The new Chesley Trott sculpture which was recently unveiled at Wesley Park in Hamilton in honour of the theatre boycott of 50 years ago is a work I played a very small part in.

There was a complex and lengthy process involved in bringing this work to fruition. This is the story of how this sculpture came into being.

Several years ago David Mitchell, then curator at the Bermuda National Gallery, invited me to join him on an outing to visit Chesley Trott and see some of the artist's sculptures. The purpose of the visit was to seek out a sculpture that might possibly be enlarged to make a suitable public sculpture which, at that time, was for an undisclosed space near City Hall. My role was to assist Mr. Mitchell in deciding which piece was most appropriate for recommendation to the Corporation of Hamilton.

It was during this visit that we saw the maquette of what is now the latest piece of public sculpture in Hamilton. It was a small sculpture that Mr. Trott had made many years before in response to the theatre boycott. It seemed to us that this was the most appropriate choice and, realising that the 50th anniversary of the theatre boycott and the ensuing civil rights movement was almost upon us, this made the choice of this work even more important.

Regretfully, I was unable to attend the unveiling of this new work, but now that I have seen it completed and in place, I can say that it is a significant work of art and possibly – artistically speaking – the best of its kind in Bermuda. It is certainly notable for its crude strength. I say this in the most positive terms. The only possible criticism I might make is that the patina presently seems somewhat raw, but this is something nature will take care of over time. No doubt the finish will mellow into something more muted and appealing. That is my prediction.

The work itself is a bronze, made by means of an ancient but sophisticated technique that carries with it a great sense of tradition. At the same time the work is of modern design. I cannot help but compare it with the Lynn Chadwick sculpture in front of City Hall, which is also a bronze. There are notable similarities, although differences as well. The actual process of casting this work was carried out at a foundry which, I believe, was located in New York. This made it necessary for Chesley Trott to travel there for the finishing process – it is important that the artist oversee all the little details of the final finishing of the work.

The setting of the sculpture is another issue however. When we selected this maquette as the design for a possible sculpture for Hamilton, we thought that the finished sculpture should be positioned in the vicinity of the former Island Theatre, where the boycott took place. But as this was a parking space for bikes, I understand that at first, it was deemed unsuitable. I have heard that several locations were discussed but thankfully the right location was eventually agreed upon.

I have reservations about some of the design features of this location, however. I question the appropriateness of the surrounding fence, since fences carry symbolic messages, such as "keep out" or "keep in".

Given the tendency of tramps to congregate in the area, however, I suspect that the Corporation of Hamilton wished to make it difficult for these characters to find a "perch" within this location.

Anyhow, given that possible reason for a fence, I wish it had then been something less elegant and more in keeping with the strength of the centrepiece of this small park. The contrast between the sculpture and the fence, is a jarring note.

This new addition to the Hamilton art scene is a superb asset and one which should be viewed and enjoyed by everyone. I believe Mr. Trott's sculpture makes a powerful statement and is a feature which will add much to the City of Hamilton.