Tuesday, October 07, 2008

ANGEL OF THE SOUTH


Whilst listening to Radio 4 there was a piece about the Angel of the South I knew nothing of this so I looked it up and below is what it is all about, briefly it is a Monument to celebrate the South of England. It seems there were 5 Artists who were short listed to present their work one of which depicted a White Horse as the this piece of art was to be in Kent a good idea but it is literally a Standing White Horse.
The Five Designs
For those who know your history you will know the Rampant White Horse name Invicta (unconquered) is the County symbol of Kent. Did you know: The white horse on a red field is said to be the symbol of the ancient Saxon kingdom of Kent, dating from the sixth to the eighth century. The horse specifically relates to Horsa, a fifth century warrior, who, together with his brother Hengest, defeated King Vortigernk. The first written record of the white horse can be found from 1605 in Richard Verstegan's work Restitution of Decayed Antiquities, which states that in 449AD Hengest and Horsa landed in Kent under the banner of the rampant horse. According to the radio programme it could be the oldest symbol of government in the World.
The problem is that Kent County Council and most probably most of the people of Kent (Kentish Man and Men of Kent) want the INVICTA HORSE not just any old white horse standing as though waiting to be fed but the BBC in their wisdom believe KCC should not get involved as the Artist has said he will not change his design. Well I for one have been proud to have been born in Kent and I love the word INVICTA (unconquered). What I suggest to KCC is to tell all those artist thank you very but no thank you as for the BBC stop meddling in the affairs of Kent.
You will see the designs attached


Five artists have been short-listed to design an Angel of the South sculpture in Kent.
The £2m landmark piece of public art will stand on a hilltop above the Ebbsfleet Valley, close to a former chalk quarry, two motorways and the Channel Tunnel railway.
Paid for by Eurostar, London and Continental Railways and Land Securities, organisers hope it will become the south’s version of Antony Gormley’s iconic Angel of the North at Gateshead.
The 164ft sculpture, twice the size of the Angel of the North, will mark the new Ebbsfleet International railways station and a massive development of homes and commercial space planned for 1,000 acres of former quarry land.
The artists short-listed for the commission are Christopher Le Brun, Daniel Buren and Turner Prize winners Rachel Whiteread, Mark Wallinger and Richard Deacon.
But we want to know what you think the sculpture should look like. What sight should greet rail passengers arriving in the south of England? What symbolises the south? What would you submit to the judging panel?
Send us your designs to http://www.telegraph.co.uk/portal/main.jhtml;jsessionid=44QI40EJ424FBQFIQMGCFF4AVCBQUIV0?view=CAMPAIGN&grid=P9&pg=/ETHtml/content/promotions/mypic/mypic.jhtml&pc=mypic&_requestid=156358. By submitting your design you confirm that you agree to the terms and conditions

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