Restored Historic Ceramic Mural of Bradford Unveiled at Salts Mill
A monumental and historic ceramic mural of Bradford has been fully restored after being hidden behind a false wall for years and sitting in our warehouse for the past 10-years. The mural is now on display at Salts Mill, Saltaire.
The 8-foot mural, created in the 1960s by noted German artist Grete Marks, depicts Bradford’s Forster Square as it appeared over a century ago.
Marks, a refugee who fled to England during World War II after training at the Bauhaus, was commissioned to design the mural for the entrance of Central House offices in Forster Square.
The artwork, originally based on a Victorian watercolour by Neil Stuart Crichton, captures the canal basin and Cathedral of Bradford, reflecting the city’s rich industrial past. This evocative image, now rendered in ceramic, bears the distinctive style of Marks.
The mural spent years hidden behind a false wall in an office block in Bradford city centre, the piece was then stored in our warehouse for over 10 years and was in need of extensive restoration.
Paul Egan, Head of Business Support in Property Services at Incommunities, said: “We’re delighted that the mural has found a fitting home at Salts Mill, where it can be appreciated by many for years to come.
“We were fortunate to find this important piece of Bradford’s heritage - it was uncovered at one of our office buildings in Bradford city centre just before we were set to move out.”
“It’s great that it has now been fully restored and will be on display for the community to enjoy.”
Working over the course of 12 months, esteemed ceramics restorer Fiona Hutchinson – who is more used to working on things the size of a teacup or vase – has restored the mural to its former glory, working from a temporary workshop in an old mill shed. Speaking of the restoration work, Fiona said: “It’s certainly been a challenge, but the more I worked on the piece the more I came to love it and appreciate the huge amount of work, both physical and mental, that Grete Marks put into its creation. It has been an honour to restore this extraordinary piece to its former glory and I am delighted to see it finally on show for the public to enjoy once more.”
The final piece is now housed at the entrance to Salts Mill, with Bradford firm Iron Octopus designing a custom structure to display and frame the mural in its new setting.
