Flight of the Langoustine

Sponsor Pack

A sculpture for Hove Plinth by Pierre Diamantopoulo MRBS 1

HOVE CIVIC SOCIETY Founded in 1960, the object of Hove Civic Society is to stimulate community interest in the beauty, history and character of Hove and its surroundings. Our vision is that Hove leads the way in preserving and creating attractive and sustainable Space for People to live, work and enjoy now and in the future.

Trustees 2020/21 Helmut Lusser (Chairman), John Kapp (Hon Secretary), Bob Ryder (Vice Chairman, Planning), Andrew Haicalis (Hon Treasurer), Elaine Evans (History), Karin Janzon (Public Sculpture), Helen Phillips (Membership), Andrew Nichols (Street trees and Environment), Sophie Law-Smith (Communication), Patrick Lowe (Events), Heather James (Environmental projects), Nicole Urbanski (trading) Web: www.hovecivicsociety.org and www.hoveplinth.org.uk Email: [email protected] Tel: 07917888997 Charitable Incorporated Orgainisation (CIO) Reg Number1187602

2 WELCOME

Public sculpture brings great art to everyone and becomes part of our heritage. It can remind us of history and give us inspiration to see our surroundings a little differently. It can be ironic, it can be fun. It can enrich everyday life and be a catalyst for economic regeneration. The sculptures on the Hove Plinth will be all of that! Hove Plinth was launched on the 21 April 2018 with its first sculpture. It is already a major landmark for Hove and a great addition to our community. We are now planning ahead for the next sculpture. With your help we can continue to commission sculptures for the Hove Plinth and establish a major cultural attraction for the city. I trust we can count on your support!

Helmut Lusser, Chair Hove Civic Society

3 INTRODUCING THE HOVE PLINTH

Hove Plinth is a brand new cultural attraction on the historic Hove seafront - a new sculpture plinth to showcase the best in modern day sculpture, attracting, inspiring and engaging local people and visitors in art and adding to Brighton & Hove’s cultural attractions and the city’s prosperity. Inspired by the Fourth Plinth in London, Hove Plinth will exhibit a changing programme of sculpture. Major works are displayed for up to 2 years after which some will be moved to permanent sites, creating a lasting legacy of public art in the city. Hove Plinth is in prime position on the Hove seafront promenade straight down from the Queen Victoria statue at the bottom of Grand Avenue. Its high quality stone material and design meets conservation area standards. It includes a ‘talking sculpture’ feature to offer innovative visitor interaction. The first sculpture is Constellation by Jonathan Wright, a celebration of the past and present of Hove. Hove Plinth is a major arts project initiated by Hove Civic Society. We invite you to be a part of Hove history by contributing to this exciting and prestigious art development which will be a cultural landmark for the city for years to come.

4 THE HOVE PLINTH STORY

 Planning permission has been granted and a licence signed with Brighton and Hove City Council for the use of the seafront site.  The inaugural sculpture programme was selected through a national call to artists involving exhibitions and public consultation which attracted votes from 1500 people.  Strong support from the public, media, arts and heritage organisations in the city and Arts Council England. Partnership with the City Council and the Royal Pavillion and Museums.  The Argus Community Star Award for Contribution to Arts and Culture on the grounds of ‘capturing the imagination of people in the city’.  Funded by private and voluntary contributions through grants, donations and contributions in kind.

Launch of Hove Plinth and first sculpture, Constellation, 21 April 2018

NEXT STEP: FLIGHT OF THE LANGOUSTINE

By Pierre Diamantopoulo MRBS Medium: Bronze and steel Size: H 384 cm x W 300 cm x D 289 cm

Inspired by a discarded and mangled lobster pot found while beachcombing, Brighton-based Diamantopoulo first created a model of this sculpture in a studio under the King’s Road arches. In his imagination the washed-up object that seemingly helped lobsters escape became a human story of exodus and release – a dash for freedom. FLIGHT OF THE LANGOUSTINE: SCULPTURE APPEAL

The sculpture “Flight of the Langoustine” will be the second sculpture for the Hove Plinth. It is a major bronze sculpture and will cost just under £135K to produce. We are inviting you or your company to be part of a new era of public art in the city by sponsoring this sculpture, in part or in full. Following its display on the plinth, the sculpture will be available to be placed permanently in or near a sponsor’s development or headquarter (Headline sponsor) or in a designated public space. Interactive technology will be developed and installed with the artwork to reach out to the widest possible audience.

"Hove Plinth is exactly what we need in Hove. The centre of Brighton is a magnet for tourism and cultural activities so to be able to attract residents and visitors to Hove is something I want to support 100%.”

Peter Kyle, MP for Hove PROJECT PLAN TO ACHIEVE COMPLETION AND INSTALLATION EARLY JUNE 2022

Budget Artist’s studio costs : £52,900 Foundry - Moulds & waxes x4 : £15,888

- Bronze cast and finish x4: £39,360

Fabrication : steel grid, assembly, finish, installation: £20,400

Events, publicity, videos, interactive features £ 6,000

Total: £134,548

8 SPONSOR PACKAGES

HEADLINE SPONSOR / OWN THE SCULPTURE Sponsor Flight of the Langoustine in full (£ 135K) This is a unique opportunity to become the owner of the sculpture once it has been displayed on the Hove Plinth and use it for permanent placement, for example in a new development , corporate headquarter or public space.

LANGOUSTINE SPONSOR Sponsor one of the four life-size bronze figures (£ 30K) This sponsorship covers studio costs to create one of the four figures and foundry production costs to create a mould and to cast the figure.

LANGOUSTINE SUPPORTER Sponsor silicon mould, casting or studio work for one of the four life-size bronze figures (£ 10K) This sponsorship helps progress studio and foundry work to the point of having one figure ready.

CORPORATE FRIEND Contribution to cost of sculpture ( from £ 1K) This sponsorship contributes to any aspect of the production of the sculpture, including the fabrication of the steel grid and the assembly of the sculpture in its final form.

9 SPONSOR BENEFITS

All sponsors will be associated with a major cultural legacy project for Brighton and Hove. Whatever your contribution, you will be linking your brand with a prestigious and innovative art development, reaching out to audiences through state of the art technology and be supporting city re-generation. Benefits will be tailored to your interest and level of support. They include but are not limited to: • Company name on ‘in situ’ plaque • Marketing and PR opportunities • Exclusive hospitality and events Contact [email protected] for a discussion and/or a presentation.

Inaugural scupture, Constellation by Jonathan Wright

10 THE SCULPTOR: PIERRE DIAMANTOPOULO MRBS

Pierre Diamantopoulo lives in Brighton and is a Member of the Royal Society of Sculptors. He has staged a wealth of solo and mixed shows in London and throughout the UK. Pierre has been represented in the Cass Sculpture Foundation’s New Concept Gallery for Monumental Art since 2001. He showcased in the Twenty First Century British Sculpture Exhibition For Monumental Art at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice in 2002, and his work is in private, corporate and international collections. In 2007, he was awarded Arts Council England funding for his landmark “Kandi Sky” sculpture in painted steel, spanning 22 metres, now standing amongst the Northern Gateway Sculptures.

11 DIAMANTOPOULO’S WORK AND ITS RESONANCE IN THIS SCULPTURE

Pierre Dimantopoulo says of his work:

“In ‘Flight of the Langoustine’ as in much of my work, a liberating energy is combined with a profound sense of unrest. These androgynous and anonymous figures are often seen flying in defiance or fleeing, challenged by their environment - a metaphor for a precarious state of living or existence. Truly transcending the confines of the ground, the figures are at once profound, frivolous and boisterous, occupying the air like a flock of birds and inspired by modern dance choreography. They balance improbably on geometric planes, perched or floating freely on forms forged to suit an allegorical purpose.”

12 BENEFITS FOR THE CITY AND ITS PEOPLE

The Plinth’s arrival has created a buzz of excitement. It is already referred to as a ‘marker’ for Hove and is attracting visitors to the Hove end of the seafront. The Hove Plinth is bringing great art to everyone and will be a lasting cultural signature for Brighton and Hove.

“The Plinth is a fantastic celebration of Hove and will be a wonderful showcase for modern sculpture for everyone to enjoy. It’s also an example of the community coming together to create something fun that will appeal to residents and visitors.” Councillor Alan Robins, Chair of Tourism, Economic Development and Culture Committee, City of Brighton & Hove A LASTING LEGACY –

SPEARHEADING ‘SCULPTURE IN THE CITY’ We want the Hove Plinth sculptures ideally to remain in the city once they have been on the plinth and are actively exploring ways of finding permanent locations under a proposal entitled Sculpture in the City. The aim is to create a lasting legacy of public art, improving the public realm and adding to the city’s attractions with all its cultural and economic benefits.

Illustrations from works shortlisted in the first national call to artists HOVE PLINTH PARTNERS

Patrons Sir Timothy Sainsbury, former MP for Hove Philip Jackson CVO DL FRBS, internationally renowned sculptor

Strategic Partners Grant Funders MEDIA SUPPORT The project has excellent coverage and enthusiastic support from local newspapers, radio and television and has featured regularly in the Public Monuments and Sculpture Association’s national on-line sculpture magazine. ENDORSEMENTS

Hove Plinth received the Argus “Everyone who loves our seafront Community Star Award for should help Hove Plinth become a Contribution to Arts and Culture in reality. It will be the platform for some November 2015 on the grounds of stunning creativity in the years to come “capturing the imagination of people and always brilliantly remind people – in the city”. visitor and resident – that our city has "We're delighted to be supporting the unique and lasting style.” Dick Knight, Hove Plinth campaign. We'll do all we Lifetime President of Brighton can to help Hove Civic Society hit and Hove Albion and Honorary their target as a new and exciting Freeman of Brighton and Hove arts and sculpture site in the area will be great for both the local "If anywhere in the country should be community and visitors.“Martin Harris, MD Brighton and Hove promoting art and culture then it is here Buses in Brighton & Hove. The idea of a plinth on the seafront was inspirational and I “The city needs year-round events for am so excited to see it now becoming a the arts. With this in mind, I am reality. Residents of Brighton & Hove proud to support the Hove Plinth should all get firmly behind this project, campaign and am very excited about as it is something that not only will we the prospect of attracting new public all enjoy, but is a legacy for future sculpture to the city to inspire us all for years to come.” Kellie Miller, generations.“ Rob Starr, Starr Trust Artist and Gallerist

For a discussion contact: Karin Janzon, Project Director Email: [email protected] Web: www.hoveplinth.org.uk Mob: 07917 888997

Hove Civic Society, 43 Hove Park Villas, Hove BN3 6HH Registered Charity 1187602