15/1/2015

Liverpool sculptor to be honoured at first ‘Dooleyday’

One of Liverpool’s most famous sons, Arthur Dooley, is to be honoured with a day of events on January 17th with a walking tour, pub crawl, play read-through and documentary film screening form the basis of the inaugural ‘Dooleyday’.

Tom Calderbank, local creative activist and the brains behind the initiative, explained: “Arthur Dooley is one of the most important sculptors of the 20th century. His life and his work are incredibly significant, yet too many people are unaware of the man and his legacy.

The ‘Dooleyday’ of events is one of the ways we want to throw fresh light on the subject.

This January 17th would have been Arthur’s 83rd birthday, and I see our humble efforts as a present to him, and the city he loved so much.”

Inspired by the world famous ‘Bloomsday’ held in Dublin and around the world every year on June 16th, in honour of James Joyce’s classic novel ‘Ulysses’, Tom hopes ‘Dooleyday’ will become a feature of Liverpool’s cultural landscape.

He said: “The first ‘Bloomsday’ in 1924 only involved 5 people, so if we attract at least that number, it will be a start. I hope a lot more will come, and the invitation is open to anyone with an interest in the great man. We aim to visit 5 sites in the city which were particularly important to Arthur. We’ll travel to each one, telling the story of his life and visiting some of his most famous works. We’re keeping the exact schedule under wraps, so it will be a real ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ for those who come. All I can say is it will involve art, magic, pubs, The Beatles, religion, politics and everything else we can cram in.”

Arthur Dooley was one of the most important sculptors of the 20th century. Born in Liverpool on 17th January 1929, he worked as a welder in Cammell Laird’s in Birkenhead and the Dunlop factory in Speke, before working as a cleaner at St Martin’s School of Art in London. He held his first exhibition in the gallery of the same name in 1962. His medium was usually scrap metal or bronze. He sculpted mainly religious works, including the Risen Christ in Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, Redemption (with Ann McTavish) in Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral, The Resurrection of Christ at Princes Park Methodist Church in Toxteth and the Stations of the Cross in St Mary’s church, Leyland. He also produced a tribute to The Beatles in Mathew Street, depicting The Madonna with the band as infant Christ figures, entitled ‘Four Lads Who Shook The World’.

Other notable works include ‘Splitting the Atom’ (depicting the creation of the atomic bomb) at Daresbury Laboratory in Cheshire, and his numerous works - including ‘Dachau’ - in Oldham Art Gallery. His landmark ‘Tatlin Tower’ at the Pier Head, around which a generation of people rallied, is missing and is currently being sought by the team behind ‘Dooleyday’.

Tom concluded: “We’re in the process of trying to track down his ‘Tatlin Tower’, last seen rusting away in Calderstones Park. Any information as to its exact whereabouts will be gratefully received. We’re also seeking funding to stage a play about Arthur later this year. I hope people will look at what we’re doing and want to support us.”

For more information

Contact: ‘DOOLEYDAY’, c/o Tom Calderbank,
Castle Fine Arts, 48-60 Bridgewater St, Liverpool, L1 0AY.
Mob: 07587 692 261
Email: tcalderbank@tiscali.co.uk

Castle Fine Arts has been one of the UK’s leading bronze foundries for 25 years. It is behind the creation of the recent Christmas Truce statue, which was exhibited to widespread acclaim in St Luke’s (The Bombed Out Church) before being transported to Flanders to mark the centenary of the 1914 Christmas Truce.

Printer friendly page

Sorry Comments Closed

Comment left by PAUL DEAN on 15th January, 2015 at 17:13
Great Idea to honor a Liverpool Legend But short Notice as only just found out about it .

Comment left by Carol Laidlaw on 17th January, 2015 at 0:57
There is a documentary about him, One Pair Of Eyes,from 1972 on Youtube.