I WAS pleased to support the unveiling ceremony of the controversial sculpture entitled Arte et Labore, situated on an island along the new Lower Eccleshill link road of the M65.

Predictably, there has been critical horror and condemnation of the detail concerning a man's bare buttocks incorporated in the sculpture, but no comments on the inscribed images of Darwen Tower, wallpaper machinery, Darwen's coat of arms, or the India Mill chimney.

The critics would have blown a gasket had the sculpted man been face up.

Some folk have a natural and instinctive aptitude of artistic application and appreciation. Others have not.

Take a coy peep at the figure renowned in Liverpool as being "exceedingly bare."

The sculptor of "Arte et Labore," Thompson Dagnall is to be commended for the inspiration which resulted in this most interesting and intriguing subject and on its execution.

Another of his original works is located at Beacon Fell near Longridge.

J MARSDEN, Scarborough Road, Blackburn.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.