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Birmingham Statue Campaign

Perhaps 'proper' was the wrong word,but not to have the fathers mentioned or included in what is supposed to be art is completely wrong to me,its all about two selfish individuals posing as proper families,the art council have always been a weird lot.
 
I don't disagree with you on most of that - could not understand why it was chosen as representative myself. Yes the Art Council seem to enjoy the shock tactic regardless of the public.
 
The are both described as single parents and one is obviously heavily pregnant. I don't make any moral judgments but I don't see that as a typical family. I think someone is trying to make a statement.
 
It does look kind of weird! Think they are Mixed race / British Asian?

Probably will take some pics next time I'm in Centenary Square!


Better off with someone like Joseph Chamberlain? Rather than unknown civilians!
 
Hi ellbrown,
May be if you see it realality it may project different to you ,and I do not think they should have pin pointed out there surname
Of this particular family its only a group of people whom are related. To each other as a family
But I do agree with you I think they could have done better on the choice of personnel and I think its does not look right
May be they should have put. Chamberlain with his hand held high with a figure of a dove on it symbols of love and unity of Birmingham
Or the founder member of the social services of Birmingham whom I believe was a councillor Hameges whom was an asian
And father in law to Albert or was at one time many , many years ago before he died that's a social meeting place after all
People coming and helping each other he was the founder of this social services to people of brum in the early years of the council forming,
Or as one of the oldest member of the cadbury family but I still cannot see why bring and name this family to the media,
Whether they are Asian or mix race it did not matter we really did not need to know best wishes Astonian,,,,,,
 
The Italian one is my ideal family but then again I am an oldie.

The people of Birmingham were asked to give ideas of what was the ideal family and this was what they thought, how sad.
 
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love the italian statue... as a subject not much to say about the one we have been lumbered with...
 
Have just been looking at the article on BBC Birmingham and Mail websites - I must admit I'm not keen on Gillian Wearing's work in any case (sorry for saying that about a Brummie!).

As to the subject, I have no problem about single mothers and I'm sure the sisters make a great family but I still don't think it was perhaps the best choice of subject for outside the library - just my opinion.

I live in London now so at least I can't complain about my council tax having gone to pay for it!
 
The title puzzles me ...
'A Real Birmingham Family' why not simply 'A Birmingham Family', or 'Two Sisters and Their Children'.
 
If anyone really likes the statue ...
Gillian Wearing has created two unique limited editions in celebration of the 'A Real Birmingham Family' project.

The first is a limited edition of 20 small bronzes, identical to the public sculpture, (h.33 × w.44 × d.13 cm), priced £5,000 each.

The second is a limited edition of 100 posters, signed and numbered by the artist, priced £60 each.

https://arealbirminghamfamily.com/sign-in?ReturnUrl=/
 
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Just saw a photo of the statue.

Having been brought up in a stable family, through some very tough war years, and still believing, after 54 years of happy married life, in those basic family needs, I feel the statue is a sad reflection of life in 2014, and shows very little respect for the true family life that the majority of us enjoy..

I think that it would have been more fitting outside the benefits office. Just a personal opinion. Happily I did not have to donate.
 
I don't think anyone has answerd ellbrown's question are they an Asian family. This is the actual family in real life. Picture taken from Ikon Gallery's website
Birmingham family.jpg

So why does the statute show the woman on the right as heavily pregnant?
 
I like British Asian / Mixed people! (I get on well with the ones I know!) And I have some family friends who are gay!


They were featured on page 3 of today's Daily Mail (with a mention in the editorial and one of the columnists page!).



Some bronze statue families I've already taken in the past!

Legacy sculpture - Liverpool - an Irish family who were escaping the Potato famine onf 1845-1852.




Family outing - Mell Square, Solihull, 1985

 
I like the Liverpool statue Ell. It looks most elegant.

This Forum has a lot of people researching their family history. It would seem that many in the future will only be able to complete half the picture as they often have no idea who their father might have been. Sad, in my view.
 
Have taken photos today. Although found them covered up! Will upload to Flickr later today.

Also got a series of them from the Discovery Terrace of the library!
 
All "normal" with Family Outing in Solihull. Apart from the Xmas tree and barriers!



Seen this morning.


Until I put the LoB pics up to Flickr please see the ones I've uploaded to my Twitter here
 
Think the title of the statue is confusing people. It's a 'real' Birmingham family, not a 'typical' Birmingham family. In other words this is one of various types of family unit. In fact I expect it's fairly untypical. I'm not sure of the demographics now in Brum but maybe it's even unusual in the sense of two sisters jointly raising their children without the fathers of the children. I don't know. Well it's got people talking - again - as did the Library in the background. Viv.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
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