The Cambridgeshire artist who designed the Birmingham bull has died

Laurence Broderick, the sculptor behind Birmingham’s most iconic piece of public art, has died. The Cambridgeshire artist, who designed and created the giant bull that stands at the entrance to the Bullring Shopping Centre, died on Thursday, April 18, aged 88.

Broderick won a competition to create the six-ton ​​bronze statue, which is adored by locals and tourists alike. The statue was unveiled when the mall opened its doors on September 4, 2003.

The Bristol-born artist, who has lived and had his studio in Waresley, Cambridgeshire for sixty years, was one of four contestants to create the artwork, which has become as symbolic of the town as the retail center neighbor.

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Bullring developers Hammerson encouraged Broderick to enter the competition as they were fans of his work such as Leaping Salmon at Chester Business Park. His son Graeham said his father’s style was to give his animal sculptures a sense of movement.

After winning the competition, Broderick stated that he did not want to be paid to make the sculpture. Instead, he asked for permission to produce “editions”, smaller versions of the design that he could sell, Birmingham Live reports.

He invested all the commission money, £100,000, in the bronze bull known as The Guardian, making it as large as possible. The project cost £130,000. However, the bull at the Arena serves as an excellent showcase of his talents.

In a 2015 interview with Birmingham LiveLaurence recounted his experience of creating the iconic Bullring, saying: “The developers of the Bullring told me that the bull would become very, very famous. to make sure he will be a fantastic bull. The idea was to make it special – strong and powerful, everything Birmingham is.”

To ensure the authenticity of his work, Laurence carried out research by visiting local farms around his home in Waresley in Cambridgeshire. He shared, “I asked the farmers what makes the bulls look strong and they said it was the shoulders.”

However, capturing the essence of power was not simple. Laurence observed: “But every time I went to see one, they always seemed very static – apart from the young bulls that kept coming up to the fence and licking my pillow – so I had to work on a more interesting position for one in sculpture’.

The creative process involved meticulous planning. He drew 14 versions of the bull, selected one, made a small model and then a half-metre replica in plaster, which was enlarged to make the twice life-size bull we see in Birmingham today. It has been called one of the most popular pieces of public art in the world.

Laurence’s family also shared a connection to sculpture. His son Graeham revealed: “As a family a bunch of us used to sit around the bull and listen to people talk about it.”

Graeham recalled the pride his father felt, adding: “My dad loved it. I think it was the biggest compliment to hear the comments. I remember many years ago someone scratched their initials into it.

“The people of Birmingham were furious with the person who did it. Whether it’s a group of guys drinking or little kids, as opposed to modern art that people like or don’t like, when we’re there with the bull men. he didn’t say anything bad about it.”

Laurence was born on 18 June 1935 in Bristol to parents Jack and Cynthia. An asthmatic in his early years, he was sent to Bembridge Boarding School on the Isle of Wight for better air, which it was hoped would improve his condition.

Art was something Laurence was drawn to since childhood. Regent Street Polytechnic in London became his artistic home from 1952 to 1957, where he took up painting, illustration and sculpture. He later continued his studies at the Hammersmith School of Art (1964-65).

His journey as an established artist began with roles at the BBC illustrating historical and educational contexts, along with freelance work for numerous books. He has carved a niche for himself, particularly in pen and ink drawing.

Seeking affordable residential options, he settled in the small village of Waresley in Cambridgeshire and lived there for sixty years.

From 1959 he shared his love of art with students as a teacher at Haberdashers’ Aske’s School in Cricklewood, moving to Elstree when the school moved in 1961. By 1965 he had taken on the role of Art Director at the school . , holding the position until 1981.

Among his students were future Formula 1 world champion Damon Hill and renowned set designer Jonathan Green. He was adored as a teacher, with many old students keeping in touch and even attending his exhibits.

However, in 1978, when he carved an otter from stone on the Isle of Skye, the trajectory of his career changed, leading to fame and ultimately the creation of Birmingham’s iconic bull statue.

Returning to Skye in 1980, he held a six-week exhibition in which his sculptures sold for an amount equal to his annual teaching salary. Consequently, he retired from education to become a full-time artist.

“He was incredibly passionate about sculpture,” his son said. “He didn’t think it worked. Whether he made money from it was irrelevant.”

Today, there are more than 3,000 of his sculptures globally. He rose to fame in his fifties and in a second career phase, his love of otters also saw him become joint chairman of the International Otter Survival Fund.

Graham, 58, said the outpouring of tributes for his father had been “absolutely incredible”. He expressed, “It was really known for endangered wildlife species. He was talented in so many areas as an illustrator for the BBC and in children’s books, pictures, paintings, pen and ink drawings.

“And busts and portraits of people he did about 100 in his lifetime. It was a real talent of his, he was offered a job at Madame Tussauds in London because his sculptures were so realistic.

“As children we were very excited. But I was living in the countryside at the time in Waresley and it wasn’t what he wanted. He was a teacher for over 20 years and head of department and I got so many tributes from people. taught.

“They were inspired by him. My father had told his students, “You don’t have to be a painter or a sculptor, you have to be creative.”

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Outside of art, Laurence met East German Ingrid Christa Bohne in 1959 while working as a nanny in London. They married in 1963 and had three sons. Ingrid developed Alzheimer’s in 2016 and her youngest son, Oliver, died in 2019 at the age of 46, having had multiple health problems since birth.

Those events had a “devastating effect” on his life, Graeham said. He visited Ingrid in a nursing home as often as possible. He also enjoyed spending time with his other two sons and four grandchildren.

Graham said: “We’ve been very close as a family over the last couple of years. Dad was an incredibly positive happy person. He made friends wherever he went.”

Although unable to sculpt in recent years, Laurence continued to draw “prolifically”. But it is the Arena bull that Brummies and the world will remember him for.