Survey finds town rejects Earth Goddess sculpture

A survey has revealed an overwhelming majority of residents want a controversial giant sculpture to be removed from a town centre.

The £80,000 ceramic artwork Earth Goddess was installed in St Austell in June 2022 as part of a wider project celebrating the area's connection to China clay.

Around 90% of nearly 500 residents and stakeholders surveyed by the St Austell Town Team supported removing and relocating the statue.

Chair of the Town Team and cafe owner Jake Richards said the "most common concern" is that the 38ft (11.5m) artwork is "out of place where it is".

Earth Goddess, by the artist Sandy Brown, is said to be the tallest ceramic sculpture in the UK and was part of a specifically funded art project to regenerate St Austell.

Made of a series of five huge circles of clay with outstretched arms that are about 20ft (6m) wide, the statue is decorated with bright, bold colours.

The artwork has always split opinion and Richards said "four or five times as week" customers would be complaining about it.

The Town Team's purpose is to give the community a voice and drive "positive change", and Richards, in role role as chair, organised the survey.

"For some, the artwork has become a symbol of frustration around spending priorities, regeneration efforts, and the perceived lack of meaningful public consultation in decision-making processes," he said.

He said the survey also showed "a minority of respondents" see the sculpture as a piece of public art and describe it as "vibrant, distinctive, and an important talking point".

Some in the survey suggested its setting - rather than the sculpture itself - was the key issue.

Suggested sites for relocation included the Eden Project, the Lost Gardens of Heligan, and Wheal Martyn Clay Works, as well as parks, gardens and other green spaces.

The sculptor said the statue "very much celebrates St Austell's heritage" and pointed out "she has china clay within her".

The artist, who lives in North Devon, said the latest controversy over her statue was "sad and disappointing" and believed it was "not practical to relocate her".

"She's made of many different parts and a metal infrastructure and it would not be easy to move. And also, who's going to pay for that?" Brown said.

Labour MP for St Austell and Newquay Noah Law said options are being explored as the original group behind the sculpture's installation no longer exists.

"The fact is it's not much loved by the town," he said.

"There are pigeons nesting in it and there isn't actually a proper management plan for it, so whether you're a lover of this kind of art or not there needs to be some proper maintenance and proper place for it."

It is not the first controversy surrounding the Earth Goddess.

Shortly after the installation in 2022, religious leaders in the area called for it to be removed or for its name to be changed because of its "spiritual significance".

A letter was sent by seven religious leaders to the town council saying the statue was "offensive to God".

Four years on, the St Austell Town Team have said they will take the findings of the survey forward "sharing them with relevant stakeholders and exploring potential next steps to ensure that any future decisions reflect the views and priorities of the community".

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