Frink's Desert Quartet Receives Unprecedented Listing
At mid-day on 11th May the Worthing Society received notification that the sculptures by Elisabeth Frink, known as the Desert Quartet which stand at the Montague Centre in Liverpool Gardens, Worthing, had been listed by the government’s Department of Culture Media and Sport with a rating of Grade II *.
This status rates the sculptures and loggia as “particularly important buildings of more than special interest” and now ensure their place as a vital and pivotal part of Worthing’s culture and heritage. Described in the DCMS Listing Schedule as “a highly significant late 20th century bespoke public artwork”, The Desert Quartet is now firmly established as one Britain’s most noteworthy public works of art.
Joseph Mirwitch, Trustee of the 20th Century Society stated from London; “The listing of this outstandingly important piece of late 20th century public sculpture and townscape design creates important new precedents. It is the first time a public sculpture has been listed within the 30 year rule period” (The Desert Quartet was installed in 1990).
David Sumner, Chair of the Worthing Society, said “This is the culmination of a lot of local work over a long period of time which reached a peak during the early months of 2007. We do not feel triumphant, but we do feel totally vindicated in our long standing belief that these sculptures, which endow Worthing with such status, have always been an integral part of the Montague Centre and that they justifiably should remain in place in the spirit of the Per Cent for Art Scheme”
The Worthing Society formed a sub committee in January 2007 to expressly run the campaign to retain the Desert Quartet which collaborated with the national organisations; 20th Century Society and Public Sculptures and Monuments Association (PSMA). Locally, vital links were forged with arts communities and commerce and new collaborative initiatives were undertaken which will benefit every area of the arts in Worthing in the long term
The largest art group in the area, RAG + Artists and Makers headed up by Dan Thompson has been a front line supporter of the Desert Quartet campaign. As has the Worthing Arts Council whose chair Jo Hutchison talked of “the spirit of Elizabeth Frink guiding us into a new and energetic era for the whole arts community”
RAG, Worthing Arts Council and the Worthing Society will be giving the petition one last day out on Saturday 23rd June, at the official launch of this year's Artists & Makers Festival in Montague Place, Worthing.
This status rates the sculptures and loggia as “particularly important buildings of more than special interest” and now ensure their place as a vital and pivotal part of Worthing’s culture and heritage. Described in the DCMS Listing Schedule as “a highly significant late 20th century bespoke public artwork”, The Desert Quartet is now firmly established as one Britain’s most noteworthy public works of art.
Joseph Mirwitch, Trustee of the 20th Century Society stated from London; “The listing of this outstandingly important piece of late 20th century public sculpture and townscape design creates important new precedents. It is the first time a public sculpture has been listed within the 30 year rule period” (The Desert Quartet was installed in 1990).
David Sumner, Chair of the Worthing Society, said “This is the culmination of a lot of local work over a long period of time which reached a peak during the early months of 2007. We do not feel triumphant, but we do feel totally vindicated in our long standing belief that these sculptures, which endow Worthing with such status, have always been an integral part of the Montague Centre and that they justifiably should remain in place in the spirit of the Per Cent for Art Scheme”
The Worthing Society formed a sub committee in January 2007 to expressly run the campaign to retain the Desert Quartet which collaborated with the national organisations; 20th Century Society and Public Sculptures and Monuments Association (PSMA). Locally, vital links were forged with arts communities and commerce and new collaborative initiatives were undertaken which will benefit every area of the arts in Worthing in the long term
The largest art group in the area, RAG + Artists and Makers headed up by Dan Thompson has been a front line supporter of the Desert Quartet campaign. As has the Worthing Arts Council whose chair Jo Hutchison talked of “the spirit of Elizabeth Frink guiding us into a new and energetic era for the whole arts community”
RAG, Worthing Arts Council and the Worthing Society will be giving the petition one last day out on Saturday 23rd June, at the official launch of this year's Artists & Makers Festival in Montague Place, Worthing.