Delight as Aldingbourne's first ever community sculpture unveiled
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Standing 3.5 metres tall and made of bronze and galvanised steel, the structure was dubbed ‘Skywards Spiral’ by artist Richard Janes, who was commissioned to design the piece by the parish and district council alongside arts charity Artswork.
Richards developed the design in a series of workshops with children from three local schools: Aldingbourne Primary School, Barnham Primary School and Ormiston Six Villages Academy, a secondary school. The sculpture is influenced by, and incportates elements from, the students’ research into the history and unique features of the parish.
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Hide AdIt was formally unveiled by Arun District Councillor Isabel Thurston at a ceremony in Aldingbourne Community Sports Centre with fellow councillors, students and Richard Janes himself present.
Janes is a Nottingham-based sculptor and artist with an international portfolio of work. Alongside exhibiting at the Tate Modern, he has brought sculpture and real materials to schools all over the country. He said working with local children in Aldingbourne was ‘a real pleasure’ and enjoyed incorporating their discoveries into his design: “I’ve made it partly in the shape of a shepherd’s crook, for example, because the playing field on which it’s been installed used to be grazed by sheep, and I’ve included representations of plague masks because the entire village of Aldingbourne had to move eastwards because of the plague. The design also features local birds, animals and flowers.”
Cllr Michelle Hardbord added that the parish council was ‘delighted’ to unveil the sculpture: “We hope it brings a sense of pride not just to all those who were involved in the creative process, but to the whole parish. The artwork is located centrally in the grounds of Aldingbourne Community Sports Centre where it will provide a new focus for everyone to enjoy”.
“Showcasing young people’s creativity in the heart of their communities empowers young people and can have a transformative impact on places,” added Beccy East, programme manager for Artswork’s ‘Arun Inspires’ project. “This project is a brilliant example of what can be achieved when quality artists, the local community, schools and young people’s imaginations work together.”