Comments on: Franta Belsky’s Sculpture in Bethnal Green https://spitalfieldslife.com/2021/04/29/franta-belskys-sculpture-in-bethnal-green-o/ In the midst of life I woke to find myself living in an old house beside Brick Lane in the East End of London Sat, 01 May 2021 14:22:14 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 By: Richard https://spitalfieldslife.com/2021/04/29/franta-belskys-sculpture-in-bethnal-green-o/#comment-1376480 Sat, 01 May 2021 14:22:14 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=186773#comment-1376480 Nice to hear some cockney accents ‘I think it’s disgusting’

]]> By: Kelly Holman https://spitalfieldslife.com/2021/04/29/franta-belskys-sculpture-in-bethnal-green-o/#comment-1376229 Thu, 29 Apr 2021 13:35:45 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=186773#comment-1376229 I love the tenderness captured in this moment between the woman and child. It seems to have a really universal quality and be particularly poignant in view of Franta Belsky’s personal story. Your piece also led me to his wonderful work ‘Joyride’ in Stevenage New Town which, it turns out, my husband remembered from childhood. Thank you.

It was so interesting to hear the contemporary reactions to the sculpture.

]]> By: Pauline Taylor https://spitalfieldslife.com/2021/04/29/franta-belskys-sculpture-in-bethnal-green-o/#comment-1376210 Thu, 29 Apr 2021 09:43:28 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=186773#comment-1376210 Thank you GA. I was taught by Franta Belsky and remember him so well. he spoke with a very pronounced accent and on one occasion, having liked something that I had done, he made everyone gather round while he pointed out to them why he liked it but then he turned to me and said “Do NOT sink zat you are a genius” He also told us we could never hope to be good at sculpture until we had, like him, attended postmortems and seen how the human body is constructed. At that point I think we all gave up any idea of becoming sculptors !! He was a friend of Peter Ustinov and was commissioned to make door knobs for Ustinov’s home, he did not refuse as he was getting paid !! As far as I can recall his clothes were always navy blue or black, he always used the girl’s loos as they were closer to his studio and made a great fuss about how stupid it was for anyone to complain about it. A great character and a very good teacher, I never took up sculpture but I remember what he taught me very well. RIP Franta.

]]> By: Maggie Jonas https://spitalfieldslife.com/2021/04/29/franta-belskys-sculpture-in-bethnal-green-o/#comment-1376209 Thu, 29 Apr 2021 09:36:32 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=186773#comment-1376209 Do you know his connection with Bethnal Green?

]]> By: Achim https://spitalfieldslife.com/2021/04/29/franta-belskys-sculpture-in-bethnal-green-o/#comment-1376205 Thu, 29 Apr 2021 08:52:11 +0000 https://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=186773#comment-1376205 I also have my favourite sculpture, which I visit sometimes in our Botanical Garden here in Kassel, Germany. It is called “Boy and Dove” and dated on 1953. The Artist is Kurt Lehmann (1905-2000).
https://achimthepooh.de/pages/peace_lehmann.html

Interesting the 1959 discussion about cost and benefit of “The Lesson”, especially the Boys’ objective opinion!

I think both sculptures, Franta Belsky’s and Kurt Lehmann’s, stand for Peace in this World.

Love & Peace
ACHIM

]]>