Friday, October 19, 2012

Art is life: please sign the petition to save these sculptures

Don't let this perish.
I am writing about something a little different here.  I have a friend, Barry Baldwin,  who is a sculptor.  He works with stone, in fact he loves stone and if you get him started on it, be prepared to have some time on your hands. He teaches his art and has written a book about stone.  One of his pieces that sits above a door in London is about to be destroyed as developers move in to demolish the property.  This artwork can be saved.  Great art is our cultural heritage and is also extremely labor intensive---it is precious stuff.  The theme of this large sculpture is "Endangered Species".

The work on the right should not perish.

There is a campaign to save this sculpture. You can sign an online petition to add your voice to those who have already signed it.  One supporter writes:

A unique and much-loved series of sculptures by Barry Baldwin are under imminent threat. The sculptures stand above the door to Allington House in Victoria, London. Land Securities, the developer, plan to reduce the endangered species sculptures to rubble as part of their Victoria development. Land Securities have not divulged how much it would cost to save these works nor have they made any attempt to find them a new home. Please support this campaign to find the sculptures a new permanent home.

Please take the time to sign the petition here.

Barry Baldwin says:
 I am touched to tears by the campaign to save the sculptures at Allington House, Victoria. It probably relates to the 'It's a wonderful life' analogy whereby those of us who much of the time work hard in isolation do not quite realize the wide significance that our efforts as stone sculptors make to the wider world. It actually also regenerates a conviction and faith in believing that what I tried to do for the cause for Endangered Species over more than a few decades was so worthwhile.

If you would like to see more of Barry's work, his website is here

The campaign on Facebook www.facebook.com/SaveTheAllingtonHouseSculptures

other links:

http://www.peterberthoud.co.uk/2012/10/endangered-species-under-threat-victoria/

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