Brutalist Bee Hotels is a project developed by artist Robin Blackledge. He is a multi-media artist with a career spanning 35 + years in Performance art, installation, collaborative projects & many lead artist positions in Public Art & health environments including palliative care. In the past few years, he has begun to work collaboratively on projects that are primarily concerned with uplift in bio-diversity and environmental issues.-

‘This serendipitous & collaborative project is inspired by my interest in post war social architecture that sought to give millions of people a new home, free from the damp slums of victorian Britain. However derided in the future, these buildings served a purpose & were based on principles of space & proportion which today seem generous, in an era where space is a premium & the growing political pressure to build on what is left of our green space. It all started when I bought an artwork by artist Micheál O'Connell  which consisted of an installation of estate agent For Sale signs, the sales receipt was for 7 Euros (a cup of coffee & a croissant). I then hammered these signs into ground at Sussex Prairies to claim the land for my Hotel development.

Using the same principles of design and build utilised in building for social housing, I am now creating a series of Bee towers that seek to provide conditions for them to thrive. Any profit made from merchandising will be ploughed back into the project.’

What does a Campaign for New Bees look like?

Like the CND logo which is so iconic…how do you avoid cliché and create something strong and memorable?

I decided on an attempt to combine the aesthetics of the CND logo and a bee graphic, It also seems to reference Leonardo’s ‘Vitruvian Man’. The yellow colour is also a direct reference to Uk road signs.’

Thanks to my sponsors and co-collaborators

Amy Very - Photographer & Web Designer

The Straw brothers (purveyors of drinking straws used in the hotels)

Brighton Wood Recycling

All at Sussex Prairies for assiting and being so supportive

Steve Brett – artist & all round collaborator