Kenneth George Budd (16 October 1925 – 21 January 1995[1]) was an English mural artist, known for his mosaics and work in other materials.[1] His company, Kenneth Budd and Associates[2] was based in Penge, south London.[3]

Kenneth George Budd
Born(1925-10-16)16 October 1925
Fulham, London, England
Died21 January 1995(1995-01-21) (aged 69)
EducationBeckenham School of Art
Alma materRoyal College of Art
OccupationMural artist
SpouseJune Budd
Children3

Budd was born in Fulham,[4] London, and studied at Beckenham School of Art from 1941 to 1944, then at the Royal College of Art from 1947 to 1950.[1] He first worked for the firm of William Mitchell & Partners of Forest Hill, London which produced public art in concrete.[4]

He was made an Associate of the Royal College of Art in 1950.[1] Budd was elected the Master of the Art Workers' Guild in 1992.[5]

Oliver Budd

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Later in his career, Budd worked with his son Oliver,[6] who continues to make murals and has redone some of his father's work.[7] In January 2015 Oliver Budd appeared in Episode 2 of the BBC mini-series Sacred Wonders of Britain discussing the Roman mosaics of Lullingstone Roman Villa.[8]

Works

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Budd's works include:

Work Location Date Picture Coordinates
(With links to map and aerial photo sources)
Notes
Kettering Abstract Tresham Institute (formerly Kettering Boys' School), Kettering 1962 (1962) Removed for safekeeping by Kettering Civic Society.[9][10] The mosaic has been recreated in the Alfred East Gallery in Kettering but the gallery is closed to the public during renovations.[11]
Civil War mural Colmore Circus, Birmingham 1964 (1964) 52°28′59″N 1°53′47″W / 52.48300°N 1.89634°W / 52.48300; -1.89634 (approx.) Mosaic[3] depicting the English Civil War; destroyed.
Horsefair 1908 Holloway Head, Birmingham 1967 (1967)   52°28′29″N 1°54′03″W / 52.47478°N 1.90070°W / 52.47478; -1.90070 Mosaic mural[1] The animals on plinths are part of a separate, later, artwork.
Old Square Old Square, Birmingham, Birmingham 1967 (1967)   52°28′56″N 1°53′42″W / 52.48231°N 1.89500°W / 52.48231; -1.89500 Fibreglass mural. Commissioned by the Public Works Department of Birmingham City Council. Unveiled on 21 April 1967 by Alderman C.V. Simpson, chairman of the Public Works Department.[12] Depicts the history of the square.[1][13]
J. F. Kennedy Memorial Deritend, Birmingham 1968 (1968)   52°28′30″N 1°53′11″W / 52.474950°N 1.886312°W / 52.474950; -1.886312 Mosaic mural;[1][2] destroyed 2007; recreated by Oliver Budd from original drawings, 2012[7] Image shows the near complete recreation, on 15 January 2013
History of Snow Hill Snow Hill, Birmingham 1968 (1968)   52°29′07″N 1°53′58″W / 52.48523°N 1.89934°W / 52.48523; -1.89934 Mosaic mural[1] depicting Snow Hill railway station; destroyed 2007. A miniature version has been created nearby.
Old Green Murals Old Green Interchange, Newport, Gwent 1971 (1971)   51°35′25″N 2°59′42″W / 51.59026°N 2.99497°W / 51.59026; -2.99497 Mosaic mural completed 1975
Chartist Mural John Frost Square, Newport, Gwent 1978 (1978)   51°35′13″N 2°59′39″W / 51.58689°N 2.99419°W / 51.58689; -2.99419 Mosaic mural;[14] destroyed 3 October 2013; a recreation was considered.[14] Image shows a section of the work.
Industrial mural Colmore Circus, Birmingham Destroyed
Coat of arms Foyer, Guy's Tower, Guy's Hospital, London[1][15] 51°30′16″N 0°05′12″W / 51.50444°N 0.08667°W / 51.50444; -0.08667 (approx.) Mosaic mural[1]
Local Life 1890–1910 underpass under A467, Abertillery, Gwent[1][16]   51°43′48″N 3°08′15″W / 51.73011°N 3.13759°W / 51.73011; -3.13759 Commissioned by Gwent County Council

Further reading

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  • Budd, Oliver (10 September 2007). Budd Mosaics. Budd Books. ISBN 978-0955653308.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Noszlopy, George T. (24 April 1998). Public Sculpture of Birmingham. Jeremy Beach (ed.) (Ill ed.). Liverpool University Press. ISBN 0853236925.
  2. ^ a b "KENNEDY MOSAIC MURAL". British Pathé. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  3. ^ a b Chinn, Carl (25 February 2012). "Mural man Budd a master craftsman". Birmingham Mail. Archived from the original on 5 November 2013. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
  4. ^ a b Upton, Chris (15 March 2008). "Artist who planted flowers in a concrete desert". The Birmingham Post.[dead link]
  5. ^ Past Master List (PDF). Art Workers' Guild.
  6. ^ Nick Dermody (13 March 2012). "Newport Chartist mural artwork faces demolition". BBC News. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
  7. ^ a b Bradley, Steve (11 January 2013). "New row over adding face of ex-Lord Mayor Mike Nangle to Birmingham JFK mosaic - Birmingham Mail". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  8. ^ "BBC Two - Sacred Wonders of Britain, Episode 2". BBC. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  9. ^ "A Mosaic Mural under threat". Kettering Civic Society. Archived from the original on 28 December 2012. Retrieved 4 November 2013.
  10. ^ "The Kettering Mosaic under threat". Kettering Civic Society. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  11. ^ "Kettering mosaic: Artist recreates scale version of father's mural". BBC News. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  12. ^ "How city went from Budd to new bloom". Birmingham Mail. 7 April 2012. Archived from the original on 5 November 2013. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
  13. ^ George Thomas Noszlopy (1998). Public Sculpture of Birmingham. pp. 45–46. ISBN 0-85323-692-5.
  14. ^ a b Crockett, Natalie (22 March 2012). "Chartist mural to be re-created in library (From South Wales Argus)". South Wales Argus. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
  15. ^ "Mural master Budd brightened 60s city". Birmingham Mail. 18 February 2012. Archived from the original on 5 November 2013. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
  16. ^ "Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council - Abertillery Heritage Trail". Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council. Archived from the original on 13 January 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
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