South Bristol Community Hospital

Grennan & Sperandio’s twelve wall-mounted artworks based on favourite views of south Bristol were installed in August 2012. The vitreous enamel plaques are dotted around the interior of the new South Bristol Community Hospital at Hengrove Park, and show unique beauty spots and places with special sentimental value to people in South Bristol.

The circular blue-and-white form of the designs was inspired by the delftware pottery which used to be made in great quantities at Water Lane, on the border of Hengrove and Brislington, and reference the form of the ‘cameo’.The artworks were made locally by specialist sign manufacturer Wards of Bristol.

The views were gathered from members of the public Simon Grennan met in January 2012 while researching the area, including the Walking Health Two Hearts group, sequence dancers from Broadoak Social Club in Withywood, and students at Eagle House in Filwood and Victoria Park Primary School in Bedminster. Favourite views were also received after publicity on BBC Radio Bristol and in the Evening Post.

Among the views identified by the groups and made into the artworks are the Withywood Senior Club House which has since been demolished, birds flocking on Leinster Avenue, Coronation Road, Bristol seen from Dundry, Hengrove Park playground, Filton Broadway in the 1960s and the Balloon Festival.

Grennan and Sperandio’s work always involves the participation of members of the public. Their past projects include the production of collaboratively-made comic books, a series of large inflatables sited around Edinburgh, the US reality TV documentary series, Artstar, and Colchester Round, where four very different musical groups played each other’s music.

To find out more about the project visit the artists’ blog site at: www.southbristolfavouriteviews.com