{"id":447734,"date":"2025-01-03T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-03T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/?p=447734"},"modified":"2025-01-02T09:49:27","modified_gmt":"2025-01-02T15:49:27","slug":"ron-gittins-flat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2025\/01\/ron-gittins-flat\/","title":{"rendered":"Near Liverpool, a One-of-a-Kind Art Environment by Ron Gittins Is Saved"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull is-style-default entry-header is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-5 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><figure class=\"colo-post-featured-image wp-block-post-featured-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-3.jpg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"the interior of Ron Gittins&#039; apartment in Birkenhead, England, featuring a very ornate, hand-sculpted fireplace of a bull&#039;s head with murals all around on the walls\" style=\"object-fit:cover;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-3.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-3-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-3-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-3-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-3-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">&#8220;The Minotaur Room.&#8221; All images courtesy of Historic England, shared with permission<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group post-title is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-2 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><h1 class=\"alignfull wp-block-post-title\">Near Liverpool, a One-of-a-Kind Art Environment by Ron Gittins Is Saved<\/h1>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-meta is-layout-flex wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div class=\"wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2025-01-03T05:00:00-06:00\">January 3, 2025<\/time><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"taxonomy-category wp-block-post-terms\"><a class=\"category-art\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/art\/\" rel=\"tag\">Art<\/a><a class=\"category-design\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/design\/\" rel=\"tag\">Design<\/a><a class=\"category-history\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/history\/\" rel=\"tag\">History<\/a><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/author\/kmothes\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"wp-block-post-author-name__link\">Kate Mothes<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-share-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-3 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing has-visible-labels has-icon-color is-style-logos-only is-layout-flex wp-block-social-sharing-is-layout-flex\"><li style=\"color: #1c1e0d; \" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-facebook has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2F2025%2F01%2Fron-gittins-flat%2F&#038;title=Near%20Liverpool%2C%20a%20One-of-a-Kind%20Art%20Environment%20by%20Ron%20Gittins%20Is%20Saved\" aria-label=\"Share\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\">\n\t\t<svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12 2C6.5 2 2 6.5 2 12c0 5 3.7 9.1 8.4 9.9v-7H7.9V12h2.5V9.8c0-2.5 1.5-3.9 3.8-3.9 1.1 0 2.2.2 2.2.2v2.5h-1.3c-1.2 0-1.6.8-1.6 1.6V12h2.8l-.4 2.9h-2.3v7C18.3 21.1 22 17 22 12c0-5.5-4.5-10-10-10z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \">\n\t\t\tShare\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n\n\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d; \" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-pinterest has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?&#038;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2F2025%2F01%2Fron-gittins-flat%2F&#038;description=Near%20Liverpool%2C%20a%20One-of-a-Kind%20Art%20Environment%20by%20Ron%20Gittins%20Is%20Saved&#038;media=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F01%2Fgittins-3-960x640.jpg\" aria-label=\"Pin\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\">\n\t\t<svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12.289,2C6.617,2,3.606,5.648,3.606,9.622c0,1.846,1.025,4.146,2.666,4.878c0.25,0.111,0.381,0.063,0.439-0.169 c0.044-0.175,0.267-1.029,0.365-1.428c0.032-0.128,0.017-0.237-0.091-0.362C6.445,11.911,6.01,10.75,6.01,9.668 c0-2.777,2.194-5.464,5.933-5.464c3.23,0,5.49,2.108,5.49,5.122c0,3.407-1.794,5.768-4.13,5.768c-1.291,0-2.257-1.021-1.948-2.277 c0.372-1.495,1.089-3.112,1.089-4.191c0-0.967-0.542-1.775-1.663-1.775c-1.319,0-2.379,1.309-2.379,3.059 c0,1.115,0.394,1.869,0.394,1.869s-1.302,5.279-1.54,6.261c-0.405,1.666,0.053,4.368,0.094,4.604 c0.021,0.126,0.167,0.169,0.25,0.063c0.129-0.165,1.699-2.419,2.142-4.051c0.158-0.59,0.817-2.995,0.817-2.995 c0.43,0.784,1.681,1.446,3.013,1.446c3.963,0,6.822-3.494,6.822-7.833C20.394,5.112,16.849,2,12.289,2\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \">\n\t\t\tPin\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n\n\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d; \" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-mail has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"mailto:?subject=Near%20Liverpool%2C%20a%20One-of-a-Kind%20Art%20Environment%20by%20Ron%20Gittins%20Is%20Saved&#038;body=Near%20Liverpool%2C%20a%20One-of-a-Kind%20Art%20Environment%20by%20Ron%20Gittins%20Is%20Saved%20&mdash;%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2F2025%2F01%2Fron-gittins-flat%2F\" aria-label=\"Email\"  class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\">\n\t\t<svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M20,4H4C2.895,4,2,4.895,2,6v12c0,1.105,0.895,2,2,2h16c1.105,0,2-0.895,2-2V6C22,4.895,21.105,4,20,4z M20,8.236l-8,4.882 L4,8.236V6h16V8.236z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \">\n\t\t\tEmail\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<button class=\"simplefavorite-button preset\" data-postid=\"447734\" data-siteid=\"1\" data-groupid=\"1\" data-favoritecount=\"2\" style=\"\"><i class=\"sf-icon-bookmark\" style=\"\"><\/i>Bookmark<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Behind the unassuming red brick facade of a gable-roofed flat in Birkenhead, England, sits a home like no other. The only clue passersby would have had, until recently, was a pair of hand-sculpted figurative columns that flanked the wooden front door. But to step inside this corner flat near Liverpool is to be transported into the imaginative world of <a href=\"https:\/\/ronsplace.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ron Gittins<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A gifted artist who also dabbled in local acting groups and music, Gittins was a complex character. He took day jobs here and there, but he was much more inclined to work for himself, on his own terms. Anecdotally, he was known for his zest for life and determination to do great things; his sister recounts that he once exclaimed to their brother, &#8220;I will not be ignored!&#8221; His creativity shone through in every facet of his life, and his home is no exception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"1452\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-10-960x1452.jpg\" alt=\"the interior of Ron Gittins' apartment in Birkenhead, England, of the hallway of the flat with painted walls reminiscent of ancient Egypt\" class=\"wp-image-447745\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-10-960x1452.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-10-640x968.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-10-768x1162.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-10-1015x1536.jpg 1015w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-10-1354x2048.jpg 1354w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-10-scaled.jpg 1692w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hallway<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In a ground floor rented flat, which he let in 1986, Gittins created monumental hearths in the shapes of a lion, <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Minotaur\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">minotaur<\/a>, and relief-adorned Roman altar. He painted bright murals inspired by ancient Greece, Rome, and Egypt, including a central hallway adorned with hieroglyphs. The columns at the front door were reminiscent of palatial stone depictions of pharaohs and deities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gittins turned to the era of English romantic portraiture in one room&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Georgian_era\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Georgian era<\/a>-inspired murals, which feature framed paintings in a row above an ornate hearth. And in the bathroom, the walls swim with aquatic-themed images.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Although Ron was extremely proud of his artwork, he generally refused entry to landlords, maintenance staff, and any kind of officialdom in order to protect\u00a0the fantasy world he had created for himself,&#8221; says a statement from Wirral Arts &amp; Culture Community Land Trust, which now owns and manages the property. It adds, &#8220;After all, not every property owner would allow their tenant to build an epic concrete lion fireplace in their living room.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gittins&#8217; tenancy agreement permitted him to &#8220;decorate the interior of the property to his own taste and the external porch in classical style without the prior written consent of the Landlord.&#8221; He also had access to the garden, which he was able to landscape at his own expense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-5-960x640.jpg\" alt=\"the interior of Ron Gittins' apartment in Birkenhead, England, featuring a very ornate, hand-sculpted fireplace of a lion's head with murals all around on the walls\" class=\"wp-image-447740\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-5-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-5-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-5-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-5-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-5.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">&#8220;The Lion Room&#8221;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Few people were granted the privilege of seeing Gittins&#8217; creations during his lifetime, as he was protective of his art and preferred to maintain his privacy. He continued to collect unique objects and transform his home into his ultimate fantasy, his self-described &#8220;villa.&#8221; Then, following his unexpected death in 2019, its fate was suddenly uncertain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In December 2021, artist Jan Williams\u2014who is also Gittins&#8217; niece\u2014along with Chris Teasdale of <a href=\"https:\/\/thecaravangallery.photography\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Caravan Gallery<\/a>, launched a campaign to save the flat. Along with a dedicated team of volunteers comprising family, friends, and experts in arts and heritage, a last-minute purchase at auction was successful in March 2023. Since then, the team has continued caring for the installations and sifting through the artist&#8217;s eclectic collection of books, magazines, videos, clothes, furniture, and trinkets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Wirral Arts &amp; Culture Community Land Trust continues to catalogue Gittins&#8217; belongings and work to preserve this unique environment for years to come. Learn more and take a virtual tour on the organization&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/ronsplace.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">website<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-8-960x640.jpg\" alt=\"the interior of Ron Gittins' apartment in Birkenhead, England, the walls of which are painted with a colorful, romantic mural of painted portraits above an ornate fireplace\" class=\"wp-image-447743\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-8-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-8-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-8-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-8-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-8.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">&#8220;The Georgian Room&#8221;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-9-960x640.jpg\" alt=\"the interior of Ron Gittins' apartment in Birkenhead, England, of the ceiling of which is painted with a colorful, romantic mural, with portraits in tondos along the trim at the top\" class=\"wp-image-447744\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-9-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-9-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-9-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-9-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-9.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ceiling of &#8220;The Georgian Room&#8221;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"1390\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-6-960x1390.jpg\" alt=\"the interior of Ron Gittins' apartment in Birkenhead, England, featuring a very ornate, hand-sculpted fireplace with numerous niches\" class=\"wp-image-447741\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-6-960x1390.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-6-640x927.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-6-768x1112.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-6-1061x1536.jpg 1061w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-6-1414x2048.jpg 1414w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-6-scaled.jpg 1768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The &#8220;Roman Altar&#8221; in the kitchen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"710\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-4-960x710.jpg\" alt=\"the bathroom of Ron Gittins' apartment, featuring murals of fish that cover the entire room\" class=\"wp-image-447739\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-4-960x710.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-4-640x473.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-4-768x568.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-4-1536x1136.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-4.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bathroom<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"696\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-2-960x696.jpg\" alt=\"the interior of Ron Gittins' apartment in Birkenhead, England, featuring a very ornate, hand-sculpted fireplace of a bull's head with murals all around on the walls\" class=\"wp-image-447737\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-2-960x696.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-2-640x464.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-2-768x557.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-2-1536x1114.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-2.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">&#8220;The Minotaur Room&#8221;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-7-960x640.jpg\" alt=\"the interior of Ron Gittins' apartment in Birkenhead, England, the walls of which are painted with a colorful, romantic mural of painted portraits above an ornate fireplace\" class=\"wp-image-447742\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-7-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-7-640x427.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-7-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-7-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-7.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">&#8220;The Georgian Room&#8221;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"1269\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-1-960x1269.jpg\" alt=\"the exterior of Ron Gittins' flat in Birkenhead, England, with a brick facade and gable roof\" class=\"wp-image-447736\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-1-960x1269.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-1-640x846.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-1-768x1015.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-1-1162x1536.jpg 1162w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-1-1549x2048.jpg 1549w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-1-scaled.jpg 1936w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Exterior of Gittins&#8217; flat in Birkenhead, England<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"1242\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-111-960x1242.jpg\" alt=\"hand-sculpted concrete figurative columns flanking the wooden door of Ron Gittins' apartment in England\" class=\"wp-image-447735\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-111-960x1242.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-111-640x828.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-111-768x994.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-111-1187x1536.jpg 1187w, https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/gittins-111.jpg 1412w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Front door columns<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Few people were granted the privilege of seeing Gittins&#8217; creations during his lifetime, but a new initiative is restoring and preserving this unique home.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2306,"featured_media":447738,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[493,494,1320],"tags":[3608,1529,697,31,386,110,3606,58],"class_list":["post-447734","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-art","category-design","category-history","tag-art-environments","tag-art-history","tag-england","tag-installation","tag-murals","tag-painting","tag-ron-gittins","tag-sculpture"],"acf":{"acf_sponsor_post":""},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.1 (Yoast SEO v24.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Near Liverpool, a One-of-a-Kind Art Environment by Ron Gittins Is Saved &#8212; Colossal<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Ron Gittins&#039; 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