A PIECE of lockdown-inspired street art is now on display elsewhere after being removed from a building.
Newport artist Antony Smith, also known as Consumersmith, created a street art style memorial – called May Love Be What You Remember Most - to serve as a memorial for the coronavirus pandemic.
Consumersmith said: “This piece of art stood as a memorial for life lost in recent times including the elderly and vulnerable.
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“It also stood for the isolated people, the lonely people, the widows, the people in care unable to have visitors during this global chaos.”
The artist put the artwork up on the boarded-up doorway of what he believed was a derelict building in Newport, but the owners of the building asked him to take it down.
May Love Be What You Remember Most, by Consumersmith, in its original location
“We had no choice but to respect their wishes and remove it,” said Consumersmith.
“It’s a shame as I thought the positive message of this art would have been a great thing – we shared photos of the work on social media and had a great response, with hundreds of positive messages.”
However, Riverfront Theatre's community arts development officer, Sally-Anne Evans, saw what had happened on social media and got in touch offering to install and display the piece behind the glass at the front of the theatre.
Ms Evans said: “Seeing as the Riverfront still can’t open, but has windows to exhibit work, it was good to be able to offer the space.
“Consumersmith’s work is always powerful and this one, in my opinion, speaks to us all at the minute.
“We would be happy to offer our space to others who would like to exhibit work based on a similar theme, maybe even using his work as inspiration.”
May Love Be What You Remember Most, by Consumersmith, is now on display at Riverfront Theatre in Newport.
May Love Be What You Remember Most on display at the Riverfront
Although the theatre is currently unable to open due to lockdown the piece can be viewed from outside.
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