Is this coal heap art or just the pits?

It has been billed as a work of art. But some might say Wolverhampton Art Gallery’s latest exhibition is just simply a pile of old coal.

A darkened room at the gallery has been transformed with a 14-ton pile of coal for the display.

The designers say they hoped it would highlight issues of rising fuel costs and climate change.

The brainchild of artists Matthew Cornford and David Cross, it has been created with inspiration drawn from the Black Country’s industrial past.

It is the latest in a series of offbeat exhibitions to hit the headline.

Back in 2001 a piece of work called The Lights Going On and Off caused controversy when it won the Turner Prize – one of the most sought-after awards in contemporary art. 

Minimalist artist Martin Creed collected £20,000 for the installation, which centred around an empty gallery with a pair of flashing lights. 

In 1999 eccentric artist Tracey Emin was also nominated for the Turner Prize for her notorious “unmade bed” exhibition.

But gallery bosses in Wolverhampton said the latest display, called The Lion and The Unicorn, would remind visitors of the region’s rich industrial heritage.

“The sea of coal installed in the gallery is expected to have a sensory impact upon visitors and will draw out both the historical and contemporary significance of coal to the region,” said gallery spokesman Zoe Papiernik.