Artwork Shortlist Revealed
05 October 2009
Details have now been revealed of the three shortlisted proposals for the new £80,000 sculpture at Kings Hill.
A total of 61 artists expressed an interest in creating the work, which is being commissioned by Kings Hill development partners Liberty Property Trust UK and Kent County Council, and three were shortlisted by a judging panel of public art experts and members of the community.
Models of the shortlisted works went on public show at Kings Hill on Wednesday (30th Sept).
The new sculpture will be on a roundabout between Discovery Drive and Beacon Avenue in a recently developed section of the residential area of Kings Hill. People can see the models at www.kings-hill.com/living-in-kings-hill/sculpture-commission and are invited to add their comments online. The models can also been seen in Liberty Square next to the hairdressers.
The shortlisted pieces are:
James Hopkins proposal
His proposal consists of a concrete sphere painted with white road markings. It is a perfect sphere were viewed from some directions, but elliptical from others. It assimilates the imagined action of driving and circumnavigating the roundabout and is a reflection of its environment. The judging panel was attracted to the contemporary design of this artwork and were impressed by the artist’s previous work.
Richard Perry proposal
He used a section through a specimen tree and turned the resulting silhouette into a 3D sculpture. It will be made from polished light bronze with deep under-cut relief and is a symbol of the strong roots and new growth of the community. It will be underplanted with lavender, providing colour and scent. The panel was impressed by previous examples of his work and admired his proposed design for an elegant yet powerful artwork.
Andy Scott proposal
His design is based on the semi-rural and pastoral quality of the development. Nature is personified by a stag standing on a sleeping figure and the sculpture will develop its own mythology. He hopes to evoke a notion of the balance of nature within the built environment. The panel was particularly drawn to the imaginative nature of this proposal and its originality and freshness.
The judging panel, which includes include Mark Davy of Futurecity; contemporary artist Nicole Mollett; Andrew Blevins, managing director of Liberty Property Trust UK Ltd; Sarah Barker, chairman of Kings Hill parish council and Jack Heskett of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council’s Youth Forum, will make its final decision and announce the name of the winning piece later this month (October).
“The standard of work is exceptional and by creating models of their proposals the artists have brought their work to life,” said Andrew Blevins. “We are very excited about the new sculpture and are sure it will become a popular landmark and talking point.”
Once commissioned, it is expected that the work will be installed in Spring 2010. The chosen artist will receive up to £80,000 to create and install the design. The fee has been raised from the sale of land for houses at Kings Hill.
