Artist's plea: Save B of Bang

Exclusive Deborah Linton

January 22, 2009

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The controversial B of the Bang sculpture

The controversial B of the Bang sculpture 1/4 Play Slideshow

THE creator of the famous Angel of the North sculpture has urged Manchester council not to scrap the B of the Bang.

Turner-prize winning sculptor Antony Gormley, who is behind the famous Gateshead work of art, described the controversial sculpture as `remarkable, dynamic and engaging'.

Writing to council chief executive Sir Howard Bernstein, he said: "It is a great tribute to Manchester that this ground-breaking work was commissioned. To allow it to disappear would be a loss not just of an inspirational artwork but also of the council's nerve."

B of the Bang could be pulled down after being plagued by safety problems since it was commissioned to mark Manchester's Commonwealth Games in 2002.

Designers Thomas Heatherwick Studio and the subcontractors who built it agreed to pay the city council £1.7m in an out-of-court settlement.

Nine of its 180 steel spikes were removed after one fell off.

A council spokesman said: "We are carefully considering the options for the future of the sculpture."

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traffordmitch, stretford (22/01/2009 at 07:02)

who wants to save a load of rusty tick-tacks

traffordmitch, stretford (22/01/2009 at 07:04)

just notice also it matches
the one in the north east,having been to both ,just rust.

Guv, Manchester (22/01/2009 at 08:10)

It's true that its a landmark piece - to pull it down would be a terrible waste - so long as its safe and doesn't have ongoing maintenance cost.

Guten Tag, Deutschland,, Manchester (22/01/2009 at 09:18)

If Mr Gormley likes it so much, refund the council tax payers any costs incurred and then agree to the up keep of this 'sculpture'. Everyone's a winner!

Lady Muffin, Work!! (22/01/2009 at 09:22)

Hmmm I wonder what silly amount the council will say it costs to take it down! Another total waste of money it doesnt even look good.

Ace Shakespeare , manchester (22/01/2009 at 09:40)

Isnt it amazing that these people close ranks to protect their freinds works of art? the bang was and is dangerous and would cost the ratepayers of manchester a fortune to maintain it.If these artists like the sculpture so much let them pay the public liability insurance and the maintainance bill over the net ten years? SCRAP THE BANG and stop doing what labour are good at? WASTING TIME AND HOPE THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY at the cost of the ratepayer .Get it scrapped and fire those who commisioned it ,and stop trying to pass the buck to save your jobs...

GH (22/01/2009 at 10:19)

Personally I really like the B of the Bang... it's certainly a striking sculpture. So I hope that it does stay, but at the same time I realise that the council can't really keep spending money on it. Just a pity that it wasn't done right in the first place.

Baron Greenback (22/01/2009 at 10:22)

I actually think it looks pretty cool. I remember when it was first put up someone on here complained about how it ruined the view. Yes, the view around that area of Manchester was quite spectacular....

However, in this day and age there isn't any excuse for substandard engineering. Having the temporary fences around it looks rubbish. EIther fix it or bring it down I am afraid.

Ian (22/01/2009 at 10:37)

I'm sure the £1.5m could have been spent on something better.

bellablue, stretford (22/01/2009 at 10:38)

B of the bang has served its time during the commonwealth games. the stadium now known as eastlands home of manchester city. I say sell the sulpture and replace it with a statue of the great Joe Mercer.

Octavius Tinsworth Ace (22/01/2009 at 10:52)

I like it too. It's an incredibly dramatic-looking structure, especially up close. The amount it cost is peanuts in council spending terms, too.

Unfortunately it's let down by two things: shoddy construction (something the council can't really be held accountable for) and a rather inconspicuous location, in that doesn't loom large from any major route into the city (although it's just about visible from the main rail route into Manchester).

However, I'd be absolutely 100% in favour of saving it.

Jomov (22/01/2009 at 11:03)

Maybe the artist would like to put his hand in his pocket...

I for one, wouldn't, get rid!

Sir Elliott Pest , Newton Nr. Hyde. (22/01/2009 at 11:10)

Make the person who designed it, watch while this rusty eyesore is reduced to scrap.
The sooner its shifted the better.

BLUE TRUTH, LEIGH, yes i know its not in manchesta.......duh! (22/01/2009 at 11:34)

Firstly let me explain in simple terms to all you people concerned about it rusting.

When steel is used for such creative and exposed works of art like the B OF THE BANG and THE ANGEL OF THE NORTH it is part of the process to allow it to rust to actually protect the structure the rust only penetrates so deep into the surface of the steel thus preventing it further decaying and when the light hits it you get the wonderful colours of the steel. Ask an Architect if you do not believe me.

So let’s rectify whatever problems we have with the BotB and keep it, let’s drag Manchester into a bright and culturally progressive society through public art and the like.
Ditch that flat cap and sell your whippet.

thaitanium (22/01/2009 at 11:42)

Well Mr. Gormley I think it looks good but unlike your public sculpters this has a nasty habit of kebabing passers by. Either fix the problem or get rid of it and as for the odd spike falling off who is to blame for that?
I can't see how it can be the artist's, fault bad inspecting at the factory where it was made perhaps?

Mark,Radcliffe. (22/01/2009 at 12:00)

Mr Gormley,any chance we could create a new voodoo/acupuncture themed sculpture ? By shoving those spikes in your Angel of the North.

Mazzy manny. m/c, The real deal (22/01/2009 at 12:04)

Its a big like man city costly and falling apart and not nice to watch.
lol

Bob Hope (22/01/2009 at 12:11)

I love it, i hope it stays!

Blue Mart, Glossop (22/01/2009 at 12:21)

The Artist??? Who created it describes it as remarkable, dynamic, engaging, heres my opinion Eyesore,Rusty, waste of money pull it down sooner the better.

Pippa, Manchester (22/01/2009 at 12:39)

My I suggest that if Mr Gormley thinks it so wonderful that he puts his money where his mouth is and buys the damn thing and pays for it's upkeep/removal.

Charles Town, Ashton under Lyne, Lancs. (22/01/2009 at 12:54)

BLUE TRUTH, LEIGH wrote;

"So let’s rectify whatever problems we have with the BotB and keep it"

The problem is not in the Corten steel used - it is in the welds and the habit of unbraced structures flapping about in the breeze - self destructing. Any structure that fails before it's hand over should have alerted the client - in this case: MCC, They accepted it. No-one in business, paying for such a flawed product would have accepted it - But Hey! this is art - lets let standards go out the window, lets look at the employment it has brought, to engineers, crane drivers, fencing companies, lawyers etc and not a flawed design.

j arro (22/01/2009 at 13:07)

Living local i pass the B ot B every day and find it an iconic sight. I just wish they would make it safe and remove the fence around it to enable us all to stand beneath it and feel its majesty.

Cone of Silence (22/01/2009 at 13:27)

I was against this from day one. I knew when Leese promised it wouldn't cost the Manchester taxpayer anything that he would be proven wrong (like he is on many many issues). There were (and still are) so many better things to do in the area rather than build this sculpture. But, all that said, now it is here I happily admit it looks great at night and if it can be saved (without further cost to the taxpayer) then it should be. It would be a shame for it to go.

Mandata, Manchester (22/01/2009 at 13:38)

You need a tetanus jab looking at the thing. When someone gets impaled then Mr Gormless may reconsider his views about it being remarkable. If it was safe and amade of steel then perhaps it may be a good image. But rusty, dangerous with rubbish looking cheap fencing around it then. Bring it down...Or as someone says if you think its so good then get your hand in your pocket and fix it yourself...

The Shadow, NZ (22/01/2009 at 14:06)

It isn't safe and has been fenced off for years now which means it cannot be repaired.
It looks nothing like the artists impressions suggested it would and is a potential disaster waiting to happen.
Get it ripped down and open up the concourse.
It could have been a great piece of art but it isn't so let's move on..

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