B of Bang designer's visit

Chris Osuh

October 22, 2008

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B of the Bang's designer Thomas Heatherwick, Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair, Tom Bloxham

THE designer being sued by Manchester council over the controversial B of the Bang is coming back to the city for an event showcasing budding talent.

Thomas Heatherwick, 38, will open the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair at Manchester Grammar School on Thursday.

The event opens a month before Manchester council takes Thomas Heatherwick Studio and sub-contractors Packman Lucas, Flint and Neil Partnership and Westbury Structures to the high court for breach of contract and negligence in a £2m lawsuit.

The fair's logo takes inspiration from the B of the Bang sculpture outside Manchester City's stadium, which has been beset by engineering problems.

Show organiser Ann-Marie Franey, said: "Manchester is full of artists, designers and craft makers with huge creativity and masses of talent. We are so glad to be giving these talented artists and designers a platform to showcase their work and introduce people to contemporary craft.

"We went for the B of the Bang-inspired logo because it is visually striking but also represents Manchester as a centre for art and creativity. We are thrilled Thomas Heatherwick has given his support to the event and agreed to officially open it for us."

The craft fair will run for three days and will have 130 exhibitors.

London-born Heatherwick studied at Manchester Polytechnic and was last year awarded a honorary doctorate by its successor MMU.

The B of the Bang is the celebrated designer's most famous creation, as well as his most controversial.

First, the cost doubled from £750,000 to £1.42m. Then, it opened two years past deadline.

And with a succession of spikes falling off, taxpayers have forked out £300,000 on testing and maintaining it.

Speaking about the craft fair, Thomas Heatherwick said: "I was excited to be asked to officially open the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair, which is a brilliant event for Manchester.

"I learned a lot of what I do from when I lived there and I am happy to support art and design events in the north as there are so many talented people in and around Manchester."

Among the local talent involved in the organising the fair are curators James Beighton and Jo Bloxham and Professor Steve Dixon, head of contemporary craft at Manchester Metropolitan University.

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S P In exile, Tameside (22/10/2008 at 07:16)

So when he arrives at this showcase for budding talent where will he be at the back of the queue.

L L Fontelroy (22/10/2008 at 08:52)

Sorry, a designer of a rusty looking peice of steel. He could have at least painted the thing so it looked nice!

Jay B, oldham (22/10/2008 at 09:10)

And what a load of rubbish it is too.
Eastlands will always reminds us of what the government let manchester down on.

The big bang expansion and the super casino.

After the commonwealth games they've realised we're a booming economy that they want a piece of so they'ye now tapping into our hard earned money we're making up here!

synikal, Manchester (22/10/2008 at 10:10)

the big bang thing doesn't look like it does in the picture! It is bloody AWFUL and a complete waste of money! The could have built a state of the art library there instead and done something useful for the people for heavens sake.

Pentest 2, Hyde (22/10/2008 at 10:14)

He'll go far this so called designer, and the further away from Manchester the better.
Someone should have taught him about stress and loading before letting him loose on designing a monstrosity out of rusty scrap metal.

Ace Shakespeare , manchester (22/10/2008 at 10:29)

I remember Mr heatherwick whinging that "People was scared of change" I wonder why they were scared of change??This bit of rubbish called b-of-the-bang should tell him why people are scared of change ..because people like him try and make a name for himself designing bits of rusty steel like this that costs a fortune vamnd dosnt do the city any favours...His other claim to fame statement was this will still be here vin a humndred years? hes like his sculpture "A JOKE"

Ohsotiny, Manchester (22/10/2008 at 12:40)

Tax payers money for this pile of *****, it's been nothing but trouble since it was built and its an eyesore. This guy needs to take his head for a wobble!

Ace Shakespeare , manchester (22/10/2008 at 13:02)

Dont forget who put a rake of ratepayers money into this scrap monster. .Politicians and artists live on another planet when it comes to wasting our money.And when are the ratepayers of manchester going to get this monster shifted.(scrapped)

Ace Shakespeare , manchester (22/10/2008 at 13:31)

How biased this newspaper is,is shown by its censorship towards MCC and its leaders. i have just been censored by the paper my reference toward manchesters leader.

Are the people at this newspaper so worried about a reader voicing his opinion in a comedic way.

can you lot take a joke or is it the leaders/council who dont like people having a say and voicing their views on the job the council are doing.

Ace Shakespeare , manchester (22/10/2008 at 13:38)

Welcome back to the city of a "CLOWNHALL AND ITS DANCING CLOWNS"

I am not a number (22/10/2008 at 14:09)

Anyone recall the regular up-dates on the progress of this project on the BBC2 Newsnight programme? Well I have tried to get a response from the Beeb to request they provide the British public (their paymsters) with a further up-date on this pretty disastrous story. In true Kremlin style in keeping with their policy of refusing to justify their propagandist stance on all cultural matters, they didn't even bother to reply to my very reasonable request for a further in depth report on this issue. The fact that we are paying through the nose for mediocre art which inspires nobody outside one trendy postal district in London or a tiny sprinkling of misguided, easy to please culture cretins is nothing short of scandelous! Now this is a matter of public safety and our state broadcaster is seemingly unconcerned with a very real story which is of concern to many that are in despair over the complete shambles of it all, is nothing short of a public outrage. It's time we put the politicians under the spotlight & let us know where they stand on such matters before we vote for them in future!

Pentest 2, Hyde (22/10/2008 at 14:10)

There is a very reputable scap metal merchants, just across from the rusty mess ...Score Street to be precise.
I'm sure he would be only too glad to get it dismantled, and returned to a furnace for recycling.

Kiwi-blue, Christchurch NZ (22/10/2008 at 14:10)

It should have been named 'C of the Clang'!

I am not a number (22/10/2008 at 14:45)

Would the designer dare to visit his creation on matchday to justify his work to those who have to make their way around cramped, makeshift entrances I wonder? I suspect he might get some interesting feedback from Mr Joe Public, as I can assure him that the masses that make the uncomfortable detour on a regular basis can hardly contain their indifference towards his monstrosity. Perhaps that will change if he were to put in an appearance to ask what real people think about it!

chaffa, manny (22/10/2008 at 16:43)

should be renamed
K of the Kerplunk!

thaitanium (22/10/2008 at 17:48)

I think its great and so what if you get a ten foot sharpened steel spike through your head it's all in the name of art,
Now if you want to see a real piece of public art may I suggest you take the wife and kids to see the angel of the north, magnificent and on the way back have a sandwich and a flask of coffee whilst looking at Mr. Gormly's another place on Formby beach.
When the bang was designed didn't the peoples republic of Manchester have a look at the drawings to make sure it was safe, they did when I put up an extension on a property I owned but knowing them and the mess they make of public buildings in their "care" I doubt it.

Last Pint of Holts, Middleton Manchester (23/10/2008 at 09:02)

I am not a fan of 'B of the Bang' and less of a fan of the current Manchester Council!

Is it just me, or are you sick of having money wasted on such follies?

Edski Vega, Nottingham (23/10/2008 at 11:17)

I made my first visit back to 'MY CITY' for the first time last weekend and the first thing I wanted to do was visit the stadium of the Worlds most richest club and Manchester best supported club. I had never heard of the B of the bang before so this was the first time I saw it. It was a cold raining and very windy day and the whole structure shook...some of the spikes had been cut off too.

I think they need to put a huge transparent perspex/plastic bubble around it to protect it from the wind.

Do people not remember the slum estates that were they previously? I know which I prefer.

thaitanium (23/10/2008 at 12:20)

"I think they need to put a huge transparent perspex/plastic bubble around it to protect it from the wind."
Knowing the work Manchester council do and the commitment to quality of their employees I reckon it would only be a matter of time before the bubble ended up in Yorkshire.

Technobabble, Manchester (23/10/2008 at 12:31)

Thomas Heatherwick better wear a hard-hat when he visits his creation; either a bit will fall off and drop on him, or some locals will lob half bricks at his noggin to tell him what they think of it! Not that i can blame them in the slightest.

citycentre, manchester (23/10/2008 at 15:10)

what a dull grey world it would be if only functional buildings were allowed to be built.

how i imagine 1970's romainia to be, but less fun

i pay taxes and am glad a small part goes on something inovative, even if it is not always a success

Sir Reginald Ringpull, A-u-L, Lancashire (23/10/2008 at 15:34)

citycentre,

In the 3 years since it was officially unveiled it has cost £2,000 a week to make sure that it is safe. The words Elephant and white spring to mind.

citycentre, manchester (23/10/2008 at 21:04)

not then the best advertisement for public art

i suppose questions do need to be asked as to why no one realised before it was built

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