Northwest artist, Anthony D Padgett, has created a bronze bust of Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham, in a bid to address the Northern / Southern imbalance of political leaders represented in major UK art galleries.
The impressive work, to be unveiled to the public at Manchester Art Fair this weekend (November 21 – 23), took over 40 hours to create and is based largely on observation.
The 56-year-old artist from Morecambe, Lancashire, was motivated to create the work further to seeing Burnham speak on the subject of Universal Basic Income back in 2022.
Inspired by his passion and personable nature, the Lancashire Representative of Artist Union England, contacted the Mayoral Office to see if the Greater Manchester Mayor would be happy to sit for the work and was delighted when the reply was a yes.
With all of Padgett’s work to date focussed on late poets and other notable figures, the bust is the artist’s first work of a living subject and one of which he is particularly proud.
Speaking on the significance of the work not just to him as an artist but for Manchester, a city with which he has a proud connection, Padgett said: “Politicians in London have a great profile. The same cannot often be said of regional leaders. I wanted to address this and promote figures of the North on a national scale.
“Having heard Andy speak, he was a natural choice. He’s a passionate advocate for the city and the North. It’s important that we positively address the regional divide. Manchester has a phenomenal cultural sector and is an economic powerhouse. It has a value in its own right and this should be valued and appreciated.”
Work on the bronze bust commenced back in 2022, when Padget first met with the Mayor of Greater Manchester to capture essential photographs and take measurements at the Mayoral Office.
From here a rough sculpture was created in Padgett’s studio at Birley Studios in Preston. A series of in-person sittings followed, slotted around the politician’s busy schedule, a time that afforded Padgett the opportunity to “capture the greatness of the Greater Manchester Mayor” and “put some real soul and expression into the work.”
Once happy with the clay sculpture, which sees every intricate feature of the leading politician captured in detail, a mould was created into which a cold cast bronze was poured.
The bust, weighing 18kg, was completed in late summer 2025 when Padgett had the opportunity to share the finished work with Burnham over a video call. It was a moment of great pride for the artist, with the politician thanking Padgett for the honour.
A long-standing exhibitor at Manchester Art Fair, having shown at the event for more than six years, the Lancashire artist is excited to unveil the work at this year’s event (stand 615).
Speaking ahead of the fair which runs from Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd November, Padgett said: “I love Manchester Art Fair. It has a great atmosphere and provides a brilliant opportunity to show my work to a wide audience and meet many others.
“What makes it so unique is the friendly environment. The organiser’s commitment to bringing something new year-on-year is commendable. I’m delighted to have the opportunity to contribute to that newness this year and to unveil my sculpture of Andy Burnham at the event. I’m looking forward to sharing my story with visitors and showing my wider collection of work.”
Director of Manchester Art Fair, Sophie Helm, added: “Anthony’s work is not merely art, it’s a powerful and necessary commentary on the historical imbalance of representation in our national galleries. His vision aligns perfectly with our commitment to fostering inclusive and meaningful dialogue and we are proud to continue supporting an artist who consistently uses their creativity to challenge the status quo.”
The finished work will be gifted to a renowned UK gallery for display in its national collection, with details of the chosen gallery under wraps for now. A second bust will be gifted to the Greater Manchester Mayor, with a third to be retained by Padgett.
