Have you found the most famous of the Oxtrail24 Oxen? Fans have been delighted to discover famous faces make an unexpected display at this year’s OxTrail sculpture takeover in Oxford.
What is the Postb-Ox?
OxTrail host Sobell House Hospice has collaborated with several well-known celebrities, musicians, actors and authors to create a very special calf-sized sculpture called ‘Postb-ox’.
The Postb-ox Oxen features doodles, signatures, and a few jokes from over 20 famous faces, including Dame Judi Dench, Dame Prue Leith, Ben Shephard, Daisy May Cooper, Mel Geidroyc, Sue Perkins, Radiohead, Raymond Blanc OBE, and Patterson Joseph.
Like all of them, Postb-ox will be auctioned off in September which will surely be in high demand as it comes with a book full of the original star studded postcards and pictures.
What is OxTrail 2024?
A herd of 138 ox sculptures have taken over Oxfordshire as part of the charity ‘OxTrail,’ Wild in Art event, which launched last weekend.
The incredible art collection, made up of 31 large oxen sculptures and 107 mini oxen, has been unveiled. Each of the large oxen is uniquely decorated and placed in key locations in one of the UK’s most iconic cities, with the smaller oxen in mini herds throughout the county.
The large oxen have been designed by International and UK artists – including children’s illustrator kOrky Paul and author David Melling.
However, it’s one of the community-lead mini-herd which is causing quite a stir. People are flocking to catch a glimpse of Postb-ox, a mini oxen covered in famous musings.
Decorated with the doodles, scribblings and signatures, the oxen are patterned in postcards from some of Oxfordshire’s famous residents and friends. This includes notes from Dame Judi Dench, Heston Blumenthal, Mel Geidroyc, Peter Gabriel, Radiohead and Prue Leith.
Families can explore the city and spot the oxen in and around the county, following the trail using the app or map. For those hunting for Postb-ox, it can be found in the out-patients window at Sobell House Hospice on the site of the Churchill Hospital in Oxford.
Around 85 schools and community groups are taking part in OxTrail as part of the mini oxen sculptures too, which will be displayed libraries, hotels and community spaces.
And keep your eyes peeled for the ‘mini-mini oxen’ which can be found in the windows of the Oxford Story Museum, and other specially designed mini oxen including two from noted interior designer Annie Sloan CBE.
The OxTrail art will be on display until the end of August. On Friday 13th September the sculptures will be auctioned off the raise money for the hospice. Postb-ox will be up for auction too, along with a scrapbook containing all the original notes and drawings from the celebrities.
For more information on OxTrail head to https://oxtrail2024.co.uk/
Postb-Ox is in Sobell House Hospice, Churchill Hospital, Headington OX3 7LE
OxTrail is being held in partnership with Wild in Art. Cities across the world have famously brought their streets to life via Wild in Art installations including Manchester, Sydney, Cape Town and São Paulo.
Wild in Art is the leading producer of spectacular public art events, aimed to entertain, inform and connect communities – its projects aim to give people of all ages a voice through art.
