Cherub

Category: Sculpture

Cherub(1997-9), Tron Theatre, Argyle Street.

Fitting snugly into an alcove on the corner of one of Glasgow's favourite theatres, Kenny Hunter's bronze Cherub is a beautifully made symbol of innocence and impishness. Cherubs are a very old symbol often seen in allegorical paintings. Sometimes they are quite angelic, but mostly they are a mix of harmless child and devilish imp. This sculpture was installed in 1998. The Tron Theatre was completely refurbished in 1998, and this piece was added during the early stages of the work.

A skull located in a small niche at the rear of the Tron building completes this piece, signifying a relationahip between birth and death, echoing the re-birth of the Tron as a theatre and paying homage to the church that it once was.

Not only do the works reflect their context by recalling familiar theatrical icons, but provides a reference to the Tron's previous incarnation as a church and the notion that both art and religion require the suspension of disbelief. The cherub appears to be on the verge of making that leap of faith, teetering on the edge of its alcove, poised for take-off.