....can't find it in themselves to fund a new sculpture by Julia Wager (49 but looks older).

All she's after is between £250,000 and £300,000 to create a larger than life stag with a monkey on its back, holding a cod (no, really !!)

The artist is quite understandably a bit miffed that a) her idea wasn't featured in the council's HARTBEAT newsletter and ii) she feels that the council have not had any enthusiasm for the idea, especially as she's a local artist (from Salisbury, just outside Greatham )

Julia (54 next full moon) said "The people in the know at the council don't seem to have pushed it in any way. Considering I am a local artist I'm doing something for Hartlepool, I don't feel they have had any enthusiasm at all. When reading about the money the council is losing, I think this is something that could make money ( )"

Why oh why oh why etc etc etc. Surely a fish being held by a monkey on the back of a horse is just what the town needs to see it through the dastardly cuts. I for one would be happy etc etc etc. Can't we sell Pools to someone or other to raise the cash, or ask the EDL to do us a flag or summat

Reminds me of the 'Balls roundabout' .. the art 'experts' assured us there's be coachloads of the sculptors fans coming to see it, didn't he hold a meeting to 'educate' the philistines? ... and all someone did was draw faces on it.
I like modern sculpture, but I always feel it's a bandwagon for untalented snake oil salesman to hang their flag from.

Alright!! Sounds like LSD is making a comeback as the drug of choice.

the poor cow. How dare the council not sanction this.
Come the glorious day, brothers

Oh my God ...I've seen it ...... Tell me it's an early April Fool gag ... it's ..... vile .. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.........

cheap and more relevant compared the that net thing in middlesbrough, i like it!

Exactly what we need, some shitty statue for people to graffiti and pay £300k for the privilege!

What planet do people live on?

And why the fuck should we have a stag with a monkey on its back holding a fish? Go fuck off.

stupid bint..yh lets buy a stupid fookin statue with the money that could pay 15 peoples wages for a year.. stick yer sculpture up your arse,

What's cheap got to do with it ? It's bad, it's tat,' it's rubbish and as for the giant condom in the wind at Middlesbrough, they've had the piss taken out of them too.

When money is tight & peoples jobs rely on whats left, public "art" is the last thing to be wasting money on. Monuments to peoples egos is what they are, just like them TDC things dotted around the marina.