Few things provoke debate like public art. Love it or loathe it, you’re never very far from a piece in Cambridge – and there’s a huge variety on show.
But one piece is due to come down soon. Cambridge City Council issued an enforcement notice demanding the removal of an unauthorised statue known as The Cambridge Don, which stands outside Charter House at 62-68 Hills Road.
It is said to represent the late Prince Philip’s role as chancellor of the University of Cambridge and was previously linked to artist Pablo Atchugarry, who has since disowned the piece.
When it was put in place, a Cambridge City Council public art officer said it was “possibly the poorest quality work that has ever been submitted to the council”.
Our online poll about it, however, found opinion was mixed with 49 per cent saying they like it, and want it to stay, and 51 per cent arguing it is dreadful and should be pulled down.
As we reported, the city council has concluded the £150,000 statue has a “harmful material impact” on the appearance of the area and is contrary to policies in the Local Plan.
But some observers might level the same claim against other works of public art around the city.
Often funded by contributions from developers when new developments are given planning permission, or provided and maintained as part of planning conditions, public art is frequently divisive.
The city council, in its manifesto for public art, published in 2022, says: “Cambridge City Council has taken a national lead in its approach to the commissioning of public art and has achieved an impressive legacy with demonstrated benefits to the city and people.”
It describes its “commitment” to public art and suggests: “Successful public art demonstrates ambition and innovation, and is relevant to its context, engages people and contributes to civic identity. The only constant element of public art is that it is community or site specific.”
It aims to “engage local people in the planning, design and animation of their environments and social spaces through public art” and says it can “animate Cambridge’s public spaces and help to create unique spaces whether in the urban or natural environments, as well as create identity both at a local level and citywide with each artwork being specific to its location”.
And it notes: “Currently, in Cambridge there is an unprecedented investment in and support for public art that has either been delivered or is in the process of being developed. Outside of London, nowhere else in the country has so many artists working in the public realm.”
Of course, this commitment hasn’t always paid off.
Following a furore and a petition by the Friends of the River Cam, plans for a 50-metre long metallic golden wave structure along the riverbank at Sheep’s Green, called To The River, were sunk.
Much more popular, however, is the huge public art trail currently in place in aid of the charity Break. The 10-week Cambridge Standing Tall trail features 31 large giraffe sculptures decorated by artists and 60 ‘Mini Gs’ created in the community and now scattered around the city.
By the time it closes on 2 June, tens of thousands of people will have engaged with the trail. The sculptures will then be auctioned off for the charity.
But what do residents make of some of the permanent works of public art around the city? What earns good reviews – and what gets the thumbs down? We asked our Facebook followers for their verdicts on a number of pieces, and we share some of their views here.
What should the city’s next public art be? Let us know in the comments below or email your thoughts to us at letters@iliffemedia.co.uk.
Snowy Farr statue
One of Cambridge’s best-known public artworks is the Snowy Farr sculpture, installed outside the Guildhall in 2012.
It was created in memory of Cambridge character Walter ‘Snowy’ Farr MBE (1919-2007), who was well known for collecting money for charity in the market square – often dressed in antique military wear and eccentric hats and frequently accompanied by live animals including mice, cats and even a goat.
After a broad search and a public consultation on five shortlisted artists, the city council commissioned Gary Webb to celebrate Snowy's achievements, while reflecting his character and spirit. Gary said he wanted “a formal, serious, figurative sculpture like Nelson on a column or Churchill on a pillar”, but something fun and engaging, especially for children. The abstract work, created in alumnium and bronze,is designed to capture his eccentric and colourful character. It was funded with £72,400 in S106 developer contributions that could only be used for public art.
And it got some positive responses from a number of our Facebook commenters. William Griffin called it “a fitting reminder of a Cambridge character”, while Caroline Mead told us: “I really like it! It gives nice clues about him rather than being his likeness.”
Cathy Marchant said: “Love it. And for anyone who knew him it is instantly recognisable. Playful, as it should be.”
But not all were impressed.
Martin Togher said: “Looks like jelly beans, with a hat. I think they could have done much better than that. He was a big part of Cambridge history.”
Duwain Carter wondered whether Snowy would have approved of the cost of the statue – or preferred the money to go good causes he supported.
Charles Simons told us: “In my opinion a statue, like with most works of art, should be able to communicate at least the basic ideas about the subject it commemorates to someone who knows nothing about it. What could someone visiting Cambridge for the first time learn about Snowy from this? Would they even be able to tell that there’s a beloved story behind it?”
Diane Barnes said she had “spent quite some time explaining it to tourists, who have no idea what it’s about” while Michelle Shakespeare said she “really loved Snowy” but found this awful and would have preferred “his cart on a brass tribute, with him and his animals”.
Bushra Fakoury’s Dunamis and Danse Gwenedour
Two of the city’s most dynamic works of public art were created by Bushra Fakoury and can be found on Hills Road.
Dunamis means “power from above” and features a man holding up an elephant. “It symbolises the human struggle to achieve excellence, pushing boundaries to make the impossible possible. We need to prioritise, work positively and relentlessly towards reaching our goals and dreams,” explained Bushra.
“Holding the elephant in a high position pays homage to the traits that we share and gradually forget, such as family ties, solidarity, compassion and co-operation.” The figure’s ‘pointy hat’ represents knowledge through the ages.
Sarah Williams told us: “I suppose to be fair, I had worked out it was probably representing achieving the impossible, which is sort of Cambridge. However, I still think it looks daft.”
Githa St.John-Ives wasn’t keen either, saying: “My immediate thoughts are ‘circus elephant’ but I appreciate this wasn’t the the intended association.”
Sophie Charlotte agreed, suggesting: “This one just reminds me of elephant abuse in circuses.”
Meanwhile, Bushra’s Danse Gwenedour is a seven-metre high sculpture inspired by the dance performed by French villagers in Bretagne. It means “celebration of life”.
Helen Hale told us: “I like the three figures, but the eyeless masked faces give me the creeps.”
Matthew van Heerden observed: “I would rather see Morris men dancing, and I don’t like them much.”
Nigel Barclay was “amazed it was allowed in first place”.
Antony Carpen suggested: “It’s decent enough as a standalone piece. But it’s in completely the wrong place.
“I’d like to have seen this in a place where children could easily view it from where they play while they are playing, and not next to a very busy road.”
However, Diane Hudson-Sharpe told us: “It’s amazing – I walked past it for the first time a couple of weeks ago on my way to work. Such an original and clever composition.”
And Catherine Bentham said: “I like this one, and the others in the same area.”
And Janina Vigurs said: “I adore both of these. It’s a small piece of joy in an unexpected place. Some folks will love that, and some it would seem, won’t.”
Ann Geraldine Sellwood added: “I really like Dunamis… it makes me smile. Not so keen on Danse Gwenedour but I wouldn’t remove it.”
Ariadne Wrapped
Contemporary sculptor Gavin Turk invited us into a “metaphysical maze” when he unveiled his new artwork Ariadne Wrapped at the heart of the CB1 development and was commissioned by Brookgate.
At first glance, it looks like an object hidden in a dust sheet and bound with rope. But Turk said the sculpture depicts Greek goddess Ariadne as an “out-of-focus classical form” that plays against the colonnades of the railway station. He was inspired by surrealist artistic methodologies and the ‘myth’ of the artist.
Naomi Bennett said: “Near the top of the list of public art in Cambridge that fails to float my boat. We have better graffiti.”
Catherine Bentham observed: “It looks like the unveiling ceremony was postponed and never rescheduled.”
Diane Hudson-Sharpe added: “For weeks, I went past this one thinking that an unveiling ceremony was imminent.”
Robert Lowe said: “I feel like taking some scissors to it so I can see what's underneath.”
Rosalind Lund told us: “Not my idea of Ariadne. Needs putting in lost property.”
Betty L Power said: “Hoping to see public art that uplifts and inspires, represents human achievement and aspiration of Cambridge past, present and future, rather than puzzle or challenge the intellect.”
Paul Smith observed: “Sculpture has its merits but not the location.” And Berenice Howard-Smith noted: “I like it but not there. It is such a strange theme for the location.”
Talos
Sculpted in 1950 by Michael Ayrton, Talos was installed in Guildhall Street in 1973 when Lion Yard shopping centre and Fisher House were completed.
In Greek mythology, Talos was an automaton made of bronze designed to protect Europa in Crete from pirates and invaders. A single vein of molten metal was Talos’ lifeblood – kept inside by a bronze peg in his ankle. Talos attacked Jason and the Argonauts when they landed on Crete but the sorceress Medea charmed him into taking out the bronze peg, and he was dead.
Cambridge Sculpture Trails says: “By depicting him without arms, Michael Ayrton portrays the anger and bewilderment felt by many of the post-war generation British sculptors.”
Capturing Cambridge notes this “overlooked and to a certain extent unloved” statue is adorned by the “occasional traffic cone, woolly hat or lampshade placed on his head – or, as happened in 2014, a cod-piece of bees.”
For once, the arrival of a swarm of bees meant passers-by actually took photos of poor Talos.
Hercules Meets Galatea
Matthew Darbyshire’s sculpture, Hercules Meets Galatea, was unveiled outside Cambridge North station in 2021.
It depicts the Greco-Roman deities and is intended to challenge traditional perceptions. Galatea is shown as the “strong, dynamic and empowered figure challenging Hercules, who is sculpted to appear rigid and dated”.
The artist said: “This work is about sculpture in the 21st century and asks which attributes elicit spirit, potency and charge – is it scale, symbol, surface, material, maker or manufacture?”
Playful Seating
James Hopkins’ Playful Seating can be found in Kingsley Walk, Cambridge and features solid cast bronze benches around a stainless steel cylinder with a mirrored finished.
The mirror cleverly transforms the distorted benches, so that they appear as two normal chairs in the reflection, with the ampitheatre space intended as a homage to the site’s history as a school.
