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Mining statue erected in Redruth town centre
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| The statue |
As the final major instalment of Redruth's Public Realm scheme a bronze mining sculpture has been erected at the top of Lower Fore Street.
The bronze sculpture of a Cornish miner stands two metres tall and was produced by artist David Annand lives in Fyfe, Scotland and has produced a wide range of Public Artwork throughout Britain.
The sculpture was commissioned by the Redruth Public Realm Working Party's Mining Art Group in response to comments received during the consultation process.
People in the town said they wanted artwork in the public realm scheme and that miners and mining in general was not represented in the proposals.
The Mining Art Group, made up of representatives from Redruth Town Council, REAP (Redruth Economic Arts Partnership), CPR Regeneration, Kerrier District Council, Cornwall Arts Centre Trust and Michael Tangye, a local historian and author, under the chairmanship of Kerrier District Council's portfolio holder for Regeneration, commissioned the sculpture as a tribute to Cornish miners to celebrate what they had achieved at the forefront of the technology of their time and their impact on the rest of the world.
David Annand was selected from over 70 artists who responded to an advert placed by Cornwall Arts Centre Trust, the project managers, for expressions of interest in August 2006.
A short list of five artists was selected to create further drawings and models which were exhibited in the Cornwall Centre in December 2006 for public consultation. The final decision to commission David was taken by the Mining Art Group with the addition of young art ambassadors from Redruth School.
Matt McTaggart , Cornwall county councils executive member for strategic planning and transport said: "Redruth's role in the history of Cornish mining is well documented and as the capital of the greatest of all Cornwall's mining areas, important for its marketing, financial, managerial and institutional roles it is very fitting that a mining statue should stand within the town to acknowledge the town's heritage.
"This statue is the crowning glory to the town's Public Realm works and everyone involved in the scheme is to be congratulated. I would like to thank CORMAC in particular for their hard work and excellent results.
"Redruth's recent accomplishment of a Gold Award, for its Town Centre Public Realm Improvements, by the British Council of Shopping Centres goes some way to show that all of the materials chosen, the hard work, and indeed patience by the traders and the community is beginning to be recognised and should now be built upon to achieve further successes in the future for the town."
Councillor Carolyn Rule, Kerrier District Council Economic Development and Community Regeneration Portfolio Holder said "The Public Realm scheme has already delivered several works of art, based on themes related to Murdoch, the Carn Brea giant and mineral seams but this impressive sculpture is a fitting tribute to the miners themselves who lived and worked in and around Redruth".
Nigel Tipple, Chief Executive of CPR Regeneration, said: "Thanks to more than £5 million of investment from English Partnerships and the South West RDA, Redruth and Camborne have benefitted from a wide range of public realm improvements, including public art, to boost the vitality of both town centres. This new sculpture pays tribute to the area's industrial heritage while welcoming modern day visitors to the centre of Redruth."
Michael Tangye, local historian, Old Cornwall Society and author said: "Many indigenous Redruth families will be pleased to see the statue of a traditional Cornish miner erected in Fore Street. It is a truly fitting tribute to their forebears who worked in local mines, which extended beneath the very streets on which they walk today. It was they who with incredible courage left Cornwall in their thousands, often to avoid starvation, to take their unsurpassed skills of hard rock mining to the rest of the world."
7:00am Friday 21st March 2008
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CommentPosted by: kreacher.x, tuckingmill on 11:03am Sat 22 Mar 08
why so much concentration on the town centre whilst the surrounding town is crumbling around it! this is not so much to honor the honest Cornish Miner but to glorify the CPRregen committee & it's sychophants.
take note Redruth -- CPR will destroy you! & your town!!
why so much concentration on the town centre whilst the surrounding town is crumbling around it! this is not so much to honor the honest Cornish Miner but to glorify the CPRregen committee & it's sychophants.
take note Redruth -- CPR will destroy you! & your town!!
Posted by: J Trengove, redruth on 1:44pm Sat 22 Mar 08
Well, its better than those stupid dogs/boots :D
Well, its better than those stupid dogs/boots :D
Posted by: John Harvey, Staffs on 3:55pm Sat 22 Mar 08
I would have thought that the Davy lamp would be a prominent feature with any Cornish mining statue, or have I missed it?
I would have thought that the Davy lamp would be a prominent feature with any Cornish mining statue, or have I missed it?
Posted by: John Harvey, Staffs on 4:00pm Sat 22 Mar 08
I would have thought that the Davy lamp would be a prominent feature with any Cornish mining statue, or have I missed it?
I would have thought that the Davy lamp would be a prominent feature with any Cornish mining statue, or have I missed it?
Posted by: Sylvia Larkin, Lanner on 9:11pm Sat 22 Mar 08
I am a local born in Redruth and I think that the area around the statue has been very well built but the statue itself is "Hideous" and looks more like a "Scarecrow"
I am a local born in Redruth and I think that the area around the statue has been very well built but the statue itself is "Hideous" and looks more like a "Scarecrow"
Posted by: Gaz, Helston on 5:23pm Sun 23 Mar 08
What a waste of money. And how ironic is it that the CPR are involved in a statue of mining history, when they are trying to snub out the last chance this county has of reopening it's only viable tin mine.
What a waste of money. And how ironic is it that the CPR are involved in a statue of mining history, when they are trying to snub out the last chance this county has of reopening it's only viable tin mine.
Posted by: Gaz, Helston on 5:25pm Sun 23 Mar 08
Snuff out CPR.....Lynch the greedy landlords who ruin ordinary people...Bring prosperity and outlook back to Camborne and Redruth
Snuff out CPR.....Lynch the greedy landlords who ruin ordinary people...Bring prosperity and outlook back to Camborne and Redruth
Posted by: Boris, Redruth on 11:53am Mon 24 Mar 08
At least the kids have something to swing on now.
At least the kids have something to swing on now.
Posted by: MoCo, formerly Redruth on 8:15pm Sat 29 Mar 08
This really is hideous. Looks more like Superman meets the 'Jolly Green Giant' Ho Ho Ho!
This really is hideous. Looks more like Superman meets the 'Jolly Green Giant' Ho Ho Ho!
Posted by: Gaz, Redruth on 2:20pm Mon 31 Mar 08
I don't think it's too bad,very reminiscent of a more butch Kate Winslet on the bow of Titanic. If nothing else he'll probably help to keep the pigeons away.
I wonder if the cost wouldn't be such a big issue if it could be adapted for a secondary purpose. Perhaps his arms could flap and eyes glow red when traffic isn't allowed to drive through the street. (just a thought :-) ).
I don't think it's too bad,very reminiscent of a more butch Kate Winslet on the bow of Titanic. If nothing else he'll probably help to keep the pigeons away.
I wonder if the cost wouldn't be such a big issue if it could be adapted for a secondary purpose. Perhaps his arms could flap and eyes glow red when traffic isn't allowed to drive through the street. (just a thought :-) ).
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