to do with the council. It's the Focus Group who've commissioned Jaume Plensa, although Brian Spencer as an ex-miner is, I believe, a member. This is where the confusion probably lies as local authorities will always want to take some of the credit for successful initiatives in their area. It was Channel 4's idea originally and 20,000 nominations were elicited from communities nationwide, all wanting a piece of artwork located in their neighbourhoods. It's quite amazing that the old Sutton Manor colliery has become one of the seven short listed sites that will feature on C4 from next May.
The sources of funding for the artwork at the Manor are clearly listed in the Star story above and the suggestions for alternative ways of spending the money are nonsensical. I doubt very much that the Forestry Commission could be persuaded to divert their investment of £200,000+ into car parking in Sutton Manor instead. Or that pressure could be placed on the Arts Council to put their share into cleaning.
If you have issues with parking, cleanliness, somewhere safe for kids to play etc.etc. you should do something about it. Raise these issues with your local councillors; attend Ward Committees; write to the council etc. It's an unfortunate side-effect of the internet that it empowers the armchair critics who prefer to denigrate improvements to their environment rather than celebrate them.
Stephen Wainwright, Sutton says...
4:23pm Tue 14 Aug 07
This is not a council idea and has little to do with the council. It's the Focus Group who've commissioned Jaume Plensa, although Brian Spencer as an ex-miner is, I believe, a member. This is where the confusion probably lies as local authorities will always want to take some of the credit for successful initiatives in their area. It was Channel 4's idea originally and 20,000 nominations were elicited from communities nationwide, all wanting a piece of artwork located in their neighbourhoods. It's quite amazing that the old Sutton Manor colliery has become one of the seven short listed sites that will feature on C4 from next May.
The sources of funding for the artwork at the Manor are clearly listed in the Star story above and the suggestions for alternative ways of spending the money are nonsensical. I doubt very much that the Forestry Commission could be persuaded to divert their investment of £200,000+ into car parking in Sutton Manor instead. Or that pressure could be placed on the Arts Council to put their share into cleaning.
If you have issues with parking, cleanliness, somewhere safe for kids to play etc.etc. you should do something about it. Raise these issues with your local councillors; attend Ward Committees; write to the council etc. It's an unfortunate side-effect of the internet that it empowers the armchair critics who prefer to denigrate improvements to their environment rather than celebrate them.
Stephen Wainwright, Sutton says...
4:23pm Tue 14 Aug 07
This is not a council idea and has little to do with the council. It's the Focus Group who've commissioned Jaume Plensa, although Brian Spencer as an ex-miner is, I believe, a member. This is where the confusion probably lies as local authorities will always want to take some of the credit for successful initiatives in their area. It was Channel 4's idea originally and 20,000 nominations were elicited from communities nationwide, all wanting a piece of artwork located in their neighbourhoods. It's quite amazing that the old Sutton Manor colliery has become one of the seven short listed sites that will feature on C4 from next May.
The sources of funding for the artwork at the Manor are clearly listed in the Star story above and the suggestions for alternative ways of spending the money are nonsensical. I doubt very much that the Forestry Commission could be persuaded to divert their investment of £200,000+ into car parking in Sutton Manor instead. Or that pressure could be placed on the Arts Council to put their share into cleaning.
If you have issues with parking, cleanliness, somewhere safe for kids to play etc.etc. you should do something about it. Raise these issues with your local councillors; attend Ward Committees; write to the council etc. It's an unfortunate side-effect of the internet that it empowers the armchair critics who prefer to denigrate improvements to their environment rather than celebrate them.
Stephen Wainwright, Sutton says...
4:23pm Tue 14 Aug 07
This is not a council idea and has little to do with the council. It's the Focus Group who've commissioned Jaume Plensa, although Brian Spencer as an ex-miner is, I believe, a member. This is where the confusion probably lies as local authorities will always want to take some of the credit for successful initiatives in their area. It was Channel 4's idea originally and 20,000 nominations were elicited from communities nationwide, all wanting a piece of artwork located in their neighbourhoods. It's quite amazing that the old Sutton Manor colliery has become one of the seven short listed sites that will feature on C4 from next May.
The sources of funding for the artwork at the Manor are clearly listed in the Star story above and the suggestions for alternative ways of spending the money are nonsensical. I doubt very much that the Forestry Commission could be persuaded to divert their investment of £200,000+ into car parking in Sutton Manor instead. Or that pressure could be placed on the Arts Council to put their share into cleaning.
If you have issues with parking, cleanliness, somewhere safe for kids to play etc.etc. you should do something about it. Raise these issues with your local councillors; attend Ward Committees; write to the council etc. It's an unfortunate side-effect of the internet that it empowers the armchair critics who prefer to denigrate improvements to their environment rather than celebrate them.
james, st.helens says...
1:00am Thu 16 Aug 07
james, st.helens says...
1:00am Thu 16 Aug 07
james, st.helens says...
1:00am Thu 16 Aug 07
james, st.helens says...
1:00am Thu 16 Aug 07
M Blakemore, Rainhill says...
9:26pm Sat 18 Aug 07
M Blakemore, Rainhill says...
9:26pm Sat 18 Aug 07
M Blakemore, Rainhill says...
9:26pm Sat 18 Aug 07
M Blakemore, Rainhill says...
9:26pm Sat 18 Aug 07
pitmon, says...
3:25am Sun 30 Mar 08
burning trees down/drinking alcohol nuff said
pitmon, says...
3:25am Sun 30 Mar 08
burning trees down/drinking alcohol nuff said
pitmon, says...
3:25am Sun 30 Mar 08
burning trees down/drinking alcohol nuff said
pitmon, says...
3:25am Sun 30 Mar 08
burning trees down/drinking alcohol nuff said
An iconic landmark that could rival The Angel of the North (pictured) will be built in Sutton Manor
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Steve, Sutton says...
7:54am Fri 27 Jul 07