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Original poster

AIBU - Princess Diana new statue

788 replies

ForeverAintEnough3 · 01/07/2021 15:31

She was a style icon yet she’s in one of those frumpy waist belts that were only in fashion briefly. The face does nothing to represent how beautiful she was. It’s too harsh.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
29
MaBroon21 · 02/07/2021 12:10

The third child looks like the late Duke of Windsor.

BirdsandBeesmakinghay · 02/07/2021 12:23

I think the point speakout makes is perfectly reasonable actually.

TheSunShinesBrighter · 02/07/2021 12:37

Ancientgran : Are we children, do we need to spill out every thought in our heads the minute we think them? Couldn't people have waited a day or two? I can't imagine how painful it would be to have say a headstone placed on a loved ones grave and immediately hear people knocking it.

They know what the press is like. They chose to commission a public piece of art - statue.

If it’s in the public domain it will be judged in the same way any piece of art work is judged.

Saddlesore · 02/07/2021 12:38

I think the statue looks more like Emily Maitlis than Diana

Blossomtoes · 02/07/2021 12:45

Perhaps you need to look inwardly and re assess some of your assumptions

Perhaps you should too. It’s not often I agree with @speakout but this is one of those rare occasions.

trancepants · 02/07/2021 12:55

@SingleHandSue

Totally agree about the weird belt! The perspective of the girl is all wrong too, she looks like a shrunken adult next to her instead of a normal sized child.
That's what struck me the most. The children look so weird as they do look more like small adults than proportioned like children.
Maggiesfarm · 02/07/2021 15:54

Many deprived children do look old for their years.

As for the belt, the statue was supposed to represent the Princess in the few years before she died, when she came into her own. That was the 1990s. I can remember having a selection of similar belts then and they looked good.

I think the statue is good, more importantly her sons are happy with it. If they were not, they'd have asked for modifications.

Maggiesfarm · 02/07/2021 16:21

At the end of the day, it doesn't really affect us. It is in Kensington Palace gardens which is fairly private, and I doubt any of us are going to take a trip there to see it (& I live in the London area).

As long as her family approve of the statue, and they would have said if they didn't, it's all good.

SheldonesqueTheBstard · 02/07/2021 16:30

A lot of us round here didn’t have much when we were growing up.

I can’t recall any of us looking much older than our years.

I do remember a daughter of someone famous who looked like her mam’s only slightly younger sister. I don’t think she’d have been lacking creature comforts/necessities though.

The punching statue looks more like that daughter to me.

Anyway as I said before I agree with you in one thing. As long as her two boys like it, our opinion counts for nowt.Wink

speakout · 02/07/2021 16:32

I think the statue is good, more importantly her sons are happy with it. If they were not,
Exactly.

And they did indeed look delighted.

ThoseWhoDance · 02/07/2021 17:43

Very meh imo

Jacopo · 02/07/2021 17:45

I have worked with bronze (on a much smaller scale). A few minor tweaks would have improved this sculpture. The belt has been positioned far too low, below the natural waistline, which is where women have worn them recently and where men usually wear them. In the nineties the bottom edge of the belt would have been on her natural waistline and you can see this in the original photo and in other photos of her wearing belts at that time. If the belt was correctly positioned the body/leg proportions would appear more accurate.
The material is indeed bronze but the patina which has been applied is very heavy and dull in colour, making it almost leaden. It would have been better to go for a colour and finish that looked lighter and let the sun bounce around it a bit.
The pose is very static. Having more movement in the feet, walking, even half running, would have given it much more life. If the children had to be in it ( I would have left them out) they could have been given much more movement too. Choosing a longer, flowing garment would have been another way to give the impression of movement.
There’s been comment in the press that there aren’t any good sculptors because the skills are no longer taught. That’s simply untrue. There are plenty of sculptors who could have done a fine job of this, and even this sculptor has produced better and livelier work than this.

TSSDNCOP · 02/07/2021 17:47

Diana is 8 years older than me and I absolutely had clothes like that in the 90's. I used to look like my mums mate.

It is a good likeness in my opinion, although I think a softer coloured material would've lightened the overall effect.

I imagine the statue with real kids climbing up on it and being photographed as part of the group, that "surrounded" by kids effect would work then.

The garden itself is beautiful. The overall effect is serene, perhaps more as Diana would have liked to be in life.

Pliudev · 02/07/2021 17:48

It's lumpen. Not a celebration of the woman or a likeness. Surely they could have found someone better? Though, having seen what Maggie Hambling made of Mary Wolstencroft, I wonder if statues are a good thing.

MarshaBradyo · 02/07/2021 17:48

@Jacopo

I have worked with bronze (on a much smaller scale). A few minor tweaks would have improved this sculpture. The belt has been positioned far too low, below the natural waistline, which is where women have worn them recently and where men usually wear them. In the nineties the bottom edge of the belt would have been on her natural waistline and you can see this in the original photo and in other photos of her wearing belts at that time. If the belt was correctly positioned the body/leg proportions would appear more accurate. The material is indeed bronze but the patina which has been applied is very heavy and dull in colour, making it almost leaden. It would have been better to go for a colour and finish that looked lighter and let the sun bounce around it a bit. The pose is very static. Having more movement in the feet, walking, even half running, would have given it much more life. If the children had to be in it ( I would have left them out) they could have been given much more movement too. Choosing a longer, flowing garment would have been another way to give the impression of movement. There’s been comment in the press that there aren’t any good sculptors because the skills are no longer taught. That’s simply untrue. There are plenty of sculptors who could have done a fine job of this, and even this sculptor has produced better and livelier work than this.
I just googled the sculptor as I’m interested in who it was.

I do find it interesting that it’s been roundly criticised - just read Guardian and a few other titles came up.

Would Harry and William have signed off the clay version do you think? I assume you can’t make changes after it’s cast in bronze

speakout · 02/07/2021 17:55

Jacopo
There’s been comment in the press that there aren’t any good sculptors because the skills are no longer taught. That’s simply untrue.

I agree. I have been blown away by some modern sculpture artwork.
I woud have liked something a little more symbolic, still human form, but something that captured her essence rather than a 3d cardboard facimile cut out.

stairway · 02/07/2021 17:58

The statue that briefly replaced the Colston statue was a lot better ( and cheaper)

Blossomtoes · 02/07/2021 17:59

@stairway

The statue that briefly replaced the Colston statue was a lot better ( and cheaper)
And shorter lived.
Inexpertjuggler · 02/07/2021 18:02

I agree, she was a real beauty, it’s disappointing. Tbf, here’s the princess Diana Memorial in Manchester. It’s so shocking, it makes me think it was installed by someone toadying up to Charles at the time

AIBU - Princess Diana new statue
NeedNewKnees · 02/07/2021 18:05

I think it's a mawkish piece of crap!

Bebethany · 02/07/2021 18:06

Me too Thursdayweld, I think it’s really lovely.

I’m really wondering why most people don’t like it?

the80sweregreat · 02/07/2021 18:07

At least the garden is nice where the statue is
The Manchester one needs Charlie Dimmock

toffeebutterpopcorn · 02/07/2021 18:09

The garden was nice before - and quite quiet. I guess it will be busy with sightseers now.

the80sweregreat · 02/07/2021 18:10

I don't know that area of London : not been ' up town ' for years!
I've forgotten how many statues there are around : they must cost a fortune to make.

MumOfScience · 02/07/2021 18:10

Im going to focus on the positive symbolism of the statue - placed to remember someone who was loved in a place they loved, rather than what the face is like and what she’s wearing… She did so much for women - showing that we can be powerful and influential even in very male dominated political arenas. What she did to combat stigma during the AIDS crisis and in the battle against land mines was incredible. I know “no one is saying she wasn’t great” and I’ll get a pile on for being a “spoil sport” but maybe don’t degenerate the topic straight away - I’m certain the tabloids will do this for us (taking the focus away from her power and back into her looks - lest us other women are inspired by her and get ideas above our station).