Ron’s Place - an incredible collection of outsider art - video Dailymotion

Few people were granted the privilege of seeing Ron Gittins’ creations during his lifetime.

Transcript

00:00A hidden gem of outsider art, Ron's place in Birkenhead has been granted grade 2 listing.

00:06The flat's a treasure trove of outsider art, including murals depicting historical scenes,

00:12handcrafted fireplaces in the shape of a roaring lion's head, a minotaur's head and even a Roman bread oven.

00:18Ron died just before the lockdown and his niece discovered, after he died, when she came in,

00:26she discovered this amazing emporium dedicated to Greek, Egyptian and Roman art that her uncle Ron had created.

00:35From intricate murals depicting historical scenes to handcrafted concrete fireplaces,

00:41this home in Birkenhead has an incredible interior and it was all created by one man.

00:45The ground floor flat was rented by Ron Gittens in 1986.

00:49He spent the next three decades creating a visionary environment with limited formal artistic training

00:55he developed his own particular world, articulated both through his flat and through the creation of historic costumes.

01:03Concealed for over 30 years within an unassuming Victoria semi-detached house,

01:08Ron meticulously crafted a striking visionary environment which remained a secret until his death.

01:13A postcard has been found from Ron saying,

01:17I'm really looking forward to showing you the space, but he sent it to the wrong address, so she never got it.

01:24So it actually sort of validates what's happened now that Jan has kind of brought her uncle into the public eye.

01:31Ron's place is closed to visitors for the time being, while restoration gets underway.

01:36After Ron's passing in 2019, concerns were raised, the unique work could be lost when the house was put up for auction.

01:44A campaign to save it was a success.

01:47It's now owned by Wirral Arts and Culture Community Land Trust.

01:51The trust are currently in the process of working with consultants to put together a series of funding bids

01:56to preserve the artwork and develop the house to make it suitable for visitors.

02:00We have two patrons, Martin Wallace, who's a filmmaker, and Jarvis Cocker.

02:05Jarvis and Martin have gone all around the world looking at outside their art spaces,

02:11and they'd never find anything like this in the UK.

02:14To celebrate World Community Land Trust Day on the 16th of May,

02:19Jan Williams and Chris Teasdale from Wirral Arts and Culture Community Land Trust

02:23will be speaking online at an event with cultural development programme, Super Slow Way.

02:29What he created in this rental flat is quite amazing.

02:32You've got four stunning, huge fireplaces, murals on every wall and almost every ceiling.

02:40He's painted the floors.

02:43Yeah, it's quite an amazing place, really.

02:46The incredible collection of artwork in Ron's place is truly astounding.

02:51It is crazy to think that this could have been lost to the world forever.