List of public art in Liverpool

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search
Acis and Galatea on the Steble Fountain

The city of Liverpool has a greater number of public sculptures than any other location in the United Kingdom aside from Westminster.[1] Early examples include works by George Frampton, Goscombe John, Thomas Thornycroft, Charles Bell Birch, Richard Westmacott, Francis Chantrey, John Gibson, Thomas Brock and F.W. Pomeroy, while Barbara Hepworth, Jacob Epstein, Mitzi Cunliffe and Elizabeth Frink provide some of the modern offerings. More recently, local artist Tom Murphy has created a dozen sculptures in Liverpool.

While statues and sculpture are dotted throughout the inner city, there are four primary groupings: inside and around St George's Hall; in St John's Gardens;[2] around the Pier Head; and around the Palm House at Sefton Park. Smaller groups are found in Old Hall Street/Exchange Flags and in and around The Oratory.

The Queen Victoria Monument at Derby Square, an ensemble of 26 bronze figures by C. J. Allen, is described in the Liverpool Pevsner Architectural Guide as one of the most ambitious British monuments to the Queen.[3]

NB: the following list does not include the comprehensive collections held by National Museums Liverpool, or the countless ornate features of many Liverpool buildings.

Royalty

Prince Albert

Statesmen and Politicians

Disraeli

Military

Nelson

Business and Inventors

John and Cecil Moores

Sports

Entertainers

Billy Fury
  • John Lennon bronze by Tom Murphy (2002), at Liverpool Airport; there are several other statues to Lennon around Liverpool, for example in Mathew Street[5] and above the Beatles' Hotel.
  • Billy Fury bronze by Tom Murphy (2003), at the Pier Head
  • Ken Dodd bronze by Tom Murphy (2009), at Lime Street station
  • The Beatles on the Pier Head, unveiled December 2015 to commemorate 50 years since their last performance in the city.

Religious Figures

Philanthropists and Clergy

Bishop David Sheppard

Scientists and Philosophers

Charles Darwin

Explorers and Geographers

Captain Cook

Artists

  • Michelangelo marble by John Warrington Wood (1877), outside the Walker Art Gallery (badly weathered)
  • Raphael marble by John Warrington Wood (1877), outside the Walker Art Gallery (badly weathered)

Educationists

Fictional, Poetical and Allegorical Characters

Victory
  • Minerva terracotta by John Charles Felix Rossi (1802), above Liverpool Town Hall[8]
  • Highland Mary marble by Benjamin Spence (1850) inside the Palm House at Sefton Park
  • The Angel's Whisper marble by Benjamin Spence (1857) inside the Palm House at Sefton Park
  • Spirit of Liverpool marble by John Warrington Wood (1877), on the roof of the Walker Art Gallery[9]
  • Neptune, Amphitrite, Acis and Galatea bronze figures by Paul Liénard (1879) on the Steble Fountain outside St. George's Hall (Grade II*)
  • Justice and Truth bronze by Thomas Brock (1904) on the Gladstone memorial in St. John's Gardens (Grade II)
  • Britannia bronze by Goscombe John (1905) on The King's Regiment memorial in St. John's Gardens (Grade II)
  • Navigation, Commerce and The River Mersey Portland stone by William Birnie Rhind and E. O. Griffith (1906), inside and outside the Cotton Exchange, Old Hall Street (badly weathered)[10]
  • Justice, Wisdom, Charity, Peace, Education, Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fame bronze by C. J. Allen (1906) on the Queen Victoria Monument, Derby Square (Grade II)
  • Liver Birds bronze by Carl Bernard Bartels (1911) on the towers of the Royal Liver Building
  • Liverpool, Research and The Fruits of Industry bronze female figures by George Frampton (1913) on the memorial to Alfred Lewis Jones at the Pier Head (Grade II)
  • Victory bronze by Henry Alfred Pegram (1921), at the Pier Head (Grade II)
  • Peter Pan bronze by George Frampton (1928), in Sefton Park (Grade II)
  • Eros aluminium by Alfred Gilbert (1932), in Sefton Park[11] (Grade II)
  • Night & Day black basalt by Edmund Thompson (1934) on the George's Dock ventilation and control station, George's Dockway
  • Liverpool Resurgent bronze by Jacob Epstein (1956), outside the former Lewis's department store
  • Eleanor Rigby bronze by Tommy Steele (1982), in Stanley Street
  • Superlambanana concrete and fibreglass by Taro Chiezo and local artists (1998), in Tithebarn Street; numerous replicas are dotted throughout the city
  • Mother and Child bronze by Terry McDonald (1999), outside the Liverpool Women's Hospital, Crown Street
  • Sea Trek bronze by Mark DeGraffenried (2001), looking out to sea, near the Albert Dock

Animals

Waiting
  • Two Goats marble by Giovita Lombardi (c.1867) inside the Palm House at Sefton Park
  • Four Recumbent Lions stone by William Grinsell Nicholl (1855) outside St. George's Hall (Grade II)
  • Red Rum bronze equine by Philip Blacker (1987) at Aintree Racecourse
  • Temple lions or fu-dogs (3 pairs) bronze by Mr. Zhang of Shanghai (2000) on Berry, Nelson and Great George Streets
  • The Great Escape bronze equine by Edward Cronshaw (2000), Canning Place, next to Merseyside Police Headquarters
  • The Roman Standard bronze of a bird on a staff by Tracey Emin (2005) outside The Oratory[12]
  • Waiting bronze equine by Judy Boyt (2010) outside the Museum of Liverpool

War Memorials

Abstract Sculpture

Reconciliation
Turning the Place Over
  • The Quickening stone by Mitzi Cunliffe (1951), at rear of Civic Design Building, Liverpool University
  • Three Uprights aluminium by Hubert Dalwood (1959) at the University Extension, Chatham Street
  • Seven Seas metal by Stanley English (1966), at the Pier Head
  • Squares with Two Circles bronze and concrete by Barbara Hepworth (1969) at Abercromby Square
  • Cormorants Diving metal by Sean Rice (1972), inside the Atlantic Tower Hotel
  • Seagulls Rising metal by Sean Rice (1972), courtyard of the Atlantic Tower Hotel
  • Red Between steel by Phillip King (1973) in the quadrangle of the Victoria Gallery & Museum, Liverpool University[17]
  • Palanzana stone by Stephen Cox (1984), on Byrom Street
  • Tango metal by Allen Jones (1984) at Concert Square
  • Sea Circle bronze by Charlotte Mayer (1984) on Seymour Street
  • Raleigh stone and metal by Tony Cragg (1986), outside the Tate Liverpool, Albert Dock
  • Reconciliation metal by Stephen Broadbent (1990), in Concert Street
  • Ray + Julie metal by Alan Dunn and Brigitte Jurack (1995), on a vacant site in London Road
  • A Case History stone by John King (1998), on Hope Street
  • The Seed metal by Stephen Broadbent (2002), in Campbell Street
  • Connections steel, concrete, timber, glass by Stephen Broadbent (2004), outside Beetham Tower, Old Hall Street
  • Penelope metal by Jorge Pardo (2006), in Wolstenholme Square
  • Skyline metal by Oliver Barratt (2007) at New Quay
  • Turning the Place Over mobile ovoid segment of a disused building by Richard Wilson (2007) in Moorfields[18]
  • Peace & Harmony metal and glass by Lauren Voiers (2010), at Kings Dock

See also

Gallery

References

  1. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. dubbed "Liverpool's alfresco Valhalla", every statue inside is listed, together with the walls and gatepiers
  3. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. an 1836 copy of the original marble now stands in Pimlico Gardens, London. The Liverpool bronze was in turn copied from this
  5. e.g. Four Lads who shook the World by Arthur Dooley (1974)
  6. sited for many years outside the Sailors' Church, Pier Head, this interesting equestrian suffered damage and its whereabouts are currently unknown, presumed lost
  7. The first statue to be placed in St. George's Hall in over 100 years, and the first depicting a woman. There are several vacant plinths remaining.
  8. debate still over whether the figure actually represents Britannia
  9. the original was removed in 1993 to the Conservation Centre, and a copy hewn from a 41-ton block of Chinese marble
  10. these colossal sculptures had originally adorned the roof
  11. a modern copy; the original bronze is on display at the Conservation Centre
  12. the work has been stolen and returned at least twice
  13. commemorates 19th Century wars in Afghanistan, Burma and South Africa
  14. originally intended to commemorate the Titanic engineers, its dedication was broadened to include all marine engineers killed in the First World War
  15. incorporating the Spirit of Victory mentioned above
  16. described by Sharples and Pollard as "one of the most remarkable war memorials in the country"
  17. Liverpool University
  18. the motor was switched off in 2011
Bibliography
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links