This article's lead sectionmay be too short to adequately summarize the key points. Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article.(April 2023)
Victoria Square, where The River artwork and water feature is located, was once one of the busiest interchanges in Birmingham. By the mid-1900s, plans were drawn up for the remodelling of Victoria Square in a bid to open up Colmore Row to more cars, but those plans were subsequently quashed. By the 1990s, a completely different set of plans were put in place.[2] An international design competition was held for a central water feature in the square, which was won by Dhruva Mistry. Construction commenced in 1992 and was completed in 1994, when the square was officially reopened by Diana, Princess of Wales.
Further work and renovations were carried out over the next few years, including the installation of a multi-coloured lighting system. Repairs were frequently required, and in autumn 2013 the fountain had to be switched off after a major leak was identified.[3] The fountain later filled with soil and plants in 2015.[4]
Mistry's fountain is the largest sculptural piece in the square.[5] Mistry's winning design for Victoria Square consists of four sets of works (named The River, Guardians, Youth and Object [Variations]), representing youth and eternity.[6]The River features a 1.75-tonne[1]bronze statue of a woman, 2.8 metres (9 ft) tall, 2.5 m (8 ft) wide and 4 m (13 ft) long. The surrounding pool is paved with Wattscliff sandstone. Engraved in the rim of the upper pool by Bettina Furneé are the following words from the poem Burnt Norton by T. S. Eliot:[7]
And the pool was filled with water of sunlight, And the lotos rose, quietly, quietly, The surface glittered out of heart of light, And they were behind us, reflected in the pool. Then a cloud passed, and the pool was empty.
When active as a fountain, the water in the pool flowed at a rate of 12,000 litres (3,000 gallons) per minute[1] into a lower pool, in which is another bronze sculpture, Youth. This sculpture is 1.5 m (5 ft) tall and 1.5 m (5 ft) in diameter, depicting a boy and a girl facing each other at either end of a fountain. Beside them are an egg and a cone. The surrounding lower pool is also paved with Wattscliff sandstone, on the floor of which is a bas-relief of six large salmon. The combination of The River and Youth won a Fountain of the Year award in 1995.[7]
Developmentsedit
A water leak from the fountain occurred in November 2008 and as a result it was only switched on for special occasions and maintenance.[8] After a £300,000 restoration in 2010 the fountain was turned back on.[9][10] The work also involved the installation of a new multi-coloured lighting system.[9] After another leak occurred, the water was turned off in 2013 to save costs.
As of 6 July 2015, the main pool was filled with soil and bedding plants and no longer functions as a fountain.[11] In 2021, work began on refurbishing the fountain to full working in order in time for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. On 7 April 2022 the Floozie returned to her base.[12]
The Guardiansedit
One of the Guardians
On either side of the fountain are two large sculptures collectively known as Guardians. The sculptures – made from the same Darley Dale stone as the Council House[1] – are 3 m (10 ft) high, 2.5 m (8 ft) wide and 5 m (16 ft) long. The sculptures are not identical and take features from a variety of animals. They have been derided in the past for having faces like characters in the children's television series Thomas and Friends.[13] On either side of these sculptures are two obelisk-shaped sculptures collectively known as Object (Variations). The sandstone sculptures are 2 m (7 ft) tall and 0.5 m2 (5 sq ft). The two obelisks were initially refused by the city council, as they were deemed unnecessary; but Mistry – who declined to comment on their meaning[1] – urged the council to reconsider, and they were later approved. They now act as lampstands in the square.[7]
Galleryedit
Youth in 2016
A Guardian
One of the obelisks in Object (Variations)
The other obelisk in Object (Variations)
Referencesedit
^ abcde"The River". Birmingham City Council. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
^Franks, Richard. "A Brief History of Victoria Square, Birmingham". Culture Trip. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
^Haywood, Bob (29 December 2013). "Floozie in the Jacuzzi runs up eye-watering £3.9m bill". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
^Jackson, Carl (20 November 2018). "'Floozie in the Jacuzzi' fountain could flow again in Birmingham". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
^Parfect, Michael; Power, Gordon (1997). Planning for Urban Quality: Urban Design in Towns and Cities. London: Routledge. p. 174. ISBN0-415-15968-7.
^Noszlopy, George T.; Waterhouse, Fiona (2007). Birmingham Public Sculpture Trails. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press. ISBN978-1-84631-134-5.
^ abcNoszlopy, George T.; Beach, Jeremy (1998). Public Sculpture of Birmingham: Including Sutton Coldfield. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press. pp. 147–150. ISBN0-85323-682-8.
^ ab"Birmingham's 'Floozy in the Jacuzzi' unveiled after £300k facelift". BBC Online. 8 November 2010. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
^"Birmingham welcomes back the Floozie". birminghamnewsroom.com. Birmingham City Council. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
^Cannon, Matt (6 July 2015). "Birmingham's Floozie fountain swaps Jacuzzi for flowerbed - Birmingham Mail". Retrieved 6 July 2015.
^Young, Graham (7 April 2022). "Floozie in the Jacuzzi returns to Birmingham - but uncertainty remains over fountain reopening - Birmingham Live". Retrieved 7 April 2022.
river, artwork, this, article, lead, section, short, adequately, summarize, points, please, consider, expanding, lead, provide, accessible, overview, important, aspects, article, april, 2023, river, locally, known, floozie, jacuzzi, artwork, victoria, square, . This article s lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article April 2023 The River locally known as the Floozie in the Jacuzzi 1 is an artwork in Victoria Square Birmingham England The River in 2016 with the water replaced by a flowerbedThe River and Youth in 2005 Contents 1 History 2 Developments 3 The Guardians 4 Gallery 5 References 6 External linksHistory editVictoria Square where The River artwork and water feature is located was once one of the busiest interchanges in Birmingham By the mid 1900s plans were drawn up for the remodelling of Victoria Square in a bid to open up Colmore Row to more cars but those plans were subsequently quashed By the 1990s a completely different set of plans were put in place 2 An international design competition was held for a central water feature in the square which was won by Dhruva Mistry Construction commenced in 1992 and was completed in 1994 when the square was officially reopened by Diana Princess of Wales Further work and renovations were carried out over the next few years including the installation of a multi coloured lighting system Repairs were frequently required and in autumn 2013 the fountain had to be switched off after a major leak was identified 3 The fountain later filled with soil and plants in 2015 4 Mistry s fountain is the largest sculptural piece in the square 5 Mistry s winning design for Victoria Square consists of four sets of works named The River Guardians Youth and Object Variations representing youth and eternity 6 The River features a 1 75 tonne 1 bronze statue of a woman 2 8 metres 9 ft tall 2 5 m 8 ft wide and 4 m 13 ft long The surrounding pool is paved with Wattscliff sandstone Engraved in the rim of the upper pool by Bettina Furnee are the following words from the poem Burnt Norton by T S Eliot 7 And the pool was filled with water of sunlight And the lotos rose quietly quietly The surface glittered out of heart of light And they were behind us reflected in the pool Then a cloud passed and the pool was empty When active as a fountain the water in the pool flowed at a rate of 12 000 litres 3 000 gallons per minute 1 into a lower pool in which is another bronze sculpture Youth This sculpture is 1 5 m 5 ft tall and 1 5 m 5 ft in diameter depicting a boy and a girl facing each other at either end of a fountain Beside them are an egg and a cone The surrounding lower pool is also paved with Wattscliff sandstone on the floor of which is a bas relief of six large salmon The combination of The River and Youth won a Fountain of the Year award in 1995 7 Developments editA water leak from the fountain occurred in November 2008 and as a result it was only switched on for special occasions and maintenance 8 After a 300 000 restoration in 2010 the fountain was turned back on 9 10 The work also involved the installation of a new multi coloured lighting system 9 After another leak occurred the water was turned off in 2013 to save costs As of 6 July 2015 the main pool was filled with soil and bedding plants and no longer functions as a fountain 11 In 2021 work began on refurbishing the fountain to full working in order in time for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games On 7 April 2022 the Floozie returned to her base 12 The Guardians edit nbsp One of the GuardiansOn either side of the fountain are two large sculptures collectively known as Guardians The sculptures made from the same Darley Dale stone as the Council House 1 are 3 m 10 ft high 2 5 m 8 ft wide and 5 m 16 ft long The sculptures are not identical and take features from a variety of animals They have been derided in the past for having faces like characters in the children s television series Thomas and Friends 13 On either side of these sculptures are two obelisk shaped sculptures collectively known as Object Variations The sandstone sculptures are 2 m 7 ft tall and 0 5 m2 5 sq ft The two obelisks were initially refused by the city council as they were deemed unnecessary but Mistry who declined to comment on their meaning 1 urged the council to reconsider and they were later approved They now act as lampstands in the square 7 Gallery edit nbsp Youth in 2016 nbsp A Guardian nbsp One of the obelisks in Object Variations nbsp The other obelisk in Object Variations References edit a b c d e The River Birmingham City Council Retrieved 9 November 2010 Franks Richard A Brief History of Victoria Square Birmingham Culture Trip Retrieved 14 May 2020 Haywood Bob 29 December 2013 Floozie in the Jacuzzi runs up eye watering 3 9m bill Birmingham Mail Retrieved 14 May 2020 Jackson Carl 20 November 2018 Floozie in the Jacuzzi fountain could flow again in Birmingham Birmingham Mail Retrieved 14 May 2020 Parfect Michael Power Gordon 1997 Planning for Urban Quality Urban Design in Towns and Cities London Routledge p 174 ISBN 0 415 15968 7 Noszlopy George T Waterhouse Fiona 2007 Birmingham Public Sculpture Trails Liverpool Liverpool University Press ISBN 978 1 84631 134 5 a b c Noszlopy George T Beach Jeremy 1998 Public Sculpture of Birmingham Including Sutton Coldfield Liverpool Liverpool University Press pp 147 150 ISBN 0 85323 682 8 Scs025d1 doc a b Birmingham s Floozy in the Jacuzzi unveiled after 300k facelift BBC Online 8 November 2010 Retrieved 9 November 2010 Birmingham welcomes back the Floozie birminghamnewsroom com Birmingham City Council Retrieved 9 November 2010 Cannon Matt 6 July 2015 Birmingham s Floozie fountain swaps Jacuzzi for flowerbed Birmingham Mail Retrieved 6 July 2015 Young Graham 7 April 2022 Floozie in the Jacuzzi returns to Birmingham but uncertainty remains over fountain reopening Birmingham Live Retrieved 7 April 2022 Noszlopy amp Beach 1998 p 21 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to The River Dhruva Mistry Birmingham City Council page on The River Birmingham City Council press release with video52 28 47 N 1 54 09 W 52 47983 N 1 90239 W 52 47983 1 90239 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The River artwork amp oldid 1172160871, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
