Aphrodite awaits pump

FILE PHOTO
FILE PHOTO

THE 200-year-old statue of ancient Greek goddess Aphrodite has been refurbished and is ready to resume her place atop the water fountain at Woodford Square, Port of Spain, said sculptor Milton Duque. At present, she is at an unnamed secure location, he said.

Duque said three other characters on the fountain had also been refurbished. “My artistic job is done,” he told Newsday yesterday.

He said a special metallic paint had been used to weatherproof the statues, such that he expected they would now endure for a long time.

However, Duque said, before Aphrodite is reinstalled, a new water-pump must be installed to get rid of problematic rain water that had gathered at the base of the statue and caused damage. Further, to display a functioning water fountain to best effect, a lighting system must also be installed.

However, Duque was very excited that the restoration would allow members of the public to see details of the sculpture such as fishes, crabs and water plants plus an inscription, all hitherto obscured by the previous paint job.

“We took off all that green, a terrible colour,” he related.

“The bottom of the foundation has representations of water and it is so beautiful. When we connect the lights and the water, you will see a fantastic statue.” He said it was one of only three in the world by the same artist, George Turnbull, the other two both being in European countries.

Aphrodite will next reappear in the colour pompeyano green, he said.

Duque said he must soon visit Woodford Square to fix some plastic sheeting over the foundation that had begun to wear out. He said rather than the foundation being revealed to the general public bit by bit as it was being refurbished, he wanted people to see it all as one completed sculpture. He couldn't say when that would be, although he vaguely said he had heard next month.

Duque, a Colombian national, said he had 50 years experience as a sculptor and artist, having worked in Argentina and taught at the University of the West Indies.

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"Aphrodite awaits pump"

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