News / Broadmead
Mosaics removed from Broadmead balls amid safety concerns
Mosaic artwork has been removed from concrete balls in Broadmead due to safety concerns and financial constraints.
The artist spheres, originally created by landscape designer and artist Marion Brandis, have been damaged over time as individual tiles have fallen off or broken, raising concerns about the risk of injury.
A statement from Broadmead BID said: “The mosaics were installed many years ago and are damaged.
“We can no longer get them repaired in a cost-effective way so the amount of cement filler replacing missing tiles was increasing.”
The mosaics have been damaged over the years – photo: Mia Vines Booth
Broadmead BID is also concerned that some of the edges are sharper than they should be and “want to avoid any injuries.”
The balls will now be painted to match the rest of the balls, which are all in the process of being refurbished.
The Broadmead balls have required an annual sprucing up over the years, resulting in various creative endeavours.
In May 2019, they were repainted in rainbow colours to signify Bristol Shopping Quarter’s inclusivity, whilst in June 2020, the balls were painted again in ‘NHS blue’ in honour of NHS workers during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to artist Marion, the mosaic balls were originally installed in collaboration with the landscaping firm Reckless Orchard to redevelop the 1950s Broadmead shopping centre.
The ‘Bristol Blue’ theme of the mosaics refers to the blue glass that was produced in the town in the 18th and 19th centuries for the production of medicine and laboratory bottles, while the coinciding blue lined paving is also made of recycled glass bricks.
The removal of the mosaic artwork is not the end for the balls though.
“We may in the future run a competition for people to submit design ideas that could be painted onto those four balls, but this is something we need to think about carefully before going ahead,” said Broadmead BID.
Main photo: Mia Vines Booth
Read next:
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- Bristol City Centre BID secures second five-year term
- Bristol Creative Weekend will bring illustrators together across the city
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