Express & Star

Wolves in Wolves officially launched - with pictures and video

Mayor Elias Mattu officially launched the Wolves in Wolves project, declaring: "This is going to put Wolverhampton on the map."

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Mayor Elias Mattu and project manager Jagtar Singh

As the final sculptures prepared to be sent out onto the streets, he spoke of his pride at a project that will bring colour to the city.

People can now begin hunting down the full wolf pack of 30 artworks.

The final two of the 30 were unveiled at Wolverhampton Art Gallery before more than 100 people at a celebration event to mark the culmination of a project that has been five years in the making and has been declared the city's biggest ever public art exhibition.

Councillor Mattu said: "This is going to put Wolverhampton on the map – not only regionally, but nationally. It is going to spread like wildfire.

"This is the biggest public art event to take place in Wolverhampton which says something. They are beautifully decorated you can't miss the attraction.

Karl Van Stratten from Wolverhampton Speedway

"The have filled the city with colour and vibrancy not only for the people of Wolverhampton but they will attract people into the centre."

The project has already crossed international borders with artists from as far as Netherlands and Canada joining the dozens of others who have contributed.

Among them was art teacher Jody Williams and her students at Moreton School, who between have created three of the statues.

She said: "It has been a really good opportunity for Wolverhampton to really get into the art scene and for the community to see what it has to offer.

"The students have loved being a part of it alongside all of the other artists."

Artist Danielle Robotham from Penn

The trail officially starts at the art gallery where the two sculptures unveiled in the Georgian room will be relocated elsewhere in the venue.

A mini wolves exhibition will also be at the site while chiefs say it will be an opportunity to see all of the other works on show

Paul Darke, from Outside Centre, a partner of the project, said: "We proposed this idea in 2012 and it has taken off from there.

"It has taken five years to achieve this and the most important people involved have been the artists."

Jo Burgess (former Wolves Uni student) with a miniature version of her wolf - the bigger version is at The Way Youth Zone

Project leader Jagtar Singh added: "After we had all of the designs the challenge was how do we know people can turn these into reality.

"It was a leap of faith but we trusted and had confidence in the artists to produce these wonderful creations."

The sculptures will be on show for people to find until September 24 after which they will be auctioned off for charity.