Judges given the task of choosing a new landmark for Leicester have been offering their ideas of what it could be. A £70,000 monument is to be constructed in Rushey Mead, Leicester, outside a Sainsbury’s store which is being built there.
The aim is for the artwork – which will be paid for by the supermarket chain – to rival the Angel of the North. The panel of judges is appealing for the public and schools to come up with ideas to be considered for the site.
But yesterday, they were challenged to come up with their own ideas of what would look good on the site of the former GE Lighting bulb factory in Melton Road.
Judge Karen Hammond, who is the head teacher at nearby Mellor Primary School and an artist, said: “If it was up to me, I’d like to have a selection of wooden statues of people. “It would be like a family of ducks following the mother duck, but they would represent the different people who make Leicester what it is.”
Belgrave photographer Maz Mashru, who has won multiple Kodak Gold Awards in his career, said: “It has to be something artistic and I’d like it to be something to do with the old GE Lighting site. “So many lightbulbs were produced here it could maybe have a bulb in the design.”
Local councillor Piara Singh Clair was also keen for the landmark to incorporate the many years of bulb manufacturing on the site. “I’d like there to be a glowing
bulb on top,”he said. “The most important thing is that it’s something for the people of this area and it has to be about the legacy of the site.”
Judge Dharmesh Lakhani, who chairs Belgrave Business Association, was keen for the nearby Golden Mile to be a feature of the artwork. He said: “It’s at one end of the Golden Mile and I’d like it to be a gateway to that in some way. “It has to be big and bright and celebrate the area. “Leicester has people from all over the world, so maybe we could have a big globe like the one outside Universal Studios in Hollywood.”
Elly Cutkelvin, Leicester City Council member for Freemen ward, said: “I’d like something that represents not only the historic nature of the city – which we’ve all been talking about with Richard III being discovered here – but also multi-culturalism. “It should showhow proud we nare of the different elements that make up Leicester.”
The panel of judges will be chaired by Leicester East MP Keith Vaz, who said: “I have absolutely no preconceptions, although on a day like today it would be quite handy to have a giant umbrella. “Whatever it is, it needs to be eye-catching. This is an iconic site. ”
The other judges will be Leicester Mercury editor Richard Bettsworth and Sainsbury’s chief executive Justin King.
The consultation will close on June 30. To have your idea considered by the judging panel, send an e-mail to:
leicesterlegacy2013@gmail.com
