Everyday Heroes Honored in Warrington Bus Station Art

Warrington artist Cameron Brown has transformed Warrington Bus Interchange with a powerfully poignant collection of portraits.

"As you are now so once were we" is a thought-provoking display of 48 portraits painted onto the glass of the bus station as a touching tribute to the people of Warrington, the impact they have had on their town, and the role our town played in their lives.

Cameron explained: "The aim behind the piece was to celebrate the impact that the people of Warrington can have on the town, often without realising, and to recognise the impact that the town can have on us as a collective.

"It was an attempt to try and remember the people that came before, appreciate the people that are presently having an effect on the town, and to be aware of the impact we can have on what is still to come."

Taking its name from James Joyce's novel Ullyses, Cameron's work attempts to add a sense of context and belonging to our own individual lives, to encourage people to look back at what has gone before and how they have arrived in the position they find themselves in today.

This impressive display is the latest of a number of art installations on display in Warrington town centre, as part of a collaborative project delivered by Culture Warrington, Warrington Borough Council, and Warrington BID, with funding from Arts Council England and National Trust.

Forming part of the Warrington Contemporary Arts Festival and The Time Machine Festival, this dynamic project features the work of nine talented artists, who are displaying a range of paintings, light installations, sculptures, and more across the town centre.

Cameron's 3.5 metre tall work took a back-breaking 43 hours to complete and has unsurprisingly become a top talking point in the town.

Leah Biddle, Cultural Manager for Culture Warrington, said: "The response to this latest piece by Cameron has been truly staggering and it's so easy to see why.

"Poignant and powerful, this stunning display will quite literally stop you in your tracks, which is exactly what we wanted to achieve through our Public Art Commissions project."

Cameron, 27, added: "With this piece I wanted to achieve something that had an impact and could positively disrupt someone's day. Instead of walking, head down, through an area of Warrington that has struggled to keep up with the rest of the town, in terms of development and the distribution of town funds, they could hopefully see something that makes them stop and appreciate their surroundings.

"I hope people can recognise the celebration of the lives of people who are no longer with us: grandparents who were the first to come to Warrington, veterans who went through hell only to have a positive impact on their home town, or just people who have moved here only to fall in love with this area.

"If they can look upon it and feel pride then I think the piece is a success."