Deputy leader ’embarrassed, disappointed and frustrated’ with state of Centre artwork

The artwork on the Centre that has rapidly deteriorated in quality since being unveiled in September has been slammed by the deputy leader of Bristol City Council.

“I am embarrassed. I am disappointed. I am frustrated,” said Heather Mack.

“Something went wrong there about the paint,” Mack told Politics West.

“I think I understand that it’s the same paint we use on a road and as it went on a different surface – it wasn’t tarmac, it was a smoother surface – perhaps that was it.

“That is public money that has gone into that.

“It was a beautiful painting; it’s a bit of legacy work, it’s meant to be representing Bristol.

“I was there for the launch and it’s a really worthwhile project.”

The 700sq m street-level artwork on the Centre was meant to be “a bold celebration of heritage, identity and unity”.

Called Our Common Ground, the artwork is by Bristol artist Oshii who was helped by the team at Upfest to paint the area previously occupied by fountains.

Our Common Ground was commissioned and funded by Bristol City Council and the former Bristol City Centre Business Improvement District (now part of Bristol BID), and “curated” by Bristol Legacy Foundation.

The total artwork budget including fees, materials and installation was £61,000; with £30,000 from the business improvement district and £31,000 from the city council.

Bristol Legacy Foundation chair Asher Craig, a former deputy mayor of Bristol, called the piece “a landmark in every sense: physical, cultural and emotional”.

In a page on Bristol City Council’s website about the changes to the Centre, the council say that “the paintwork of Our Common Ground has deteriorated significantly in some sections”.

They say: “The paint used in the artwork is a specialist road line marking paint that is water-based and intended to be used on the ground.

“The same paint has been used for pavement and road surface artworks elsewhere in the city with no signs of deterioration.

“We’re investigating if there is a reason why some sections of the artwork are flaking more than other areas and if it has anything to do with the new tarmac surface.

“We’re also engaging with the artwork installers and the paint supplier’s technical department to help us understand what the issue and solutions might be, such as if weather conditions played a part when it was painted.”

Some of the paint has completely gone less than six months after the artwork was unveiled – photo: Martin Booth

Repairs will not be possible until spring at the earliest because the paint needs to be applied in dry conditions at temperatures of ten degrees and above.

The council estimates that the maintenance costs will be between £3,000 and £5,000 a year for the next five years, “which will be covered by the area’s annual maintenance budget”.

Main photo: Martin Booth

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