Beacon of Hope (sculpture)

The Beacon of Hope[1] or Thanksgiving Square Beacon[2] is a £300,000[3] public art metal sculpture by Andy Scott 19.5 metres high constructed in 2007[3] in Thanksgiving Square[4] in Belfast, Northern Ireland.[3] Other nicknames for the piece include Nuala with the Hula (credited to Gerard Doyle), the Belle on the Ball, the Thing with the Ring, Our Lady of Thanksgiving and the Angel of Thanksgiving.[5][6][7] It is currently the second largest public art sculpture in Belfast, after Rise on Broadway Roundabout.

Beacon of Hope
ArtistAndy Scott
Year2006
TypeSteel
Dimensions19.5 m (64 ft)
LocationBelfast, Northern Ireland

Construction

The sculpture is the result of six years of planning, development and eventual fabrication. Made of stainless steel and cast bronze, she spirals upwards and holds aloft "the ring of thanksgiving".[8] The globe at her feet indicates the universal philosophy of peace, harmony and thanksgiving, and has marked on its surface the cities where the people and industries of Belfast migrated and exported to.

The sculpture was fabricated by local company P.F. Copeland Ltd of 9 Mallusk Drive, Newtownabbey, BT36 4GX who retain the rights to the image,[9] worked from the original scale maquettes by Scott, with the bronze globe cast by Beltane Studios in Peebles.[8]

As an icon for Belfast it has been adopted by Belfast City Council, tourism authorities, TV companies and several businesses as an emblem and logo; and in early October 2006 was recognised as the best artwork in the city by the Belfast Chamber of Trade and Commerce.[8]

Concept

The artwork is based on a concept proposed by Myrtle Smyth,[3] who was inspired by Thanks-Giving Square in Dallas in Texas.

Lord Diljit Rana, Baron Rana, chairman of the Thanksgiving Square charity, said the aim of the project was to create some public space for giving thanks.[3]

  • Beacon of Hope, September 2009
  • Beacon of Hope, October 2009
  • Thanksgiving Square, October 2009

See also

References
  1. "Thanksgiving Square". Visit Belfast. Archived from the original on 12 December 2017. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  2. "Thanksgiving Square Beacon". Andy Scott. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  3. "Lagan's lady nearing completion". BBC News. 12 March 2005. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  4. "Belfast set for 'major makeover'". BBC News. 12 June 2007. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  5. "Teardrop? Tulip? Top public art nicknames". BBC Northern Ireland. 16 September 2016. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  6. "Angel of Thanksgiving". Mark Seaton Studio. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  7. "Lula with the Hula". Alamy. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  8. "Andy Scott Sculptures".
  9. "Andy Scott". Archived from the original on 20 August 2008. Retrieved 15 November 2008.

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