Difference between revisions of "A Real Birmingham Family"
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| + | '''''A Real Birmingham Family''''' is a [[public art]]work and sculpture by [[Gillian Wearing]], cast in [[Bronze sculpture|bronze]], and erected in [[Centenary Square]], outside the [[Library of Birmingham]], England, on 30 October 2014.<ref name="Tyler">{{cite web|url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/library-birmingham-statue-unveiling-two-8024136|title=Library of Birmingham statue unveiling: Two mums immortalised in 'ordinary' family sculpture|last=Tyler|first=Jane|date=2014-10-30|work=[[Birmingham Mail]]|accessdate=3 November 2014}}</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 name="Tyler" /><ref name="K.">{{cite web|url=http://birminghamnewsroom.com/2014/10/a-real-birmingham-family/|title=A Real Birmingham Family|last=K.|first=Sarah|date=2014-10-30|publisher=[[Birmingham City Council]]|accessdate=3 November 2014}}</ref> A small plaque laid on the ground in front of the work describes it. |
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| + | 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 Joneses were selected from a shortlist, by an independent panel, in August 2013.<ref name="K." /><ref name="Authi">{{cite web|url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/meet-joneses---real-birmingham-5794999|title=Meet the Joneses - the real Birmingham family of two single mums and sons chosen for library statue|last=Authi|first=Jasbir|date=2013-08-28|work=[[Birmingham Mail]]|accessdate=3 November 2014}}</ref> |
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| + | Wearing said:<ref name="ARBF-Jones">{{cite web|url=http://arealbirminghamfamily.com/sign-in?ReturnUrl=%2f#jones|title=A Real Birmingham Family|accessdate=3 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141103205450/http://arealbirminghamfamily.com/sign-in?ReturnUrl=%2f#jones|archive-date=3 November 2014|url-status=dead}}</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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| + | 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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| + | 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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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Real_Birmingham_Family |
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Real_Birmingham_Family |
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| + | [[Category: Featured Articles]] |
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| + | [[Category: United Kingdom]] |
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| + | [[Category: Wikipedia]] |
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Revision as of 04:46, 1 January 2022
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 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.[1][2] A small plaque laid on the ground in front of the work describes it.
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 Joneses were selected from a shortlist, by an independent panel, in August 2013.[2][3]
Wearing said:[4] Template:Quote
The £100,000 cost of the work was covered by a combination of public money and private donations.[1] The casting was carried out in China.[1] The project follows Wearing's 2008 work, A Typical Trentino Family.[2]
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]
The statue went into storage in May 2017, to allow work for the redevelopment of Centenary Square to begin.[7]