The large flat regular space of the new plaza outside King’s Cross station has started to regain a little bit of the clutter that has defined it for the past hundred years.
Although this timeless about shops and tickets — than a huge lump of art.
A long term loan has been arranged with the Henry Moore Foundation for one of the artist’s rather more amorphous lumps to sit outside the station, which coincidentally happens to be where Londoners would depart if they were planning a visit to the artist’s Foundation in Hertfordshire or the Institute in Yorkshire.
Network Rail say they hope that having “Large Spindle Piece” outside the station will cause people to want to take the train to see more works by the same artist, which may be more than overly optimistic of them.
Art in public places also has to be practical — and this particular piece was chosen less for any artistic merit for the location than for the sheer impracticality of climbing onto it.
There were concerns that some of the more recognisable lumps, such as the reclining figures would be too tempting for people to despoil by clambering over them, rather than to admire from a respectful distance.
The size is also of practical note — it’s harder for metal thieves to steal it.
Harder to steal? About two tons of Reclining Figure 1969-70 was stolen from Perry Green! And the 7ft Standing Figure went from Glenkiln earlier this year.
Large heavy object being harder to steal than a smaller lighter object does not mean impossible to steal.
It wasn’t hard to steal at all, they just drove a loarge flatbed with crane and took it..!!
They have now beefed up security and much else, a lovely place to visit if you are ever in the wilds of Herts/Essex borders..!!
If you do come this way, take a trip to the Gibberd Garden on he outskirts of Harlow, a wonderfull place with the original entrance pillars of Coutts 440 Strand as a monument in the garden..!!
I really like this addition to the square at King Cross. It is lovely to pass it on my travels and seems to have settled in very well.
Where has the sculpture gone? It wasn’t there today 11/3/20. The place looks naked without it!