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Leicester artist's painting presented to the University of Leicester

Posted on 02/02/2012
University of Leicester

A Leicester-based artist's painting of one of the most striking buildings in the country is to be unveiled at the University of Leicester on Tuesday, February 7

Staff at the University of Leicester's Department of Engineering were so impressed with local artist Thomas Bartlett's painting of the Engineering building that they arranged for the university to purchase the piece.

The University of Leicester Engineering building has been hailed as one of the top 10 most inspiring buildings in the UK. Designed by James Stirling and James Gowan, it has the distinction of a Grade 2* Listing.

The painting is an abstracted, red and white interpretation of Stirling and Gowan’s post-war modernist design for the Engineering building, which was completed in 1963.

Mr Bartlett initially contacted the Head of the Department of Engineering Professor John Fothergill to invite him to a view the painting at an exhibition at the New Walk Museum and Art Gallery in December.

After seeing it, Professor Fothergill became keen for the 5ft by 5ft canvas to be displayed at the department.

Mr Bartlett, 27, from Barwell, near Hinckley, has worked as a professional artist for five years and is based at Leicester Print Workshop in Highfields,

He said: “The Engineering building is certainly to be considered as a landmark in the city. It is comparatively in a class of its own in terms of character with other buildings in Leicester.

“The building is abstract, striking, confident and subversive and these aspects inspired me. More importantly, the building offers a primary motif which resonates within my inspired work and that is the roof and its fantastic geometric construct. Triangles and rectangles protrude the roof and demand the viewer to regard its presence and fantastic scope for originality.

“It's an honour to have the work displayed in the Engineering Building. I'm very pleased that the work is on permanent show as one of the University of Leicester's collections and that hopefully many students, academics and staff will enjoy the work as much as I do.”

The picture will be presented to the University in Lecture Theatre 2 of the Engineering building at 4pm on February 7.