Two giant illuminated structures made of glass and stainless steel will be installed on either side of a Wolverhampton city centre street to create an eye-catching gateway entrance.
The impressive design is the brainchild of University of Wolverhampton student Julia Rowley. It will be erected on Stafford Street at its junction with the Ring Road. The artwork is the finishing touch to a major improvement scheme to Stafford Street.
Wolverhampton City Council ran a competition for students from the university’s School of Art and Design to produce concepts for public art to complete the Stafford Street project.
As well as Julia’s illuminated gateway feature, the judges also picked out another winner – a joint project by Charlie Ross and Aidan Nolan. Their creation is a large cylinder split in half – both parts being covered in small lights inspired by the pop art of Roy Lichtenstein. Charlie and Aidan’s design will be erected on Stafford Street outside The Varsity pub.
The three winning students were presented with a certificate and a share of the £2,000 prize fund.
Officers from the city council will now work with the winning students to turn their designs into works of public art. They should be finished and installed in Stafford Street by the end of the year.
Councillor Peter Bilson, one of the competition judges and city council cabinet member for regeneration and enterprise, said: “It was a privilege to be a judge in this contest and the exceptional standard of entries made it a difficult task to pick winners. It is fitting that students from our own university have designed public art features which will enhance the city centre for many years to come.”
Gwen Heeney, university ceramics lecturer, said: “The quality of all the students’ work was excellent. The council were very impressed by the designs that had been produced. Staff from the ceramics, glass and sculpture departments worked really hard with the students on this project. We have a strong emphasis on architectural ceramics and glass at the university, it is one of our areas of speciality.”
Issued by Wolverhampton City Council press office.
Filed under: Art
