Art / Street Art
Poignant story behind painted bollards
Newly painted bollards are a lasting tribute to Marcus Willcocks’ “legacy of kindness, creativity and community”.
Soon before he sadly died from leukaemia at the age of 47, it was Marcus’ dream to make his neighbourhood in south Bristol a better and brighter place.
The hand-painted bollards along Whitehouse Lane in Bedminster are the result of this wish.
Based on a design by artist Hasan Kamil, the 122 bollards were painted with help from the team at Upfest.
Upfest co-founder Stephen Hayles said: “Three weeks before he passed, Marcus reached out from hospital to propose the idea.
“Marcus’ humility and focus on others, even in the final days of his life, struck a deep chord with those who knew him.
“He understood that small changes in the urban environment could create moments of joy, reflection and connection.
“For him, this wasn’t about bollards. It was about people, place and the everyday journey.”
Marcus Willcocks helped people connect with places through co-design, human-scale urbanism and socially responsive design – photo: UAL
Marcus was a research fellow at the University of the Arts London (UAL) and a senior urban designer for Sustrans (now the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust) with the recent splashes of colour on the Bristol & Bath Railway Path part of a project that Marcus had worked on with the local community.
Among other projects in Bristol, he also worked on creative engagement for the Western Harbour.
Marcus married Marta Salvà Cifuentes in 2007. He is survived by Marta and their two sons, Joel and Ruben.
Marta said: “We love these bollards. Every time I walk with Joel and Ruben near them, it makes us think about Marcus.
“We are sure he would have been so happy to see this project coming to life!”
Marcus’ wish before he died was to soften the impact of more than 300 newly installed black bollards, and to uplift the experience of walking and cycling through the area – photo: Martin Booth
Professor Lorraine Gamman, director of the Design Against Crime Research Lab at UAL, added: “Marcus was a rare kind of person.
“He had this ability to see both the smallest detail and the bigger picture, and always with a social lens.
“These painted bollards reflect that beautifully and Marcus’ final message: ‘All that we can really leave behind is love’.”
Main photo: Martin Booth
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