Treebeard Statue - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

davem · 03-03-2007, 01:11 PM

This statue of has been designed by Tolkien's great nephew Tim Tolkien

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/w...ds/6412017.stm. Some of the designs from the Moseley Statue Website are wonderful. )BTW the photo is a 'fake' & the real one will be coloured brown-bronze-green)

More here: http://moseleystatue.org/

If you check out the 'Designs & Illustrations' section you can't help but think of Tolkien's own style of illustration, & the children's playground & the gates in the 'Tim's Other Work' section are amazing - they remind me of some of Pauline Baynes' drawings for Smith.

I like the design a lot:

Quote:

"Treebeard" who is being designed to be striding towards the 2 life-size boys of JRR and his brother Hilary in the trees in front of him.

Eomer of the Rohirrim · 03-03-2007, 04:09 PM

Fantastic!

I trust that folk will be permitted to take swords to those who would desecrate the monument?

Lalwendë · 03-04-2007, 06:03 AM

I wonder how long it will be before the obligatory yellow Netto bag gets caught up in its branches? Or a student adds a traffic cone 'hat' to it?

Bêthberry · 03-04-2007, 06:09 AM

The statue has a fascinating form in comparison with that of the trees in the square. I do hope the trees never suffer the fate of an axe as then the delightful juxtaposition will be lost.

A bit rare for public art to have such whimsy--well, at least over this side of the pond. Kudos to Tim Tolkien. He seems to have a share of The Professor's sense of humour--a trait which perhaps CT does not share?

The Might · 03-04-2007, 07:48 AM

I saw this article before, but I admire the statue everytime I see it, I like the design too.
I'd like to see a balrog statue done too...I bet there would be lots of controversy of the "wings"

the guy who be short · 03-04-2007, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lal

I wonder how long it will be before the obligatory yellow Netto bag gets caught up in its branches? Or a student adds a traffic cone 'hat' to it?

Ha! Look at his head... he'd need a few traffic cones.

I wonder why students love traffic cones so. Will I develop a traffic cone obsession next year?

Hilde Bracegirdle · 03-05-2007, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davem

If you check out the 'Designs & Illustrations' section you can't help but think of Tolkien's own style of illustration, & the children's playground & the gates in the 'Tim's Other Work' section are amazing - they remind me of some of Pauline Baynes' drawings for Smith.

So true, and I can't help but wonder if these might be his influences. Or is it genetics? The gates in particular remind me very much of the artist's elder relative, and the tree of Baynes' work.

Nice to see that the ent design has turned out so well and seems to match its surroundings. Does anyone else have mixed feelings about the leaf idea? It seems to verge on commercialism (or sanctioned graffiti) and yet it could be fun to read the names or inscriptions.

Mithalwen · 03-05-2007, 11:51 AM

No because the leaves probably won't be readable but you will "know" it is there. I think it is a lovely way to encourage individuals and companies to subsidise public art.... which while it is important is always a tricky area of hard pressed councils. My sister paid to write her name in the lead used to repair the roof of Salisbury Cathedral. Noone will see the names of the benefactors until they have to reroof again - hopefully many years hence.

Lalwendë · 03-05-2007, 01:05 PM

They did a similar thing to fund the refurbishment of the 199 steps up to Whitby Abbey. People (individuals or groups) could 'sponsor' a step for £1,000 each. It worked too, and they got the necessary funds really quickly. I wonder if it will also work with this? It will need enough publicity towards Tolkien fans I should imagine, but I wonder tight-fisted us fans are - tight-fistedness meaning you have more money to buy collectable books of course...

Hilde Bracegirdle · 03-05-2007, 03:10 PM

I do hope that you both are right, and it is encouraging see that this has worked well else where. I had fixed in my mind's eye, visions of large signatures scrawled across the leaves at the ent's feet.

I didn't see JRRT and Hilary T. in the mock photos, though the drawing shows them behind the ent. I wonder if they might be happily mistaken for Misters Meridoc and Peregrin!

Mithalwen · 03-06-2007, 12:29 PM

Sad to say that the locals are objecting - philistines ..here is a link but in the Telegraph they said they were afraid of drunks climbing it ....

http://www.starpulse.com/news/index....rks_local_outr

03-03-2007, 04:09 PM	#2
Eomer of the Rohirrim Auspicious Wraith Join Date: May 2002 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 4,859	Fantastic! I trust that folk will be permitted to take swords to those who would desecrate the monument? __________________ Los Ingobernables de Harlond

03-04-2007, 06:03 AM	#3
Lalwendë A Mere Boggart Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: under the bed Posts: 4,737	I wonder how long it will be before the obligatory yellow Netto bag gets caught up in its branches? Or a student adds a traffic cone 'hat' to it? __________________ Gordon's alive!

03-04-2007, 06:09 AM	#4
Bêthberry Cryptic Aura Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 5,979	The statue has a fascinating form in comparison with that of the trees in the square. I do hope the trees never suffer the fate of an axe as then the delightful juxtaposition will be lost. A bit rare for public art to have such whimsy--well, at least over this side of the pond. Kudos to Tim Tolkien. He seems to have a share of The Professor's sense of humour--a trait which perhaps CT does not share? __________________ I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away.

03-04-2007, 07:48 AM	#5
The Might Guard of the Citadel Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Oxon Posts: 2,205	I saw this article before, but I admire the statue everytime I see it, I like the design too. I'd like to see a balrog statue done too...I bet there would be lots of controversy of the "wings" __________________ “The invisible and the non-existent look very much alike.” Delos B. McKown

03-05-2007, 11:51 AM	#8
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,449	No because the leaves probably won't be readable but you will "know" it is there. I think it is a lovely way to encourage individuals and companies to subsidise public art.... which while it is important is always a tricky area of hard pressed councils. My sister paid to write her name in the lead used to repair the roof of Salisbury Cathedral. Noone will see the names of the benefactors until they have to reroof again - hopefully many years hence. __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace

03-05-2007, 01:05 PM	#9
Lalwendë A Mere Boggart Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: under the bed Posts: 4,737	They did a similar thing to fund the refurbishment of the 199 steps up to Whitby Abbey. People (individuals or groups) could 'sponsor' a step for £1,000 each. It worked too, and they got the necessary funds really quickly. I wonder if it will also work with this? It will need enough publicity towards Tolkien fans I should imagine, but I wonder tight-fisted us fans are - tight-fistedness meaning you have more money to buy collectable books of course... __________________ Gordon's alive!

03-05-2007, 03:10 PM	#10
Hilde Bracegirdle Relic of Wandering Days Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: You'll See Perpetual Change. Posts: 1,480	I do hope that you both are right, and it is encouraging see that this has worked well else where. I had fixed in my mind's eye, visions of large signatures scrawled across the leaves at the ent's feet. I didn't see JRRT and Hilary T. in the mock photos, though the drawing shows them behind the ent. I wonder if they might be happily mistaken for Misters Meridoc and Peregrin!

03-06-2007, 12:29 PM	#11
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,449	Sad to say that the locals are objecting - philistines ..here is a link but in the Telegraph they said they were afraid of drunks climbing it .... http://www.starpulse.com/news/index....rks_local_outr __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace