University News Last updated 31 October
BCU Fine Art Alumnus Luke Perry is set to unveil his latest piece of public art inspired by reserved occupations in World War II.
The Black County native sculpts moments and people for communities across the UK. His upcoming sculpture, “Fighting from Home” honours reserved occupations from World War II.
The graduate says this is a piece ‘for him’ and to memorialise his family history.
Perry’s public art is typically commissioned by community groups that want to often do the same.
He said: “The public art in a community should be the symbol of what that community feels, what its values are, and who it is that lives there. It makes them feel more like home.
“So, if you had a space that you lived in that had no personality on the walls, it wouldn’t feel like home, so you decorate it.”
The alumnus understands the importance of representing the different cultures in the UK. His process to finding the elements of the commissioned piece is facilitating sessions with community members.
He said: “They’re all different. So, you go and inhabit a place a bit. Whether it’s doing drawings with people or talking to them about what they think, how they feel, what they remember and what they hope for.”
Not only is his work representing overlooked stories, but he is also creating opportunities for artists to get involved in the process. For example, a piece to honour the Windrush generation in Wolverhampton has become collaborative for Perry.
He said: “I went to Wolverhampton and described what the project was and said: ‘Is there anybody that feels like they want to jump in on this?’ I try and communicate to people essentially, I am like a cooking pot and everyone else throws ingredients in and I turn it into a meal because my job is to practically engineer.”
Perry says that he tries to get artists to ‘have their foot on the ladder’ by incorporating their work on his pieces. He credits them so they can also increase their visibility in the art community.
Luke remembers a time when he was a budding artist at University of Central England, the predecessor to BCU, and having to be resourceful and forge his own opportunities. From donated materials and a passion inspired by his grandfather who was a Chain-maker, he’s created his own legacy to continue his practice as a skilled sculptor.
His new piece, ‘Fighting from Home’ has been years in the making and was prompted by a simple question: ‘What would you do if you could make something that you didn’t have to answer to anybody?’ Perry then knew that creating a piece to celebrate reserved occupations, like chain-making, and those who kept the country active during the war.
He explained: “If you’re a surgeon, you can’t learn in six months or even by stepping into a factory, so roles like chain-making can take a lifetime to learn. They were impossible for anyone else to step in.”
Perry’s understanding of the trade made designing this artwork not only meaningful to him but even enhancing his skills by developing new techniques. His resourcefulness from his early days as a sculptor still holding precedent in his work.
He said: “I knew what I wanted the sculpture to look like and if I could have done it, I would have casted it in steel. Made it out of clay and then cast it in steel but couldn’t afford it. So, I developed a process that I’ve never seen anyone else do.”
“I’ve flattened off a load of planes, on the jawline for example, and the lips and the eyes. By flattening off the planes, I was able to use paper templates to trace that and cut it out of steel. Then I weld it together in these flat planes, so I’ve made a sculpture that looks like steel.”
“Fighting from Home” will be unveiled on November 9 at St Luke's Church in Cradley Health at 2pm. This is public for everyone to attend.