''Messenger'' is a large
statue
A statue is a free-standing sculpture in which the realistic, full-length figures of persons or animals are carved or cast in a durable material such as wood, metal or stone. Typical statues are life-sized or close to life-size; a sculpture t ...
in
Plymouth
Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west.
Plymouth ...
, UK, created by the
Cornish artist
Joseph Hillier
Joseph Hillier (born 24 April 1974 in Cornwall) is a British sculptor. His best known works include the ''Messenger'', a public sculpture in Plymouth, Devon.
Early life and education
Hillier was born in Cornwall in 1974. He studied at Falmouth ...
, depicting a female actor
crouching in preparation to run
onstage. It was commissioned by and installed outside the
Theatre Royal, Plymouth in 2019 in preparation for the city's ''
Mayflower 400'' celebrations.
At tall and wide, and weighing , it is the largest sculpture ever created in the United Kingdom using the
lost-wax casting process. It was cast over 18 months in the Castle Fine Arts foundry in
Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant,
Powys, and delivered by barge across
Plymouth Sound.
Symbolism
The piece is based upon a single brief pose by a female cast member, Nicola Kavanagh, during rehearsals for a performance of the
Shakespeare play ''
Othello
''Othello'' (full title: ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'') is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare, probably in 1603, set in the contemporary Ottoman–Venetian War (1570–1573) fought for the control of the Island of Cypru ...
'' in 2014.
The title ''Messenger'' refers to the role of an actor in breathing life into the words of a writer.
Hillier said that "There's a lot of work, a lot of graft but the biggest challenge is keeping the freshness of the original idea intact, keeping the lightness of that moment."
The sculpture is intended to be a counterpart to the many sculptures of men in Plymouth and across the UK.
Interviewed after ''Messengers installation, Kavanagh said of it, "She's brave, she's not afraid. She is ready for anything that comes her way. If one little girl in Plymouth or anywhere else sees her and is inspired that would be great. There aren't that many statues of women and those that are around are passive, demure or looking beautiful. She looks like she's engaging and acting in a rebellious manner. I have two nieces, I think it's very important that little girls and little boys see women doing things – and you can’t miss Messenger."
Construction
The piece was commissioned as part of a £7.5 million regeneration of the Theatre and it is intended that visitors will walk through its legs to enter the Theatre Royal.
See also
*
''LOOK II'' (sculpture in Plymouth)
References
{{Reflist
2018 sculptures
Buildings and structures in Plymouth, Devon
Bronze sculptures in England
Public art in England
Sculptures of women in the United Kingdom
Partial squatting position
Colossal statues in the United Kingdom
Monuments and memorials to the Pilgrims