An emergency listing application has been submitted to English Heritage today in a bid to save the Endangered Species Triptych, opposite Victoria Station, from the skip.
Despite efforts over the summer to encourage developer Land Securities to find a way to preserve and resite the 12 tonne Allington House sculpture, its creator Barry Baldwin was informed last week that the cost of salvage has been deemed unjustifiable, and demolition is imminent. You can read the full story here.
Certain that Londoners would not wish to lose these exotic creatures to the wrecking ball, supporters set up a petition and Facebook page to muster support for the work. In five days, over 400 people have signed the petition and many expressions of appreciation have been left, like these:
It's awful to see any work of art destroyed and these sculptures are both very good and extremely memorable. A lot of people I know recognised them immediately and said that they always make a point of going to see them when they pass Victoria.
These treasured Barry Baldwin sculptures are a huge part of London's pride and joy — and *must* be preserved and protected!
This is an iconic work. It gives Victoria some much needed personality.
I walk past them every week and it always cheers me up to see them. Surely they can be incorporated into the new building.
Barry Baldwin subsequently left a message on the Facebook page saying he had been moved to tears by the comments. We wait to hear whether these endangered species have a future in London.
You can sign the petition here.
Incidentally, it emerged that the Great White Shark originally had a human foot sticking out of its mouth.
