Gromit Unleashed
The logo for the trail
ArtistVarious designers
Year2013 (2013)
MediumDecorated fibreglass statues
SubjectGromit
LocationBristol, London
OwnerWallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal and Aardman Animations
Followed byShaun in the City
Websitegromitunleashed.org.uk

Gromit Unleashed was a public charity art trail led by Wallace & Gromit's Grand Appeal and Aardman Animations, in which 80 giant artist-decorated fibreglass sculptures of Gromit were displayed on the streets of Bristol and the surrounding area between 1 July and 8 September 2013.[1] At the end of the art trail, the sculptures were auctioned to raise funds for Wallace & Gromit's Grand Appeal, the Bristol Children's Hospital Charity.[2] The Grand Appeal pledged to raise £3.5 million for state-of-the-art equipment for Bristol Children's Hospital, including an intraoperative MRI scanner, family facilities and child-friendly artwork to help save the lives of sick children at the hospital. All funds raised by Gromit Unleashed contributed towards this.[1] The project follows the concept of the "Land in Sicht", the original Swiss project by artistic director Walter Knapp which inspired the subsequent worldwide exhibition "CowParade"[3][4] and similar exhibitions in other cities, including Wow! Gorillas which took place in Bristol in 2011.[5] To date Gromit Unleashed has raised over £5 million for Bristol Children's Hospital.

Background

Gromit

People in Wallace (right) and Gromit (left) costumes, raising money for the charity

Gromit is a dog belonging to an eccentric inventor, Wallace, in a series of claymation films produced by Aardman Animations, based in Spike Island, Bristol. Three of the films in the Wallace and Gromit film series have won Academy Awards: The Wrong Trousers,[6] A Close Shave[7] and Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.[8]

Wallace and Gromit's Grand Appeal

The aim of Gromit Unleashed was to fundraise for Wallace and Gromit's Grand Appeal. Founded in 1995, the charity raises funds for paediatric medical equipment at the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children and St. Michael's Hospital. In collaboration with Aardman, it uses the characters Wallace and Gromit as mascots for the charity.[9]

Funds were raised through the sale of trail maps, merchandise, and Detect-o-Gromit, a smartphone app, aimed at helping users find the Gromit sculptures, costing 69p per download.[10] On the first week, Detect-o-Gromit reached #1 on the Entertainment chart and #2 on the Paid chart on Apple's App Store.[10]

Sculptures

Creation

A Gromit statue prior to decoration. These undecorated statues were distributed to celebrities and artists to freely design.

In the months prior to the trail, 79 blank fibreglass statues measuring 5 feet (1.5 m)[11] in height were distributed to designers and celebrities selected by Nick Park. Each recipient was free to design their statue as they wished, producing a vast array of designs.[11] Some of the statues were publicly painted by their designers in the Galleries shopping centre.[12] Each statue was then transported to an undisclosed warehouse in Bristol to be treated with a lacquer[12] and erected onto a concrete plinth. Nick Park's own sculpture, Newshound, is the only sculpture which feature Wallace, alongside his trusty canine sidekick Gromit.

On 1 July 2013, the statues were distributed around Bristol and tourist attractions in the Greater Bristol area. One was also placed at London Paddington station,[13][14] but was moved to the Gromit Unleashed HQ for the final week of the exhibition.[15] Sculptures were decorated by a range of artists and celebrities, including Joanna Lumley, Sir Peter Blake, Trevor Baylis and Jools Holland.[16] The Royal Mint and mosaic artist Stephanie Roberts created a special Royal Mint Gromit, decorated with coins.[17] US Animation studio Pixar contributed Gromit Lightyear, based on their character Buzz Lightyear.[18] The sculptures were auctioned in October to raise funds for Bristol Children's Hospital.[19]

In addition a number of smaller Gromit sculptures were distributed to schools and community groups to decorate.[20] Bristol tourism staff have estimated that Gromit Unleashed could bring as much as £58 million to the city during the two-month display, with many visitors expected from the United States and Japan, where Wallace and Gromit are popular. The local media reported on the use of a new word "Gromiting", being used on social media sites to describe the search for the sculptures.[2]

Vandalism

An empty plinth while Poetry in Motion was being repaired.

Due to the openness of the outdoor sculptures in the trail, they were vulnerable to vandalism. In total, five sculptures were vandalised during the exhibition:

  • Poetry in Motion by Joanna Lumley was removed before the first day of the trail on 28 June, after vandals ripped off its tail.[21][22] It was restored and replaced back on 17 July.[23]
  • Carosello by Giuliano Carapia was ripped from its plinth two days into the trail (3 July).[16] It was restored and replaced back on 11 July, to applause from bystanders.[24]
  • Groscar by Chris Taylor had its ear ripped off on the night of 17 August.[25] It was restored and replaced back on 28 August.[26]
  • Bark at Ee by Leigh Flurry and Patch by Emily Golden were also damaged during the trail.[26]

Auction

The "Bark at 'Ee" sculpture, which £20,000 to David Clarke, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Bristol University.[27] It is permanently situated in the Wills Memorial Building, alongside a charity donation box for the Grand Appeal.

After the trail had finished, all of the Gromit statues were collected and displayed together at a marquee at The Mall, Cribbs Causeway, which attracted more than 25,000 visitors.[20]

On 3 October 2013 the 81 statues, alongside 11 smaller statues, were auctioned off at a special event hosted by Sotheby's auctioneer and TV presenter Tim Wonnacott at the marquee.[28] Wonnacott was paid to host the auction, to some criticism, as it was a charitable event.[29] The pressure group Fathers 4 Justice were reportedly banned from bidding on one statue, Hero, over claims that it would use the statue for publicising their campaign if they won it.[30]

The pre-auction estimate for the grand total was £1 million; this was exceeded after the 39th statue was sold.[31] Every statue also exceeded the reserve price of £10,000.[31] The Gromit which attracted the highest bid was Gromit Lightyear, designed by Disney Pixar and based on the Toy Story character Buzz Lightyear which sold for £65,000.[32] The grand total raised from the sale of the sculptures was £2,357,000.[28][33]

Impact and legacy

The sale of the Gromit statues, app downloads and merchandise initially raised £2.3million for Wallace and Gromit's Grand Appeal.[28][34] The money was spent on lifesaving medical equipment and products to enhance patient comfort at the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, during its planned expansion. An intraoperative MRI scanner was bought for the hospital using the funds, which the hospital previously did not have.[28]

Gromit Unleashed's financial success led organisers to plan a sequel almost immediately after the trail finished. David Sproxton, the chair of Aardman Animations, suggested that a trail involving Shaun the Sheep, another Wallace and Gromit character, could be "rolled out nationally... or even internationally".[35] This idea developed into the Shaun in the City sculpture trail, which was held in Bristol in the summer of 2015.[36] A sequel, Gromit Unleashed 2 was unleashed 2018 which features sculpture statues of Gromit, Wallace on a life-size bench, and Feathers McGraw. A third Gromit Unleashed trail has been announced for 2025.[37]

List of Gromit sculptures

All information is taken from the Gromit Unleashed website.[38]
NameOriginal Trail LocationDesignerSale price
A Close ShaveBristol Tourist Information CentreHarry Hill£24,000
A Grand Day OutTemple Quarter Enterprise ZoneAndy O'Rourke£24,000
A Mandrill's Best FriendBristol ZooVivi Cuevas£18,000
aMazing GromitCheddar Gorge, SomersetTom Berry£24,000
Antique RoseThe Mall at Cribbs CausewayCath Kidston£30,000
Astro DogMillennium SquareIgnition DG Ltd£21,000
Bark at EeQueen SquareLeigh Flurry£20,000
Being Gromit MalkovichSS Great BritainThomas Dowdeswell£21,000
Blazing SaddlesDoubleTree by Hilton, Bristol City CentreCarys Ink£21,000
BlossomThe DownsEmily Ketteringham£24,000
Bristol BulldogBristol AirportDan Shearn£26,000
Bumble BoogieColston HallJools Holland£20,000
BuntySt Mary RedcliffePaula Bowles£31,000
BushedRoyal West of England AcademyDavid Inshaw£24,000
ButterflyBristol Old VicPhilip Treacy£20,000
Canis MajorHotel du Vin, BristolKaty Christianson£26,000
CaroselloSpyglass, Welsh BackGiuliano Carapia£16,000
CollarfullCastle ParkHannah Cumming£22,000
Creature ComfortsRiverside Garden Centre, Clift House RoadSneaky Raccoon£19,000
Dog RoseWhiteladies RoadRos Franklin£20,000
DoodlesCabot CircusSimon Tofield£34,000
EldoradogWestonbirt Arboretum, GloucestershireSeb Burnett£28,000
FeathersGloucester RoadDave Bain£25,000
FiestaAvon Gorge Hotel, CliftonLindsay McBirnie£28,000
Fish TalesBlue Reef AquariumJeremy Wade£20,000
Five a Day DogHenleaze Road, HenleazeLaura Cramer£22,000
GizmoArt of Gromit Unleashed Shop, Upper Maudlin StreetQuentin Blake£32,000
Gnashional GromitBristol Marriott City Centre hotelThe Beano£28,000
Golden GromitVictoria RoomsJulie Vernon£30,000
Grant's GromitAshton CourtRosie Ashforth£36,000
The Green GromitThe Mall at Cribbs CausewayZayn Malik£26,000
Grom Voyage![39]The Greatest Dog Show on Earth, Bristol[40]Vivi Cuevas£20,000
GromberryThe Pump House, HotwellsSimon Tozer£32,000
GromitLondon Paddington stationAardman Animations£35,000
Gromit LightyearShowcase Cinema de Lux, Cabot CircusPixar£65,000
Gromit-o-MaticBrunel Mile, BristolDonough O'Malley£26,000
GromitasaurusThe GalleriesHuncan Daskell£24,000
The GrommaloBristol Central LibraryAxel Scheffler£26,000
GroscarThunderbolt Square, BristolChris Taylor£28,000
GrosmosHarvey Nichols, Cabot CircusCheba£28,000
GrrrrromitWindmill Hill City FarmCarys Ink£26,000
HarmonyThe Beaufort Arms, Hawkesbury UptonMarie Simpson£23,000
HeroSubway, Bristol city centreTom Deams£26,000
Hound DogArnolfiniPeter Blake£28,000
HullaballoonArnos Vale CemeteryMonster Riot£26,000
Isambark Kingdog BrunelBristol Temple Meads railway stationTim Miness£36,000
It's Kraken, Gromit!The Downs, BristolFilthy Luker£18,000
JackHargreaves Lansdown, Anchor RoadMartin Band£36,000
The KingKing StreetStephen McKay£25,000
LancelotQuakers FriarsPaul Smith£22,000
LodekkaLawrence Hill RoundaboutIgnition DG Ltd£28,000
MalagoBroadmeadDan Collings£24,000
May Contain Nuts (& Bolts)Inside Bristol Temple Meads railway stationNatalie Guy£30,000
National TreasureM ShedRoyal Mint£28,000
NewFoundLandThe Matthew, Bristol HarbourOne Red Shoe£30,000
NewshoundBristol Museum & Art GalleryNick Park£50,000
NezahualcoyotlStanfords, Corn StreetJoseph Dunmore£20,000
Oops a DaisyTyntesfield, WraxallDiarmuid Gavin£22,000
PaisleyNorth Street, BedminsterNia Samuel-Johnson£21,000
PatchClifton HillEmily Golden£36,000
Poetry in MotionCollege GreenJoanna Lumley£35,000
PoochadelicCounty Cricket Ground, BristolLisa Hassell£25,000
RogerTop to Bottom Ltd, Staple HillRichard Williams£29,000
Salty Sea DogThe Cascade Steps, Bristol city centrePeter Lord£32,000
The Secret GardenLye Cross Farm, Redhill, SomersetSarah Jane Grace£44,000
SheepdogThe Mall Gardens, CliftonRichard Starzak£23,000
Ship Shape & Bristol FashionSion HillSarah Matthews£26,000
Sir Gromit of BristolSt George's BristolIan Marlow£28,000
Snow GromitJunction 3 Library, Baptist MillsRaymond Briggs£32,000
Stat's the Way to Do It, LadAardman AnimationsGavin Strange£29,000
Steam DogWe The Curious[Note 1]Dan Shearn£26,000
Sugar PlumRedgrave TheatreCelia Birtwell£22,000
TutanGromit IBristol Museum & Art GalleryDale Evans£24,000
Two Eds are Better than OneWoodlands Lane, Bradley StokePeter Brookes£23,000
Vincent van GromitElton Road, University of BristolLaura Cramer£25,000
Watch Out Gromit!M ShedGerald Scarfe£50,000
What a Wind UpRedcliffe StreetTrevor Baylis£25,000
Where's WallaceMarriott Royal hotel, BristolMartin Handford£30,000
Why Dog? Why?St Nicholas MarketMark Titchner£18,000
The Wild WestCribbs Causeway Retail ParkAmy Timms£22,000
ZodiacArnolfiniInkie£24,000

See also

Notes

  1. We The Curious was called At-Bristol at the time of the Gromit Unleashed trail.

References

  1. 1 2 Koch, Emily (17 June 2013). "Gromit Unleashed: Everything you need to know". Bristol Post. Archived from the original on 23 July 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  2. 1 2 Mathias, Vicki; Beard, George (10 July 2013). "Gromit Unleashed: Now we're all going "Gromiting"". This is Bristol. Archived from the original on 15 July 2013. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  3. "CowParade 2008 in Madrid". Aktuelle (in German). September 2008. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  4. "CowParade 2012". Belfast City Council. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  5. "Bristol Zoo gorilla statues raise £427,000 for charity". Bristol: BBC News. 30 September 2011. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  6. "The 66th academy Awards (1994) Nominees and winners". The academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 21 March 1994. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  7. "The 68th Academy Awards (1996) Nominees and Winners". The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 25 March 1996. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  8. "The 78th Academy Awards (2006) Nominees and Winners". The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 5 March 2006. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  9. "About Us". Wallace and Gromit's Grand Appeal. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  10. 1 2 "Thousands Visit Gromit Unleashed in First Month". Heart Radio. 1 August 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  11. 1 2 "Gromit sculptures to be unleashed on Bristol". ITV News West Country. 15 November 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  12. 1 2 Eames, Tamsin (19 April 2013). "First glimpse at famous Gromit unleashed designs". ITV News West Country. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  13. Kay, John (28 June 2013). "Walkies! Designer Gromits unleashed". Bristol: BBC News. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  14. "Burges Salmon lets London Gromit off the leash". Burgess Salmon. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  15. "Paddington Station Gromit comes to Bristol". ITV News. 7 September 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  16. 1 2 "Second giant Gromit sculpture vandalised in Bristol". Bristol: BBC News. 1 July 2013. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  17. Owen, James. "Gromit unleashed – the making of 'The National Treasure'". Official Blog of the Royal Mint. Royal Mint. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  18. Warrens, Sophie (28 June 2013). "Cracking good job, Gromit! Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park unveils sculptures in Bristol". The Independent. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  19. "Giant Gromit sculptures let loose in Bristol for arts trail". Bristol: BBC News. 28 June 2013. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
  20. 1 2 Staff. "Schools". Gromit Unleashed. Gromit Unleashed. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  21. Child, Ben (1 July 2013). "Gromit has bad day out as Aardman animation sculpture vandalised". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  22. "Gromit sculpture decorated by Joanna Lumley vandalised hours after going on display in Bristol". The Independent. 1 July 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  23. "Joanna Lumley Gromit back on display after tail repaired". BBC News. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  24. "Vandalised Gromit repaired and returned to plinth". BBC News. 11 July 2013. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  25. "Third damaged giant Gromit sculpture in Bristol damaged". BBC News. 19 August 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  26. 1 2 "Two more Gromits vandalised in Bristol". ITV News West Country. 23 August 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  27. "Bristol University Gromit given a new home for all to view | Bristol Post". Archived from the original on 21 August 2014. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  28. 1 2 3 4 "GIANT GROMITS RAISE OVER £2.3MILLION FOR BRISTOL CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL". Aardman Animations. 7 October 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  29. Greenwood, Carl (30 September 2015). "Tim Wonnacott SLAMMED for being paid to take a charity auction raising money for sick children". The Mirror. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  30. "F4J banned from bidding for a Gromit". ITV News West Country. 27 July 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  31. 1 2 Payne, Richard (4 October 2013). "Auction winners get their Gromits" (video). ITV News West Country. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
  32. "Gromit statues auction raises £2.3m for Bristol Children's Hospital". BBC News. 4 October 2013.
  33. Morris, Stephen (4 October 2013). "Gromit statue auction raises £2.3m for Bristol hospital". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  34. Lake, Howard (8 August 2014). "How we built the Gromit Unleashed brand". Fundraising.co.uk. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  35. "Gromit Unleashed 'seen by more than one million people'". BBC News. 10 October 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  36. "Shaun the Sheep to star in arts trail". BBC News. 8 August 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  37. "Gromit Unleashed 2025". The Grand Appeal. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  38. "The Gromits". Gromit Unleashed. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  39. "Gromit Unleashed, Lot 71". i-bidder. Retrieved 8 October 2013.
  40. "Gromit fans meet the 81st statue". ITV. 19 September 2013. Retrieved 8 October 2013.

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