PROPOSALS for a 30ft tall Liver Bird made from giant Meccano girders are raising eyebrows in Liverpool’s art community.
Mayor Joe Anderson wants the sculpture - to be constructed local artist Emma Rodgers - to be placed near to the M62, in Edge Lane, close to the former factory where Frank Hornby developed and built his famous hobby kits.
Except another artist, Chris Vine, came up with an almost identical idea nine years ago.
I suppose as the originator it would be nice to get some recognition for my work - Chris Vine
He was commissioned by Liverpool artist and sculptor Alex Corina to produce a set of surreal images as part of the city’s 2008 Capital of Culture events.
One of Vine’s five works was a Meccano Liver Bird. There was a proposal to build a 40ft to 50ft version of it to be positioned on the waterfront. It never happened but it does, at least, exist as a print still sold at Corina’s gallery in Lark Lane.
The copyright to the Meccano Liver Bird is owned by Artworks, a company owned by Corina, best known for his famous Mona Lennon painting which was draped over St George’s Hall during its facelift some years ago.
How the £100,000 Liver Bird on Edge Lane might look, according to Mayor Joe AndersonMayor Joe says he has been to Birmingham to meet Spin Master, the company behind Meccano and it has agreed – along with developers Derwent – to fund what would be the first major public artwork in Liverpool for years.
Now Corina has written a letter to Mayor Anderson demanding answers about his Edge Lane proposals which would see the two companies coughing up to £100,000 to fund Rodgers’ version of the bird, early images of which bear a striking resemblance to Vine’s.
Corina told Liverpool Confidential today: “In 2007 I commissioned five works from Chris Vine who is noted for his surreal art. He came up with the Meccano Liver Bird, one of the most popular in his series. It has been used on record labels and in other places.
“It was done for the Capital of Culture as part of a series of collectables. The Mona Lennon I produced was part of the same series of collectables.
“I was taken a little aback when, out of the blue, I heard about the Mayor’s proposal - with an image that looks very like the one produced by Chris Vine.”
The Mayor’s choice of artist, Rogers, is, however, no stranger to Liver Birds. In 2014 she gifted an LFC porcelain version, signed by team players, to the Mayor of Liverpool’s Hope Fund.
She has also been commissioned by Cilla Black’s sons to create a statue of the late singer after being introduced to them by radio presenter Pete Price.
Chris Vine's Meccano Liver Bird which was produced in 2007 with proposals to turn it into a 40-40ft waterfront sculptureIn his letter to Mayor Anderson, Corina says he welcomes the proposal by Meccano/Derwent to pay up to £100,000 for the sculpture. But he is asking whether, prior to the scheme being decided, was there a call to artists eager to take part in an expressions of interest exercise. He has also asked the Mayor where the concept for the sculpture originated from.
“There appears to have been a real missed opportunity here to involve Liverpool artists and maybe the wider community in the run up to year’s Liverpool Biennial and John Moores Exhibition,” he says to the Mayor.
The announcement by Mayor Anderson has fuelled a lively debate on social media. When confronted with the similarity on Twitter, the mayor responded by saying Rodgers’ design was “only for illustration” but also acknowledging Vine’s work, which he claimed never to have seen before, as “stunning”.
In a Facebook post, Corina asked: "I wonder where her design in the picture originated? You can judge for yourselves."
Corina confirmed to Liverpool Confidential that he owns the copyright to the Vine Meccano Liver Bird.
He added: “My view is that there should have been an exercise among artists to seek expressions of interest. But we do have this proposal, using Chris Vine’s work from 2007, already done and created in the spirit of the original Meccano.”
Vine told Liverpool Confidential: “I’ve always thought a sculpture based on Meccano and the Liver Bird would be good. I did it originally as I thought it would be fun, and also represent something special in Liverpool.
“I submitted my finished work to the Association of Illustrators some years ago and it was accepted for their exhibition and for use in their annual.
“I suppose as the originator it would be nice to get some recognition for my work.”
