Press Release Local artist talks about Blighs sculpture

Residents can meet the artist behind the new sculpture for Blighs this coming Saturday.

Local artist Oliver Barratt along with Council staff will be available outside the Sevenoaks branch of Marks & Spencer on Saturday 15 January 2022, from 12 noon to 2pm, to talk about this work.

Oliver’s bronze sculpture, ‘Three and Four’, is inspired by coppice trees and hop vines that once grew locally. The statue’s verdant green-base is also a reference to the green buses that used Blighs when it was a bus station.

Last year, the Council asked for residents’ views on two shortlisted sculptures for the site, Oliver Barratt’s ‘Three and Four’ and ‘Seven Oaks’ by Simone Tchonova and Matthijs la Roi.

Hundreds of people took part in the survey with ‘Seven Oaks’ winning by just one vote. Unfortunately, due to their involvement in other international projects, Matthijs and Simone stepped down from the commission late last year.

Cllr Roddy Hogarth, Commissioner for the Public Realm, says: “We are extremely excited to be progressing this public art piece for Sevenoaks.

“Oliver Barratt has used his extensive local knowledge to produce a design that celebrates the local history of Blighs as well as the surrounding areas.

“If anyone would like to know more about his work, Oliver will be on-hand this Saturday to answer any questions.”

Sevenoaks District Council is planning to install the sculpture in the summer of 2022 with funding secured from developers specifically for public art.

For further information, and to view a video about the sculpture, visit www.sevenoaks.gov.uk/publicrealm.

Issued by: Daniel Whitmarsh, Communication and Consultation Manager
Call: 01732 227414
e-mail: daniel.whitmarsh@sevenoaks.gov.uk