Public Art and the City of Birmingham

Birmingham is planning a major piece of public art in one of its central spaces. The cost will be two million pounds and it will be in place by 2018. The designated site is the western entrance to the current Eastside City Park. The five shortlisted examples in the Big Art Project competition - from which the winner will be chosen in January 2017 -are currently being showcased in miniature on the ground floor of the magnificent Library of Birmingham.

Roger Hiorns’ entry is made up of two model locomotives –  elongated versions of a Stanier Coronation Class Pacific, one of which is lying on its side. This is how his piece is described.

The “locomotive train” referred to appears to mean just the locomotive and tender. As can be seen from the photo of the work, in the model, at least, the skin tone finish and the moulding is abandoned for the tender that is on its side.

Think Tank is the city’s science museum, which lies just to the east of the centre. It houses Stanier Coronation Class 4-6-2 No. 46235 City of Birmingham. My clearest recollection of her is when she called at Chester General station in the early 1960’s on a Holyhead to London Euston express. After her withdrawal in September 1964, she was donated to the city council by British Railways. She has been a museum exhibit ever since, somewhat overlooked when compared to her two surviving and much higher profile class mates, often referred to simply as “Hamilton” and “Sutherland,” such is the familiar affection that they command in railway circles.

I’m very much in favour of public art projects. They add character to their location, encourage a sense of pride and belonging for local inhabitants and provide lively discussion points for visitors. The best examples also have that “Wow” factor that makes you just feel happier to be there to see them. The Angel of the North and the Bean are amongst my favourites, in that respect.

The rationale offered in Hiorns’ description may be fairly straightforward, but how convincingly will he be able to make the case for this sculpture, when compared to the rival entries? Does it say enough about Birmingham, specifically? Maybe if this was a well-known railway location like a Crewe or a Swindon, rather than a more general “powerhouse of manufacturing and invention,” as the Visit Birmingham website puts it, his position would be stronger.

My own priority would be to see the real locomotive given more of the limelight. If returning her to working order is not a viable proposition, then perhaps she could be displayed somewhere more prominent [and cheaper to enter] than at present. The only link it has with the city appears to be its name.   

I can hear the City of Birmingham’s likely rebuttal ringing in my ears already. “If it wasn’t for the City of Birmingham there would be no City of Birmingham.” They would have a point. Without Birmingham’s intervention, we would probably be one more Coronation Pacific down in total.

Also, Mr Hiorns would have had to look elsewhere for inspiration.