Thelma and yes you’ve guessed – ‘The Big V’

Another great pose from Thelma.

BOREDOM WARNING
DON'T READ ANY FURTHER UNLESS YOU LIVE IN ST ALBANS

The local paper had this letter printed and as Roger Miles wrote a much better letter than I did I thought it merited reproducing

Is the Big V what we really want?

10:58 - 26 November 2009

The Big V

SIR - Messrs Howell and Carruthers are being somewhat presumptious in presenting simultaneously a need and a solution with their Verulamium Park sculpture (Herts Advertiser, November 12, pictured above).

A more normal course to acquiring and installing a piece of public art would be to first find out whether there is any significant desire for such a thing and in what location, second, sound out feelings for the sort of symbolism sought and then to invite all interested artists to submit proposals.

Instead of which St Albans citizens are being presented with a fait accompli which they are asked to think about raising the money for. It smacks of public funding for H & C Sculptures' open-air showroom.

Further, to place a large, futuristic sculpture in Verulamium Park could be to demonstrate a failure to learn any lesson from the unfortunate business of rehousing the hypocaust.

There is a notable absence of public art in the 'historic city' (a quote from SADC stationery) so I would suggest that the first subjects that we should be turning our minds to depicting are famous people or events associated with St Albans - Nicholas Breakspear, Francis Bacon, Sam Ryder, the two battles of St Albans are some. Alban and Jennings/Marlborough have commemoration already, albeit architectural.

We should give some thought to this subject and not be bounced into something we later regret.

ROGER MILES

Upper Culver Road, St Albans