Patrick Comerford
My search for public sculpture in Milton Keynes continued in Campbell Park in recent days when I came across ‘Animals in War’ by Ronald Rae (1998) in a hollow below the Belvedere in Campbell Park. This work of public sculpture was a gift from the Scottish sculptor and artist to the people of Milton Keynes in 2015 in memory of Edna Eguchi Read (1929-2012), who was an active promoter of public art in the new city.
Ronald Rae’s sculpture symbolises the aftermath of war and is a poignant memorial to all animals that died in wars, in particular horses that died in their millions in World War I. The soldier in the sculpture is missing half an arm and is wearing a gas mask, also referring to the horrors of chemical warfare.
The sculpture in Kemnay granite was previously on loan to Bletchley Park. The Public Arts Trust, Milton Keynes, working with partners Bletchley Park, the Parks Trust and Milton Keynes Council moved this large, 6 ton sculpture across Milton Keynes, and it was unveiled in Campbell Park on 30 July 2015 by Dr Charles Robert Saumarez Smith, secretary and chief executive of the Royal Academy of Arts in London.
Edna Read was a well-known pacifist and bought one of Ronald Rae’s other war related sculptures, ‘After Hiroshima’ which she donated to the Buddhist temple at Willen in Milton Keynes.
When ‘Animals in War’ was being unveiled, Ian Michie, chair of the Public Arts Trust in Milton Keynes, recalled how Edna Read had worked with the development agencies to integrate the work of artists into its buildings and landscape and to promote the image of Milton Keynes as ‘the City of Sculpture.’
She was instrumental in many of the city’s cultural organisations, including the Milton Keynes Gallery and Theatre Company, Aim Gallery, the Public Arts Trust and the Sculpture Walk for Emigré Artists at Bletchley Park.
The plaque at the sculpture describes her as an ‘Artist and Pacifist’ and an ‘irresistible force and champion of public art in Milton Keynes’.
The director of MK Gallery, Anthony Spira, also paid tribute, saying: ‘Edna was an irrepressible force determined that Milton Keynes should have the highest standards of arts and culture possible. Her formidable energy, enthusiasm and skills of persuasion have given her a legendary status within the history of art in Milton Keynes, from the 1970s when she personally picked up paintings by Modern Masters including Wassily Kandinsky from galleries in Cork Street for display at Milton Keynes Library.’
Will Cousins, chair of MK Gallery, said: ‘Anyone who came into contact with Edna was left in no doubt about her passion for the arts and Milton Keynes. Her belief in the power of art to transform place and people was inextinguishable.’
She had a vision for Campbell Park as a sculpture park. She died aged 83 following a road accident in November 2012. Her funeral service was held in the Church of Christ the Cornerstone, Milton Keynes.
‘Animals in War’ is a granite memorial to all animals that have died in wars, in particular the horses who died in their millions in World War I. The soldier with half an arm missing and wearing a gas mask is a reference to the horrors of chemical warfare.
Ronald Rae was born in Ayr in 1946. His works are entirely hand-carved in granite and over the course of 58 years he carved 58 large granite monoliths, many of which are in public and private collections throughout the UK.
Rae’s largest work to date is the 20 tonne ‘Lion of Scotland.’ His sculptures have been exhibited in Milton Keynes (1995-1999), Regent’s Park, London (1999-2002), the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield, and Holyrood Park, Edinburgh (2006-2007).
Many of his granite sculptures in public places have Biblical themes, including five sculptures depicting the ‘Tragic Sacrifice of Christ’ in Alloway, ‘Abraham’ at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, the ‘Return of the Prodigal’ in Perth, the ‘Good Samaritan’ in Glenrothes, and his Celtic Cross at Erdington Railway Station, Birmingham. His ‘Fallen Christ’, outside the MacLeod Centre on the island of Iona, is to the memory of Jim Hughes, a member of the Iona Community.
His eight-tonne sculpture ‘Fish’ was installed on the waterfront at Cramond in 2009 after a successful fundraising campaign by the Cramond Community. His ‘Cuddling Couple’ outside Milton Keynes Central Station was bought by the Commissions for the New Towns after a major exhibition of his work in Milton Keynes in 1995-1999.
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