The Public Statues and Sculpture Association (PSSA) has announced that the memorial sculpture of Queen Elizabeth II, created by Hywel Pratley and located in Oakham Library Gardens, Rutland, has been nominated for the 2025 PSSA Marsh Award for Excellence in Public Sculpture.

 

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The Public Statues and Sculpture Association (PSSA) has announced that the memorial sculpture of Queen Elizabeth II, created by Hywel Pratley and located in Oakham Library Gardens, Rutland, has been nominated for the 2025 PSSA Marsh Award for Excellence in Public Sculpture. This prestigious award celebrates outstanding contemporary public sculpture and monuments installed in the previous year, recognizing and promoting exceptional contributions to this significant art form.

Hywel Pratley's sculpture captures the late Queen "at a time in her life when she was at the height of her powers internationally," while also inviting viewers to connect with her more personal side. As the artist explains, "I wanted to commemorate our late Queen's poise and beauty... Also essential for me was to extend an invitation for visitors to experience her human side - a mother, fun-loving, and a devoted owner of Corgi dogs."

The sculpture features a 7-foot bronze Queen, accompanied by three of her beloved Corgis, atop a 5-foot stone plinth with a welcoming stone bench. One dog is nestled in her robes, another eagerly tries to jump up, and the third stands proudly, facing outwards. This arrangement is designed to make the artwork approachable and encourage visitors to interact with it.

The sculpture serves not only as a memorial but also as a point of connection. As it was said, "Her Late Majesty was a constant, to whom all across Britain and the Commonwealth could look as a kind of still point...always there, through triumph and tragedy, for an extraordinary 70 years." The inclusion of the dogs adds a layer of warmth and personality, inviting people to "approach, walk around, sit, stroke a corgi and stay a while in the beautiful surroundings of Oakham's library gardens, Rutland."

The PSSA Marsh Award, in partnership with Marsh Awards, highlights the importance of public sculpture in contemporary society and fosters a broader appreciation for this art form.