Serenity, a sculpture of an ibis, has been donated by Ken and Linda Acott.
Created by British sculptor Simon Gudgeon, Serenity is one of only eight in the world, and this particular piece is number one in the series.
‘We’ve always loved it,’ said Mrs Acott.
‘When we sold our house, we couldn’t take it with us, but we didn’t want to lose it either. Les Cotils felt like the perfect place, it’s peaceful, and now we can still enjoy it.’
Another version of the sculpture stands in Hyde Park, near the Diana Memorial Fountain. The remaining artworks are held in private collections, with only three displayed in public spaces globally.
The Acotts bought the sculpture in 2009 for just less than £300,000 and displayed it in their garden for over a decade before deciding to donate it to Les Cotils, a place they know well and visit often.
The sculpture underwent careful refurbishment before its arrival, including a protective waxing to shield it from the coastal air. Its granite base was crafted by local stonemasons Granite Le Pelley. The base, weighing just over two tons, was manufactured in France and shipped via St Malo before being engraved and finished locally.
Granite Le Pelley managing director Jack Lunn explained that while the base took only a couple of days to produce, it required precise planning.
‘We received a concept sketch from the client and developed detailed drawings with exact dimensions and radius,’ he said.
‘Once manufactured, we engraved it and completed the final surface finish here in Guernsey.’
Once the sculpture was delivered to Les Cotils, the installation was relatively swift. A crane lifted the ibis into place and the sculpture was secured to the base in less than an hour.
Les Cotils managing director Fiona Naftel said she was excited with the new feature.
‘We’re incredibly lucky. It’s absolutely stunning and fits perfectly with the spirit of Les Cotils – serenity, quietness, and reflection. It’s a fantastic gift for the people of Guernsey.’
Serenity offers islanders and visitors a rare opportunity to experience world-class art in a public setting. It has been positioned behind the centre’s cafe.
You need to be logged in to comment. If you had an account on our previous site, you can migrate your old account and comment profile to this site by visiting this page and entering the email address for your old account. We'll then send you an email with a link to follow to complete the process.