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Battle of Britain hero's statue 'too traditional for Trafalgar plinth'
Ruth Bloomfield05.05.09
Plans for a statue of a Battle of Britain hero in Trafalgar Square are expected to be rejected because they are not "avant-garde" enough.
Westminster council officials say the proposed statue of Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park would clash with the changing series of contemporary sculptures on the fourth plinth.
Councillors will decide on Thursday whether to accept their recommendation. The planning report says the bronze statue would have an "adverse impact" on its surroundings because it is too representational and traditional.
But the council is expected to allow a bronze version of the piece to be installed permanently at Waterloo Gardens, in St James's.
Pictures: Works of art that have been allowed on the fourth plinth
More than 2,500 people have written to the council demanding the statue, by sculptor Les Johnson, be allowed in the square in advance of the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain next year.
"The principle of creating a permanent memorial to Sir Keith Park is considered acceptable," says the report. "His role in the defence of London, during the Battle of Britain, marks him out as a historic figure whose memory is worthy of commemoration. Indeed the volume of letters of support demonstrate the wealth of feeling on this matter."
But it adds: "The fourth plinth is regarded as a site ideally suited for the display of provocative contemporary art ... It is considered, without in any way decrying the memory of Sir Keith or the concept of the proposed statue, that this proposal would not complement the current programme."
New Zealander Sir Keith fought in the First World War at Gallipoli and the Somme. In 1940 he was made Air Vice Marshal in charge of No 11 Group RAF, responsible for the fighter defence of London and the South-East. His role in defeating the Luftwaffe was critical. He also took part in campaigns in the Mediterranean and south-east Asia. He retired with the rank of Air Chief Marshal and died in 1975 aged 82.
When the statue is put in Waterloo Gardens it will face east, the direction from which enemy aircraft approached.
The recommendation by Westminster officials is backed by the Public Art Advisory Panel. The council report states: "They considered the fourth plinth to be one of the few in such a prominent location where it is appropriate to hold a revolving programme of provocative modern sculpture."
A long campaign to bring the statue to Trafalgar Square has been backed by novelist Frederick Forsyth, General Sir Michael Rose, Air Chief Marshal Sir John Day and MPs including Nicholas Soames and Tony Benn. Forsyth told the Standard: "Were it not for this remarkable New Zealander, there might well be no Westminster council save with a swastika flying over it."
Campaign chairman Terry Smith was due to take off from Southend today in a re-enactment of a 1,880-mile flight around Britain by Sir Keith in 1919. That trip, in a Handley Page 0/400 bomber, aimed to show what could be accomplished with large aircraft.
Mr Smith will follow the same flight path as Sir Keith and stop at the same points. He was due to take off from Southend today.
Reader views (28)
For me as a six year old it was fought in the sky overhead.
This statue is as important as the Memorial flight stationed at Conningsby
- Bernard Foot, Nottingham England
Without men like Park we would now be speaking German,at this present time in our history we need a few heroes to look up to ,there are non in government.
- Roadrunner, Sandown England
How about putting the new english flag on the plinth; yellow will look good blowing in the wind.
- Mickyinlondon, london
Why is it that "a revolving programme of provocative modern sculpture" is more worthy of the site than a revered national hero? Are they going to start pulling down the older heroes' statues now to make room for even more of the kind of 'art' that is only appreciated by an often overly pretentious select few?
More people in a position of power who choose to flex their muscles because they can.
- Rogan, Irving
Keith Park can't be compared to a figure like Arthur Harris. He helped to save Britain fron invasion. So he should be honoured, traditional statue or not.
- Mark, Venice, Italy
Avant-Garde prattle . . . what a load of nonsense we are hearing from these nutty councillors. Surely a statue commemorating an important figure from our history is more suitable than some pathetic avant-garde tosh that is representative of nothing other than some lefty leaning socially liberal buffoon of an artists ego ?
- Eoin Mcgreeghan, Derry, NI
Why not leave it blank so that we can use our imagination and put on the plinth what we as individuals think should be there.
- Ron Swallow, South Croydon, England
I agree absolutely with the general thrust of the comments.As an artist, I can assure readers that realistic figurative work takes far more skill and talent to produce than 'avant-garde' work.
- Huggy, Cumbernauld Scotland
I see the new Queen Mother's statue is faily traditional. Is there one rule for them and another for Britain's saviours?
- Jon, London
why not a hoody sniffing glue?
- Peter Woods, Romford
Why is Westminster pandering to this minority lobby as they may also well do on the Chelsea Barracks site. The Emperor has no clothes... the statue is great. Thank goodness the Queen Mother's statue escaped this rubbish.
- David, Fulham London
They were quite advant garde when we needed them in 1940.
What is this country coming to.
Have we forgotten that many of these young men gave their yesterdays for our todays
In fact New Zealanders and Australian gave a larger percentage of their youth than we did here.
For WHAT ?
THESE PEOPLE MAKE ME SICK ?
- Bernard Parke, GUILDFORD
".. not "avant-garde" enough .."
And now reading between the lines, too white.
Unfortunately the Conservatives are playing the pandering game also. Screw our history and the people that protected Trafalgar Square. Let's get some trendy graffiti artist in to promote some minoritys political view.
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
Can I suggest that a statue of a kipper be erected instead - it will represent the two-faced and gutless McBean-the-Unelected perfectly and it will be a permanent reminder of what he's done to our country.
- Lickyalips, Richmond, Surrey
Robert from Sheffield, I think has the answer - indeed an equestian statue of her madge will balance with the other equestrian statue in the NE corner - so the question is are we trying to find a permanent place for the Sir K, or somewhere thaat will need to be vacated, hopefully though in a long time from now 
- Jc, se1
Political correctness gone mad will probably give us a statue of Hitler, Stalin and Mussollini.
The people of Britain want a statue to reflect our greatness and history.
- Martin H. Watson, Teddington
What a bunch of clowns.
Great man should have a statue as high as Nelsons he was as important.!!!!!!!!
- James, Brighton uk
I wonder if the Nazis would have allowed avant guarde art on the empty plinth? Or indeed, Westminster to have a council . . .
- Roz, France
Direct quote: "...it is too representational..."
Honestly, you have too laugh at the sheer, cretinous arrogance of these people.
Still, with their 2.2 in 'Post-postmodern ironic pseudo-contemporary art and associated revisionist bunkum', I'm sure they know what's best for us mere philistines...
- John, London
The trouble with England today is that it has become so blinded with stupidity and PC nonsense that it has either lost, or forsaken, all of its cultural heritage, values, and appreciation for its history.
In due course, as history proves time and time again, our saviours in time of extreme crises will be reduced to nothing, and pushed under the carpet of time.
Is it any wonder that Australia is seeing a huge influx of Celtic-Anglo-Saxon refugees from England, who by the way, are very welcome here, which is more than can be said for the Australians and New Zealanders wishing to visit, or work seasonally in Old Blighty even though it's their ancestral home and heritage, and the land their relatives fought and died for by the tens of thousands a mere 7 decades ago.
When the next world war breaks out, and it certainly will, I'm sure Westminster Council officials will be falling over themselves in an effort to get a "traditional" statue up on the fourth plinth as an act of patriotism in support of the war effort.
The final authority as to the placement of Sir Kieth Park's statue, owing to its historical significance, belongs to Her Majesty, and the people of Great Britain, not to the Westminster Council, who by the sounds of things, need a lesson in recent history.
Better yet, pack the whole Westminster Council off to a war zone for 6 years for "appreciative" hands on experience.
Maybe those who survive the ordeal wont be so flippant.
- James Williams, Gold Coast Australia
Good Lord yes...we can' possibly put the statue of a gentleman who helped keep the nation independent 50 or so years ago in such a prominent position.
An "adverse impact" on its surroundings because it is too representational and traditional...hmmm, also remove the statue of Churchill immediately.
The presence of statues of these people might offend immigrants, asylum seekers and people from other religions or nations. Just don't take the risk of advertising that this great nation that has made it through some significant trials in the past.
Also they're all men...how's about a female who's had a major part in UK history?
No doubt challenges will continue to appear as time moves on...maybe we now have to deal with the internal ones??
But as we know, England expects...
Oh yes, and remove Nelson's column immediately - we don't want to offend the French, so we'll also have to rename Waterloo station...
:oP
- W, London
I wonder what the 500 pilots killed defending the freedom of these Islands would say to a committee debating that a plinth of Sir Keith would clash with previous contemporary sculptures. What a non entity this country has become in the last 70 years.
- Chris H, London NW5
Quote: Frederick Forsyth; Were it not for this remarkable New Zealander, there might well be no Westminster council save with a swastika flying over it."
Dear Freddie; Westminster City Council, has had a swastika flying over it since the Dame Shirley Porter days; when you could buy a cemetery full of war heroes for 5 pence each cemetery, houses and extra land included etc.
Do try to keep up Freddie, dear chap.
As to the spare Plinth; put a spitfire on it for now; it will be adored by all.
- Mickyinlondon, london
So remembering those who fought for us is not enough for Westminster City Council. They should remember what happened to the Government last week with Joanne Lumley and the Gurkas triumphing thanks to popular opinion.
I urge WCC to rethink this decision and to allow us as a nation to show our appreciation to those who saved us from Nazi rule in this most appropriate of spaces. The 4th Plinth only has rotating works of art on it until Her Majesty the Queen passes if reports from the media last year are to true so why pretend that these "avant-garde" pieces are anything other than a temporary stop-gap until we recognize our current Monarch?
- Robert, Sheffield
This 'modest' reminder would only last a year, a timely 'temporary' testament to the memory of those gallant 'few' who WERE Londiniums' Pretorian Guard in WW2.
Come on Boris.
Surely you can guide and over-rule these nonesensical plebian prevaricators.
Knock these pompous PC parrots off their petty perch!
- Dave, Cumbria
The current committee's system should be scrapped. The piece that was on the fourth plinth yesterday was totally inappropriate to its surroundings and, far from being contemporary, looked decidedly dated.
- Julian Fountain, London
How stupid. The fourth plinth with it's modern art is completely out of keeping with both Trafalgar Square and its surroundings. A statue of Park is more than appropriate!
- Mark, South-East London
But I bet it is what the majority of us want, we dont have any PC hang ups.
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke
