Publication of new volume on Birmingham public sculpture
Works of art by two former Heads of Sculpture of Birmingham School of Art – William Bloye and Benjamin Creswick – as well as former student David Patten’s Industry and Genius: Monument to John Baskerville (1990) feature in Birmingham: Public Sculpture Trails, a fully illustrated guide recently published by Liverpool University Press.
Written by George Noszlopy and Fiona Waterhouse, the Archives’ own Research Assistant, it focuses on central Birmingham and is designed with the visitor to the city very much in mind. The introductory essay on the history of Birmingham’s commissioning of public art is followed by four separate trails, each accompanied by a map showing the location of the artworks. In these later sections, the authors outline the historical background to the creation of the individual sculptures and give biographical details about those commemorated in the city’s memorial statues. In addition, they provide an insight into the artistic qualities and symbolic meanings of many of the works. The sculptural decoration on the façade of the Art School is among those featured in the first of the four trails.
Intended as the first in a series of volumes on public sculptures in different British cities, the publication of the guide has been supported by the Leader of Birmingham City Council and the Birmingham branch of the Victorian Society.