Dublin’s Molly Malone Statue is Being Rubbed Up the Wrong Way

Poor old Molly Malone.  When Kuriositas first reported on her (in our 2013 article Statues of Dublin and their Notorious Nicknames), the photos we were able to source at the time showed her untouched and unsullied. Apparently, shortly after, a tourist guide was “inspired” to tell people that rubbing her breasts would bring good luck.  As her more than ample bosom is well within groping distance, the sticky paws of countless tourists rubbed and rubbed and rubbed away at the carbonate patina which had given her an added aesthetic beauty and the sense of age (even though the statue only dates from 1988).  Now, instead of saying “look at the breasts on that statue”, people are much more likely to say “look at the statue on those breasts”.

Joking aside, Dublin City Council are now considering moving the statue if tourists do not desist from putting their grubby mitts on Molly’s tits. Sorryfor the informal language, I couldn’t resist that little rhyme – but you could imagine the real Molly paraphrasing those words as a retort if she was still around.  I’m fairly sure she wouldn’t have any unwanted hands on her mammary glands.  On a serious note, the patina on bronze statues, as well as adding to the overall aesthetic, can also help protect the metal underneath from further corrosion.  In fact if you look closely, you can see that the erosion is becoming a problem.

Repeated rubbing can permanently stain or alter bronze, especially in outdoor conditions. It's a mix of chemical staining and mechanical wear.  It isn’t a case of just leaving it for a patina to occur naturally again – the statue will need extensive and expensive (just can’t stop rhyming today) restoration work in order for Molly’s bits to once again resemble the rest of the piece.

Perhaps Dublin City Council should just accept that this is going to happen, and it happens to statues across the globe.  Poor old VictorNoir, interred in the Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris has had close to 150 years of people rubbing his trouser bulge. Below is the report on the Molly Malone statue by the Irish public service broadcaster RTE.

Meet the Whale in the Wharf: Art, Scale, and Surprise in London’s Docklands

The blue whale isn't a species normally associated with London.  After all, when it comes to animals, the English capital city is known for its lions (stone, mostly), ravens, horses and pigeons (so many, many pigeons).  As such, the latest piece of art unveiled in London’s docklands is a pleasant departure from the expected menagerie.   Captured in a spectacular head-first breach, this 36 foot (11 metre) leviathan was created to highlight the issue of plastic pollution in the oceans of the world.

At close range, the colossal whale sheds its singular silhouette and becomes a constellation of detail, an intricate mosaic whose beauty lies in the delicate interplay of form, colour, and craft.  It all comes together in a visually jaw-dropping way. This striking installation is part of a vast open-air gallery in Canary Wharf, where over 100 artworks transform the place into the UK’s largest free public art trail.  But, what’s the story with the whale? 

Cover Your Eyes, Children! Here Comes Lange Wapper

If you happen to pass by the historic medieval fortress of Het Steen in Antwerp, Belgium the chances are very likely you will come across a statue.  A real double-take statue. Or even a triple-take statue.  However many times you eyes are drawn to it, this is one statue that demands your attention. Created in 1963 by Belgium sculptor Alber Poets, the sculpture represents a legendary figure in Flemish folklore, the crafty and mischievous giant called Long Whopper.  Sorry, Lange Wapper.  Dubious translations aside, he is certainly a big boy.

The Devil in the Cathedral: the Lucifer of Liège

The Cathedral of Saint Paul in the Belgian city of Liège was founded in the tenth century.  As one might expect from a Catholic place of worship it is full of representations of the men and women from the history – Biblical and otherwise – of Christianity.  Yet as the pulpit is approached, a striking white marble sculpture arrests the eye: a beautiful young man in an agony of thought. Which venerable icon of the church might this be?  A martyr? A disciple? Or even an angel? It is the latter but this angel is notorious, despised, fallen. It transpires that there is a sinner – and a significant one at that - in the midst of the saints.

The Portonaccio Sarcophagus - Amazing Relic of Rome

It is strange to think that this sarcophagus is eighteen hundred years old, so vivid are the carvings on its sides.  Who was buried inside is unknown, but there are facts that can be gleaned from the study of the ornate sculpting.  Housed in the National Museum of Rome, the sarcophagus is displayed in a darkened room under spotlights which show its decorative figures beautifully.

Image Credit Flickr User Nick in Exsillio

It was discovered in 1931 near Via Tiburtina, in the eastern suburbs of Rome. Its front depicts a symbolic picture of a battle which is on two levels.  The carving remains to this day an incredible achievement – the dark and light contrast beautifully to produce a veritable chiaroscuro effect. This skill involved was superlative.

Han – The Little Merman

The medieval town of Elsinore, in Denmark has recently found it has a new addition to its waterfront. As you will see, it was designed to complement Edvard Eriksen's statue of the Little Mermaid which commemorates the character created by Hans Christian Anderson in Copenhagen (left).

London and Berlin based artists Elmgreen and Dragset have installed Han, the Little Merman (my subtitle), a thoroughly modern and controversially male interpretation of the Danish national icon and occasional Disney wannabee.

The Kiss of Death

This astonishing sculpture forms part of Barcelona’s Poblenou Cemetery.  The Kiss of Death (El Petó de la Mort in Catalan and El beso de la muerte in Spanish) dates back to 1930. A winged skeleton bestows a kiss on the forehead of a handsome young man: is it ecstasy on his face or resignation? Little wonder the sculpture elicits strong and varying responses from whoever gazes upon it.

Image Credit Flickr User Rserrano

Dewi the Dragon: Guardian of Castle Harlech (and Coolest Dragon on Earth)

Harlech Castle was constructed atop a spur of rock next to the Irish Sea by Edward I of England to seal his victory over Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the last sovereign Prince of Wales. Although the sea has retreated and no longer protects the castle a new guardian has recently arrived. Where water once protected Harlech, now it is fire. Dewi the Dragon, resplendent in his scaly coat of steel, is the new sentinel of the still magnificent medieval castle and guards the town’s inhabitants from harm.

Image Credit Flickr User Eddie Evans

The red dragon (y ddraig goch) has for centuries been the symbol of Wales and the Welsh - it can still be seen throughout the country every day wherever the nation's flag is flown.  It is thought to have been the standard of King Arthur, although its first appearance in writing comes from the Historia Brittonum written around 828CE. It also appears in the Mabinogion, collated in medieval times from the ancient narrative oral and written traditions of the Welsh. The list could go on but suffice it to say that the red dragon for many symbolizes all things Welsh.

A Magical Mermaid Miscellany

The Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, Denmark, has entranced onlookers since it was erected in 1909. Yet there are statues of mermaids the world over – a testament to the way in which these alluring ladies of the sea have embedded themselves in global popular culture. Let’s take a tour around the world and visit some of the best.

Baltinore Easter Ross, Scotland

Image Credit Flickr User Mikeseye

Image Credit Flickr User IrenicRhonda

Here Be Dragons: Amazing Statues and Sculptures of Dragons Around the World

In the Middle Ages the words hic sunt dracones (here be dragons) appeared on a number of maps to indicate dangerous or unexplored territories.  Yet dragons are still among us, dotted all over the globe.  From Europe to Asia and over to the Americas, ferocious beasts (and some a little less so…) protect our cities and temples.  Here is a collection of amazing dragon statues and sculptures from around the world.

Sneinton, England

Image Credit

Remember Lidice

On 2 July 1942, most of the children of Lidice, a small village in what was then Czechoslovakia, were handed over to the Łódź Gestapo office. Those 82 children were then transported to the extermination camp at Chełmno 70 kilometers away. There they were gassed to death. This remarkable sculpture by by Marie Uchytilová commemorates them. Yet what had they (and their families) done to warrant such an end?

The events leading to their death were complex but the pivotal moment had been the assassination of the Acting Reichsprotektor of the Nazi Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, Reinhard Heydrich. Czechoslovakia had been occupied by Nazi Germany since the April of 1939 and Heydrich was a greatly detested figure of oppressive authority. He was attacked by a British trained team of Czech and Slovak soldiers. From the moment of his death a week later on June 4, 1942, from septicemia caused by his injuries, the whole country knew there would be reprisals. Nothing, however, could prepare them for the horror that was to come.

The Sky Art of Galleta Meadows

Did you know that dinosaurs, mammoths and sabre-toothed cats still roam the deserts of San Diego County in California?  Outside of the town of Borrego Springs lies Galleta Meadows.  Scattered around the staggering dessert landscapes, enormous steel sculptures are juxtaposed against the pristine heavens.  The man behind it, Dennis Avery, called it Sky Art.  It is easy to see why.

Image Credit Flickr User Marie Carter

If you work in an office environment then his name will ring a bell.  He founded the company you use for your labels.  Although he passed away in 2012 he ensured that his vision would live on.  He allotted the land around the remarkable sculptures as a place where people could set up camp and visit free of charge.  It is certainly worth a visit to the desert to encounter his extraordinary legacy, although you do have to be careful of a very much extant animal – the rattlesnake.

The Flying Monkeys of Burlington

Even though Burlington is the largest city in the US state of Vermont, its population only numbers just over 40,000 souls.  Yet every place needs its guardians and protectors and Burlington has its very own to defend and preserve the population.  The fact that they are winged monkeys might raise few eyebrows in the town: for visitors these primates with plumage are a source of surprise and delight.

Image Credit Flickr User Monekeyswithwings

Image Credit Flickr User monkeyswithwings

Although no one is 100 percent sure where Burlington acquired its name, the city has a history dating back to 1763 when a land grant was given to one Samuel Willis and 63 others.  The winged monkeys are a more recent addition: their essentially gargoyle form lends itself well to the town’s European roots.

Genghis Khan Rides Again: Huge Statue of Emperor Dominates the Mongolian Steppe

Just over thirty miles east of the Mongolian capital of Ulan Bator the old Emperor, Genghis Khan, rides again.  Sat atop his horse, surveying his dominion (which was after his death to become the largest contiguous empire in history) a huge 131 feet statue of Genghis Khan dominates the steppes of Mongolia.

Image Credit Flickr User Fran001

The sculpture, designed by D. Erdenebileg and architect J. Enkhjargal stands at the banks of the Tuul River.  It is here that the great emperor was said to have found a golden whip at the age of fifteen – though there is no exact evidence to support this.  It was, however, this whip that is said to have inspired the young Temujin (his birth name) to go on to conquer much of the known world.

Rapid City: The City of Presidents

Visitors to the historic downtown of South Dakota’s Rapid City are in for something of a surprise. Turn a corner and you come face to face with a life size bronze statue of the USA’s first ever President, George Washington (above, who was in office from 1789 – 1797).  Turn another and you come across his successor, George Adams. In fact there is a statue of each US President in the city (bar the current incumbent).  As well as being a remarkable tribute to the leaders of America, it's a great way to memorize the presidents. Take a look at each, in order of his time as POTUS.

John Adams - 1797 - 1801

Image Credit Flickr User jvstin

The project began in 2000 with the pattern of placement throughout the Downtown district specifically chosen to give those doing the ‘tour’ a rational structure while avoiding any favouritism to a particular president or party.

1101: Remarkable New Sculpture Commemorates the First Minute of Peace after the Great War

The small seaside town of Seaham in the North East England unitary district of County Durham has, quietly and with only little reverential fanfare, unveiled what many are hailing as the most significant piece yet of contemporary art to commemorate the First World War.  1101 (otherwise known in full as Eleven-O-One) by local artist Ray Lonsdale is an almost three meter high sculpture in corteen steel of a single British soldier, head bowed and rifle still in hand. It has been an immediate success with local people, who have already nicknamed it Tommy (slang for an ordinary British soldier which although established in the 19th century is particularly associated with the First World War).

Image Credit Flickr User Bryony Taylor

The Kelpies: Mythological Horses Power Again through Scotland

An extraordinary work of art has just been completed in Scotland.  The Kelpies by figurative sculptor Andy Scott surge upwards in steel, whinnying and snorting alongside the banks of the Forth and Clyde Canal near the town of Falkirk.  These fantastic beasts from Gaelic mythology have risen again as monuments to the horse-powered industrial heritage of Scotland.

Image Credit Flickr User Bermrunner

Bodies in Urban Spaces: Human Sculpture in the City

If you live in a town or city then you are probably quite used to seeing young people lounging about in hoodies and tracksuits.  Yet over the last few years the inhabitants of Paris, Vienna, Seoul, Montreal, New York and Bangor (North Wales) have woken up to something of a surprise.  These Bodies in Urban Spaces have taken hanging around to a new level.

Image Credit Flickr User Lugarzen

Image Credit Flickr User Greg Hedley

The brainchild of Austrian artist Willi Dorner, the project began in 2007 – and its aim is rather more than an impressive show of contortionist skills by young people in brightly colored clothes.  Bodies in Urban Spaces (I am going to call it BiUS from now on) is intended to provoke thought – and possibly even annoyance.  Its aim is to motivate and prompt its audience to reflect on their urban surroundings and ultimately to question their own behavior and habits, in terms of their movement.

Mr Darcy Emerges from a Lake: Again

It wasn’t quite how Jane Austen had originally intended. In fact she never wrote the passage at all.  Yet a certain scene from the 1995 BBC version of Pride and Prejudice caused so many hearts to flutter that it has gone down as one of the fondest remembered moments of British TV of all time. And now it’s happening again, albeit in London’s Hyde Park and courtesy of a trio of artists.

The scene (above) which raised the blood pressure of (at least half of) a nation saw an amorously frustrated Mr Darcy take a dip in the lake of his country pile, Pemberley.  His ardour somewhat cooled, he stalks to his house in sodden but still smouldering condition. He then bumps in to the object of his thwarted desires, Elizabeth Bennett and Georgian embarrassment ensues.  What was intended to be a rather comedic scene lit a million candles: it is said that Colin Firth became a movie star on the basis of his wet linen shirt and breeches.

The Travelers Have Arrived

This is quite extraordinary work – I expect it gained your attention the moment you saw it.  It was created by husband and wife, Gillie and Marc Schattner who work together to craft art as one. This piece – called The Travelers Have Arrived is currently part of the Sculpture by the Sea Exhibition in Bondi, Australia. The rugged Australian coastline certainly makes a stunning backdrop for art.