MASSIVE CROWD FOR HOGARTH UNVEILING

Ian Hislop and Britain's two greatest living artists come to honour Hogarth


David Hockney before the unveiling
 

A large crowd of Chiswick people gathered in front of Barclays Bank to witness the historic unveiling of a statue to William Hogarth, Chiswick's most famous former resident and the "founder of English painting." The statue was unveiled by Ian Hislop and "his glamorous assistant" David Hockney. This is likely to be the first time that the artist has been compared to Debbie Magee. Also present was local resident Peter Blake bringing arguably Britain's two greatest living artists to honour one of the country's all-time greats.

The day was a triumph for the Millennium Appeal committee which has had to overcome enormous obstacles to see the project to completion. The illness of the sculptor and the bankruptcy of the foundry where just two of the problems that the project encountered.

Ian Hislop described the statue as a great idea and described the Councillors and MP that attended as very brave" as he said they "were exactly the sort of people Hogarth would have satirised."

  


Peter Eversden, Ian Hislop, sculptor Jim Mathieson and appeal treasurer Hugh Brendon


Hogarth's Pug

  

Millennium Appeal Committee member Valerie Bott told the crowd that she was looking for a "sugar daddy" which we understand relates to the money required to pay for the pug dog a belated addition to the statue - if you wish to donate cheques, made out to CTA Hogarth Millennium Fund should be sent to Chiswick Traders' Association at 8 Heathfield Gardens, London W4 4JY.

 

The pug dog was unveiled seperately by a child from the former Hogarth School.

The hundreds of people who turned up for the unveiling looked set to have a very damp time of it as the rain started to pour but miraculously just as the ceremony was about to begin the sun started to shine. Local MP Ann Keen attributed this later to the "power of the Chiswick people who can make the rain stop when they want."

 

LINKS

Hislop on Hogarth's Influence - Real Player required

Pug to he added to Hogarth's statue

Hogarth's Birthday party

The Story of the Campaign

The Rake's Progress