A BOLD and striking work of art could soon be built overlooking one of the key traffic junctions in Grimsby town centre if a controversial Namibian artist is successful in persuading council bosses to go along with her ideas.
Plans seen by the Grimsby Telegraph show a 70m high installation which, it is proposed, would be built of recycled steel, with influences drawn from the sea and the associated fishing industry.
Recently successful in winning the Ekoj Prize, Namibia's equivalent to the Turner Prize, Lirpa Loof, 41, has turned her attentions to Grimsby as the potential location for her first piece of sculpture outside her home country. She has had a number of discussions with the owners of the former chapel at the junction of Frederick Ward Way, Victoria Street South and Peaks Parkway and formerly occupied by Graphic Press which is on the market with Scotts Property. The prominent town- centre location of the sculpture is bound to provoke discussion.
Instead of an office development as originally planned, the site's owner and council officers are understood to be close to agreeing a deal that will see the construction of Grimsby's equivalent to the Orbit Tower, designed by Anish Kapoor, adjacent to the Olympic Park in London. If planning permission is granted then it is anticipated that building could start within the next few months.
Levels of investment in the arts in the North East Lincolnshire area have been at an all time low since the start of the economic downturn but it is hoped that this new proposal will encourage other artists from the area to put forward ideas which Councillors hope will make Grimsby a tourist destination for art lovers from around the world.
Funding for the sculpture will come from a reserve pot of money held by public sector bodies specifically reserved for the purpose of increasing visitor numbers over and above existing tourist attractions, although it is limited to 60 per cent of the cost. Budget estimates vary, but it is thought that the cost of the structure will be £6 a- £8 million with a maximum of £5 million from the public sector and the balance from a private sponsor.
Officers from North East Lincolnshire Council have studied other works by the artist in her home town and are said to be particularly impressed with her piece titled iocus which reflects her thoughts on society and the role of the conceptual artist in provoking dialogue and discussion. The Grimsby sculpture does not yet have a name and it is possible that members of the public may be asked to put forward their suggestions as part of an engagement competition run by the artist.
Opinion is divided over whether the sculpture should be sited on such a prominent town centre site or if a location at Great Coates adjacent to the A180 leading into town would be more appropriate. The specific location is something that members of the public will be asked about over the next few weeks.
Letting members of the public take an active involvement in the project from the start is a deliberate act to encourage an element of public ownership of the sculpture. If the plans do get the go ahead and funding is found then the sculpture could change the skyline of Grimsby forever.
