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| Water-Head, Beeston, 2025 |
I've written before about the difficulties faced by artists making 'public sculpture'. With a substantial number of commissions Paul Mason was all too familiar with both the processes and controversies surrounding the installation of works. None more so than the above 'Water-Head' commissioned by Nottinghamshire in 1988. Right from the start there were substantial issues around the piece and its original location in this satellite of Nottingham. In the first instance, like Leaf Stem in the city centre, it was envisaged as having a fountain through its core that would see water cascading gently over its surface.
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| Original location - photo credit: Akhtar Khan/Art UK |
And like the work in the City Centre, that was decommissioned in the early 90's as UK winds whipped the water off the surface and onto passers by adding a physical dimension to viewers aesthetic displeasure! However despite it all the work remained in place for quite a time but redevelopment saw its future very uncertain. Step forward Tamar Feast, a local resident and (since 2018) Trustee of Beeston & District Civic Society). Tamar first contacted me in 2012 when she wrote in The Beestonian newspaper a passionate defence of the work outlining its history and kickstarted a campaign to have it re-sited rather than thrown on the scrapheap.
So all credit, to Tamar, first & foremost, abetted by fellow trustees, local government officials and members for the re siting of the work adjacent to the Hoton - City Centre Tram line that now sees Paul's work at two locations (the other being a black marble work outside Lakeside Arts Centre by the University of Nottingham campus). As I write this I'm getting set to go to a re-dedication of the piece this very day! And here we are...on Saturday 25th January at 3.30 pm. Introduced by (on left) Mervyn Brown, Hon. Sec & Trustee of the Beeston & District Civic Society, myself (centre) and Tamar Feast (on right).
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