Few people were granted the privilege of seeing Ron Gittins’ creations during his lifetime.
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00:00A hidden gem of outsider art, Ron's place in Birkenhead has been granted grade 2 listing.
00:06The flat's a treasure trove of outsider art, including murals depicting historical scenes,
00:12handcrafted fireplaces in the shape of a roaring lion's head, a minotaur's head and even a Roman bread oven.
00:18Ron died just before the lockdown and his niece discovered, after he died, when she came in,
00:26she discovered this amazing emporium dedicated to Greek, Egyptian and Roman art that her uncle Ron had created.
00:35From intricate murals depicting historical scenes to handcrafted concrete fireplaces,
00:41this home in Birkenhead has an incredible interior and it was all created by one man.
00:45The ground floor flat was rented by Ron Gittens in 1986.
00:49He spent the next three decades creating a visionary environment with limited formal artistic training
00:55he developed his own particular world, articulated both through his flat and through the creation of historic costumes.
01:03Concealed for over 30 years within an unassuming Victoria semi-detached house,
01:08Ron meticulously crafted a striking visionary environment which remained a secret until his death.
01:13A postcard has been found from Ron saying,
01:17I'm really looking forward to showing you the space, but he sent it to the wrong address, so she never got it.
01:24So it actually sort of validates what's happened now that Jan has kind of brought her uncle into the public eye.
01:31Ron's place is closed to visitors for the time being, while restoration gets underway.
01:36After Ron's passing in 2019, concerns were raised, the unique work could be lost when the house was put up for auction.
01:44A campaign to save it was a success.
01:47It's now owned by Wirral Arts and Culture Community Land Trust.
01:51The trust are currently in the process of working with consultants to put together a series of funding bids
01:56to preserve the artwork and develop the house to make it suitable for visitors.
02:00We have two patrons, Martin Wallace, who's a filmmaker, and Jarvis Cocker.
02:05Jarvis and Martin have gone all around the world looking at outside their art spaces,
02:11and they'd never find anything like this in the UK.
02:14To celebrate World Community Land Trust Day on the 16th of May,
02:19Jan Williams and Chris Teasdale from Wirral Arts and Culture Community Land Trust
02:23will be speaking online at an event with cultural development programme, Super Slow Way.
02:29What he created in this rental flat is quite amazing.
02:32You've got four stunning, huge fireplaces, murals on every wall and almost every ceiling.
02:40He's painted the floors.
02:43Yeah, it's quite an amazing place, really.
02:46The incredible collection of artwork in Ron's place is truly astounding.
02:51It is crazy to think that this could have been lost to the world forever.