Madam, - Despite its imminent removal by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, I would like to commend the Michael Warren sculpture, The Gateway, at the Pavilion in DúLaoghaire.
I think it acts as a linchpin for the disparate buildings around it and echoes some of the shapes of the Town Hall.
It has a resonance with the port: the steel of passing ships; and their inevitable rusting.
Just because complaints are received does not mean the majority of people in the borough are against it. Public art needs to settle into its environment. The urban landscape needs diversity.
Just as the council encourages diversity in its Festival of World Cultures, so it should with public art.
Controversial designs of buildings, galleries and sculpture also attract tourists.
Perhaps the council's vote to remove the sculpture contains an element of revenge. The initial consultation wasn't adequate; however, that's no reason to punish this work or its maker.
Next time the consultation process will be better with the new guidelines from the Arts Council.
So, don't remove it. It needs to breathe and rust a bit more until it becomes part of Dún Laoghaire's "scenic" promenade.
- Yours, etc.,
NIALL McCULLOUGH, Blackrock, Co Dublin.
Madam, - I think that Michael Warren's The Gateway sculpture in Dún Laoghaire is a truly fantastic piece of public art.
A great work by a great Irish sculptor. The piece is modern,progressive and sings with poetic beauty.
It works wonderfully well in the space as it is placed at the moment. I feel Rosita Boland's piece (December 10th) lacked a true understanding of the work.
When you understand the work in the tradition of modern sculpture then it is an enlightening experience to see The Gateway.
It would be a real shame to move it.- Yours etc.,
MAIREAD LUDDEN, Westport Road, Castlebar, Co Mayo.