Signs of the Times

Signs of the Times is a public art commission for the new Darley Street Market in the heart of Bradford. Working in collaboration with Bradford Council, internationally acclaimed, award-winning artist Bernd Trasberger who has exhibited in various countries including Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Aruba and the USA, will create new sculptures from original features from the Kirkgate Centre.

Within the internal architecture of the Kirkgate Centre is a sculptural ceramic wall cladding manufactured by the Transform Ceramic Company, founded in Snitterfield in the 1960's by German artist Fritz Steller. Bernd has already repurposed the Transform tiles which can be seen in Darley St Market’s beautiful courtyard. A final sculpture will also be created using original signage from the Kirkgate Centre to keep the heritage of our markets and city alive.

Supporting the project is local events and fabrication company, Raven Staging.

Bernd Trasberger is a German artist mainly concerned with architecture, public space and the design of urban places. His engagement with this often requires intensive, long-term research with a sociological, architectural-historical or political background. Sustainability and the re-use and re-contextualisation of architectural fragments in a sculptural way is central to his artistic practice.

Bernd deals with the transformation of urban space. The utopias of post-war modernism form an important reference point in his work. By appropriating and recycling architectural fragments and relocating them, Trasberger examines the value we place on this disappearing habitat and the legacy of modernism and the place it occupies today.

Darley Street Market is a new market opening in the heart of Bradford City Centre in 2024, a state-of-the-art venue for shopping, socialising and culture. Alongside independent traders the markets square will host music, arts, culture and entertainment for all ages. With the opening of the new Darley Street Market Bradford’s current market in the Kirkgate Centre will close and await demolition. Kirkgate Centre was built in 1976, at which point the site had had already been home to a market for 100 years.

Like much post-war architecture, Bradford’s Kirkgate Centre holds a prominent place in the collective memory of the city’s people. This commission will work with artist Bernd Trasberger to creatively develop the civic architecture of the new market while drawing reference to the city’s historic markets.

This is a key moment of transition for Bradford with many regeneration projects taking place around the city which will transform its landscape in time for its year as City of Culture in 2025. While we look ahead to the future we also recognise the importance of celebrating our past and integrating it into the present.

Cllr Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Healthy People and Places said: “While we look ahead to the future we also recognise the importance of celebrating our past and integrating it into the present.

“These new pieces of art will directly repurpose original features of the previous market, encouraging people to reflect on their memories of living in Bradford, while also looking forward to the future and the opportunities that lie ahead.”

The funding for the commission has been made up with contributions from Henry Moore Foundation (£5k), Bradford 2025 (£20k) and Bradford Council (£20k).

For more information, please see Bernd Trasberger and Raven Staging.