Page 32 - Studio International - July August 1972

BIRMINGHAM
Nicholas Munro

Announcer: King Kong hit town last night.
Kong, or King Clang as some members of
Birmingham City Council have named him, is a
20 foot high glass fibre gorilla and he was put on
view in the city's Manzoni Gardens last night.
Alan Towers went along to pay his respects.
Alan Towers : King Kong arrived safely
in Birmingham's city centre which is to be his
home for the next months at precisely five past
seven last night. He had had a Ito mile journey
from Hungerford where he was made in the
studio of Nicholas Munro, the sculptor.
The work's been commissioned by the Peter
Stuyvesant Foundation's City Sculpture Project.
It will be here, as I say, for six months, then if
Birmingham and Birmingham's people
decide they'd like the mighty King Kong,
Birmingham will be offered to buy the work
from the artist Nicholas Munro. Well, let's find
out what Birmingham citizens think about the
mighty giant in Manzoni Gardens.
First Spectator: I think it's marvellous really.
Second Spec: I think it's a waste of time
putting it up here.
AT : Why do you say that ?
Second Spec: It'll be ruined. It's a shame to
keep a thing like that in captivity.
AT : Nicholas Munro, why did you pick a
King Kong theme for Birmingham ?
Nicholas Munro : Well, it was more that they
suggested when they asked me to do a work that
the work should be city orientated and I
immediately thought of King Kong.
AT : Well of course, King Kong's association
with New York was that he created a lot of
destruction there. Is this your way of saying
that part of Birmingham perhaps needs to come
down and start all over again ?
NM: No, no. It was just the idea of something
for the middle of a big city and I thought of him
for that reason and also for my own petty
reasons. I thought he was disorientated instead
of orientated but nonetheless fitted well into the
theme they were suggesting.
AT: Well, of course private individuals take
from art what they want to take privately but
what do you think this is going to do for the
mass of people who are not really interested in
things artistic ?
NM: Well, in this case they will like him won't
they ? Because they can understand it and
appreciate it. He's a giant gorilla.
AT : One of the risks must be that the
gorilla could be open to assaults from some
members of the city who don't like him. Cam he
stand this sort of treatment ?
NM: Well, I had hoped that as he was such a
potent image, you might say, the local Hells
Angels, whatever they are, might take to him
rather than dislike him and be more inclined to
protect rather than destroy him. q
Work for Manzoni Gardens, Birmingham
[From an interview on Radio Birmingham, Reinforced coloured fibreglass
xi May 1972.] 5.5 metres height
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