TERRY’S famous Chocolate Orange is just one of the images which will be used in a piece of public art commissioned to represent the past, present and future of the Bishopthorpe Road area.

The artist given the task of creating the sculpture, which will stand at the junction of Bishopthorpe Road and Scarcroft Road, has revealed the name of the artwork will be Conversation Piece, and it will feature three “modern-day guardians”.

Sculptor Ailsa Magnus was chosen by Micklegate ward councillors earlier this year to create the piece, following public consultation, and the ward has allocated £7,300 to the project.

The artist, who is based in Selby, said the sculpture would feature the figures of a Terry’s employee holding a Chocolate Orange, a shopper, representing commerce, and a child, representing the future.

Ailsa said: “Surrounding the base will be a small area of block paving created during workshop sessions. The blocks will feature Conversation Lozenges.”

She said the lozenges were based on an 18th century sweet created by Terry’s, which each featured conversation starters for tongue-tied Victorians. The sweets each bore a message such as Can You Polka? and Love Me.

“The Terry’s Conversation Lozenge was a very early version of texting or Twitter,” she said.

“What I want young people to come up with are phrases that represent their community today.”

To find suitable phrases for her work, Miss Magnus said she intends to hold workshops with young people in the area to find ideas which will then feature as inscriptions on the sculpture.

Coun Dave Merrett said: “There has been a lot thought gone in to this as far as it is supposed to represent the people of the local community. It’s an exciting thing and well thought-out.

“We are really looking forward to seeing it.”

Last week, a planning application for the artwork was submitted by Micklegate ward councillors to City of York Council.

The work is expected to be completed by February.