Lamb

Kenny Hunter.

Commissioned by Canterbury City Council, Land Securities Plc & Fenwick, Canterbury

A lifesize patinated bronze lamb standing on a bronze tree stump at the heart of Canterbury's shopping area has been shortlisted for one of the country's most prestigious art prizes.

'Lamb' by Kenny Hunter has been shortlisted by the judges of the Rouse Kent Public Art Award as one of the best pieces of public art created in the county in the last year.

The Rouse Kent Public Art Award is given annually by Liberty Property Trust UK, the developer of the Kings Hill business park, (formerly Rouse Kent Ltd); Kent County Council and Arts Council England, South East and is for artwork to which the public has access and which leaves a positive legacy.

The prize money for the main award totals £15,000 and will be divided between the commissioner of the winning work and the artist.  The winning commissioner will also keep the Rouse Chair for a year.

The winner will be announced at a VIP dinner at the Kings Hill Golf Club in May.

'Lamb' was commissioned by Canterbury City Council, Land Securities PLC and Fenwick, Canterbury, to highlight how pivotal the site known as 'The Triangle' - which links the new Whitefriars development, the new Fenwick store and the new bus station - is to the city.

The Triangle is on the site of Canterbury's medieval market and the sculpture of  the lamb was chosen to evoke its past as a place where animals were traded and slaughtered and to symbolise the city's importance as a centre for religion - the lamb represents Christ (agnus dei).

The lamb stands on the cast of a tree stump and is set at eye level, returning the viewer's gaze. The rings on the stump act as a witness to history.

Internationally acclaimed art critic Richard Cork chaired the award's judging panel. Other members of the judging panel were Professor Elaine Thomas, Rector University College for the Creative Arts at Canterbury, Epsom, Farnham, Maidstone and Rochester; Kent design champion Piers Gough; Janet Hodgson, artist and a prize winner of the award in 2005; Stephanie Fuller, South East Visual Arts Officer (Public Art & Architecture), Arts Council England, South East; Jo Richards, Marketing & Corporate Manager, Hillreed Homes and Vivien Taylor, Associate Director, architect, Liberty Property Trust UK.

The shortlisted entries also include 'Chatham Vines' in Chatham; 'Four Shores' in Sheppey and 'Somewhere We Meet' in Hextable.