Beacon of Hope (sculpture)

{{for|the sculpture in Manchester, England|Sackville Gardens#Beacon of Hope}}

{{Infobox Sculpture

| image = 180px

| title = Beacon of Hope

| artist = Andy Scott

| year = 2006

| type = Steel

| height_metric = 19.5

| metric_unit = m

| imperial_unit = ft

| city = Belfast, Northern Ireland

| museum =

}}

The Beacon of Hope,{{cite web|title=Thanksgiving Square|url=http://visitbelfast.com/things-to-do/member/thanksgiving-square|publisher=Visit Belfast|accessdate=12 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171212193337/http://visitbelfast.com/things-to-do/member/thanksgiving-square|archive-date=12 December 2017|url-status=dead}} Harmony of Belfast{{cite journal |last1=Weston |first1=Gavin |title=Dolls with balls and giant shuttlecocks |journal=Fortnight |date=2006 |issue=440 |pages=18–20 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44950157 |issn=0141-7762 |quote=The Doll with the Ball ... Andy Scott's sculpture Harmony of Belfast (AKA 'The Whoore with the Hoop')}}{{cite web |title=Historic Building Details : Bridge, steps to river and lamp standards |url=https://apps.communities-ni.gov.uk/Buildings/buildview.aspx?id=2778&js=true |website=apps.communities-ni.gov.uk|publisher=Department for Communities |access-date=14 August 2024 |quote=sculpture entitled 'Harmony of Belfast' (but also variously known as 'Angel of Harmony', ...}} or Thanksgiving Square Beacon{{cite web|title=Thanksgiving Square Beacon|url=http://www.andyscottsculptor.com/sculptures/thanksgiving-square-beacon|publisher=Andy Scott|accessdate=12 December 2017}} is a £300,000 public art metal sculpture by Andy Scott 19.5 metres high constructed in 2007 in Thanksgiving Square{{cite web | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6743041.stm |publisher=BBC News | title=Belfast set for 'major makeover' | date=12 June 2007 | accessdate=12 December 2017}} in Belfast, Northern Ireland.{{cite web | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4340631.stm| publisher= BBC News| title=Lagan's lady nearing completion| date=12 March 2005 | accessdate=12 December 2017}} Other nicknames for the piece include Nuala with the Hula (credited to Gerard Doyle), the Belle on the Ball, the Doll with the Ball, the Whoore with the Hoop, the Angel of Harmony, the Thing with the Ring, Our Lady of Thanksgiving and the Angel of Thanksgiving.{{cite web|title=Teardrop? Tulip? Top public art nicknames|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-37374538|publisher=BBC Northern Ireland|accessdate=29 December 2017|date=16 September 2016}}{{cite web|title=Angel of Thanksgiving|url=http://www.markseaton.co.uk/picture_portrait.php?selID=131|publisher=Mark Seaton Studio|accessdate=12 December 2017}}{{cite web|title=Lula with the Hula|url=http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo/lula-with-the-hula.html|publisher=Alamy|accessdate=29 December 2017}} It is currently the second largest public art sculpture in Belfast, after Rise on Broadway Roundabout.

Construction

The sculpture is the result of six years of planning, development and eventual fabrication. Made of stainless steel and cast bronze, she spirals upwards and holds aloft "the ring of thanksgiving".{{cite web|url=http://www.andyscottsculptor.com/|title=Andy Scott Sculptures}} The globe at her feet indicates the universal philosophy of peace, harmony and thanksgiving, and has marked on its surface the cities where the people and industries of Belfast migrated and exported to.

The sculpture was fabricated by local company P.F. Copeland Ltd of 9 Mallusk Drive, Newtownabbey, BT36 4GX who retain the rights to the image,{{Cite web |url=http://www.aqza25.dsl.pipex.com/andy/belfast.html |title=Andy Scott |access-date=2008-11-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080820174244/http://www.aqza25.dsl.pipex.com/andy/belfast.html |archive-date=2008-08-20 |url-status=dead }} worked from the original scale maquettes by Scott, with the bronze globe cast by Beltane Studios in Peebles.

As an icon for Belfast it has been adopted by Belfast City Council, tourism authorities, TV companies and several businesses as an emblem and logo; and in early October 2006 was recognised as the best artwork in the city by the Belfast Chamber of Trade and Commerce.

Concept

The artwork is based on a concept proposed by Myrtle Smyth, who was inspired by Thanks-Giving Square in Dallas in Texas.

Lord Diljit Rana, Baron Rana, chairman of the Thanksgiving Square charity, said the aim of the project was to create some public space for giving thanks.