Artist Draws Council HQ Based On Staff’s Impressions

An artist will immortalise council headquarters as part of an upcoming exhibition and publication of council buildings across England and Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Guildhall, the main offices of Wrexham County Borough Council, will be the subject of a soon-to-be-unveiled piece of art by London-based artist Niloufar Bakhshalian. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Ms Bakhshalian works with Martin Reddington Associates (MRA) Ltd, which is aiming to put together a collection of paintings of town halls and landmark buildings within local authorities across England and Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Last year, Wrexham Council worked with MRA to put together an employee survey, and the painting was commissioned as a visual method of illustrating employees’ thoughts of the council headquarters and its merits as a workplace. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

When the painting is complete and the results of the survey are published, it will be loaned to Wrexham Council for display in the Guildhall. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Niloufar visited the Guildhall in the winter and interviewed staff, asking them about their impressions of the building and putting together the information and images required so she could represent it. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Niloufar is now working on a painting of the council’s headquarters, and it will be her first work featuring a Welsh authority. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

She said: “The buildings represented in art form provide a means by which to explore pictorially the people, the culture, the challenges and the level of progress made over the years, because it is the location at which employees are physically gathered on a daily basis.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Regarding her work at the Guildhall, she said: “The building was quite modern and it conveyed a sense of togetherness. “The lawn stood out as very scenic and when I was introduced to the history and traditional aspects of it, it appealed to me even more. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I was pleased to see that the officers spoke very passionately about working at the Guildhall. I always enjoy speaking to employees about their experiences and thoughts on the work environment, as it brings to life the building I am looking to paint. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The main thing that stood out to me was the emphasis on the people as an important aspect of the Council. I was introduced to the culture of holding wedding ceremonies and registrations for births in the building.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Upon completion, the artwork will be loaned to Wrexham Council and displayed at the Guildhall. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Mark Pritchard, Leader of the Council, said: “We’re very pleased to be the first Welsh authority to be represented in this artistic project, and we look forward to displaying the finished artwork at the Guildhall in due course.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​