OxTrail Alice in Wonderland Ox finds new home at Westgate
It is the only one of the ‘herd’ from the Sobell House Hospice event which will remain in public view in the city centre.
A giant life size art sculpture of an Ox from the City’s summer OxTrail event for Sobell House Hospice, has found a permanent home.
The ‘Looking for Alice’ Ox now lives on the rooftop of Westgate Oxford.
It's decorated with images from the Alice's Adventures in Wonderland book by Lewis Carroll, which was written in the city.
It's following a generous donation by the Lewis Carroll Society.
‘Looking for Alice’ was one of over 30 Oxen which took over the city last summer as part of Sobell House Hospice’s OxTrail event.
The Alice in Wonderland themed sculpture was painted by local artist Caroline Ritson and sold for £3,000 at the fundraising auction. This figure was raised through a combination of Lewis Carroll Society funds and contributions from individual members, enabling local historian and Lewis Carroll Society trustee, Mark Davies, to make the successful bid.
The Society has now donated the Ox to Westgate Oxford so it can have a permanent high-profile position in the city where people can visit and where it will serve as a reminder of Oxford’s world-famous creative heritage. It is the only one of the ‘herd’ which will remain in public view in the city centre.
Brendan Hattam, Centre Director at Westgate Oxford, said: “We’re delighted that ‘Looking for Alice’ has joined us permanently at Westgate Oxford. Situated on our rooftop terrace with stunning views of Christ Church College, the statue is an apt tribute to Oxford’s literary legacy. We’d like to thank the Lewis Carroll Society for their generous donation and invite guests to come down and visit the Ox in its new home.”
The official unveiling was done on 27th January to mark Lewis Carroll’s birthday. Mark Davies said: “The Lewis Carroll Society is delighted to have found such a willing host in Westgate Oxford for its 'Looking for Alice' ox so that this evocatively decorated sculpture will remain in Oxford, where the story of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland originated. The 27th January is poignant in being the day that Lewis Carroll - the pen name of Charles Dodgson - was born in 1832. The ox will also be positioned to gaze towards Christ Church, where Carroll lived all his adult life and where the real Alice and her sisters were the daughters of the Dean.”
Sobell House Hospice Charity’s OxTrail event gave Oxford a £1.2 million economic boost, as people from near and far visited the giant art sculptures.
It was also a huge fundraising success for the hospice with over £306,000 raised. £150,000 of this was raised at the OxTrail auction when more than 250 people bid for the oxen.