Agatha Christie

Since our initial submission of concept sketch designs, research and theory our concept has moved forward in the form of a maquette which helps to explore our ideas.

The most important aspect of our concept is to create the spirit of dynamism, excitement, movement and life within the sculpture. It needs to connect and engage and reflect Agatha’s adventourous personality.It is about Agatha Christie as a woman in the round, her eminent sense of wellbeing is brought forward through the image of Agatha as a nurse whilst working in Torquay. An image of course which resonates so strongly with the inspiration of the NHS today

The formative upbringing in Torquay evolves into a life of exploration and adventure which is portrayed in the sculpture, a fasinating journey which expands into her becoming the worlds best selling author.

To the base are six books, a reference to the six novels writtten under the pysedonym of Mary Westmacott on which are placed a series of characters from her youth. Agatha’s pet terrier dog sits at foot, a roller skate , a polo ball , a poppy,flowers and a surfboard are integrated into the base surround. All these characters have a clue or meaning to discover.

The spirit of Agatha Christie is viewed from within an open globe. Illuminated with light and then dimmed to reveal an image of the young Agatha sitting under a cowslip as a child full of spirit, dreams and imaginary friends. The child within us all. We are inside her mind at the place where it all started.

Carved into the globe on the top surface are the key places visited along her life’s journey. Orchestrated with Torquay centred to the front, areas of influence some of which then eminate into her literary works such as Egypt, Turkey and Iraq are picked out. A train track shows the route of the Orient Express. The sculpture is designed to be tactile and is embedded with braille throughout so that the story reaches out to as many audiences as possible. School children can take rubbings off the bronze and explore the stories.

Above us leaning forward is Agatha dressed as a Red Cross nurse in the Voluntary Aid Detachment during the First World War. The tunic and pose has stunning movement and style symptomatic of the period between Art Nouveau and Deco, it has a sense of mischief within it, as if asking you to gather round and listen to her stories or nursery ryhmes. There is a poppy sculpted into the tunic that signifies the Belgian soldiers and refugees she looked after in the First World War.The giant book depicts both her life on one page and her works on the other. Her left hand is placed as if about to turn the page on a new adventure or chapter of her life. On the one hand we emphasise the message of wellbeing on the other the message of inspiration. A dynamic swoosh made of books sits forward of the globe and depicts the fantastic energy and inspiration of her main literary works. 66 Novels and 14 short stories.