Striking a pose frozen in time, The Messenger stands as a testament to communication. The Messenger sculpture features a horse and a nude young male rider. It is a bronze artwork with dark patination. The Messenger is located outside Quadrant House next to Sutton railway station in Greater London.
Commissioned by Business Press International Ltd, The Messenger aimed to embody communication. The company wanted to convey the idea of communication. They did not want a direct representation of their work. The Messenger took four years to complete. This included everything from the initial idea to the final installation.
David Wynne, the English sculptor, visited Italy for inspiration. He saw the Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius in Rome. He also saw the Horses of Saint Mark in Venice.
Wynne disliked statues where the horse was merely support for the rider. He highlighted the interrelationship between horse and rider. The rider in The Messenger gives his message. He seems to say that there is another world to know about. The horse is equally important. It is more conscious than the man. The horse has its feet firmly planted, with one hoof pointing to the center of the earth. They are a team. Each needs the other. Man needs the horse as much as the horse needs man.
The company initially wanted The Messenger high above the entrance lobby. Wynne advised against it. He felt the distance would hinder engagement with the work. People would perceive it as two-dimensional. They would miss the three-dimensional experience of walking around it. So, The Messenger was installed at ground level. This allows people to get close to it.
Before the unveiling, David Wynne described the scene. A crowd gazed at an ungainly shrouded shape. They were expectant and puzzled. Would they be surprised, pleased, disappointed, or even appalled when the cover came off? It was too late to change it then.
The Messenger’s horse looks towards the station with a raised left leg. The boy-rider, seated bareback, raises his left hand. He raises it in the air above his head. He puts his right hand to his mouth. It is as if he is calling out. The Messenger stands as a reminder of the vital link between expression and connection.