![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0_TCB090925artworkBRI.jpg\")
The creation of ‘Our Common Ground’, a brand new artwork by multidisciplinary artist Oshii drawing on African heritage, world history and present-day community voices, on the ground of The Centre in Bristol(Image: Plaster PR)<\/p>\nCovering 700sq m where the fountains were<\/p>\n
19:03, 09 Sep 2025Updated 19:06, 09 Sep 2025<\/p>\n
The creation of ‘Our Common Ground’, a brand new artwork by multidisciplinary artist Oshii drawing on African heritage, world history and present-day community voices, on the ground of The Centre in Bristol(Image: Plaster PR)<\/p>\n
The heart of Bristol city centre is being transformed with a huge new on-the-ground work of art, on top of an area recently paved over where the fountains in The Centre were<\/a>. The work has been commissioned and funded by the council and local businesses.<\/p>\n The work, called Our Common Ground, is being created this week in the space between the Cascade Steps and the statue of Neptune, and has been curated by the Bristol Legacy Foundation. Bristol Live first revealed the plan to create the artwork back in July<\/a>, and it will eventually cover a whopping 704 square metres, and will feature a huge heart inscribed with the word \u2018Bristol\u2019.<\/p>\n The work has been created by Oisin Davis-Lyons – aka artist Oshii – and commissioned as part of the transformation of the Centre Promenade, the area where there were most recently dried up fountains. That\u2019s now been tarmacked over to create a bigger area<\/a> for street food stalls and public events, and it\u2019s now being decorated by the artwork.<\/p>\n Bristol Legacy Foundation is a charity set up in 2019 to address the systemic marginalisation of African Heritage Communities in cultural, creative and public spaces, and this is the biggest, most prominent project they\u2019ve been involved in to date.<\/p>\n Around the heart will be masks, hands, eyes and rhythmic patterns, with the artwork drawing on African heritage, world history and present-day community voices.<\/p>\n \u201cIts bold colours and layered imagery invite people to reflect on journeys, memory and identity, while imagining a shared future built on care and respect,\u201d said a spokesperson for the project. \u201cCreated for the heart of Bristol, the artwork is anchored by a heart inscribed with the word \u2018Bristol\u2019, symbolising that it belongs to everyone in the city. Around the heart, masks, hands, eyes and rhythmic patterns weave stories of strength and connection – acknowledging the city\u2019s historical legacy while celebrating the creativity and resilience of African heritage communities today,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n \u201cThe artwork has been shaped in part by community and stakeholder engagement, through a series of sessions that invited local residents, businesses and organisations to preview early concepts and contribute to the artwork\u2019s development. These sessions helped ensure that the final design reflects the diverse voices, values, and aspirations of Bristol\u2019s communities,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n Installation of the artwork will continue throughout the month. Interpretation panels will offer visual and audio descriptions of the artwork, along with cultural and historical context, which those behind the project said they hoped would \u2018encourage deeper engagement and exploration by visitors of all ages\u2019.<\/p>\n READ MORE: Bristol’s fountains are gone but an eye-catching feature is set to replace them<\/a>READ MORE: Calls to ‘bring back the grass and river’ to the Centre<\/a><\/p>\n The artist Oshii said he wanted to create something that inspired people. \u201cOur Common Ground is about honesty and imagination – facing the past and dreaming of a shared future,\u201d he said. \u201cI wanted to create something that belongs to Bristol and reflects its heart: a place where voices, cultures and histories meet on common ground,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n The artwork has been shaped in part by community and stakeholder engagement, through a series of sessions that invited local residents, businesses and organisations to preview early concepts and contribute to the artwork\u2019s development. These sessions helped ensure that the final design reflects the diverse voices, values, and aspirations of Bristol\u2019s communities.<\/p>\n One of those funding the huge artwork project is the Bristol Business Improvement District. Its interim head of place is Anna Farthing. \u201cOur Common Ground will be a powerful focal point for the Centre Promenade, transforming the area into a more welcoming destination and place to meet and spend time with others,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cFor the businesses based in the centre, that means greater footfall, a stronger sense of place and a more vibrant atmosphere that encourages people to stay, shop and connect. Public art of this scale not only enhances our cultural identity, but also brings lasting benefits to everyone who shares this space,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n The city council is also involved – the space was created by the council digging up and paving over the fountains earlier this year to create a long public square – or rectangle – from the end of Baldwin Street to the Cascade Steps.<\/p>\n “This artwork brings colour, reflection and meaning to the heart of Bristol,\u201d said council chief Cllr Andrew Brown. \u201cWhere once ships involved in the trade of sugar, spices, and enslaved people would have docked, we now celebrate the contribution of the city’s diverse communities. The completed promenade will be a space where we can pause and reflect on the past, enjoy the present, and look forward together,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n The chair of the Bristol Legacy Foundation is Asher Craig, who served as deputy mayor for eight years under former Mayor Marvin Rees<\/a>. \u201cWe want this artwork to be both a landmark and a meeting place,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cOur Common Ground honours Bristol\u2019s history, celebrates the present and invites all who pass through to take part in imagining a more inclusive future,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n Join Bristol Live\u2019s WhatsApp community for top stories and breaking news sent directly to your phone<\/strong><\/p>\n Bristol Live<\/a> is now on WhatsApp and we want you to join our community.<\/p>\n Through the app, we\u2019ll send the latest breaking news, top stories, exclusives and much more straight to your phone.<\/p>\n To join our community you need to already have WhatsApp. All you need to do is click this link and select \u2018Join Community\u2019.<\/a><\/p>\n No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Bristol Live<\/a> team.<\/p>\n We also treat community members to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. 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The creation of ‘Our Common Ground’, a brand new artwork by multidisciplinary artist Oshii drawing on African heritage, world history and present-day community voices, on the ground of The Centre in Bristol(Image: Plaster PR)<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0_TCB090925artworkBRI_06.jpg\")
The creation of ‘Our Common Ground’, a brand new artwork by multidisciplinary artist Oshii drawing on African heritage, world history and present-day community voices, on the ground of The Centre in Bristol(Image: Plaster PR)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0_WhatsApp-Phone.jpg\")
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