Whilst doing a recce of Little Germany in Bradford with a fellow guide recently, we stumbled upon a huge artwork up on a wall showing one of Bradford’s famous sons, the artist David Hockney.
Upon investigation I found that this portrait had been made completely out of nails and was completed to celebrate David Hockney’s 80th Birthday in 2018.
It was produced by the Bingley based artist Marcus Levine and took over 15 months to complete.
The work is mounted on a wall at the junction of Chapel Street and Peckover Street, and was revealed back in 2018 by broadcaster and journalist Andy Kershaw. The stunning portrait, which was the world’s first sculpture made out of painted nails, is difficult to miss being 16ft high and 12ft wide.
Around a quarter of a million nails make up the artist’s portrait and were hammered into a base of lacquered marine plywood and fixed onto the wall.
The artwork which cost £42,000 and was funded by Freeman Grattan , Arnold Laver and Arts Council England is well worth a look if you are near Bradford, but if you do its worth a wander around the wider area of Little Germany with its wealth of listed buildings and warehouses which were used widely as warehouses and offices during Bradford’s textile heyday.
You may even spot some locations used in TV series such as playing James Herriots home town of Glasgow in the recent All Creatures Great and Small remake as well as featuring in some episodes of Peaky Blinders.