I meant to post this a few days back but forgot. Oops.
You remember the JFK mosaic that used to be at St Chad’s Circus before all that area was redeveloped? There’s talk of relocating it to the Irish Quarter.
The mosaic was commissioned in 1968 and paid for by the city’s Irish community as a permanent testament to the murdered American president
The public consultation meeting will be held at the Irish Centre in Deritend at 6.30pm to 8.30pm.
It has been organised by the Birmingham Irish Community Forum with a view to re-housing the JFK mosaic within the Irish Quarter.
Quote taken from the Birmingham Post who have more info, as does Nicky Getgood who delivers the news that refreshments will be available and that:
This is the community’s chance to let Birmingham City Council know what they’d like to see happen to this unique snap shot of history from the 60’s. Council suggestions to the BICF have so far included incorporating members of the community into the mosaic
Which has the potential to become the mosaic equivalent of a photoshop disaster, only with added hubris.
There’s probably more scope for that than would immediately be apparent, only a tiny proportion of the mosaic was saved — the rest buried. Wherever it ends up it will be a remake:
“Certain important sections of the Kennedy Memorial were removed by Oliver
Budd (the son of the original artist Kenneth Budd) and are stored at his
studio. Oliver Budd has the original drawings and access to the original
suppliers of materials and it is proposed to install a remake of the
Kennedy Memorial”
(from FOI request generated from an investigation on Help Me Investigate)
http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/information_on_public_art_former
http://beta.helpmeinvestigate.com/investigations/45-what-are-the-plans-for-the-mosaic-at-stockland-green-school