[HPforGrownups] Terribly Obscure Question

[Neil Ward]

No: HPFGUIDX 7996


----- Original Message -----
From: "Scott " <harry_potter00 at yahoo.com>
To: <HPforGrownups at egroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, December 27, 2000 2:16 AM
Subject: [HPforGrownups] Terribly Obscure Question


> I know this is going to sound horribly obscure but I need to know
> this for FanFic purposes, and I thought perhaps some of the Brits on
> the list would know.
>
> There is a statue in Trafalgar Square. No, not the monument to
> Horatio Nelson, but a statue of a tree on a book on a boat, or
> something to that effect. I could use ANYTHING that anybody knows
> about it...I actually have a picture of it but I know nothing of it's
> history or even what it's called.

***

Scott, I had a look at it on the way home from work.  For those who haven't
seen it (most of you, I imagine), it's a very striking sculpture depicting a
leafless tree sitting askew on top of a closed book, which is balanced on
top of a giant rat.  The twisting roots of the tree are visible and trail
over the other components and onto the plinth.

I can't recall the title of it - something arty like 'in spite of the
development of knowledge' - but I think the sculptor's name was is Bill
Woodrow.  The plaque said something about the sculpture being a reference to
the development of knowledge in humankind (I should have noted this down,
shouldn't I?).  My interpretation of it is that the tree represents growth
or evolution, the book is the knowledge of the human race and the rat is the
tendency to use that knowledge in a corrupting or devious way.  Because the
sculpture is so awkwardly balanced it seems that knowledge and growth could
topple at any moment leaving only the corruption underneath.

There was much debate about what should be put on the empty plinth in
Trafalgar Square and I'm ashamed to say I hadn't even noticed that it was
now occupied by something so interesting. Thanks for making me look under my
own nose!

Neil
_____________________________________

Flying-Ford-Anglia

"Ron, full of turkey and cake and with nothing
mysterious to bother him, fell asleep almost
as soon as he'd drawn the curtains of his
four-poster."

[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]