Difference between revisions of "A Real Birmingham Family"

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[[File:A_real_birmingham_family_post_redevelopment.jpg|thumb|A Real Birmingham Family in 2019.]]
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'''''A Real Birmingham Family''''' is a public artwork and sculpture by Gillian Wearing, cast in bronze, and erected in Centenary Square, outside the Library of Birmingham, England, on 30 October 2014.<ref>http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/library-birmingham-statue-unveiling-two-8024136</ref>
  
'''''A Real Birmingham Family''''' is a public artwork and sculpture by Gillian Wearing, cast in bronze, and erected in Centenary Square, outside the Library of Birmingham, England, on 30 October 2014.<ref>http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/library-birmingham-statue-unveiling-two-8024136</ref>
   
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It depicts two local sisters, each single mothers called Roma and Emma Jones, with their two children; Roma's son Kyan and Emma's son Shaye. Emma is depicted as pregnant with a second son, Isaac, who was born before the sculpture was unveiled.<ref>http://birminghamnewsroom.com/2014/10/a-real-birmingham-family/</ref> A small plaque laid on the ground in front of the work describes it.
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It depicts two local sisters, each a single mother, with their two children. One of the mothers is depicted as pregnant with a second son who was born before the sculpture was unveiled.<ref>http://birminghamnewsroom.com/2014/10/a-real-birmingham-family/</ref> The people depicted are Roma and Emma Jones with their sons Kyle and Shaye respectively. Emma was pregnant with Issac at the time.
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The lack of any men in A Real Birmingham Family was noted by [[MRA]]s and others soon after the unveiling.
   
 
In a process begun in 2011, and coordinated by the city's Ikon Gallery, nominations for a ''real'' local family to model for the sculpture were invited. The Jones' were selected from a shortlist, by an independent panel, in August 2013.<ref>http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/meet-joneses---real-birmingham-5794999</ref>
  
In a process begun in 2011, and coordinated by the city's Ikon Gallery, nominations for a ''real'' local family to model for the sculpture were invited. The Jones' were selected from a shortlist, by an independent panel, in August 2013.<ref>http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/meet-joneses---real-birmingham-5794999</ref>
   
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Wearing said:
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Wearing said:<ref>http://arealbirminghamfamily.com/sign-in?ReturnUrl=%2f#jones</ref>
  
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{{Quote|''I really liked how Roma and Emma Jones spoke of their closeness as sisters and how they supported each other. It seemed a very strong bond, one of friendship and family, and the sculpture puts across that connectedness between them. A nuclear family is one reality but it is one of many and this work celebrates the idea that what constitutes a family should not be fixed.''}}
  
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<blockquote>
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'I really liked how Roma and Emma Jones spoke of their closeness as sisters and how they supported each other. It seemed a very strong bond, one of friendship and family, and the sculpture puts across that connectedness between them. A nuclear family is one reality but it is one of many and this work celebrates the idea that what constitutes a family should not be fixed.''
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<ref>http://arealbirminghamfamily.com/sign-in?ReturnUrl=%2f#jones</ref>
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</blockquote>
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The £100,000 cost of the work was covered by a combination of public money and private donations. The casting was carried out in China. The project follows Wearing's 2008 work, ''A Typical Trentino Family''.
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In November 2014 shortly after being unveiled, [[New Fathers 4 Justice]] activist [[Bobby Smith]] covered the statue with a white sheet and pictures of his two daughters. Smith commented:
   
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<blockquote>
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The £100,000 cost of the work was covered by a combination of public money and private donations.<ref name="Tyler" /> The casting was carried out in China.<ref name="Tyler" /> The project follows Wearing's 2008 work, ''A Typical Trentino Family''.<ref name="K." />
  
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"They’ve depicted the normal family with no fathers... I believe kids are always better off with both parents in their lives."
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<ref>http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/library-birmingham-statue-attacked-new-8033694</ref>
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<ref>https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/art-bosses-defend-controversial-real-8061938</ref>
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<ref>https://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/11205005/Is-Gillian-Wearings-family-sculpture-offensive-to-fathers.html</ref>
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</blockquote>
   
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The statue went into storage in May 2017, ostensibly to allow work for the redevelopment of Centenary Square to begin.<ref>http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/arts-culture-news/controversial-family-statue-removed-centenary-13266612</ref>
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In November 2014 shortly after being unveiled, [[New Fathers 4 Justice]] activist [[Bobby Smith (activist)|Bobby Smith]] covered the statue with a white sheet and pictures of his two daughters. Smith commented, "They’ve depicted the normal family with no fathers... I believe kids are always better off with both parents in their lives."<ref name="Hallam">{{cite web|url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/library-birmingham-statue-attacked-new-8033694|title=Library of Birmingham statue attacked by New Fathers For Justice protester
  
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|last=Hallam|first=Katie|date=2014-11-01|work=[[Birmingham Mail]]|accessdate=28 March 2015}}</ref><ref name="Lyndon">{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/11205005/Is-Gillian-Wearings-family-sculpture-offensive-to-fathers.html|title=Is Gillian Wearing's family sculpture offensive to fathers?
  
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|last=Lyndon|first=Neil|author-link=Neil Lyndon|date=2014-11-03|work=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]|accessdate=28 March 2015}}</ref>
  
   
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The statue went into storage in May 2017, to allow work for the redevelopment of Centenary Square to begin.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/arts-culture-news/controversial-family-statue-removed-centenary-13266612|title=Controversial family statue removed from Centenary Square and put into storage|publisher=[[Birmingham Mail]] |work=|accessdate=16 August 2017}}</ref>
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In early 2019 the statue was returned to the newly redeveloped site.<ref>https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/centenary-squares-controversial-family-statue-16167047</ref> As of December 2022 the statue is apparently still on display.
   
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{{wikipedia}}
   
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== References ==
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Real_Birmingham_Family
  
   
 
[[Category: Featured Articles]]
  
[[Category: Featured Articles]]
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[[Category: Sculptures]]
 
[[Category: United Kingdom]]
  
[[Category: United Kingdom]]
 
[[Category: Wikipedia]]
  
[[Category: Wikipedia]]

Latest revision as of 06:13, 5 November 2023

A Real Birmingham Family in 2019.

A Real Birmingham Family is a public artwork and sculpture by Gillian Wearing, cast in bronze, and erected in Centenary Square, outside the Library of Birmingham, England, on 30 October 2014.[1]

It depicts two local sisters, each a single mother, with their two children. One of the mothers is depicted as pregnant with a second son who was born before the sculpture was unveiled.[2] The people depicted are Roma and Emma Jones with their sons Kyle and Shaye respectively. Emma was pregnant with Issac at the time.

The lack of any men in A Real Birmingham Family was noted by MRAs and others soon after the unveiling.

In a process begun in 2011, and coordinated by the city's Ikon Gallery, nominations for a real local family to model for the sculpture were invited. The Jones' were selected from a shortlist, by an independent panel, in August 2013.[3]

Wearing said:

'I really liked how Roma and Emma Jones spoke of their closeness as sisters and how they supported each other. It seemed a very strong bond, one of friendship and family, and the sculpture puts across that connectedness between them. A nuclear family is one reality but it is one of many and this work celebrates the idea that what constitutes a family should not be fixed. [4]

The £100,000 cost of the work was covered by a combination of public money and private donations. The casting was carried out in China. The project follows Wearing's 2008 work, A Typical Trentino Family.

In November 2014 shortly after being unveiled, New Fathers 4 Justice activist Bobby Smith covered the statue with a white sheet and pictures of his two daughters. Smith commented:

"They’ve depicted the normal family with no fathers... I believe kids are always better off with both parents in their lives." [5] [6] [7]

The statue went into storage in May 2017, ostensibly to allow work for the redevelopment of Centenary Square to begin.[8]

In early 2019 the statue was returned to the newly redeveloped site.[9] As of December 2022 the statue is apparently still on display.


This article contains information imported from the English Wikipedia. In most cases the page history will have details. If you need information on the importation and have difficulty obtaining it please contact the site administrators.

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References

  1. ↑ http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/library-birmingham-statue-unveiling-two-8024136
  2. ↑ http://birminghamnewsroom.com/2014/10/a-real-birmingham-family/
  3. ↑ http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/meet-joneses---real-birmingham-5794999
  4. ↑ http://arealbirminghamfamily.com/sign-in?ReturnUrl=%2f#jones
  5. ↑ http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/library-birmingham-statue-attacked-new-8033694
  6. ↑ https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/art-bosses-defend-controversial-real-8061938
  7. ↑ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/11205005/Is-Gillian-Wearings-family-sculpture-offensive-to-fathers.html
  8. ↑ http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/arts-culture-news/controversial-family-statue-removed-centenary-13266612
  9. ↑ https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/centenary-squares-controversial-family-statue-16167047
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