We’ve all got a photo of ourselves that we hate, immortalising us at our worst. Maybe it was taken in unflattering lighting, or at a bit of a weird angle. Similarly, we’ve all had that one 13ft statue erected in our honour which is so ugly it was ordered to be removed due to having a ‘harmful material impact’ on the appearance of the local area.
It happens to the best of us, including the late Prince Philip, who is currently at the centre of the biggest sculpture related scandal in a while. A decade ago, a statue named ‘The Don’ which ‘depicts’ Prince Philip in his role as Vice Chancellor of Cambridge University was put up without planning permission. Now, it looks as though he will have to move from his home outside an office block in the city, as a notice from the council has ordered the sculpture’s removal.
The Don is pretty universally hated. As in, seriously disliked by anyone who comes across it. The dementor-like creature vaguely resembles an owl’s head trapped in a sheet and then shoved in a graduation robe and mortarboard, and it’s probably stranger than whatever you’re picturing. Here’s what it looks like.
This is Prince Philip
— Mousumi Bakshi 📣 (@mo_bakshi) March 27, 2024
Well. It’s not, but it’s the statue that marks his time as chancellor of @Cambridge_Uni and the one thats been *ALL OVER* the papers as it’s about to be torn down
Sample quote from today:
“What’s the Cambridge for f**king ugly??”
The cat quite liked it.. pic.twitter.com/Vy2g5PkoBc
The council described it as, ‘the poorest quality work that has ever been submitted’ and local city planner Katy Thornburrow said that ‘nobody, apart from the wealthy property developer who commissioned it, seems to have a good word to say about it.’
‘I’ll be glad to see it gone, but remain angry that developers could just dump it in place and then force the council to spend officers' time and money getting them to take it away. We deserve better.’
The statue is so unlovable, in fact, that Pablo Atchugarry, a Uruguayan artist who was accused of creating the monster has vehemently denied the claims, asserting that, ‘'I am not the author of this sculpture, and it is an abuse that they had used my name. I wish somebody would apologise to me for this misunderstanding.’
The Don will have to be removed by April 11, and it’s not yet clear where he’ll go. He’s rumoured to cost about £150,000, which is a hefty price for something so broadly disliked.
Our thoughts go out to Phil, who probably wouldn’t like his legacy to be an off-putting hunk of metal, to Atchugarry as he seeks justice following the rumours that he was responsible for the thing, but most of all to The Don, who didn’t ask to be brought into this world, and now must stand, hideous and aggressively tall, day after day after day. Well, only for a week or so longer.
In need of more great art?
Luckily, we’re experts. Have a look at the best art destinations in the UK or head to one of the best museums in the country. For more sculptures that are actually worth seeing, read our guide to the best sculpture parks Britain has to offer.
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