Giant sculptures look like ‘black dented cones’, complain residents in planning row

A public sculpture consisting of a number of large metal cones has turned black and burnt people’s hands, residents complained during a row over planning permission.

Farnham residents have criticised the £20,000 “eyesore”, complaining that the cones have burnt people’s hands in hot weather, created a “thunderous cacophony of sound” for neighbours and now turned “grey and ugly”.

The once-shiny brass artwork has weathered over the last year meaning they now resemble “black dented cones”.

Although the artist said the effect was “totally deliberate”, the tarnishing has led to allegations that it has become an “eyesore” that has ruined a previously attractive green space.

When the sculpture was unveiled last April, the cones were described as looking like “Madonna’s bra”, a “Dalek scrapyard” and “giant dunce hats”.

It recently emerged that the council-approved project, titled A Hand’s Turn, did not have planning permission before it was erected. The local authority has now applied for retrospective permission, but residents say the installation is undemocratic and have called for it to be “chucked in the bin”.

The project, which involved Farnham town council, the University for the Creative Arts, the Farnham Maltings arts centre and the Farnham Public Art Trust, was conceived in 2020.

The university-funded “kinetic” sculptures cost £19,500 to create, measure up to 8ft tall, and were said to symbolise “the enduring role of hands in craft for thousands of years”.

Residents appalled by lack of planning permission

Earlier this month, Iain Lynch, the Farnham town clerk, applied for official planning permission for the “sculptures on grassed area”.

Angry residents said they were appalled that permission for the “ugly” sculptures was not sought before their installation.

Writing an objection on the Waverley borough council website, Penny Marshall said: “It is appalling that planning permission was not sought by the organisers before installation.

“No consideration was given to neighbouring residents who have to look at this eyesore every day, not just when passing by like the rest of us.

“They have ruined what was a pretty green area with flower beds, they have attracted vandals and are now damaged, they have caused noise for neighbours by people banging them, people were encouraged to interact with them and have burnt their hands in hot weather and the cones are now grey, dull and even more ugly than they already were. Such a waste of £19,500.”

Christi Daugherty, a bestselling author who lives in the area, also wrote an objection to “this art installation’s planning permission”.

The novelist said: “It has been in place for a year or so now, and it has already decayed to an extraordinary degree.

“The gilding has washed away, and various pieces are battered and damaged. The installation has not been maintained, and there’s no indication that it will be maintained.

“The art has had the unintended effect of making the area less attractive.”

Helen Young added: “I do not want planning permission retrospectively granted for these undemocratically imposed cones.”

‘Sensory, tactile and interactive’

The artwork was created by Natalie Bradwell and Livia Spinolo as “a sensory, tactile and interactive sculptural installation”. Ms Bradwell from Worthing, West Sussex, admitted she did not know the council had not applied for permission, adding: “I assumed it had planning.”

The 39-year-old continued: “Farnham council, they gave me an incredible opportunity and I got to do something I have always wanted to do. It was one of the most well-rounded, tied-up things we could have come up with and we thought that really, it was perfect for Farnham.

“It’s sad that there are some people who are gunning for it.”

Ms Bradwell said the cones were made of an internal steel structure and covered in sheets of brass, which she expected to darken in colour and it “was totally deliberate”.

She added: “That was a big part of the process when I pitched the idea. I said as time goes on, they are going to get a patina, so they aged. It’s the best option, to allow the metal to do its thing.”

Not all residents opposed the artwork. Jenny James said: “I like this art installation. My children enjoy interacting with it whenever they walk past.”

Georgeen Hamming of Colchester, Essex, visited Farnham with her husband and said she thought the sculptures were “something that catches your eye”.

“I think it sort of fits in with the area, the maltings is quite modern and there’s quite a lot going on there,” the 72-year-old said.

“I’m not local, so for me it’s just a bit of fun, but I can understand why people who live locally may be a bit fed up with it.”

Farnham council has been contacted for comment. A decision on the planning permission is expected to be made in May.