ity going on,” she said. “I just didn’t know what form it was taking. I don’t think anybody did.”
It wasn’t until after Gittins’ death that his flat, which he had painstakingly crafted over the course of 30 years, was discovered to be an extraordinary palace of outsider art. Comprising brightly coloured historical murals, handmade costumes, and fireplaces sculpted into a minotaur, a lion’s head, and a Roman altar, the flat is unlike any other.
Previously set to have its interiors stripped, Ron’s Place was saved thanks to the efforts of campaigners who successfully bought the entire house it is situated in in Wirral. The effort paid off, as the flat has now been granted Grade II-listed status, marking it as the UK’s first nationally listed example of outsider art.
For those who have had the chance to experience the flat, the listing is a well-deserved honour. Pulp singer Jarvis Cocker, who has visited the site, said it was officially being recognised as special place was cause for global celebration:
“The work of one unique gentleman in the north of England has been recognised nationally. Globally even. Hallelujah!!”
The credit behind Ron’s Place goes to the late Ron Gittins. A complex and unnerving character, Gittins would have been regarded by most as eccentric. His niece, Jan Williams, said that he had always felt like an outsider, and that he believed he was on to something. “He just felt he was on a mission to create,” she said. “He said to my dad once: ‘I will not be ignored’”.
It is clear that Ron’s Place is a space that has earned its place in history. While the fantasy world that Gittins created may not be conventionally great art, that’s not the point – it represents something much more important than artistic validity. For those who saw it, it was a completely unique endeavour that captures the spirit and craft of an outsider artist, making it a space that deserves to be recognised for what it is – a completely original work of art.
Read the full article from The Guardian here: Read More