Majestic steel sculpture unveiled in Essex

A new piece of steel artwork by renowned artist Matthew Lane Sanderson and galvanized by Joseph Ash Galvanizing has been unveiled in Chelmsford, Essex.

The artwork forms a centrepiece for a new housing development in an area just north of Chelmsford. Known as Beaulieu it will eventually include over 3,600 new homes, playgrounds, a railway station, commercial areas, and parkland.

The development has been built by Countryside and L&Q, who also wanted to include sculptural and functional works of art in the landscape to tell the story of the land’s previous Tudor owner, King Henry VIII, who had a palace and a deer park on the site.

For the commission at Beaulieu, Mr Sanderson has created a spherical sculpture, with an intricate design, that depicts a regal reflection of a stag under a tree, set on a reflected crown base.

The statue is made from 6t of steel and zinc and is 10m-high.

Sanderson said of the sculpture: “This work of art shall forever mark the status of this place both past, present and future. It is a symbol that not only conveys the beauty of natural form, but the hope we all share for balance in all things.”

Mick Jackson of Joesph Ash Galvanizing said: “It is always an honour for Joseph Ash Galvanizing to be asked to treat huge works of steel art by amazing artists such as Matthew Lane Sanderson.

“Hours and hours of work go into the design and creation of these sculptures and it is imperative that our galvanizing plants do justice for the artists, by providing the best quality galvanized finish that we can.”