A 3D bee, inspired by Manchester’s industrial heritage, is being sponsored by Far East Consortium (FEC), developers of MeadowSide, the £200m residential development of 756 new homes for sale across four buildings, bordering Angel Meadow Park, one of the city’s largest open green spaces.
Named Cottonopolis, the 1.5 metres high, 3D bee construction, is being designed and painted by York-based artist, Leah Pendleton, who has drawn inspiration from Manchester’s role in the industrial revolution as home to fabric production.
Leah’s design features spools of bold, coloured thread reflecting the vibrancy of the city weaved together against a black background alluding to the dark, smoky skies that hung over Manchester in its cotton producing heyday.
The bee, which is currently being created in an art studio in Mayfield Depot in central Manchester, will be unveiled when it is moved to Angel Meadow, which was at the heart of the cotton producing district and housed many of the industries’ workers, on 17 July.
It will join over 100 other Bees on a spectacular public art trail taking place across Manchester this summer, presented by Wild In Art and Manchester City Council. Each Bee has been designed by a different artist and celebrates the unique buzz of Manchester, from its industrial heritage to its vibrant music scene. The art trail is raising money for The Lord Mayor’s We Love MCR Charity when all the bees are auctioned in October this year.
To reward visitors to the bee, FEC has joined forces with Cottonopolis Food and Liquor, the popular bar and restaurant on Newton Street in the city’s Northern Quarter, to offer a honey-inspired dessert. The Milk and Honey Sundae will be free to the first five visitors each day who unlock the reward on their Bee in the City app when they visit the Cottonopolis bee located at Angel Meadow. Made from honey, condensed milk ice cream, yuzu, caramelised chocolate, peanuts and honeycomb and served in a honey pot with a stick covered in honey by its side, the irresistible dessert will also be available at Cottonopolis for £6 per serving during the course of Bee in the City project and £1 will be donated to the charity for each sundae served.
Andrew Bradley Nixon, Senior Sales and Marketing Manager for MeadowSide, said: “FEC is participating in what is the biggest art trail the city has ever seen and it will really put our MeadowSide development at Angel Meadow on the map. We offer a rare green space in the city centre and our bee will take pride of place at the entrance to the park where visitors can come and take a stroll or relax in the verdant surroundings.”
