New Design Submitted by Artist of Controversial Bonfire Sculpture

Published on: 30 May, 2013
Updated on: 30 May, 2013

The sculptress whose design for a piece of public art that recalled the 19th-century Guildford Guy (bonfire) Riots and which was refused by planners, has unveiled a new design – this time inspired by information technology and the father of computer science Alan Turing.

Theresa Smith of the London-based public art and design company Mooch has submitted a new design, provisionally titled Monument to IT. The finished sculpture would be made of steel with a glass screen and set on a stone plinth.

A visual of what the design may look like in position in Woodbridge Road, Guildford.

It replaces her previous design that was rejected by Guildford borough planners in April 2012. Click here to read story. That design featured a bonfire made of steel and was proposed to be sited on the roundabout in Woodbridge Road, near the police station.

Based on the image supplied by Mooch today, the new design could stand on an area of grass near the law courts – just off Woodbridge Road, and near to Onlsow Street / Bedford Road, subject to planning permission.

A piece of public art in this part of Guildford stems from a planning applications section 106 obligation that was attached to the building of computer games firm Electronic Arts’ (EA) headquarters in the town.

This new design has been created in order to offer an installation close to the EA building in Onslow Street.

Of her new design Theresa Smith said: “Guildford is fast gaining a reputation as the UK’s new silicon valley as local employment in the IT industry grows.

“The role of IT here is one of reinvention, of turning around the traditional perception of the town as quiet, old fashioned and reserved to one of a place that attracts and secures companies like EA to settle here, bringing employment and a new dynamic culture that marries the old Guildford with the new international IT-based economy.

She adds that Guildford’s rich heritage of architectural ironwork has become influential in the work. The base of the sculpture pays homage to the scrolled ironwork at the entrance to Abbot’s Hospital in the High Street.

Ms Smith points out that the artwork has both strong and traditional decorative qualities throughout, underlining a message of substance, longevity and sense of place.

She said: “This is a design that will endure and not date in a couple of years, also helping us come to terms with the fact that IT technology is not going to be un-invented, it is here to stay.”

Within the detail is a reference to pioneering computer scientist and World War II codebreaker Alan Turing, whose parents lived in Ennismore Avenue, Guildford. It was his family’s home for several years and he spent time there when not away at boarding school.

Within Ms Smith’s design, overlaid on components representing solar rays are four gold rings directly inspired by the internal components of the “bombes” in the Bletchley Park codebreaking machine used to crack the wartime German Enigma code.

The design also features a binary code on the glass screen within the sculpture. It links the Government posthuoums apology to Alan Turing, issued in 2009, for the appalling treatment he received as a gay man in the mid 2oth century. The binary code is a direct translation of the last line of the statement: “You deserved so much better.”

The previous bonfire sculpture design caused a good deal of debate, with some very much in favour of it, while others made it known that they did not think it was acceptable on a number of grounds. Click here to read another of last year’s stories. To see all our stories on the subjet, key the words ‘bonfire sculpture’ into the search box at the top right-hand side of this website.

What do think of Theresa Smith’s design this time? Does IT and Alan Turing make good and worthy subjects for a piece of public art in Guildford? If have have a comment to make, please leave a reply in the box below. Your full name (not for publication) is required by us, as always.

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