Copy of letter sent this morning to the Chairman of Bolnore Arts:

Dear Louise

I am writing to express and record my feelings about the Kingfisher Drive artwork and I must also say that I have considerable sympathy for those residents overlooking the Pondside/Heyworth Ride pieces.

I generally appreciate art (but not pickled cows!), have no issues with BA as a group and am more than happy with your efforts in involving the local community in arts projects, workshops for young and older people etc.

However there are a number of reasons why I am very unhappy following the imposition of this ‘monstrosity’ as a neighbour describes it.

Firstly, I was not consulted about the sheer size of it. When we purchased our KD property in October we were told of the four SMALL pieces of art destined for various corners of the village. Sorry to put in so bluntly, but how can you just dump something so radical and noisy at the doorstep of so many people without having unanimous written support? I would need confirmation from Crest’s solicitors just for a satellite dish or garden shed.

We didn’t see the Planning Application in the Middy on June 12th. Not too surprising as it was amongst c.35 others and listed as: ’ 08/01754/FUL 32 Updown Hill Construction of 4 small pieces of Public Art’.

Still that shouldn’t have been a problem as we should have been able to rely on the Planning Office to send out copies of the Notice of Planning Application at least to those residents who would be overlooking the artworks 24/7. But they didn’t send them out, as you know.

The only Planning Notice was strapped to a local lamp post, in such a way that those walking towards it from the street could not see it. Also BA had covered it with advertising for the Bolnore Fete.

You have said that you came to consult immediate residents, but that was from July 3rd (to me on Sunday, 6th ) and was far too late. The views I gave at the time were misrepresented.

The attach

Letter to Chairman of Bolnore Arts continued:

The attached wings alone were described by the Middy reporter as ‘massive’, nothing like ‘small’ as stated in the planning application.

Secondly I do not like the piece itself at all. In my opinion the wings are way out of proportion to the supporting poles and the ‘flames’ look like a childish afterthought. Why the noise-polluting leaves are hanging from the wings is a mystery to me. The piece as a whole is disproportionate to the surrounding area, with each pole being much larger in height and thickness than the nearby recently-planted trees and the play equipment uprights. It wasn’t designed for this area and even the artists didn’t think it looked right after they had erected it. In terms of the play area I have a considerable number of risk/health and safety concerns.

Finally did no-one consider the immense irony of using the Larkin poem ‘The Trees’, which is about the wonder of trees renewing themselves each year and beginning afresh and then nailing it to a couple of innocent Douglas Fir trees that now have no chance of renewal. The only thing you will see written in their rings of grain is graffiti.

May I suggest that the artwork is immediately removed to the roundabout at the upper entrance to Bolnore in keeping with its status as the ‘Gateway’ to the village.

At a later date it could become part of the entrance to the new school playground.

I do hope that you will be able to act on these views as soon as possible.

Thank you.

I believe that the artwork is a mess and totally unsuitable to these locations; despite the protestations of the Bolnore Arts team there has been no effective consultation with the residents in the vicinity of the artwork.The experiences we have had with respect to the pieces on the green in phase 1 are very similar to the residents of Kingfisher Drive; when we raised our concerns with Bolnore Arts on the unsuitable nature of the artwork they have ignored our views and pushed on regardless.The permanent nature of the artwork came as a surprise to all residents I spoke to. I sincerely sympaphise with the residents of Kingfisher Drive, and hope that the artwork can be moved to a suitable location where it is not in site of domestic dwellings.

There seems to be a great deal of interest and comment about the new artwork which has sprung up about the village. It has certainly become a significant topic of conversation within Kingfisher Drive, I believe it is called ‘Dunkirk Spirit’!

My views fall into two categories, the first being the ‘process’ and the second being the actual piece of ‘art. To take the first, we as residents seem to have been walked over by a small (presumably) group of arrogant individuals who constantly tell us how wonderful their consultation process has been.

Now to the art which having seen what has landed on the area near my house I needed to check via the dictionary for a definition - ‘application of skill to the production of beauty’, perhaps not! However the definition does go on to include ‘cunning’ and ‘crafty conduct’ so perhaps the description is true I refer back to the process.

Art should engender emotion, and certainly when I first saw the two posts I had a moment when this was true as my mind first recalled the images of stakes at which witches were burnt in the middle ages and then jumped to appalling images of hangings in Iraq. These images may seem sensationalist but they were, unfortunately, my first feelings. Later we had some ‘wings’ attached which are totally out of proportion with the poles and these were adorned not with leaves but with clanging metal shapes. Not only do I have to view the piece I also now have to have my peace disturbed as well! However, as if these shapes were not enough the ‘constructors’ have now added some orange shapes I believe are supposed to resemble fire (back to the witches?

Well certainly not a piece of beauty and definitely made with he help of the young people of the village, presumably the play school. Out of proportion and cobbled together are two comments which come to mind but I guess I will have to learn to live with two posts and a disjointed poem about renewal as it would appear that the BA have no inter

cont'd....

.... Cont'd....Well certainly not a piece of beauty and definitely made with he help of the young people of the village, presumably the play school. Out of proportion and cobbled together are two comments which come to mind but I guess I will have to learn to live with two posts and a disjointed poem about renewal as it would appear that the BA have no interest in democracy!

So one cart that Dell Boy would love to have in his market,

one set of poles outside Somerfield soon to be firewood,

some deer that will need to be moved when the football

pitch comes along as they will not satisfy any

football league safety rules and some god awful ugly

poles with wings and tacky red tobacco fire. Great,

well done the Arts Assoc, excellent job. Oh not to

mention 30 k down the tube that could surely have been

spent on something more proactive and worthwhile.

Please listen to our requests to have the totem pole monstrosity removed as soon as possible. No-one likes it and it is a eye sore for us who have to overlook it all day. Bolnore Arts came to our door and described it as a "small" piece of art. It couldn't be further from the truth. It is likely to devalue our properties if left in situ.

I bought my house because of the lovely situation, a view over the woods, trees and the countryside. What I did not choose was a view of two dead trees (5mt wooden posts)with bells and orange and pink flames coming out the top! Was this designed by the local nursery school, and if so why isn't it there! No one I know likes it and who would buy a house with that in front!!!! Get rid of it now!!!

Ode to Art

Alas poor Douglas, I did not know thee.
Never saw you proud and tall,
No chance to feel your strength,
To smell your scent.
No chance to hear you whisper in content.

What shame one so proud,
Reduced to poles of timber.
Adorned with tacky shapes,
Designed by kinder.

“It’s Art” they cry as a crowd
And we of Bolnore should be so proud.
But all my mind can recall,
Is a tale of fine garments,
And a naked emperor standing small.