Odd Oaks

Figure 1 (Top) Sign by the sculpture Odd Oaks.
(Below) Odd Oaks ©Jerry Sisican
NICHOLAS POPE

Odd Oaks

The sculpture Odd Oaks was created in 1981 by Nicholas Pope with English Oak. The four wood parts resemble big acorns according to some. The sculpture was previously located in Werrington Shopping Centre, and then moved to Thorpe Meadow in 19881 where it remains today. Over the years the centres of the oaks pieces decayed until they became unsafe in their original upright position. They have now been placed on their sides so they can continue to firm an attractive feature in the landscape and a haven for wildlife. Although the artist would like to see his work restored for public enjoyment, the decision is to let nature take its course. The first image below shows the sculpture in its original state, when it was known as ‘Big Balls’.

Nicholas Pope, a British/Australian artist, studied at the Bath Academy of Art. Pope was interested in creating sculpture that strayed from American Minimalism’s boxy geometrical object forms and arose from a direct, physical, and emotional contact with materials2.

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Big Balls
Figure 2: Odd Oaks in its original position. It was originally known as Big Balls, completed in 1981.

rotten odd oaks
Figure 3: Odd Oaks today taken from a distance to show the decay of the inside.

Figure 4: Closed up image of a unit of Odd Oaks today. Laying on its side to allow nature taking its course.

References:
1. Nene Park (nd) Peterborough Sculpture Collection (online) Available at: https://www.nenepark.org.uk/peterborough-sculpture-collection [Accessed: 01 May 2020]
2. Pope, N (nd) Nicholas Pope (online) Available at: https://nicholaspope.co.uk/ [Accessed: 01 April 2022]
Figure 1: Fu, R (2021) Odd Oaks Sign [image]. Below: Odd Oaks by Jerry Sisican [image]
Figure 2: Pope, N (nd) Odd Oaks courtesy of Nicholas Pope [image]
Figure 3: Fu, R (2021) Image showing Odd Oaks disintigrating on its inside [image]
Figure 4: Fu, R (2021) The centre of one unit of Odd Oaks [image]