A huge horse ruining the landschape view

Mark Wallinger’s giant white horse has been announced today as the winner of the £2m public art commission nicknamed the “Angel of the South”, intended to mark the building of Ebbsfleet International station in north Kent.

Wallinger’s design was selected from a three-strong shortlist for the Ebbsfleet Landmark Project, ahead of Richard Deacon’s steel latticework nest and Daniel Buren’s tower of stacked cubes.

Once completed in 2012, the sculpture will dominate the north Kent landscape, standing twice as tall as Antony Gormley’s Angel of the North in Gateshead. At 50 metres high, the sculpture is expected to be so huge that a person standing next to it will be no taller than one of the horse’s hooves.

Wallinger, who won the Turner prize in 2007, said it was a “tremendously exciting” project and that he was “honoured that the horse won through”.

Wallinger and Victoria Pomery, chair of the project’s panel, will be working with Gravesham Council to draw up a planning application, a process expected to last up to 12 months. The council will have the final say on whether the project will be approved and constructed. Although local media have reported strong opposition from residents and councillors, Pomery is confident the artwork will be a success and said: “Mark is a superb artist of world renown and his sculpture will become a real landmark for Ebbsfleet and the whole region.”

The horse is expected to be seen by 60m people per year passing through the Springhead Park area. Project leaders hope it will act as a symbol for the new Ebbsfleet Valley development and Ebbsfleet International railway station; planners aim to transform the area with up to 10,000 new homes, offices, shops and community facilities across a 400-acre site.

If you use the Eurostar you will probably see it. Let’s be honest here. This huge horse without clear meaning will ruin the entire landscapes view. But please do not be worried 😉 I doubt that you will be able to see the white monster from the cottages we are able to rent you !

For more information on the “ART HORSE”  (most of the text of this post have been retrieved from the article of the Guardian)