Hove Seafront Sculpture Set To Make Way For Replacement

Sunday, 26 March 2023 06:00

By Sarah Booker-Lewis, Local Democracy Reporter

Constellation At Hove Museum Hove Civic Society Artwork

A seafront sculpture may move inland to make way for its replacement.

Hove Civic Society has applied to build a plinth on the eastern side of Hove Museum’s front garden, in New Church Road, to move the Constellation sculpture from the promenade.

Hove Plinth Constellation By Jonathan Wright Image By Dominic Alves Licenced By Creative Commons From Flickr

The sculpture would be on the opposite side of the museum garden to the listed Jaipur Gate.

Jonathan Wright’s sculpture was unveiled in 2018 after a national competition but a new seafront sculpture – Flight of the Langoustine by Pierre Diamantopoulo – is currently being cast in bronze at the Milwyn Fine Art Foundry.

As a result, the existing work is expected make way.

In a planning application to Brighton and Hove City Council, the civic society said:

“The sculpture will add specific interest to Hove Museum in that several of the icons are digitised copies of artefacts actually located in this museum and Brighton Museum.

“In addition, all the other icons featured in the Constellation sculpture relate to aspects of Hove’s history and heritage.

“Visitors will be able to access information, including audio, about Constellation via mobile devices – so the sculpture is literally able to speak to them.

“The plinth and sculpture will be a significant added attraction for the public visiting the museum and its grounds.”

Hove Museum is within the Pembroke and Princes conservation area and a heritage statement included in the application said that the sculpture would be at the museum for about five years.

The plinth would have an internal steel construction, be clad in reconstituted stone panels and stand atop a double layer of paving slabs.

To view or comment on the planning application, go to the planning portal on the council’s website and search for BH2023/00448.