Giant sculpture moved after giving texters a sore head

The Kiss is part of the Relationships exhibition by internationally renowned sculptor Sophie Ryder.

The 20ft high clasped hands were forming an arch over the path leading to the entrance to Salisbury Cathedral. 

On Facebook Sophie Ryder posted: "We had to move "The Kiss" because people were walking through texting and said they bumped their heads."

The sculpture has been moved onto the lawn next to the path. 

Speaking to the Journal Sophie said: "I made this sculpture so people could interact with it. I made it tall enough so 6ft4 men could walk through it. You really would not be able to bump your head unless you were not looking and have to be on a phone looking down."

The sculptor describes seeing a boy texting on his phone walking through the sculpture then jumping out the way as he became aware of it. 

And she also says she overheard a girl telling her mother that she liked the statue to which her mother replied "your dad doesn't he bumped his head on it" because he had been texting. 

"No-one has really hurt themselves. We have moved it just in case as you never know," she added. "I don't put public art in place to get people annoyed. If they get annoyed I would rather move it and avoid any conflict."

Canon treasurer Dr Robert Titley, who is responsible for art at the Cathedral, said it presented a hazard at night with people having difficulties seeing it in the dark. 
He said: "The Kiss is a particularly magnetic piece which draws you to walk under it, however, we have found that some people find it hard to spot at night so we have moved it off the pathway.

"Visitors can still walk under it – and children are already playing round it — but no-one using the path in the dark will bump into it.”
But, Dr Titley says the new location is bringing its own benefits giving children more room to "dance around and run through" the sculpture. 

Sophie says the exhibition is going "really well" and has been "welcomed" by visitors.

She said: "In fact the grass is going to have to be re-seeded because of all the people walking around."

The exhibition also features large lady hares and minotaurs, which can be seen on the lawn outside the cathedral. 

Sophie is also displaying her work at Sarum College, Salisbury Museum and the Young Gallery in Salisbury Library. 

Her work is also available to buy. For more information go to sophie-ryder.com

The exhibition runs until July 3.