Ten years ago in Salford, Alan Boyson's mural The Tree of Knowledge, placed at the gable end of the old Cromwell School in Charlestown, was about to be bulldozed by Salford Council until a huge community campaign managed to save it and get it Grade II listed in a matter of weeks (for a full background click here).
Now that sculpture is hopefully to be the centrepiece of a new affordable housing estate being proposed by the Broughton Trust (see here), which should lead to a happy ending...
Over in Hull, however, another of Boyson's huge iconic sculptures, The Three Ships, which adorns the old Co-op/BHS building in the town centre, was also under threat from demolition (see here) until another community campaign swung into action and the artwork was Grade II listed in November of last year.
The Three Ships is the UK's largest mosaic with over a million 'tesserae', and was commissioned by the Co-op in 1963. Despite being listed, it is, however, still under threat, with Hull City Council arguing that the mural has asbestos contamination. It is currently conducting further tests.
Meanwhile, a Hull community project called Ships In The Sky, led by artist Esther Johnson and featuring oral history, film and exhibitions centred around Boyson's work has been bringing the cultural significance of the mural to a wider audience.
This month Esther has designed two t-shirts and a tote bag inspired by Alan Boyson's work which are being sold to both promote the campaign and to raise money (30% of profits) for foodbank organisations, the Trussell Trust and FareShare, which work across the UK including in Salford. It's being done in collaboration with We are 1 of 100.*
The fashion items include Esther's drawings of the Three Ships and her favourite fish from Boyson's 'Fish' mural that is also inside the old building.
Alongside the fashion items, there's also a film featuring lockdown readings of Philip Larkin's, The North Ship from Vicky Foster, John Godber, Jennifer Hodgson, Reece Shearsmith, Matthew Sweet and Dean Wilson, which also celebrates Alan Boyson's mural.*
Sadly, Alan Boyson died almost two years ago, but his son, Matt, says..."It's difficult to know what Alan would have thought about the current reaction to his work in Hull because he neither spoke much about his work nor his feelings towards it. However, he did have very clear ideas about art and these he readily expressed and I think he would have to admit that one thing, that what art can do is create a sense of community belonging.
"This is what the Three Ships in Hull seems to have done and what better way to pay tribute to him, the mural, and the community than to let his artwork play a part in helping others through donations to the Trussell Trust and FareShare, from sales of T-shirts featuring his work" he adds.
Meanwhile, Esther Johnson, explains: "It's a sad testament of our times that food banks are necessary. I've volunteered and donated to food banks and seen the direct difference that food donations can make. There are folk up and down the
country working hard to help others in more need than themselves and I hope the film and charity 'SHIPS in the SKY' T-shirt and tote are able to help too."
* The limited t-shirts and tote bag are on sale for £25 for more details and to see the Larkin film click here
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