John Bridgeman play sculpture, Birmingham

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Play sculpture
Curtis Gardens - Fox Hollies - Fish-like sculpture (4237271598).jpg
Artist John Bridgeman
Year1960s
Type Abstract sculpture
Medium Concrete
LocationCurtis Gardens, Fox Hollies Road, Acocks Green, Birmingham, England
Coordinates 52°26′26″N1°50′06″W / 52.440554°N 1.835103°W / 52.440554; -1.835103 Coordinates: 52°26′26″N1°50′06″W / 52.440554°N 1.835103°W / 52.440554; -1.835103
Owner Birmingham City Council

The sculptor John Bridgeman was commissioned in the early 1960s by playground designer Mary Frances Mitchell, to create an abstract sculpture in concrete, for a Birmingham City Council playground, on Curtis Gardens, on a housing estate on Fox Hollies Road in the Acocks Green district of Birmingham, England. [1] [2] It has been described as "fish like". [3]

It is the only one of a series of playground sculptures by Bridgeman, who was head of sculpture at Birmingham College of Arts and Crafts until 1981, [3] to survive. [4] It was originally painted in a metallic sheen, but this is now mostly worn off. [2]

In February 2015, the untitled piece was grade II listed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, on the advice of Historic England, giving it legal protection from removal or alteration. [1]

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References

  1. 1 2 "20 Unusual Places Given Listed Status This Year". Historic England. 17 June 2015. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  2. 1 2 Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1423375)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  3. 1 2 "Sixties playground sculpture in Birmingham is Grade II listed". BBC Online . 12 February 2015. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  4. ↑ Cartledge, James (17 June 2015). "Acocks Green fish sculpture gets protected status". Birmingham Mail . Retrieved 17 June 2015.


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