Local heritage group Our Basildon has spent ages trying to track down a six-foot bronze statue of the Greek poet and philosopher, Homer, which used to stand in the town centre.
Its disappearance, 16 years ago from Basildon Council’s Brooke House flats tower, seemed a profound mystery.One for the crime fiction authors, that one!
Hmmm, whatever could have happened to this valuable bronze metal lump..?
Now council officials have lifted the lid and admitted it was stolen.There was some doubt?
Our Basildon director Vin Harrop was disappointed to learn the statue had been stolen and hoped other local sculptures would be better looked after.Hopefully, no-one’s!
He added: “It’s a great shame, because it was a really good piece of art.
“We now have to protect what art we’ve still got. It does worry me, as I’m not entirely sure whose job at the council it is to be looking after it.”
A council spokesman confirmed the sculpture was stolen ten years ago, but added the plinth still remained in Brooke House.Well, the plinth isn’t made of bronze, is it? Even the inhabitants of Basildon aren’t so dim they don’t know that!
He added: “The reason we haven’t replaced it, basically, is because there is nothing suitable to replace it with.You could always do what they did in Trafalgar Square and let the local populace use the plinth as ‘art and expression space’.
“There are other statues, but we have looked at them and come to the view none of these is really all that suitable to replace the Homer statue.”
That’d be quite entertaining, I’ll bet…
3 comments:
I haven't walked past there in many a year now but I'd be shocked if the local populace hadn't already used the plinth as an 'art and expression space'.
I somehow doubt that it would be the sort which gets reviewed by Brian Sewell though.
I cannot beleive they cannot find an equal for Homer, Marge is just as popular and a statue of Bart, Lisa and Maggie would do at a push.
Honestly, I just dont think they are really trying that hard.
I suppose it's not easy being the 'ideas' guy, you know.
"...I'd be shocked if the local populace hadn't already used the plinth as an 'art and expression space'."
Hmmm, good point.
"I cannot beleive they cannot find an equal for Homer, Marge is just as popular and a statue of Bart, Lisa and Maggie would do at a push."
Heh!
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