Street art accidentally washed away is to be replaced with new work

David Owens

A Cardiff street art project which saw several of its artworks accidentally washed away has revealed they are to be replaced with new work.

Three weeks ago the creatives behind the project were devastated to discover that artwork created by several artists had been removed from pillars in the city centre without their knowledge.

The pilot street art project titled ‘PWSH’ has transformed the look of the city centre in recent months thanks to some brilliantly colourful artwork.

Cardiff Indoor Market, Mill Lane, Metros nightclub and St David’s Centre are some of the locations to have experienced eye-catching makeovers.

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However, a collection of beautiful street artworks by artists Beth Blandford, Amber Forde and Temeka Davies, adorning pillars at the back of the back of the former Debenhams store on St David’s Walk were washed away in what has been described as a “devastating error”.

Commissioned by FOR Cardiff and realised by a group of creatives, the PWSH project aims to produce joyful, playful, and colourful pockets of artwork to ultimately form a mural trail in the city centre.

The situation surrounding the removal of the artworks was clarified in a statement by FOR Cardiff, who said the washing of the artwork “was an honest mistake but unfortunately, not a mistake that can be rectified.”

“We were made aware that due to a devastating error involving our cleansing contractor, the beautiful artworks on the pillars in the area around the former Debenhams had been removed,” said FOR Cardiff’s associate director Carolyn Brownell.

Heartfelt apologies

Now, PWSH has revealed that new artwork is to be created in the city centre as recompense for the previous street art being washed away.

A statement issued by the project read: “As you will all remember, three weeks ago – a devastating accidental error occurred when the PWSH artworks created by artists Beth Blandford, Amber Forde and Temeka Davies were removed from the columns in the city centre.

“Since then, our founder and creative director Rachel Kinchin has been in conversations with Beth, Amber and Temeka and with FOR Cardiff and we have agreed that FOR Cardiff will fully fund the artists to create three new pieces of art in new locations in Cardiff city centre in spring 2022.”

Adrian Field of FOR Cardiff said: “FOR Cardiff want to again send their heartfelt apologies to the enormously talented Beth, Amber and Temeka but are looking forward to once again seeing more of their beautiful creations in the city centre.”

Rachel Kinchin, PWSH creative director, added: “As well as this new funding commitment we have received from FOR Cardiff to work with Temeka, Amber and Beth for them to create new artwork in a safer space, we are continuing to seek further funding to expand PWSH to more corners of the city, to work with more artists and to reach more people.

“I’d like to send my love to the artists for the way in which they have dealt with this challenge, and extend thanks from all of us to everyone who has reached out to send us messages of hope and support. We all continue to be optimistic and excited about the future of public art in Cardiff.”

Find out more about PWSH HERE