Locals furious after council rules controversial £20,000 ‘Madonna’s bra’ artwork branded an ‘eyesore’ will remain in place despite rusting from gold to black in just a year

A controversial ‘Madonna‘s Bra’ cone sculpture which turned from gold to black in less than one year has been granted planning permission after a council ruled the ‘cultural benefits’ of the artwork outweighed complaints that they are an ‘eyesore’.

The £20,000 metal sculptures have been heavily criticised by residents of Farnham, Surrey, who complained they had burned the hands of people passing by in periods of hot weather. 

Upset locals fumed that the piece had created a ‘thunderous cacophony of sound’ for neighbours and have now turned ‘grey and ugly’.

Since being installed last year, the once shiny brass artwork has weathered to the point they now resemble ‘black dented cones’ and suffered from vandalism’, locals said.

While the artist claims this effect was ‘totally deliberate’, the tarnishing has led to allegations that it has become an ‘eyesore’ which has been claimed to ruin a previously attractive green space.

A controversial ‘Madonna ‘s Bra’ cone sculpture in Farnham, Surrey, which turned from gold to black in less than one year has been granted retrospective planning permission

Upset locals fumed that the piece had created a ‘thunderous cacophony of sound’ for neighbours and have now turned ‘grey and ugly’

The row erupted earlier this year after it emerged that, despite being a council-approved project, the artwork – entitled A Hand’s Turn – did not have planning permission.

Now, after months of waiting for a decision, the council have granted retrospective planning permission for the cones – allowing them to remain until February 2026..

Claire Upton-Brown, Assistant Director of Planning Development of Waverley Borough Council, said: ‘The proposal shall be retained for a temporary period of 18 months from the date of this permission and removed at the end of this period and the land restored to its previous condition to the satisfaction of the local planning authority.’

In March, town clerk Iain Lynch sought retrospective planning permission for the cone sculpture.

The application saw a backlash from neighbours who branded the cones an ‘eyesore’ and ‘a complete waste of money’.

A committee report approving the sculptures summarised the objections raised by locals, and said amongst others there were concerns about them being ‘out of keeping with locality’, adding that they could ‘invite anti-social behaviour’.

They highlighted the ‘rapid deterioration’ of the cones and said residents felt there was a ‘public liability from injury’.

The cones were also said to be a ‘health and safety hazard’ in the summer by residents who complained of burning their hands in hot weather.

Ms Upton-Brown added: ‘It is noted that the metal cones have dulled and tarnished through weathering since the original installation, although the present darker shade conveys a stronger visual presence.

The row erupted earlier this year after it emerged that, despite being a council-approved project, the artwork – entitled A Hand’s Turn – did not have planning permission

The retrospective application saw a backlash from neighbours who branded the cones as an ‘eyesore’ and ‘a complete waste of money’

‘It is also noted that the cones have been subject to vandalism and several cones are badly dented with others losing their rotational movement.’

‘While it is acknowledged that the design of the cones and aesthetic quality is a matter of individual judgement and taste, the location and context of the installation is not considered to be entirely appropriate,’ she said.

Resident Penny Marshall, who objected to the proposal earlier this year, said: ‘It is appalling that planning permission was not sought by the organisers before installation.

‘No consideration was given to neighbouring residents who have to look at this eyesore every day, not just when passing by like the rest of us.

‘They have ruined what was a pretty green area with flower beds, they have attracted vandals and are now damaged, they have caused noise for neighbours by people banging them, people were encouraged to interact with them and have burnt their hands in hot weather. [It is] such a waste of £19,500.’

Another local resident, Haydn Owens, objected to the permission and said the sculpture ‘looks terrible’.

He added: ‘I absolutely hate seeing this ‘art’ when it was installed.

‘It was never installed under public consultation and I believe, like so many others, that it was a huge waste of public money on something that the public didn’t want or need.

Resident Penny Marshall, who objected to the proposal earlier this year, said: ‘It is appalling that planning permission was not sought by the organisers before installation’

After they were first installed in April last year, angry locals compared them to ‘Madonna’s bra’, a ‘Dalek scrapyard’ and a ‘giant dunce hat’

The controversial piece was created in early 2023 by artists Natalie Bradwell and Livia Spinolo as ‘a sensory, tactile and interactive sculptural installation’

‘This area would look so much better if it were removed and returned back to the wild flowers.

‘Perhaps move them to Farnham Park or chuck them in the bin.’

After they were first installed in April last year, angry locals compared them to ‘Madonna’s bra’, a ‘Dalek scrapyard’ and a ‘giant dunce hat’.

Christi Daugherty, a bestselling author who lives in the area, also wrote an objection to ‘this art installation’s planning permission’.

The novelist said: ‘It has been in place for a year or so now, and it has already decayed to an extraordinary degree.

‘The gilding has washed away, and various pieces are battered and damaged. The installation has not been maintained, and there’s no indication that it will be maintained.

‘The art has had the unintended effect of making the area less attractive.’

Ms Daughtery said the installation ‘should not be made permanent’.

Another neighbour, Jenny Barratt, said: ‘People of all ages regularly bang the cones creating a thunderous cacophony of sound that emanates as they bang one after another, and another, and another.’

Discussing the change of colour, Ms Bradwell said she expected the cones – which are made of an internal steel structure and covered in sheets of brass – to darken in colour, adding that such a move was intended’

The controversial piece was created in early 2023 by artists Natalie Bradwell and Livia Spinolo as ‘a sensory, tactile and interactive sculptural installation’.

Ms Bradwell from Worthing, West Sussex, admitted in March that she ‘didn’t know’ the council hadn’t applied for permission, adding: ‘I assumed it had planning.’

Discussing the change of colour, Ms Bradwell said she expected the cones – which are made of an internal steel structure and covered in sheets of brass – to darken in colour, adding that such a move was intended’.

She added: ‘That was a big part of the process when I pitched the idea. I said as time goes on, they are going to get a patina, so they aged.It’s the best option, to allow the metal to do its thing.

‘One thing that we were hoping would happen is where people play with the cones, that over time that would also show.’

‘Very, very, worst case scenario… if they have to come out then they have to come out. I said to a resident, worst case scenario then they can come out.’