Larkin with Toads

photo Denis Low/Larkin25, used with permission

Larkin with Toads is a 10-week, mass participation public art event taking place in Hull, England starting Saturday 17 July. It is a wonderfully imaginative way to celebrate the work of Philip Larkin, the most famous poet to come out of Hull.

Giant toad sculptures have been designed and painted by artists, community groups and local schools. They form a trail around Hull and its environs to form the largest public art installation ever held in Hull. The toad in the photo above is the Hull Fair Toad designed by Pinkyvision.

Philip Larkin was an animal and countryside lover, with many of his poems touching on these themes, finding beauty in uncelebrated parts of the British countryside, and expressing concern about threats to nature and the landscape. His poems ‘Toads’ and ‘Toads Revisited’ take a darkly comic look at the way in which work and how the daily pressures of life can constrain creativity.

Larkin with Toads is being delivered in partnership with Hull based arts organisations Artlink and Creative Partnerships (Hull College Group). The master design is by Chris Wilkinson of Wild in Art.

The Toads will eventually be auctioned off to benefit charitable funds that support causes close to the heart of Larkin and this project - environmental, animal welfare and artistic projects.

You can find out more and see the full range of toad designs on the Larkin25 website.