After being exhibited at Antrim Castle Gardens last Friday, the bronze sculpture by artist Anto Brennan has drawn mixed opinions from the general public.
According to the commission, it was created to "capture Her Majesty in a dignified pose, reflecting her grace, steadfastness and lifelong dedication to public service" by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council.
The council stated that while art can elicit "diverse opinions" in reaction to the attention the monument has drawn, it was "delighted" with the "generally positive" response.
Social media "may amplify certain negative viewpoints", the council underlined.
The same artist also produced a statue of the Queen's late husband, Prince Philip, which sits next to the sculpture and shows two of their numerous corgis.
A new bronze statue of the late Queen Elizabeth II was unveiled in Antrim Castle Gardens today.
— Belfast Telegraph (@BelTel) September 6, 2024
The statue, created by local artist Anto Brennan, depicts the late monarch alongside her beloved husband, Prince Philip, as well as two of her Corgi dogs.https://t.co/JUy5ilTax9 pic.twitter.com/BcQVFAnZwV
On social media, meanwhile, it has drawn more criticism than praise, and reviews from garden visitors have been conflicting.
Although Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council shared pictures of the artwork on their social media platforms, it received a lot of backlash online.
Since then, comments have been turned off.
Councillor John Smyth of the DUP was one of the guests at the unveiling last week. Smyth of Antrim Town stated he was "surprised" when he initially saw the artwork.
English