Art / News
New planters with Ghanaian symbols added to Centre
As the mural on the Centre continues to fade, a new splash of colour has appeared with added West African symbolism.
Blue planters contain flowers, and also feature Adinkra symbols and sayings from the Akan people of Ghana.
Adinkra represent concepts, proverbs and aphorisms, and are often used by artist Oshii whose work Our Common Ground was painted on the Centre in September 2025.
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A number of different Adinkra symbols feature on the planters – photo: Martin Booth
The planters form an additional visual element to the mural by Oshii, who told Bristol24/7 in 2025 that Adinkra are “symbols of importance and a way to communicate a cultural story”.
When the artwork was officially unveiled, Oshii said: “I’ve learned so much from creating this artwork. I’ve learnt just as much as I hope people will get from the work itself.
“A lot of us as artists can be critical of the work that we create. We put a lot of pressure on ourselves about the work that we create. But for this piece, I feel really, really proud.”
Since the unveiling, however, Oshii’s artwork has unfortunately rapidly deteriorated.
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.
Any repairs that take place need to see the paint applied in dry conditions at temperatures of ten degrees and above.
Bristol City 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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