Artist Simon Mendy out to put Birmingham on the map

Sep 23 2008 By Adam Smith, Birmingham Mail

AN INTERNATIONAL artist is hoping to put Birmingham back on the mural map after falling in love with the city.

Gambian-born Swede Simon Mendy, whose sculptures, murals and canvases in the 1980s put him at the cutting edge of the Swedish art world, has already painted one 20-metre mural in Birmingham and has been commissioned to do another two.

Simon moved to the Birmingham five years ago because he was convinced the city would win the European Capital of Culture but stayed despite Liverpool’s controversial victory.

He said: “In Sweden we were all taught about how Birmingham was the city of a thousand trades and was the birthplace of the industrial revolution.

“The history of being so inventive with metal is just a massive inspiration for me and my art work.”

But Simon, aged 49, is more than disappointed at the treatment of the renowned artist Kenneth Budd’s murals and mosaics, with all but two disappearing.

He said: “Murals are for big thinking cities, for instance Kenneth Budd’s Kennedy mosaic was an unbelievable piece of art and the fact that no visitor can see it on show is an absolute disgrace.

“I don’t want to tempt fate but if Obama wins the American election I am going to try and recreate that famous mural but with Obama as well as Kennedy.”

He said: “Birmingham needs to start thinking big again and I believe I can help by brightening up the city with my murals. I love sculpting and painting canvases but living in Birmingham has made me think big and murals are the way forward I was delighted when the Crown and Cushion in Perry Barr let me do my first in Birmingham.

“I will be now doing one in a school in Handsworth and hopefully another at my daughter’s nursery.

Despite enjoying life in Erdington, Simon is still smarting about the Capital of Culture.

He said: “I blame Paul McCartney.

“It was obvious he was behind the Liverpool getting the culture title. Birmingham was then and is still streets ahead in the art world compared to Liverpool.

“It only won because of the Beatles and I do not listen to them nowas a matter of principle.”