Behold The Angel Sculpture, a powerful statement against violence. It stands as a memorial to lives lost. This striking sculpture is also known as the Knife Angel.
The Knife Angel is a contemporary sculpture. Alfie Bradley and the British Ironworks Centre created it. The Angel is based in Oswestry, England. The sculpture contains 100,000 knives.
Completed in 2018, The Angel Sculpture is 27 feet tall. The British Ironworks Centre produced 200 knife banks. These banks allowed people to anonymously donate knives. Police also contributed seized knives. Some knives arrived in evidence tubes. Bodily fluids were still present on their surface. Each knife tells a silent story.
The Angel Sculpture highlights knife crime in the United Kingdom. It educates young people. It shows the harmful effects of violent behavior. The sculpture aims to create social change within communities. The reported cost to create The Angel Sculpture was £500,000.
Once knives arrived at the British Ironworks Centre, each was disinfected. Then each blade was blunted. The knives were welded onto a steel frame. This formed the angel’s body. Remaining knives were welded onto steel plates. These plates formed the wings. This gave a feather-like appearance.
Families who lost loved ones to knife crime were invited to participate. They engraved messages onto blades used in the sculpture. Over 80 families contacted the artist. Each personal message adds to the sculpture’s emotional depth.
Early designs of the Knife Angel appeared on the television show Escape to the Country in 2014. Alfie Bradley allowed Jules Hudson to weld a WWII bayonet onto a metal plate. The project was originally expected to be complete in 2015.
Following its completion, the sculpture began a nationwide tour in 2018. This tour highlights the anti-violence message behind its construction. The Knife Angel has traveled across the UK.
The Angel Sculpture has been displayed in many locations. Corby Northamptonshire hosted it until May 29, 2022. In June 2022, it was displayed in Aberystwyth. Birkenhead Park displayed the sculpture in July 2022. Kirkleatham Museum in Redcar hosted it in August 2022. In December 2022, the Knife Angel traveled to Milton Keynes. Educational events created a lasting legacy there.
Newport displayed The Angel Sculpture in November 2022. Slough hosted it in January 2023. Gloucester Cathedral displayed it in February 2023. Guildford Cathedral hosted it from March 1-30, 2023. The sculpture was in Crewe, Cheshire in May 2023. Nuneaton, Warwickshire displayed it in June 2023. Lichfield, Staffordshire hosted it in July 2023.
Colchester, Essex displayed The Angel Sculpture in October 2023. Bolton, Greater Manchester hosted it in November 2023. Walsall displayed it until December 28, 2023. The Royal Armouries in Leeds displayed it in January 2024. Bury hosted it in February 2024.
Taunton, Somerset displayed the Knife Angel in April 2024. Weston-super-Mare hosted it in May 2024. Sunderland displayed it in June 2024. Southend-on-Sea hosted it in July 2024. Haverhill, Suffolk displayed it from August 28, 2024. From December 2, 2024, the Knife Angel is displayed in Perth, Scotland.
The British Ironworks Centre also created a Knife Bee. It has a similar theme. The bee symbolizes industrious Manchester. Its construction from weapons represents the city’s intolerance of violence. The Angel Sculpture remains a symbol of hope. It promotes peace. It creates change.