GuidanceNotesforPlanningaStatueProject
byChrisStride&FfionThomas
Introduction…andarequest.
Thisdocumentaimstoprovideguidancefor,andidentifycommonquestions,issuesand
problemsfacedbyindividualsororganisationscontemplatingorplanningasportsstatue
project–thoughmanyoftheseissueswouldbeequallyapplicabletoanystatueorart
installation.Itisbasedonourresearchoverthepastdecadeon1000+sportsstatuesaround
theworld,thedatabaseofwhichisfreelyavailabletoallatwww.sportingstatues.com.Thelist
belowisnotexhaustive,norisitintendedasadetailedguidetogettingfromanideatoa
finishedstatue.Wehavesimplyoutlinedthedifferentprojectelementsthatneedtobe
consideredatthestartoftheprocess,someofthechoicesthathavetobemade,andsomeof
theissuesthatarelikelytooccur.
Wearealwayshappytoprovidefurther,moredetailedadviceinperson,thoughdependingon
howmuchofourtimeyourequire,wemaychargeanominalfeeforthis.Forexamplea30
minutechatonthephonewillcostyounothing,whereasadayvisitingyouinperson,advising
ondesigns,siting,fundingsources,optionsforchoiceofsculptor,etc.,wouldmostlikely
requireatleastarefundofourtravellingcostsandtime.
However,thereisonethingwewouldaskofyou.Ifyouusethisdocument,andfindithelpful
inanywayincarryingoutastatueproject,wewouldlovetohearfromyou.Oursportstatues
projectisunfunded,andtheacademicbenefittoourrespectiveUniversitiesforthetimewe
havespentcomesthroughbeingabletodemonstratetheproject’spositiveimpact.
Sopleasedropusalineoninfo@sportingstatues.comtoletusknowifyouhaveusedthese
notesinanywaythathasmadeyourprojectrunmoresmoothlyorevenjustgotyoustarted.
DrChrisStride,UniversityofSheffield,UK
and
FfionThomas,InternationalFootballInstitute,UniversityofCentralLancashire,UK
[email protected]/www.sportingstatues.com/@sportingstatues
Design
Alongwithplaque/plinthinscription,statuedesignwillhavemostimpactonhowthestatue
subjectisrememberedbypresentgenerationandperceivedbyfuturegenerations.Statues
don’tjustreflectmemories,theycreatethem.
Statuedesignwillalsoimpactonhowpeoplethinkaboutthehostcityorsports
club/organisationingeneral,andhowpeoplethinkaboutandrememberthemselves.Doesthe
designfeaturetrophies,ordepictafamousmoment?Doesthedesignbringtomindchildhood
memories,suchasexperiencessharedwithfriendswatchingthesubject?
DesignTypes
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Action(includinginteractionwithfans)
Posed(standingorsitting)
Triumph(momentand/orwithtrophy)
Actionstatuespredominateinfootball,andinsportmorewidely.CoachorManagerstatues,
though,tendtobeposedortriumphtype.Gettingasenseofmovementandhencelifeintoa
statueisperhapsthehardesttask.Managerstatuestendtofocusmoreonbringingout
personality.
IncorporationofSportsEquipment
Forexample…
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Football:Ball?Bench?Goal?
Cricket:Wickets?Bat?
Tennis:Racket?
Baseball:Bat?Glove?
DesignInspiration
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‘Flashbulbmemory’–photosorvideo
Familymemories
Freeinterpretation
Style
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Almostalwaysdeeplytraditional,figurativeportraiture.
Motion-bluradaptationsoffigurativestatueshavebeenusedoccasionallyintheUS!
Abstract/impressioniststatuesareveryrare
Fanshavebeendivided/opposedtonon-traditional,realiststatues–theyarenotsointerested
intheartisticaspect,atleastnotknowingly.Theyjustwantarecognisableimagethatreflects
theirview(s)ofthesubject.Thechosensculptorshouldatveryleastappreciatethis.
Material
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Bronze(byfarmostused;relativelylight,long-lasting,givessenseofantiquity/tradition)
o Patination–chemicalenhancementofbronzetoaddcolour/shade
o Colourfrompainting?SeeBillyBremner(Leeds)
Stone
Cement
Resin
Plastic
SculptorChoiceProcess
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Competitive
o Opencompetition(usedwherepublicmoneyinvolved–transparencyiscritical)
o Limitedcompetition(severalsculptorsshortlisted,askedtosubmitdesigns)
o Extentofdesignbriefcanvaryfromspecifictocompletelyfree
Directcommission
Competitiveprocessesprolongtimetakentogetstatueerected
Sculptorstendtopreferdirectcommissions!Notjustforobviousreasons–somethink
competitionsarebeneaththem–butbecause,oncechosen,theycanthenworkonthedesign
withtheprojectcommittee/suggesttweaks/enhancementsinacollaborativeway,ratherthan
havingtosecondguessdesignspriortoenteringacompetitiveprocess.
Sculptors
Manydifferentsculptorshavecarriedoutfigurativesports-relatedwork.See
www.sportingstatues.comtoviewtheirwork.Wearenotaffiliatedwithanysculptors,butare
happytoputyouintouchwithanyofthesculptorsthatweinterviewedaspartofourproject.
Cost
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TypicalcostofsinglefigureUKfootballer/managerstatue–circa£80K.Range£50Kto
£200K!
Variabilityprimarilysculptorchoice,butalso
o fluctuationsinpriceofbronze,
o costofcastingstatue,
o plinth(design,materials),
o installation,landscaping,lighting,
o unveilingeventcosts
Funding
Optionsvarybetween/includecombinationsof
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Sportsorganisation/clubfunding
Publicfunding
o lotteryfunding
o ‘percentageforart’
o othercivicfunds
Commercialsponsorship(sometimesinreturnforplaqueinscription,limitededition
maquettes)
Fanfunding–makesfansfeelpartofthefinalmonument
o fundraisingevents
o salesofmaquettes(mini-statue-replicas)andrelatedsouvenirs
o onlinecrowd-funding
o bucketcollections
Location
MacroLocation
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Sportsfacility
o WithinStadium
o OutsideStadium
Civic
o Towncentresquare
o Shoppingprecinct
o Park
Museum
Graveyard
Issuestoconsiderare
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Visibility
Foot-fall
Security
Crowd-flowatbusyperiods
Planningpermission!
MicroLocation
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Howfanswillapproachstatue
Visibilitywithrespecttosurroundingbuildings
Presentation
Areallyimportantissueintermsofconveyingsenseofsubject’simportance,makingstatue
visibleandpromoting/inhibitingthedegreeofinteractionthepublichavewithit.Thereisa
naturalinteractionwithmacroandmicrolocation…
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Plinth
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Heightrelativetosurroundingbuildings
Impressiongivenofsubject(dominatingleader/’emperor’vsmanofthepeople)
Shape(squarevscylindricalvsotherrandomshapes!)
Material(usuallystone,manyoptionsintermsofcolourandtype(e.g.black
granitevssandstone)
Incorporationofseating,lightingandpaving
Inscription
Almostasimportantasdesigninshapinghowfuturegenerationswillviewthestatuesubject
Typeofinscriptionpresentation
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Plaque(s)fixedtoplinthoradjacentwalls,surfaces
Plinthinscription(s)
Inscriptionsinpaving
Contentofinscription(Sometimeslessismore!)
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Name,dates
Quotes
Memories
Careerstatistics
Subject’srelationshiptoclub/fans
Sponsorandfundernames
Sculptor’sandunveilers’names
Unveiling
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Matchdayornot(crowdissues)
Whowilldoit–mostoftenfamily,butoftenpastplayers,clubchairmen,civicleaders
Howtoinvolvefansintheday?
Allmaterial©SportingStatuesProject,April2017