No sooner was a new statue of the late Queen and Prince Philip unveiled at Antrim Castle in County Antrim than it was widely ridiculed, a common opinion being that the female figure looked nothing like the Queen, and that Prince Philip didn't look much like Prince Philip.
One critic even suggested that the late monarch looked more like Mrs Doubtfire. And Philip looks more like a movie villain about to roast some useless underling.
Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council commissioned the local artist Anto Brennan to create the sculpture and claimed to be delighted, saying it captured the Queen "in a dignified pose, reflecting her grace, steadfastness and life-long devotion to public service."
But Vera McWilliam, an Antrim and Newtownabbey councillor, thought the critics had a point. "We have to be honest, it does not resemble the queen in any shape or form."
Other statues that have been roundly derided tend to be discreetly removed. I await with interest whether this statue meets the same fate.
Another statue of Philip dressed as a don, erected in Cambridge at an estimated cost of £150,000, was also derided and removed. Presumably a similar sum was spent on the controversial statue of the two Royals.
Anto Brennan hasn't made any public comment on his statue as yet.
Pic: The contentious statue
I'm so fed up about all those royals and really do not understand why they are filling the news , I do not care what happens to them, there are much bigger problems in this world . The statues are great in showing them in an ridiculous way , maybe it was the artist's intention.
ReplyDeleteHannah
Hannah: There are indeed much bigger problems than the latest Royal-related controversy. I don't see the point of statues of the Royals, or for that matter statues of public figures in general.
DeleteMaybe the royals should weigh in?
ReplyDeleteBijoux: Yes, that would be fun.
Deletewell, it's alright .... I can't say it doesn't resemble our lovely late Queen ... but it also looks a bit strange & nondescript.
ReplyDeleteFor your previous blog post, I am not sure what my inhibitions are. I think I find haggling (or any money related stuff) a little bit awkward so perhaps some inhibition there. I also find nudity a bit embarrassing, I have to look away .. so that's my inhibition.
Liam: Strange and nondescript is a good description. As for inhibitions, I don't have any problem with money issues, but then I'm not so hard-up that I'm forced to haggle even when I hate doing so.
DeleteAnother waste of public money.....
ReplyDeleteHelen: Absolutely. Just another example of virtue-signalling.
DeleteI don't see the resemblance, either.
ReplyDeleteSandra: It could be just about anybody. How could an experienced sculptor get her so wrong?
DeletePerhaps Hannah is correct in that the artist did it on purpose. Otherwise, he really messed up.
DeleteSandra: He certainly did a good job of depicting the Queen as nobody special - more like Mrs Ordinary off to do some shopping at Lidl.
DeleteIt certainly does not resemble the queen. Philip is a bit closer in looks. He certainly is there, a pace behind.
ReplyDeleteJoanne: Prince Philip does have a passing resemblance to the real person.
DeleteNick, the controversy around this sculpture seems very like similar issues here in the USA when certain groups called for removal of some in recent years. My personal preference would be for sculptures that have nothing to do with humans, although those have also been subject to controversy.
ReplyDeleteBeatrice: I could also do without the humans. There are some great animal sculptures. A house near us has a giant sculpture of a stag in the front garden.
DeleteI'm a bit sorry for the sculptor, there have been some unpleasant remarks. Having said that, I don't like it either. There is also a pretty poor statue of Diana and her two sons in Kensington Palace - very stiff and ruining an otherwise pretty water garden. I do think they could find someone who has been trained to sculpt the human form to do these things!
ReplyDelete