Thornton Court Pigs

Sometimes when exploring an area you come across something unexpected, the Thornton Court Pig and Mushroom Statues are one such example!

Hidden within the centre of the city, nestled between St Mary's Cathedral and the Tyne Theatre and Opera House are steel statues of Truffle Pigs and Tall Mushrooms.

The steel sculptures are by blacksmith Graeme Hopper whose work includes the Men of Steel by the Stadium of Light, the Gruffalo at Hardwick Park, the Millennium Bug at Durham Botanical Gardens and a similarly large Bug at Newton Aycliffe. He also has works at Chester-Le-Street's Riverside Park.

Graeme started out his Blacksmith career with a four year apprenticeship, I suspect that is quite different to the image I have in my head of forging swords!

He also has royal approval, King Charles added a fungi sculpture gifted to him to the royal collection after seeing one of Graeme's sculptures in Middlesbrough and enquiring as to the artist!

The sculptures feature as part of the Crown Wildlife Garden and is managed by Places for People as green space for residents at Thornton Court.

The garden space is split into two. The top half features the Truffle Pigs and Mushrooms whilst the bottom half has a small pond and box hedge. A little green space right in the heart of the city!

If you look closely at the parking area by the gardens you'll see a sculptured mushroom fence which compliments the sculptures themselves!

Graeme Hopper spoke specifically about the Truffle Pigs and Mushrooms to Living North.

He explained that he is passionate about working with people and that he "likes to involve local communities". He stayed that "once they're involved it becomes their piece of art, and they get to live with it."

On the Pig and Mushrooms he recalled how he "worked with the local community on that one" and how "they came out to the workshop, visited the forge and took part in hands-on work".

The Pig and Mushrooms are a great example of community and public artwork hidden in the city centre of Newcastle!