Co-op Mosaic

The Co-op Mosaic is a mural in Kingston upon Hull, England, by the artist Alan Boyson.[1] Commissioned by the Hull and East Riding Co-operative Society, for the exterior of the side of their new store at 32-38 Jameson Street, it was erected in 1963.[1][2] Depicting three stylised trawlers, it commemorates Hull's fishing fleet.[1]

Co-op Mosaic
The mural in 2008
ArtistAlan Boyson
Year1963 (1963)
MediumGlass
SubjectFishing trawlers
DesignationListed building
LocationKingston upon Hull
Coordinates53.744968°N 0.339885°W / 53.744968; -0.339885

The mural is made from 4,224 panels, each 1 foot (30 cm) square and made in turn from 225 cubes of Italian glass - over one million in all.[1][3] The panels are fixed to a curved, 66 by 64 feet (20 by 20 m), concrete wall.[1]

The mural was built to Boyson's design, by Richards Tiles Ltd (subsequently part of Johnsons Tiles Ltd).[4]

Included in the mural is the Latin text res per industriam prosperae ("the success of industry").[1] It also includes the letters "H U L L" in the ships' masts.

After the co-operative vacated the building, it was for a time a branch of BHS.[1]

In May 2007 the mural was locally listed by Hull City Council, who described it was a "superb example of modern public art".[5] The council subsequently pledged to retain the mural when the site is developed.[6] In November 2016, a proposal by Hull Civic Society to give the mural statutory protection at a national level was rejected.[6] The society announced its intention to appeal the decision.[6] The mural was placed on the National Heritage List for England on 21 November 2019.[7]

Fish mural

An additional mural by Boyson, inside the store on the fourth floor, was rediscovered during refurbishment in 2011.[3] Depicting a shoal of fish, it is over 22 feet (6.7 m) long and is made from ceramic tiles, marble and stone.[3] Located outside the former Skyline Ballroom (later Romeo and Juliet's, a nightclub), it had been hidden behind a false wall.[3] The building's then owners, Manor Property Group, announced plans to feature it in their designs for the building's decor.[3][4] It was made as part of the same commission as the exterior mural.[3]

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References
  1. "Alan Boyson, Three Ships, Italian glass mosaic, 1963". C20 Society Murals Campaign. 20th Century Society. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  2. "Records of Hull and East Riding Co-operative Society Ltd - Archives Hub". archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  3. "Artist's work uncovered during refurbishment". Hull Daily Mail. 9 July 2011. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  4. "Manor Point Development Will Help Preserve Rare Mosaic". Manor Property Group. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  5. "Local buildings list" (PDF). Hull City Council. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  6. "What will happen to Hull's BHS mural now?". Hull Daily Mail. 8 November 2016. Retrieved 9 November 2016.
  7. Historic England. "Three Ships Mural (1468073)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
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