The UK is debating this: William Mitchell's works face the threat of demolition
As part of a renovation project launched in the UK capital, London, it has emerged that works by William Mitchell, one of the most iconic muralists in British art, could be demolished for a new building.
The UK's most famous post-war artists has a rare early mural, and it has been revealed that the building housing it is at risk of demolition as part of a redevelopment project in south London.
The work of William Mitchell, who produced dozens of large-scale public murals and sculptures since the 1950s, is located in a village building within the Blackheath conservation area and could be demolished to make room for several new homes.
CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED
Edmund Hall, an architect and artist who has created banners, including with his long-time collaborator Jeremy Deller, has joined the campaign to save the mural and believes the fact that Mitchell's work is in danger proves that the United Kingdom does not sufficiently value its post-war public art.
Hall said:
"British art has real significance, and Mitchell's work seems to touch on something interesting. It feels wrong to dismiss his legacy so easily."
Completed in 1958, the mural is considered the best-preserved example of Mitchell's early work still in its original location.
The Brooklands Park Estate, where the work is located, is seen as a leading example of inspiring post-war housing with green space and tasteful design.
'AN ARTIST WHO ADDED ELEGANCE'
Geraint Franklin, an architectural researcher for London and the South East in England, said that Mitchell was a prolific artist who added elegance to the capital's public spaces.
Franklin stated, "They were trying to enliven the environment and humanize these new developments, and I believe the work in Greenwich is one of those."