List of public art in Oxfordshire

This is a list of public art in Oxfordshire, in England. This list applies only to works of public art accessible in an outdoor public space. For example, this does not include artwork visible inside a museum.

Oxford

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Date Artist / designer Type Material Dimensions Designation Owner / administrator Notes
  The Oxford Ox Park End Street. OX1 1HS

51°45′13″N 1°16′09″W / 51.753512°N 1.269079°W / 51.753512; -1.269079
2001 (2001) Olivia Musgrave Sculpture Bronze >3m tall. unknown Commissioned to celebrate the opening of the Saïd Business School.


Inspire Oxford Castle. OX1 1AY

51°45′05″N 1°15′46″W / 51.751442°N 1.262796°W / 51.751442; -1.262796
2006 (2006) Alan Wilson Sculpture Bronze and stainless steel 4m tall. unknown Commissioned by the Trevor Osborne Partnership, this sculpture references ancient obelisks and their relationship with the arc of the sun. The overall shape reflects the huge ancient window on one side of the square while the mix of bronze and stainless steel pays homage to the ancient and modern buildings that make up the space.


  View through the Window Elizabeth Jennings Way. OX2 7BW

51°46′25″N 1°16′10″W / 51.773577°N 1.269548°W / 51.773577; -1.269548
2007 (2007) Tim Shutter Bath stone, Stoke Ground base bed 244 x 357 x 155 cm Berkeley Homes, Oxford and Chiltern Ltd. The form of the bay window doubles as a temple-like folly. The mullions represent car parts in reference to the Morris Oxford factory that used to be on this site.


 
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"Another Time XI", known locally as "The Iron Man" on the roof of Blackwell’s Art and Poster shop at the corner of Broad Street and Turl Street, Oxford.

51°45′15″N 1°15′23″W / 51.754195°N 1.256496°W / 51.754195; -1.256496
2009 (2009) Anthony Gormley Statue Iron 2.1m tall Exeter College, Oxford The statue was placed on the roof of Blackwell’s Art and Poster shop at 9.30am on Sunday 15 February 2009. It weighs half a tonne, and is part of Gormley's "Another Time II" series of figures. An anonymous benefactor provided the funds for Exeter College to secure the sculpture.[1]


 
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"Knowledge and Understanding", known locally as "Books" Bonn Square, Oxford. OX1 1LQ

51°45′06″N 1°15′36″W / 51.751728°N 1.260055°W / 51.751728; -1.260055
2009 (2009) Diana Bell Sculpture Bronze 1m tall Oxford City Council A gift to Oxford in 2009 to commemorate 60 years of twinning with the German city, 'Books' is inscribed with the words Knowledge, Understanding, Friendship and Trust (Wissen, Verständigung, Freundschaft, Vertrauen). The book theme continues on selected benches in the square.[2]


The Space of Reading Weston Library, Broad Street, OX1 3BG

51°45′17″N 1°15′18″W / 51.75485°N 1.25493°W / 51.75485; -1.25493
2019 (2019) Tania Kovats Sculpture Bodleian Libraries sculpture created from casts of 21 books[3]


 
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The Great Debate Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Parks Road, OX1 3PW

51°45′31″N 1°15′22″W / 51.75870°N 1.25620°W / 51.75870; -1.25620
2010 (2010) Alec Peever Plinth Limestone H 121 x W 42.5 x D 43 cm; Plinth: H (?) x W 105 x D (?) cm Oxford University Museum of Natural History Lists the names present in 1860: Thomas Henry Huxley, Samuel Wilberforce and others Charles Darwin's Origin of Species in the Museum. 1860-2010.[4]


Abingdon

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Queen Victoria Abbey Gardens, Abingdon

51°40′15″N 1°16′42″W / 51.67092°N 1.27840°W / 51.67092; -1.27840
1887 (1887) Statue on pedestal Bronze and stone Grade II Vale of White Horse District Council It was presented to the town of Abingdon by Edwin James Trendell in commemoration of Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee year in 1887.[5]


  Corn Exchange sculpture Wall above Pablo Lounge, Market Place, Abingdon

51°40′13″N 1°16′55″W / 51.67040°N 1.28192°W / 51.67040; -1.28192
1966 (1966) Sculpture Vale of White Horse District Council Was the site of the Corn Exchange in Abingdon. The sculpture is near the entrance to the Bury Street precinct.[6]


  Octagons The Old Gaol facing the River Thames, Abingdon

51°40′08″N 1°16′50″W / 51.66878°N 1.28049°W / 51.66878; -1.28049
December 13, 2021 (2021-12-13) Tim Ward Sculpture Steel 2800 mm tall Vale of White Horse District Council Three interlocking octagons relating to the distinctive octagon construction of the Old Gaol. The Abingdon Gaol was built between 1805 and 1818. It was used as a gaol for only 57 years. Auctioned in 1874, it was converted into a corn store, until 1971. It was then used as a sports centre from 1976 to 2002. Converted into apartments from 2021.

[7]


Bicester

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Date Artist / designer Type Material Dimensions Designation Owner / administrator Notes
 
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Turning Bicester Arc, Oxford Road, Bicester

51°53′30″N 1°09′46″W / 51.89165°N 1.16271°W / 51.89165; -1.16271
March 30, 2016 (2016-03-30) Charlotte Mayer Sculpture Bronze H 300 x W (?) x D (?) cm Cherwell District Council An abstract sculpture of undulating wing like bronze ribs. It changes shape when viewed from different directions suggesting the twists and turns of a journey through life. [8] The work was cast and fabricated at Pangolin Editions and Pangolin London.[9]



Faringdon

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Date Artist / designer Type Material Dimensions Designation Owner / administrator Notes
  Dali's Diver Market Place, Church Street

51°39′31″N 1°35′01″W / 51.658531°N 1.583487°W / 51.658531; -1.583487
2014 Tim Shutter Bath stone, Stoke Ground base bed Diver 100 x 52 x 51 cm Faringdon Town Council Celebrating the friendship between the local eccentric Lord Berners and Salvador Dali. Includes a carved Berners quotation"Mistrust a man who never has an occasional flash of silliness".


Wantage

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Image Title / subject Location and
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Date Artist / designer Type Material Dimensions Designation Owner / administrator Notes
  King Alfred Market Square, Wantage 1877 Prince Victor of Hohenlohe-Langenburg[10] Sicilian Marble on a granite block. Wantage Town Council


  John Betjeman Church Street, Wantage 2016 Martin Jennings[11] Bronze Bust Wantage Town Council


Witney

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Image Title / subject Location and
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Date Artist / designer Type Material Dimensions Designation Owner / administrator Notes
  Buttercross Needle Marriotts Walk, Witney

51°47′17″N 1°29′12″W / 51.78793°N 1.48672°W / 51.78793; -1.48672
2019 (2019) Michael Fairfax Obelisk stainless steel, glass & fibre optic lights West Oxfordshire District Council A contemporary narrow pyramidal obelisk on a geometric steel base. At night, fibre optic lights illuminate it through thin glass strips. It reflects the spire of nearby St Mary's Church and the roof of the Buttercross.[12]


References

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  1. ^ "New sculpture unveiled in Oxford". news.bbc.co.uk. 15 February 2009. Retrieved 2017-01-17.
  2. ^ Ffrench, Andrew (14 May 2009). "New sculpture marks Oxford's twin town link". The Oxford Times. Retrieved 2017-01-18.
  3. ^ "Acclaimed artist Tania Kovats creates new public artwork inspired by, and for, the Bodleian Libraries". Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford. 30 January 2019.
  4. ^ "The Great Debate". Art UK. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  5. ^ Historic England. "Statue of Queen Victoria (1048111)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
  6. ^ "Heralding the Past: The story of Abingdon's old Corn Exchange". The Herald Series. 13 June 2018. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
  7. ^ "Cut Tec laser-cuts Octagons sculpture installed in Abingdon, Oxfordshire". AILU. 13 December 2021. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  8. ^ "Turning". Art UK.
  9. ^ "Unveiled: Charlotte Mayer Turning". Pangolin London. 30 March 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  10. ^ http://wantage-museum.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/King-Alfreds-Statue.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  11. ^ Hughes, Pete (31 August 2016). "Legendary actor Edward Fox unveils John Betjeman bust in Wantage". The Herald Series. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  12. ^ "Buttercross Needle". Art UK.
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