South Holland Centre will play host to a new piece of sculpture inspired by Spalding’s history in the first two weeks of November, followed by Hills Department Store and Boston College in the Red Lion Quarter.

‘The Hiring’ was commissioned by Spalding & District Civic Society and Transported, and was created by award winning sculptor Laury Dizengremel. Laury’s previous work includes being artist in residence at Belvoir Castle as well as working internationally. To have a look at her previous work (including portrait sculpture subjects as diverse as John Travolta and Isambard Kingdom Brunel) visit her website at www.laurydizengremel.com.

This sculpture commission was undertaken to celebrate the traditional hiring fair, through which land workers were taken on for a year by a farmer or for domestic duty. It is envisaged as the first of a series which celebrate the various animal markets that happened at locations around the town. The bronze sculpture represents a farmer making the deal, through a hand shake, to work for a farmer for the coming year and is inspired by Spalding’s heritage and the connection to the land and farming.  This theme was also reflected in the contemporary public art trail in Spalding by Joseph Hillier, with his fourteen bronze portraits of Spalding folk working or connected to farming and food processing.

‘The Hiring Fair’ sculpture is on display over the next two months at the following locations:

South Holland Centre Saturday 4 November to Thursday 16 November

Hills Department Store Restaurant Friday 17 November to Saturday 2 December

Boston College, Red Lion Quarter Monday 4 December to Friday 22 December

Transported and the Spalding Civic Society are also appealing for donations to help them get the sculpture permanently sited in Hall Place, as a fitting tribute to where the hiring fairs used to happen. The donations will go towards the purchase of a limestone plinth and installation costs. Cash donations can be given whilst the sculpture is on display at the above locations. If anyone would like to donate via another method, please contact the Transported office on 01406 701006 or email Anna.Scott@litc.org.uk.