Bells will once again ring out in Queen’s Park as a series of sculptures by a Loughborough University Student are commissioned.

The £2000 commission by Charnwood Borough Council to design the latest series of sculptures for the Park was awarded to Fine Art finalist Ian Tricker.

The sculptures celebrate the instalment of St Paul’s Cathedral’s ‘Great Paul’ bell case in the park.  Loughborough-based Bell Foundry, Taylor and Co, created the bell case in 1881.

Ian’s unique sculptures will include a trio of six feet high tuning forks, four bells juxtaposed in a stacked formation and a silhouette of a bell interior and the ‘clapper’ that makes the sound of the bell.

The bell case and new sculptures will form an important element of Loughborough’s Britain Bloom entry for 2013. Production of the sculptures will begin immediately and be installed in early May.

Pete Beacham, the University’s senior sculpture technician, assisted in the design and helped co-ordinate the project. He said:

“This project with Charnwood Borough Council is a beautiful opportunity for students to experience a professional commission. We’re very keen to continue working with the Council to take this relationship further in the future.”

Councillor Jonathan Morgan, Charnwood Borough Council’s cabinet support member for finance and property services said:

“This has been a fantastic opportunity for the students of Loughborough and Ian has produced some amazing pieces that really capture the essence of what we were trying to achieve to celebrate the Great Paul Bell.

“We hope to expand this project over the coming years with annual competitions to enable Art students to gain some valuable experience, but also create a lasting legacy in the Queen’s Park of the calibre of students that pass through Loughborough.”

Last year three students from the School of the Arts were involved in a similar project with Charnwood Borough Council, where they designed a striking installation of two-metre high swimmers legs to represent synchronised swimming and capture the essence of the Olympics.

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