Our Beth

Minton Tiles c. 1865 -1867

Bethesda Terrace, Central Park NYC (USA)

Manufactured in Stoke-on-Trent, England

Bethesda Terrace was designed as the formal centrepiece of Central Park, New York City. It’s affectionately known as ‘the heart of the park’. The majestic Arcade is famed for its unique Minton Tile Ceiling created with nearly 16,000 encaustic tiles made in The Potteries (Stoke-on-Trent, England) over 150 years ago.

Less well known is the ‘lost floor’ also commissioned from Minton & installed at the same time in the mid 1860s; but sadly replaced by 1911 after suffering from serious water damage & subsidence. Its intricate & distinctive pattern was formed using an estimated 45,000 bespoke encaustic & (smaller) geometric tiles.

A small consignment of the original ceiling & floor tiles have made a unique return journey from Manhattan - via Liverpool - to their ‘birthplace’ in Stoke-on-Trent as part of a transatlantic cultural (re)connection project led by

Danny Callaghan (UK) & Matt Reiley (USA).

The two artists undertook a month-long odyssey - guided by the original transit route - which aimed to celebrate the historic commission & promote a contemporary conversation about the wider cultural significance & value of this magnificent ceramic masterpiece.

#OurBeth #NYC #SoT #SharedStories

Check out the links below to find out more, follow the journey & continue to join in…