Golden (sculpture) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Golden |
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| Artist | Wolfgang Buttress |
| Year | 2013 |
| Type | Stylised flame |
| Medium | COR-TEN Steel |
| Dimensions | 21 m × 2.5 m (69 ft × 8.2 ft) |
| Location | Tunstall |
The Golden sculpture is a cool piece of modern art. It was put up in May 2015 in Chatterley Valley, near Tunstall in Stoke-on-Trent. This amazing artwork cost £180,000. It stands where the old Goldendale Ironworks used to be. A famous artist named Wolfgang Buttress designed it. He also created the Rise sculpture in Belfast.
Golden is one of the tallest public art sculptures in Britain! Before it, a different structure called the Potteries Pyramid was there since 2007.
How the Sculpture Was Paid For
The Golden sculpture was paid for with £180,000 from a special fund. This fund, called 'Section 106 money', is set aside to create or look after public art in an area. This money came from a construction company called Glazeley. They built a large warehouse nearby in the borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme.
The city council of Stoke-on-Trent asked artists for ideas in February 2011. Many different designs were suggested for the sculpture.
What Does Golden Look Like?
The Golden sculpture is 69 feet (21 meters) tall. It is made from a special material called COR-TEN Steel. This is the same type of steel used for the famous Angel of the North sculpture. The Golden sculpture was built in Nottingham.
The sculpture is shaped like a tall, thin flame. This design reminds people of the fires that burned at the old Iron Works in Chatterley Valley. The sculpture has bright LED lights that can change colour. These lights will shine through 1,500 small glass pieces.
Wishes and Memories
Each glass piece holds a special wish or memory from local people. These messages are written on handmade paper. Each glass piece sticks out from the sculpture on a short stalk. This makes the artwork look a bit bristly! A local art group called Letting In The Light helped collect these wishes. Even though you can't see the messages inside the sculpture, the group plans to publish them in a book.
