Published: 21 March, 2013
EXCLUSIVE by RICHARD OSLEY
Published: 21 March, 2013
EXCLUSIVE by RICHARD OSLEY
CAMDEN Council planners have been asked to give consent to a life-size bronze statue of Amy Winehouse looking over Chalk Farm Road from a terrace at the Roundhouse music venue.
The New Journal can reveal that official plans for the tribute have now been drawn up and lodged at the Town Hall.
The Amy Winehouse Foundation working with the Roundhouse Trust has hired the highly-regarded sculptor Scott Eaton to produce the work.
Planning papers said the statue will "show Amy in her prime, striking a pose beneath her iconic beehive".
The idea is partly to divert people to a permanent tribute and away from Camden Square, the quiet residential street where she lived and which remains the scene of fan pilgrimages. The 27-year-old singer – a six-time Grammy winner – died at her home there in July 2011.
It is also hoped the statue will be a lasting tribute to a performer who displayed a deep affection for the area and its legendary live music scene, while at the same time inspiring young men and women enrolled in the Roundhouse's creative arts courses.
The application submitted to Camden added: "The artwork aims to capture the vitality of Amy and her music by faithfully rendering her beauty and iconic sense of style. The design has Amy relaxing on the Roundhouse terrace gazing back at Camden Town. The piece is carefully composed with naturalism.. Her long flowing hair will be represented sculpturally with a touch of art nouveau styling. Other important style and wardrobe consideration include earrings, dress, shoes and a rose in her hair, all selected and approved by members of her family".
Mr Eaton has worked on several high-profile project including films such as Spielberg's War Horse and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
The organisers added in the paperwork: "We will not be allowing a 'shrine' to accumulate on the pavement or on the Roundhouse terrace itself. Signage will be erected politely request that visitors do not leave gifts, any items left will be cleared on a daily basis."
The statue will be seen from the road but not lit up at night to avoid crowds gathering at unsocial hours.
Ms Winehouse played at the Roundhouse in 2006 in support of Paul Weller as part of the BBC'S Electric Proms.
If given planning consent, it is hoped the work will be unveiled on September 14 this year – the day that would have been Ms Winehouse's birthday.
The idea for a statue has not been a secret. Her father Mitch Winehouse first revealed plans for the statue to the New Journal last summer. “Amy was in love with Camden," he said
“We wanted to have a bench in her memory outside her house in Camden Square, but there are so many hoops you have to jump through to do that, planning permission for one," he added, explaining why plans for a memorial had switched to the Roundhouse.
In a later interview with the newspaper, Mr Winehouse expressed irritation that some people seem opposed the idea of a statue on the grounds that she was not a good role model due to her well-publicised substance abuse. Mr Winehouse said: "The reason why there is going to be a statue of Amy at the Roundhouse, hopefully, is because everybody loved Amy. Amy was a human being and she was a strong girl who had weaknesses. Superman, the strongest man in the world, I know he’s a fictional character, but he had a weakness, which was a little green piece of rock called Kryptonite. So even the strongest people have their weakness."
He added: "Amy was a wonderful person, she did a lot for Camden, did a lot for kids, she was one of the greatest singers the world has ever known: why the hell shouldn’t we put a statue up? Just because it’s going to upset two people in Camden or Kentish Town? If you excuse my French, fuck ’em.”
http://www.camdennew...set-camden-town
Another pic, a view from all sides ...
Edited by Uno, 22 March 2013 - 04:35 PM.
