Barbara Hepworth

in General, there are two types of Madame Tussauds and other news stories. The First is when there is a new wax figure from a recently established celebrity (Dua Lipa ). The Second way - the way more fun, because attack it with glee), when a once-famous person (Cheryl Cole) is removed because it reduced the currency in The Public imagination.

There is nothing harmful in the decisions, it is business. When Madame Tussauds wants to remain relevant, and therefore, a solvent to keep it with the time. No one in the queue for hours on one of London's Most polluted streets, while The Rain lashes down on your battered brolly to see a wax figure of someone whom you have no interest, or may even not stand.

So, it is 'Yes' to Harry and Meghan (section recently removed from The Royal ) and 'no' to Jimmy Savile (smelting, 2012). Regardless of their intellectual or aesthetic reservations about Tussauds, you have to admit, it is a logic, the magnets of the visit to the trade fair strategy.

The same can not be said for the country-approach to the sculptures exhibited Outside In The Public area, for which there are thought to be about 20,000 or 19,999 was sent to The Bronze portrait of slave - trader Edward Colston in Bristol Harbour this weekend of protesters at an anti-racism demonstration

whatever your opinion of this particular incident, it highlights a more General question, is a lack of public debate about the thousands of statues installed in community rooms across the country. Should the citizens who live and those public areas not part of a discussion about The Works of art selected for display? If the vast majority of an already existing sculpture reprehensible, why should they be exposed to his presence Every Day ?

Maybe, there's a good reason for a statue to remain. Fine. They have their advantages, on the can be discussed and a democratic decision taken forward, in a way. Maybe it could be re-placed, or the context of material added to, or, in some cases, put in storage and the space for an alternative artwork agreed by The Local community. Any way, tell The People to: who or what do you want to commemorate or celebrate?

But, in contrast to Madame Tussauds , there is no overarching strategic approach to the display of statues in public places. There are the Public Monuments and sculptures Association, but it has no official mandate to the curator to impose decisions or policy. The decision is usually left to the municipalities, some of which have really terrible taste. Or, even worse, are deaf to the community that they represent.

Maybe it should be an approved body for the monitoring of a coherent policy for a sculpture in public space: a panel, consisting of experts, could be the constant checking of the exhibited work, as well as the curators in a museum for the objects for which they are responsible

informed, dedicated to the body is also a place for discussion, commissioning, programming and exchange could. Sculpture could be treated in The Public space, such as a different National Museum , with a Director, a specialist for curators, restorers, and - above all - An Education Department, the cooperation with the municipality and schools.

It was More Than a platform for discussion about what each of the statues should and should not be shown, but also the chance to develop an exhibition plan in consultation with each area, with the aim of improving public spaces for The Local population.

The fall of Colston ' s portrait, could approach The Catalyst for a new community-focused. Towns such as Harlow in Essex have shown that his commitment to British Modern sculptors such as Elisabeth Frink and Barbara Hepworth , a serious, planned approach to the exhibition of outdoor works of art to improve not only the room in which you sit, but also the region as a Whole is can - gives it an identity and a cohesion: a reason for people To Live there and to visit a reason for people.

It is an opportunity for the recasting of our approach to sculpture in The Public space to make the current hit-and-miss, usually unconscious system in a mold-breaking, country-spanning, new National Museum for art in Public space.

follow us on or on Twitter. If you have A Story , suggestion E-Mail.

Source of news: bbc.com