When I heard that a planning application had been submitted to reinstate David Kemp’s Big Horn sculpture into Northern Quarter culture, I had two instant thoughts; who remembers the iconic assembly of metal ‘not quite a musical instrument’ and…where is it now? In fact where has it been since it was removed from its original site at some time during the previous decade?

 

My first port of call for more info and comment was to try and contact sculptor David Kemp. David is described as a sculptor and assemblage artist; for decades he scouted for old farm machinery, industrial scrap and, to quote him, “Rich seams of junk,” to build large and eccentric sculptures…or should we call them assemblages? 

 

Sadly David –  a native of Cornwall since the 70s – is ill and after hearing this from a gallery in Newlyn I decided to change tack on my quest for information. The Big Horn, built and assembled on the remnants of a Victorian arch opposite Afflecks in 1999, was removed for development of the site. The exact date – and where it went – was a little shrouded in mystery, although it was known that hyperactive property company Bruntwood (owners of Afflecks) had stepped in to the rescue. So, I couldn’t find anything out from David himself. Next port of call was Mark Kennedy, creator of the iconic mosaics on and around Afflecks. ‘Hi Mark, how’s it going? Do you remember The Big Horn?” A pause then, “Yep. It was quite ugly really, but it was always there. Although I’d not really missed it.” “Any idea where it is?” “Nope, but I’ll ask Chris Oglesby.” (CEO of Bruntwood).

 

Mark’s assertion that it was ‘quite ugly’ is not a description that David Kemp would have disputed. In fact I’m sure it would have made him smile. His work – often almost monumental - has been described as ‘serious fun.’ He said in 1999, “It’s not really a saxophone, nor a dragon. Perhaps it’s a listening device, filtering the left over sounds from the street corner below.” I’m sure he said that with a smile.

 

And so Chris got straight back to me and started a train of emails to today’s location of the The Big Horn. Where could the huge sculpture have been for the past years? How could it have been moved and stored? My quest ended in what resembled a Ridley Scott film set, but which was actually in a labyrinth of storage rooms behind Stretford Mall. AJ Martyn, who has operational responsibility of Afflecks for Bruntwood, unlocked a reluctant steel door and said follow me. As we ventured in, just the light from two iPhones for guidance, I actually tried to reassure myself by asking AJ (in earnest) not to leave me in there on my own. 

 

Then there it was. David Kemps assemblage, thoroughly disassemblaged. If there is such a word. The huge constituent parts instantly demonstrate how big the sculpture is; huge welded tubes and steel dragon fins. It didn’t, my mind flickered back, look this big, even when it was in one piece. As AJ and I stood looking at what had started its life as scrap metal and had, it seemed, returned poetically to its origins, I asked him how it would be put back together? And how much it weighed? And how would it be fixed high up on the corner of Afflecks?

 

AJ smiled laconically and said, “Get back to me early next year and I may have some answers…” 

 

The Big Horn planning application is at consultation stage. I am sure that this maybe ugly but iconic sculpture will be back home and I look forward to an invitation from AJ to watch The Big Horn take shape again.  

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