Milton Keynes: New home sought for concrete sculpture

The Public Arts Trust has launched an appeal to relocate this 12.4m x 6.3m (40ft x 20ft) concrete sculpture which is currently in storage in Milton Keynes

An arts organisation has warned a large concrete sculpture in Milton Keynes could end up as "rubble".

The Public Arts Trust has been asked to relocate a 12.4metre by 6.3metre (40ft x 20ft) piece from storage in the city.

The work was originally commissioned by The Ordnance Survey organisation in the 1960s in Southampton before it was moved to Buckinghamshire in 2011.

The trust said the concrete work titled Celestial was "free to a good home".

The sculpture is currently being stored at the Milton Keynes Discovery Centre

Tim Skelton, a trustee, said it would be "a great shame" if the eight-piece 34-ton sculpture, titled Celestial, by British sculptor Keith McCarter had to be destroyed.

It was rescued by the Milton Keynes-based charity in 2011 in the hope of being able to find a suitable site with the new city.

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It has been stored at the city's Discovery Centre but notice has been given to remove it.

Mr Skelton, 67, said the original artwork had been inspired by the lunar exploration of the 1960s but had no link to Milton Keynes.

High quality

Mr Skelton said: "It is a high quality piece of art and it is disappointing that we have not been able to find a site for it in Milton Keynes. but we are hopeful that we will find a new home for it somewhere.

"It is free to a good home and can go to a private individual or to a public organisation - the important thing is that it should be saved.

"A lot of time, effort and energy went into creating it all those years ago and it would be disappointing its it were to be broken up and sent to landfill, which is our only option if we cannot find anyone who wants it."

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He put his appeal on Twitter and said he was hopeful the positive response meant the search for a new home would be successful.