'Madonna's bra' sculptures are too hot to handle: £20,000 spinning structures moved into shade after burning children's hands

Published: 09:27 EDT, 2 October 2026 | Updated: 09:37 EDT, 2 October 2026 A £20,000 art-installation likened to 'Madonna's bra' has been moved into the shade after it burned children's hands.The 'A Hand's Turn' exhibit, created by artists Natalie Bradwell and Livia Spinolo, was installed in Farnham, Surrey, back in 2023.However, the modern art-installation - which features gold-coloured cones of various sizes - has faced widespread ridicule with locals claiming they resembled Madonna's cone bra and Doctor Who's most infamous villains - the Daleks.While residents complained that the cones were an eyesore, some went even further, and claimed they were a health hazard.They alleged that the structures, which can spin, were burning or injuring children after they became too hot in the sun.They were also damaged on occasions by vandals. Making their opinions known through a retrospective planning application, Surrey residents have complained that the 20 metal cones, installed at a cost of £19,500 and funded by the University for the Creative Arts (UCA), were unsightly. The cones have now been moved to a sculpture garden on campus at the UCA, in Farnham. The 'A Hand's Turn' exhibit, created by artists Natalie Bradwell and Livia Spinolo, was installed in Farnham, Surrey, back in 2023. Since then residents complained that the cones were an eyesore and some claimed they were a health hazard Madonna performing during her 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour in her famous cone bra and corset. The art-installation has been likened to the Like a Prayer singer's bra Resident Patricia Humphreys said the artwork looked 'like a set of anti-tank traps', while Angela Vinnicombe said 'the cones get very hot in summer in the sun and can cause injuries to children touching them.'Sue Banks said: 'I have heard young children who have touched the cones cry out as they have been too hot,' while Ann Marion Hicks said: 'Last summer they were a hazard to children becoming too hot to touch.'A press officer confirmed that the cones should no longer be affected by the hotter weather - with the new location 'underneath tall trees and various foliage'.The cones were said to 'evoke the forms of the grain's piles going through the malting process, the traditional roofs for drying hop, the spindles used for spinning the wool or the shapes of pottery vessels' when originally installed.Artist Natalie Bradwell said she was 'grateful to get a second chance' to renovate and re-exhibit the cones.She said: 'I hope locals find a new affection for the cones in their new home. They are intended to be played with, hugged and even the unintended percussive ability they provide is great fun.'What a special place Farnham is for its commitment to craft and community. Farnham didn't give up on the cones, so neither will I.'Meanwhile, Sophy Smith, executive dean at UCA's Farnham School of Creative and Cultural Industries, said the artwork was public art at its 'absolute best'.The Mayor of Farnham, Graham White, told the BBC he hopes the work will 'be an inspiration for future generations of artists'.