Bulls In The City - continued...

A running thread over the last few weeks has been the Bulls In The City art trail which has kept me coming back to Birmingham for additional bovine bounty-hunting. Having tracked down many of the specimens in the city centre, attention now turns to some outlying sculptures as stationed in Edgbaston and Harborne...

- Floradorabull -

It's Saturday 30th August 2025 and the trail is nearing its climax, having commenced on 16th July and being scheduled to conclude on 14th September - there's not long left to participate if you haven't already. Once again I'm joining forces with Bullseye Bygrave who is very adept as regards her bull detection skills; as such, Emily reports on a sighting at Birmingham Botanical Gardens where 'Floradorabull' welcomes visitors near the main reception. The strikingly red design here conjures up a sense of a secret garden hideaway populated by magical flowers. 

- A Question from Broderick -

Two more big bulls have made Edgbaston their home so a little stroll along Westbourne Road soon has us admiring 'Broderick' who is sponsored by Birmingham Hospice. Local artist Jess Perrin painted this as a celebration of all things Brum, hence the Alright Bab? greeting and a greedy hand grabbing a bar of Cadbury's Dairy Milk chocolate - Emily assures me this is in no way whatsoever modelled on her! Broderick occupies a prominent spot immediately outside St George's Church, a landmark perched where Westbourne Crescent meets Highfield Road.

- St George's Psalms Board -

Enticed by a sign mentioning that the church is open, we can't resist having a look inside one of Birmingham's lesser-heralded religious gems. It's a beautiful building, having been enlarged and adapted significantly over the Victorian period, evoking a powerful sense of welcome and peace. Being so close to Birmingham City University's City South campus, St George's seeks to offer spiritual support to local students resulting in a multiculturally diverse intergenerational congregation. We chat to the vicar - Father Sam - and one of the church readers, getting a feel for the history of the place with insight into its stained glass and Grade II listed status.  

- Unbe-Leaf-A-Bull -

Emily has a soft spot for Greenfield Crescent, an attractive pedestrianised townhouse arc that forms the beating heart of Edgbaston Village's social scene. Several tempting eateries can be found in the vicinity plus there are regular markets and other such events throughout the year. For our purposes we're pleased to discover 'Unbe-Leaf-A-Bull' in varying shades of dappled green with depictions of many different butterfly species. Trying hard not to get the 90s hit by EMF stuck in my head for the rest of the day, we also seek out 'Barry' the King Edward Five Ways mini school bull as based inside Chapter, one of the aforementioned restaurant-bars.  

- Flora & Forna -

From Edgbaston we relocate to nearby Harborne, parking up on Ethel Road in readiness for a full sweep of the High Street. Setting forth from Metchley Lane corner by the Green Man, we immediately hit the sculptural jackpot courtesy of 'Flora & Forna' - or should that be Fauna? - which takes a folk art approach to representing the natural world. Tulips and sunflowers mean Emily is particularly captivated by this charming design, and we need to keep our eyes peeled for several examples of smaller bulls presented in shop windows as we progress along. One definite stronghold is the Reloved Brum charity shop and community space; 'Billy the Doodle Bull' resides here complete with cartoon nods to goldfish and Thomas the Tank Engine. 

- Mr Crowley -

Given all the recent fanfare about Black Sabbath's farewell concert, it stands to reason that there has to be a Ozzy Osbourne-themed bull somewhere on the trail and 'Mr Crowley' is the said creation. Named after the 1980 song - which in turn referenced the English occultist and ceremonial magician Aleister Crowley - this is an affectionate nod to Birmingham's role as the cradle of heavy metal. Ozzy's portrait takes pride of place alongside brooding eyes, musical imagery with flashes of purple and shocking pink to round off the effect. 

- Let's Get Ready To Brumbull -

The weather forecast is for persistent afternoon rain and there's just a wisp of drizzle in the air when we reach Harborne's Waitrose store, host location for 'Let's Get Ready to Brumbull'. His lightning bolts hopefully aren't a portent of things to come but the emphasis is very much on superhero boldness, Flash being feted as the defender of Brum with sparkling cape to match - he even adopts that customary comic-book trait of wearing his pants over the top of his main costume! For those of us more demurely dressed, it's probably a good idea to get out of the rain, in which case Harborne has a noted selection of charity bookshops (for Miss Bygrave) and rather fine watering holes (for me)...

- Feeling Fierce in the Hop Garden -

Having plundered Oxfam's shelves for literary bargains - where I must confess Emily wasn't the only one making purchases, I'm always on the lookout for any Alton Douglas local history titles - we seek shelter in the Hop Garden, previously known as the Sportsman. The promise of 22 craft beer lines is more than sufficient to pique my curiosity, and the resultant cask pint of Fierce Dark Mild proves bang on the money for mellow notes of chocolatey roastiness. The rain if anything is getting heavier but we dodge the worst of the droplets when pitching into Arco Lounge for super-tasty burger indulgences; an Artsy Party event is being set up called Cocktails & Canvas with miniature easels and the chance to paint while sipping Prosecco, all most intriguing. Our final port of call however is the award winning Pup & Duckling micropub over in Olton, testing our supposed genius knowledge with fiendish Trivial Pursuit. Cheers!

Feeling Bullish with the Chip Foundation

The second stage of my 'Bulls in the City' summertime campaign is a statuesque contribution in the company of Messrs May, Walker and Beardsmore. Here comes Episode 88 of the Chip Foundation Chronicles...

- Mr B with Birmingham Explorer -

The usual evening instructions apply for us to meet beneath Ozzy's gruff Grand Central gaze, hence we all assemble just before 5pm. The cattle crawl can commence immediately thanks to ‘Birmingham Explorer’ as sited on the shopping centre's mezzanine level. Up and down the escalators we go in order to inspect a Philippa and Rachael Corcutt design complete with sunshine head and pale blue body. Smaller details include a bus stop, a playtime scene and a girl in a yellow mac laden with shopping bags, while the familiar locations depicted cover Kings Heath Market, the Bull Ring and Birmingham’s Museum & Art Gallery. 

- JC Beef -

Across the New Street concourse past the station's own Wetherspoons we go, descending the Southside Steps to reveal ‘JC Beef' as a bright yellow excavator-esque bull. This is an imaginative take on the iconic JCB digger featuring orange warning indicator horns plus all kinds of mechanical coils, springs and pistons. Over the road, the former Crown pub has become an impromptu Black Sabbath shrine with the faces of band members emblazoned over the window panels, then we proceed via Hurst Street to meet 'Bull in a China Shop' with its oriental red, yellow and blue patternings in the sunken Arcadian courtyard. The first drinks stop of the day is our old friend the Craven Arms, sampling cider, coke or Cappuccino Stout amidst green leather seating with mirrored backdrops - I always love its vintage Holder's tiles.

- Deliverabull -

Two bulls are to be found somewhere in the vicinity of the Mailbox. ‘Deliverabull’ is a playful postal inspired Royal Mail tribute - think River Rea maps, envelopes, stamps and a postman's cap. We then head down the Inhale Exhale AstroTurf steps to reach ‘Bill Bull Barge’ which carries the feel of old-fashioned narrowboat paintwork on the little pontoon outside the malls. Displaying a nominal barge name of Sweet William plus a neat chocolate box rendition of Dudley Castle, his body is mostly green with a blackened hull and the quintessential floral effects you can see daily out on the Birmingham Canal Navigations.

- Pravha in the Gas Street Social -

 Thoughts now turn to our second watering hole of the evening so I suggest taking a trendy punt on a bar that’s part of the wider Mailbox complex. First impressions are that the Gas Street Social seems very refined but we’re okay to come in just for drinks, in which case make mine a half of Pravha. Nick follows suit and soon declares himself surprisingly partial to this Czech keg Pilsner, although we do note Guinness and Aspalls are on tap dispense from the back wall. Sitting on swivelly high chairs near a curtained-off restaurant section, I supply Ken with my footballing predictions for the fates of the various West Midlands teams during the upcoming season; let's just say I'm not optimistic about Wolves's chances but I reluctantly resist the urge to tip West Bromwich Albion for relegation!

- Canalside Bar -

Two more Gas Street establishments await, starting with the Tap & Spile as a basin mainstay with much to admire. We’ve done this once before, back in 2012 when the narrow depth of the building stood out, but it retains its waterside appeal and general sense of towpath charm. Of the cask contingent, Holden’s Special drinks well (and needs to at £5.50 a pint!) aided by a nourishing cheese and onion cob. Following that, we pitch into the Canalside Cafe when a blackboard mention of real ales provides all the inducement Nick and I require. They don't have many - Proper Job versus Davenports XPA - so we go with the latter as poured (I think) straight from the barrel. Like with the Tap & Spile, we’re in a thin slither of an interior with only just enough space for a hotchpotch of seating while lightbulbs of different colours sparkle in the window. The original waterways cottages were never very big so they cram in what they can here, and the fact it functions as a cafe as much as a bar is apparent from the All Day Breakfast menus. We'd do this one again, maybe in conjunction with the Botanist and the Waterside Tap, a newly-purchased Joules concern which doesn't open on Mondays.

- Bulls-Eye of the Tiger -

Drinking done, we haven't finished with our bullish brief quite yet. Via Black Sabbath Bridge and Brindley Place we gravitate towards Centenary Square to meet a tiger themed bull by the International Convention Centre. ‘Bulls-Eye of the Tiger’ has the classic black and orange stripes and fearsome glare you might expect of a powerful cat, allied to the bulls muscular frame for a very striking, instantly recognisable creation. Darkness is descending and our resident royal is mindful of train connections, so we'll squeeze in one more sculpture...

- Moo-seley -

Beckoning across the square outside the library is ‘Moo-seley’, a sporting sight dedicated to Moseley Rugby Club in red and black kit. Studded boots and a stitched rugby ball for its head augment the effect, and the 1873 date is a nod to the club’s year of formation. Ken can recall Moseley's heyday in the 1970s as one of the leading amateur rugby union sides in the country and although they've fallen away a little in the professional era, consolidation has come from a new home at Billesley Common. Nick duly scurries to Snow Hill, meaning the rest of us can meander back to New Street for our train home. Cheers!

Bulls In The City

The Wild in Art team are up to their antics again by collaborating on yet another Second City sculptural spectacular. We've had owls, we've had sleuth bears, we've had various Christmas creations (snowmen, snowdogs, nutcracker soldiers, reindeer, penguins) but for Summer 2025 the theme is... Bulls! There are several - large and small - to find around the City Centre, not to mention further herds in Harborne and Boldmere...

I'm hoping that over the course of the next couple of months, I'll be able to get around most of the trail but my first attempt at rounding up some cattle came during an evening with Emily in the heart of town. Aside from the artistic fun, Birmingham was in mourning for the loss of Ozzy Osbourne with the Black Sabbath frontman having passed away merely days after the band's farewell concert at Villa Park. Victoria Square was already hosting a display of album covers which seems all the more poignant now. Anyway, to the bulls...

We're underway with 'Bosco the Bull' which comprises a nifty monochrome shiny effort in Church Street Square, within sight of the Old Royal pub. Bosco's freehand form is intended to showcase natural shapes and patterns through black and white contrast. Trail maps can be picked up from a variety of city centre locations, with the main Herd HQ being on the Great Western Arcade. There's also a downloadable app so that you can pose with each bull when you find it.

Snow Hill Station beckons for 'Parkers Goals' as positioned on the station's Colmore Row forecourt. This one has blocks of colour as if wearing a sports jersey - quite effective as well - and was produced by Megan Heather Smith-Evans. The goals theme is intended to reflect West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker’s endeavours to create jobs, homes and regional growth by bringing businesses, government and communities together. Whatever your political persuasion, the region does need such investment.

Great Western Arcade often lends itself to the siting of statues and this time around is playing host to 'Bronco Bully'. He's a lot of fun, representing a cowboy design complete with lasso, spurs, pistols and a rodeo hat, all whilst attracting plenty of admiring Good Intent onlookers. The aforementioned Herd HQ meanwhile features 'Astro the Memorabull' in its main shop window; aside from the punning name, this is a thoughtful design because members of the public can arrange for the names of loved ones to be written on in memory of friends and family.

Chamberlain Square is the location of two bull statues, starting with 'Rainbow' with its Brum loveheart. 'Found in Paradise' is then perched below Dishoom; Emily loves its floral theme, incorporating a pale blue acorn leaf head followed by stems and pretty petals along the main flanks. Birmingham’s green spaces are in focus here, with an underlying environmental message echoing previous trail creations.

Over on New Street is a contender for - in my opinion - the best Wild in Art design ever! 'Cadbully' is an all-time classic, themed like a bar of Dairy Milk chocolate (or Dairy Moo, judging by the lettering). Hands down this is my favourite so far - even ahead of Bronco Bully - because of its purple wrapper, textured gold foil effect and general sense of humour. The signature Cadbury’s packaging is captured so perfectly I’m half expecting Emily to try to take a bite out of it!

Talking of my bull-spotting accomplice, we take a break from the arty action by calling into Flight Club for a bash at Social Darts. There are six different games so we work our way through them all over 90 minutes, with Emily proving especially adept at the Demolition and Shangai options - it's not for nothing we rechristen her as Bullseye Bygrave! Despite my best duck-shooting efforts at Quackshot and a nice win at Snakes & Ladders, it is Miss B who takes the overall victory and doesn't she look pleased!

After that, one more sculpture should prove a fitting finale in which case we can bid good evening to 'Bull Brum Lines' outside the Cathedral on the way to Snow Hill. The overall effect utilises a graphic design motif of circles, triangles, crosses, stripes and arrows to appear very impactful. With twelve bulls accounted for in total, that means there are 28 of the big ones still to track down, not to mention some of the smaller ones designed in partnership with local schools. The quest continues...